MNT902W vs CM3671

[mastermesh]

Walmart.com: Philips Outdoor 100 Mile HDTV / SDTV / FM Antenna with Mounting Kit and Mast: TVs
Phillips MNT902W

Channel Master CM 3671 Deepest Fringe Crossfire Series Antenna (CM3671) | CM3671 [Channel Master] | CM 3671 CM-3671 CM-3671 3671 3761 CM-3761 CM3761
Channel Master CM 3671

I'm guessing the Channel Master is the better of the two, but I have been wrong about this sort of thing before.

How do the stats on these compare to what you can get with the homemade DB8
http://www.satelliteguys.us/attachment.php?attachmentid=24116&d=1209400335

or the homemade 4228
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-hd-discussions/119733-very-good-2-00-homemade-antenna-hdtv.html

Is 4228 and DB8 UHF only? The MNT902W and CM3671 both say they are for UHF and VHF. Anyone seen directions to make a homemade deep fringe? Wonder if you couldn't take the UHF homemade and add to it to get VHF somehow? The deepfringe ones look like UHF side is only 60 miles where the homemade ones probably go 70 miles.... hmmm...

I personally probably need something that doesn't move on a roter for myself since the digital tv that we ended up buying doesn't have an option to add new channels... It just has a simple blind scan on it and it erases everything that was previously there... urgh. Wish there was a way to update it to make it keep old channels since we see some going away with bad weather or antenna turned the wrong way. I need to get on the roof and do some tweaking on it since birds have moved some of the prongs the wrong way and overlapped them with other prongs, but am just curious about maybe moving to a new antenna or getting an amplifier... I'm thinking amplifier may be the best solution? Can't go on roof til I can borrow my dad's ladder someday in the near future.

 

[Don_M]

I personally probably need something that doesn't move on a roter for myself since the digital tv that we ended up buying doesn't have an option to add new channels... It just has a simple blind scan on it and it erases everything that was previously there... urgh. Wish there was a way to update it to make it keep old channels since we see some going away with bad weather or antenna turned the wrong way. I need to get on the roof and do some tweaking on it since birds have moved some of the prongs the wrong way and overlapped them with other prongs, but am just curious about maybe moving to a new antenna or getting an amplifier... I'm thinking amplifier may be the best solution? Can't go on roof til I can borrow my dad's ladder someday in the near future.

How old is the antenna you have now? If it's only a few years old, bending the crooked elements back into position carefully and gently might be called for. But if there's any physical damage, or the antenna is beyond about age 10, the more likely it is you'll be better off putting up a new one. Same goes for the cable, particularly if you've got twinlead now. Replacing old cable with good quality RG-6 coax can greatly improve your signals. Double-check the antenna's aim to make sure it hasn't turned away from the signals you want.

Next, consider buying a preamplifier only if you're more than, say, 30 miles from the transmitters, and/or you're sending signals to three or more TVs. If you're closer than this, or if the antenna feeds only one receiver, an amplifier can cause signal overload. Signals that are too strong for your TV are just as bad for reception as weak signals.

If you need a new antenna, you'll get better gain and greater longevity from the CM3671. (I've never been able to locate gain specs on antennas from brands like Philips and RCA, which usually means there's nothing to brag about. Conversely, specs for Channel Master and Winegard products are easy to find.) If you buy the 3671, get a buddy or two to help you put it up. At nearly 14 1/2 feet, it's about as long as a subcompact car. The cost of the pizza and beer you buy for your helpful friends to enjoy after the job is done will be money well spent.

 

[texasbrit]

Walmart.com: Philips Outdoor 100 Mile HDTV / SDTV / FM Antenna with Mounting Kit and Mast: TVs
Phillips MNT902W

Channel Master CM 3671 Deepest Fringe Crossfire Series Antenna (CM3671) | CM3671 [Channel Master] | CM 3671 CM-3671 CM-3671 3671 3761 CM-3761 CM3761
Channel Master CM 3671

I'm guessing the Channel Master is the better of the two, but I have been wrong about this sort of thing before.

