Help me figure out what channels I will be able to pick up

[ra_dsm]

I am looking a switching off of Cox cable to Dish Network. It is my understanding that the 722K has 2 OTA tuners. To get over the two tuner DVR recording limitation of the 722K.

I would like to be able to use an OTA antenna to record HD from the network stations CBS, ABC, NBC. Can you tell me based on the TV Fool chart what channels would I be able to pick up with either a small indoor/outdoor antenna or an antenna in the attic.

What antenna would you recommend?

Thanks

 

[Mr Tony]

broke your post off a different thread that had nothing to do with the issue

 

[ra_dsm]

Thanks for the move.

I realized and was editing but you beat me too it.

Thanks

 

[boba]

Please tell us a little more about the housing? Are you in an apartment or in a house? Indoor TV antenna probably will be limited to NBC. ABC & CBS maybe possible with an outside antenna.

 

[ra_dsm]

I live in a one story house with approximately 25 foot peaked roof. The Property Owners Association is pretty picky and they discourage antennas although I am pretty sure they can't prohibit them.

How big of a antenna is required?

How far can I expect to be able to pick up a signal from?

 

[CowboyDren]

Legally, they can't prohibit antennas. In day to day life, though, they can make yours hell. How big of an antenna and which direction depends on what you want to pick up. So...what do you want? One of each of the Big-4 plus PBS? Do you have to have CW and WB? What channels does Cox offer you now? What is Dish offering you programming guide data for? Maybe that's where we can start.

 

[ra_dsm]

*CowboyDren - Today 10:59 PM
Legally, they can't prohibit antennas. In day to day life, though, they can make yours hell."
Yeah, and my wife is the POA prez.
I would like one of each of the Big-4?
I don't have to have CW and WB?
Cox offers a better selection of locals; including Joplin Mo, Tulsa OK & Ft Smith.
Dish says that my local will come from Ft Smith AR, so it would be the CBS, ABC, NBC & FOX to the south.

 

[Jim5506]

The first thing to do is to go to TV Fool and "Check your address for freeTV" - use your exact home address, it will not show on the report.

Then post the link to your report here so we can give you a half-way intelligent answer.

 

[CowboyDren]

Ft. Smith should be pretty easy. You only need a UHF antenna if you don't mind dropping PBS (you might even get lucky and pick it up anyway). I'd put an Antennacraft U4000 or Winegard HD4400 (both run about $30 online) in your attic, facing due South, and see what happens. It'd be really cool if you just happen to have a gable facing that way, and don't have to look through roofing material. On the other hand, if you have aluminum siding on that same gable, it's going to cause a problem.

Another option is something like an Antennacraft HDX1000, which still won't pick up that PBS station, but looks enough like a satellite dish that the neighbors don't usually even notice it to complain.

Antennacraft HDX1000 HDTV-VHF-UHF Antenna

Adding an OTA antenna (or several) compliments a Dish HD DVR really nicely. The only down side is that you still have to pay for local channel service to get the guide data on your DVR to work.

 

[boba]

AntennaWeb selecting digital only produces slightly different results. NBC according to TVfool is 13 mi. away and broadcasts on CH50 according to antenna web NBC is 40 miles away broadcasting on CH50. Antenna web also does not show a fox broadcaster but TVfool shows one at 46 miles broadcasting on CH27.

With the conflicting information I will withdraw my statement that NBC could be received with an indoor antenna. I will join with Cowboy Dren that a 4 bay bowtie UHF antenna will probably work to get you HDTV OTA. In attic may work but I prefer outside if possible, due to size and design UHF only antennas are usually not objectionable.