DISH HD and OTA antennas

[NitrousGT]

I have been reading the forum and searching, but I am not quite sure what the OTA antennas are for? Why would you need that if dish already provides local service? Can you use the antenna just for local service and you wont need a receiver or dish? Just trying to get a grasp of what the OTA antenna is used for and how its used.

Thanks

 

[goaliebob99]

OTA antenna stands for Over The AIR.. In dish setups its maily used to get Local High Definition stations that are being braudcasted from stations like NBC,CBS,FOX,UPN,WB,ABC ect.. Dish does not provide local High definition programming in every market so one would use it to get the high definition braudcasts. Also Dish does not provide the sub channels that one might be able to recive with the use of an over the air antenna. An example of this would be here in chicago NBC is on 5-1 and a sub channel of nbc is 5-2 wich is weather plus. This channel provides local raidar loops and weather info. You can depending if your tv has a digital tuner built in. If it does then yes you can. IF its just HDTV compatable then you need an addtional box to be able to tune to the digital channels, like a dish reciver or digital tuner box. People who do get LIL hd through dish use an antenna as a backup or the ability to record more than one LIL station at a time. For instance one could record NBC on Sat tuner one, ABC on sat tuner 2 and FOX on the Over the air tuner at the same time. It also provides the user any sub channels that are not braudcasted by dish

 

[DVDDAD]

In some markets Dish does not yet offer locals in HD. Yet with an OTA antenna you can receive the HD signal and get a picture that is actually better than satellite HD. Having the OTA antenna also lets you pull in more HD channels than Dish carries and gives you the ability to record three programs at once (while watching a pre-recorded show, if you want) on Dish's duel tuner DVR's.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Yep, for those of us fortunate enough to receive all of the networks in HD via a OTA, we end up with better picture quality, more recording options, and at a lower cost (by not having to pay Dish $5/month for locals).

 

[NitrousGT]

Thanks for the explanation. Another question. I have a Samsun 61" 1080P HDTV with built in tuner, does that mean if i just get an OTA HD antenna, i can just plug it in the back of the TV and get local channels in HD?

Second question. If dish supports local channels in HD in my area, then i wont need the OTA antenna is that correct? What if i dont subscribe to the extra $5 local channels, can i just purchase an OTA antenna and use that to get the local channels? I think it will be cheaper because i saw some OTA antenna for around $99.

 

[dougruss]

Thanks for the explanation. Another question. I have a Samsun 61" 1080P HDTV with built in tuner, does that mean if i just get an OTA HD antenna, i can just plug it in the back of the TV and get local channels in HD?

Yep....go to http://antennaweb.organd enter your Zip Code to see what type of Antenna is recommended. Then there should be something in your Tv's menu to do a Search( Scan) for Digital Channels. Run the Scan and you should be set to go? ( Hopefully )

 

[garys]

Thanks for the explanation. Another question. I have a Samsun 61" 1080P HDTV with built in tuner, does that mean if i just get an OTA HD antenna, i can just plug it in the back of the TV and get local channels in HD?

Second question. If dish supports local channels in HD in my area, then i wont need the OTA antenna is that correct? What if i dont subscribe to the extra $5 local channels, can i just purchase an OTA antenna and use that to get the local channels? I think it will be cheaper because i saw some OTA antenna for around $99.

Answer to second question. If dish supports local HD's, still get the OTA antenna as E* will not give you all the channels in HD. Right now E* is not supplying any independent, WB, UPN or PBS in their HD local packages so you will not get them nor any subchannels your local dma may offer. Plus if E* does offer the four major networks - the 622 has a tuner for OTA only, makes it so you can record one OTA channel and any two other channels, or total of three local channels at the same time. Otherr wise you could only do one if you just have OTA or two if just via E*.

