question

[bluegras]

what i want to do is to hook up a indoor tv antenna to the hopper what should i do i would like to get the peoria tv stations or even further distance than that.what do i do to hook up a indoor antenna to the hopper?do i need a OTA tuner from dish and how much do they cost.and what is the best indoor antenna that i can put up on a dresser in my bedroom and get as many local tv stations that i can.any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Allen bluegras
Illinois

 

[lazydogmot]

The OTA tuner from Dish is $30. You don't say how far you are from Peoria. Maybe an $8 RCA ANT111 antenna would work if you are close enough. The RCA ANT 1650 Amplified at $32 tested pretty well. They do go up to $80.

 

[ChadT41]

To add onto that question, I'm 14-19 miles from the majority, think I would be fine with a cheapy?

 

[Bobby]

He's 60 miles away. His chances of using an indoor antenna are slim to none...

 

[osu1991]

To add onto that question, I'm 14-19 miles from the majority, think I would be fine with a cheapy?

Probably, but go to TVFool or antennaweb and put your address in to see what is recommended for your area.

https://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29

http://www.antennaweb.org/Address.aspx

 

[ChadT41]

Oh I know I can get them with an indoor antenna. I was wondering if a cheap one would work just fine. There's not a lot on OTA I really care about, but am interested in the way it all works.

 

[osu1991]

Oh I know I can get them with an indoor antenna. I was wondering if a cheap one would work just fine. There's not a lot on OTA I really care about, but am interested in the way it all works.

It should work just fine, unless you have a giant highrise or something in the way. I used a cheap set of RCA $10 rabbit ears to hook up the bedroom tv in my dads new house Saturday. It picked up all the Tulsa stations from about 18 miles

 

[ChadT41]

Then come about January, may be time to take the plunge to the OTA and check out it's service. Worst case scenario, I'm out about $38 total, including the OTA module.

 

[Grandude]

To add onto that question, I'm 14-19 miles from the majority, think I would be fine with a cheapy?

What is the landscape like between you and the TV stations? If flat land you might even get some channels with a coat hanger. If a mountain between and the stations, you would need a stronger antenna maybe even an outdoor on the roof.
Check out the AVS forums to see if there is a thread for your city.

 

[ChadT41]

I'm dead center of mesa, which is a suburb of Phoenix Az. Only landscape issues are high rises.

 

[harshness]

To add onto that question, I'm 14-19 miles from the majority, think I would be fine with a cheapy?

That depends on the locations of the towers relative to each other.

Try tvfool.com and see what it says.

 

[ChadT41]

14-19 miles, no obstructions. Again, the issue isn't whether I could get them or not with an indoor antenna, but if I could with a $8 indoor antenna. They are close, with no terrain issues

 

[harshness]

Then come about January, may be time to take the plunge to the OTA and check out it's service. Worst case scenario, I'm out about $38 total, including the OTA module.

If your TV is 10 years old or newer, it probably has an ATSC OTA tuner that you could experiment with.

 

[Grandude]

High rises might cause multipath problems and make it necessary to use a better, more directional antenna but just try the cheapest bowtie first.

 

[ChadT41]

In this case, they won't be a problem. That I know for a fact. I love in a neighborhood with every other house using OTA.

 

[Rolling Joe]

what i want to do is to hook up a indoor tv antenna to the hopper what should i do i would like to get the peoria tv stations or even further distance than that.what do i do to hook up a indoor antenna to the hopper?do i need a OTA tuner from dish and how much do they cost.and what is the best indoor antenna that i can put up on a dresser in my bedroom and get as many local tv stations that i can.any help would be appreciated.

Get the Hopper OTA dongle. It's been 30 years, since I lived in Peoria, but I recall that the transmitters of all the local stations except 43 were located just east of town between Pekin and Morton and 43 was 20 - 25 miles east, mid-way between Peoria and Bloomington. If you live in the city of Peoria, an inexpensive indoor antenna should work fine for 19, 25, 31 and 47 and might even get you 43. For anything beyond that, you'll need an outdoor antenna.

 

[Bobby]

Get the Hopper OTA dongle. It's been 30 years, since I lived in Peoria, but I recall that the transmitters of all the local stations except 43 were located just east of town between Pekin and Morton and 43 was 20 - 25 miles east, mid-way between Peoria and Bloomington. If you live in the city of Peoria, an inexpensive indoor antenna should work fine for 19, 25, 31 and 47 and might even get you 43. For anything beyond that, you'll need an outdoor antenna.

He lives in Streator, a ways from Peoria. I'm sure he knows that. You might notice that he hasn't come back since his original post. He just likes to ask questions.....

 

[dishrich]

Yes, he's already done it (& keeps doing it) at AVS:

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/45-lo...n/815397-chicago-il-ota-405.html#post27253482

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/45-lo...n/815397-chicago-il-ota-405.html#post27255850

Must be SO nice when the ONLY thing you have to deal with in your life, is worry about getting MORE & MORE & MORE HD channels to watch 24/7...

 

[lazydogmot]

His thirst for knowlage seems unquenchable.