How do the stats on these compare to what you can get with the homemade DB8
http://www.satelliteguys.us/attachment.php?attachmentid=24116&d=1209400335

or the homemade 4228
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-hd-discussions/119733-very-good-2-00-homemade-antenna-hdtv.html

Is 4228 and DB8 UHF only? The MNT902W and CM3671 both say they are for UHF and VHF. Anyone seen directions to make a homemade deep fringe? Wonder if you couldn't take the UHF homemade and add to it to get VHF somehow? The deepfringe ones look like UHF side is only 60 miles where the homemade ones probably go 70 miles.... hmmm...

I personally probably need something that doesn't move on a roter for myself since the digital tv that we ended up buying doesn't have an option to add new channels... It just has a simple blind scan on it and it erases everything that was previously there... urgh. Wish there was a way to update it to make it keep old channels since we see some going away with bad weather or antenna turned the wrong way. I need to get on the roof and do some tweaking on it since birds have moved some of the prongs the wrong way and overlapped them with other prongs, but am just curious about maybe moving to a new antenna or getting an amplifier... I'm thinking amplifier may be the best solution? Can't go on roof til I can borrow my dad's ladder someday in the near future.

What's your zip code - will you need VHF-lo or VHF-hi after the digital transition in Feb 2009? The DB8 is definitely UHF only, the CM4228 has some VHF-hi performance but only for strong stations.

 

[mastermesh]

Zip is 65233. Right now 8, 13, 17 and 6 all all coming in good on analog. On digital side only 8 and 13 come in. Earlier this year, before the bird problem... We had all 4 on the digital side, but 17, 8, and 6 had considerable fade in rain and stuff. We are roughly 30-40 miles from Columbia, several more from Jeff City, but Jeff City/Columbia are in the same basic direction... Sedalia is in the opposite direction, but the Sedalia channel is only PBS so it's no big loss if we don't get in channel 6.

 

[texasbrit]

Zip is 65233. Right now 8, 13, 17 and 6 all all coming in good on analog. On digital side only 8 and 13 come in. Earlier this year, before the bird problem... We had all 4 on the digital side, but 17, 8, and 6 had considerable fade in rain and stuff. We are roughly 30-40 miles from Columbia, several more from Jeff City, but Jeff City/Columbia are in the same basic direction... Sedalia is in the opposite direction, but the Sedalia channel is only PBS so it's no big loss if we don't get in channel 6.

I went to tvfool and input your zip code - you'll get a better result with your address. After the digital transition it looks like you will have three VHF-hi stations, but no VHF-lo stations. An ideal antenna for you would seem to be one from the new Winegard range that cover 7-69 like the HD7698P Winegard HD 7698P High Definition VHF/UHF HD769 Series Antenna (HD7698P) | HD7698P [Winegard] | HD769 Series 769 7-69 high band hi band hi-band HD7698 HD 7698P HD7698P Much narrower (and lighter) than the other antennas you are considering because it does not need to cover VHF-lo. You won't get analog 6 but since it's going away in 2009 I doubt that matters.

 

[dodge]

I would go with a Winegard, it is the most durable antenna you gan buy. For your situation I would go with the Winegard HD7084p , it is a little cheaper than the other winegard and it will cover all of the tv spectrum.


Winegard HD 7084P High Defintion VHF/UHF/FM Antenna (HD7084P) | HD-7084P [Winegard] | HD7084P HD 7084P HD7084 HD 7084 HD-7084P

 

[texasbrit]

I would go with a Winegard, it is the most durable antenna you gan buy. For your situation I would go with the Winegard HD7084p , it is a little cheaper than the other winegard and it will cover all of the tv spectrum.


Winegard HD 7084P High Defintion VHF/UHF/FM Antenna (HD7084P) | HD-7084P [Winegard] | HD7084P HD 7084P HD7084 HD 7084 HD-7084P

The OP will not have any VHF-lo stations after the transition so it's not necessary to have something that large. The Winegard 769 series that I recommended is essentially the same as the HD7xxx series but without the elements for VHF-lo. That makes the antenna significantly narrower, and lighter.