 

[NitrousGT]

Thanks dougruss and gary. I just checked on the site you directed me to, 4 color coded listings were displayed, does that mean i need to get a Large Directional with Preamp to get all stations? zipcode is 22026. The antennas are usually just attached outside on the deck or on the roof? are they generally larger in size?
Thanks again

 

[JH1949]

Thanks dougruss and gary. I just checked on the site you directed me to, 4 color coded listings were displayed.....
Thanks again

Here are his digital channels:


Orientation Miles Frequency

* yellow - uhf 9.1 CBS 37° 28.7 34
* yellow - uhf 4.1 NBC 37° 28.0 48
* yellow - uhf 7.1 ABC 37° 28.7 39
* red - uhf 26.1 PBS 35° 23.9 27
* red - uhf 33 PBS 37° 28.7 33
* red - uhf 5.1 FOX 36° 29.0 36
* red - uhf 50.1 WB 41° 30.8 51
* blue - uhf 14.1 TFA 37° 28.0 15
* violet - uhf 20.1 UPN 37° 28.7 35

Do you have any UHF antenna on your place now ?
If so, plug it into your TV digital tuner and see what happens.

You never told us how you are watching TV now. Are you using an OTA antenna or cable TV ?

Also, is there anything blocking your antenna line of site if it were aimed at Washington DC at 37 degrees, like houses taller than yours or tall trees with lots of leaves waving in the wind ?

 

[NitrousGT]

I just moved in the the property not too long ago so currently i have nothing, just dvd's. There are no tall buildings or trees in the area that are very tall. HOw do i konw if i am aiming at wash dc at 37degrees, is there something i can purchase that will tell me? There is a dish on the top of the townhome but i am not sure what system it is, it looks blank. I will go purhcase a uhf antenna at radio shack and plug it in and see what happens. I wont be living in the property that much yet but i do want some of basic channels until i get dishnetwork HD.

Thanks

 

[JH1949]

I will go purhcase a uhf antenna at radio shack and plug it in and see what happens. I wont be living in the property that much yet but i do want some of basic channels until i get dishnetwork HD.

Thanks

Here are 3 from Radio Shack, but you may need to ask them if these will work for 30 miles from HD OTA towers in DC.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2253765&cp=&origkw=HDTV antenna&kw=hdtv antenna&parentPage=search

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103091&cp=&origkw=HDTV antenna&kw=hdtv antenna&parentPage=search


the following might work without a preamp amplifier
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103088&cp=&origkw=UHF antenna&kw=uhf antenna&parentPage=search

 

[NitrousGT]

So it has to be able to get the signal from 30 miles away for it to work? other than that, i have to get something that can get 30miles or further?

 

[JH1949]

Yes.

Scroll back up to Post #9. It says you should be about 23.9 to 30.8 miles away from the DC transmission towers acccording to your zip code, if that makes any sense ?

 

[NitrousGT]

so you do not recommend an indoor antenna is that correct? this is rated very well at the site... any suggestions?
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...kw=antennas&kwCatId=2032057&parentPage=search

 

[JH1949]

time 4 U 2 ask R Shack

 

[oljim]

Get the UHF 15-2160 for $25, It is by far the best of the ones you listed

 

[NitrousGT]

Get the UHF 15-2160 for $25, It is by far the best of the ones you listed

Even though it doesnt say HD, it will still pick up the HD channels? What about VHF? this antenna says only UHF?

THanks

 

[Jeff_R]

Even though it doesnt say HD, it will still pick up the HD channels? What about VHF? this antenna says only UHF?

THanks

Digital/HD channel transmission is still the same as standard analog transmission. At this time, most of the digital channels for most areas are in the UHF band someplace, so a UHF antenna would be good assuming they are all UHF or high-VHF based channels. The only ones that a UHF antenna has a real problem picking up is the VHF-low grouping (channels 2-6 or so).

Here in Sacramento, my Cahnnelmaster 4228 works excellent for picking up all digital locals (all in UHF), as well as 2 of our local VHF-high analog locals. The 2 VHF-low (3 and 6) aren't receivable at all. Just a note for you in case some of your digital locals are down that low.

 

[Jim5506]

All your digitals are UHF, and there is no such thing as an HD antenna, it either picks up the frequency or it doesnt. SD, HD are the same to your antenna.

 

[EvilEuro]

The other reason to use an OTA antenna is so you can abuse the bejesus out of your DVR by recording 3 HD programs at once.

Another applicable reason. Where I live there are far more than just the local networks that have HD signals. I can pick up the digital signal for 15 local stations and only four of those are provided by Dish. Among those are two local PBS affiliates, both of whom provide a lot of HD content, plus my local WB, which has most of its primetime lineup.

Those are my reasons for using an OTA antenna.