Newbie Questions - OTS Digital TV

[WyrTwister]

Newbie Questions - OTA Digital TV

Have been looking at the adds for big screen HDTV . But the price is still more than I feel I can stand .

So , have been surfing the internet looking at 32" SDTV CRT sets . Right now , I am thinking about the 32" RCA at WalleyWorld for about $ 300 .

As I understand it , my sources for digitalTV are Dish , but I doubt that I would upgrade my current subscription to the HD channels for a SD set . Besides , I have read that Dish & DTV overcompress HD ?

I could do OTA . From what I can figure out the reason a " large " antenna is needed is because some of the stations are transmitting at low power ?

Otherwise , I would think a low gain antenna , approaching an omni would be indicated , since I am within the city limits and the transmitter towers are located in several different directions ?

I also do FTA , but my guess is FTA will not contribute much more than it is presently doing for my analog set ?

Last option I can think of is cable , and I do not plan on going there .

Thanks ,
Wyr

 

[WyrTwister]

OOPS !

Should be OTA . :-(

Anyway , bought a RCA 32" SDTV w/ analog & Digital tuner .

Hooked up to my old outside antenna , picked up 3 digital channels each on PBS & NBC . No supprise , I knew I needed to re-aim the antenna ( soon as weather improves ) .

Could not find the old rabbit ears , to compare . :-(

I like the digital channels . They have a description of the show , when I hit info , like on DN .

I am currently picking up PBD off the back side of the antenna , but we are only a few miles from that tower .

Latter ,
Wyr

 

[lunkie]

Go to http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx and see what is recomended for your area. You can also go to http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/audio/tvq.html and enter the call sign then go to the lower portion of the page and select "TV Query detailed output+CDBS links" then submit. The next page shown will tell you how much power the Atv and Dtv are running.

 

[Jim5506]

What is your zip code?

 

[WyrTwister]

What is your zip code?

I sent it to you in an email .

Thanks ,
Wyr

 

[Jim5506]

You are less than 5 miles from everything. KAMC, KLBK and KJTV are SSW of you, KCBD is about 15 degrees east of them. Your only "problem" might be KTXT which is behind you if you look at the others.

I have a Radio Shack U75-R ($25) pointed at KAMC/KLBK because they are the weakest transmission (both <1kW). I am a couple of miles further out than you are so I had to add a Winegard HDP-269 pre-amp to pull KAMC/KLBK in. I am 2 miles from KTXT and pick it up off the side of the antenna with reception in the 90's.

KJTV-DT is working on their new transmitter/antenna/encoder to get it to work with all receivers. When they fired it up it caused severe pixellation and dropouts on DishNetwork ViP 622 receivers.

You might read the Lubbock forum on AVSForum http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=282167&goto=newpost for more discussion specifically on this topic.

 

[WyrTwister]

You are less than 5 miles from everything. KAMC, KLBK and KJTV are SSW of you, KCBD is about 15 degrees east of them. Your only "problem" might be KTXT which is behind you if you look at the others.





Perhaps , since I am closer to KTXT , I am picking it up on both the back side of the outdoor antenna and the rabbit ears .






I have a Radio Shack U75-R ($25) pointed at KAMC/KLBK because they are the weakest transmission (both <1kW). I am a couple of miles further out than you are so I had to add a Winegard HDP-269 pre-amp to pull KAMC/KLBK in. I am 2 miles from KTXT and pick it up off the side of the antenna with reception in the 90's.





My RCA SDTV does not have a user signal meter , like a FTA receiver . :-(

Or I have not been smart enough to find it in the menus . :-(





KJTV-DT is working on their new transmitter/antenna/encoder to get it to work with all receivers. When they fired it up it caused severe pixellation and dropouts on DishNetwork ViP 622 receivers.




On DN receivers ?

FOX 34 ?

Think I am picking up FOX 1, 2 & 3 , will have to check . Picking up NBC 1 , 2 & 3 , and PBS 1 , 2 & 3 ( although PBS 2 seems blank ? ) for sure . Sometimes ABC 1 & CBS 1 . All on the rabbit ears .





You might read the Lubbock forum on AVSForum http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=282167&goto=newpost for more discussion specifically on this topic.







Are most / all of these stations broadcasting low power ? you mentioned less than 1 kw ?

When Mom & Dad lived in Floydada , I helped Dad put up a medium / big antenna on a pole 5 - 10 foot above the roof of the house . They got the " big 4 " networks pretty good . PBS was always week .

Now I hear you say you are having to use a pre-amp , with in the city limits ? Will the stations ever turn up the power to the level they are currrently using for analog ?

Thanks ,
Wyr

 

[WyrTwister]

Got up on the roof yesterday PM . Aimed the antenna by eye between 2 towers I could se . Do not know which stations .

Analog is better , but still no digital ABC & FOX . :-(

Wyr