Seriously considering OTA only - Any flaws in my plan?

[Don_M]

Yeah, I was looking at all those signals that say "rabbit ears" and wondering why we were suddenly recommending deep fringe antennas. Don't we like his tuner, and are trying to fry it? Seriously, those fringe antennas with that signal strength is likely to totally swamp the front end.

Fringe? So, if two basic suburban antennas, a 5-element VHF and a bunch of 2-bays are for the "fringe," then what does one use the 91-XG and YA-1713 for? Interstellar reception, perhaps?

Thanks for the lulz...

 

[HDRoberts]

HD, you might wish to consider a Channel Master CM-7000PAL DVR if QAM issues with a Tivo box start looking too cumbersome. The upfront cost for a new CM DVR is $325 and up.

My problem with that unit is the lack of name based recording. Seems like it would be a pain to keep programed with the way programmers like to change schedules.

As to a still-unanswered question: Antennas are capable of picking up both digital and analog signals. "HDTV antenna" and "Digital-ready" are marketing terms, not technical specifications.

I realize that, I guess my question was more if the Tivo did both simultaneously.

Sorry, nope: An HD-1080 isn't a good bet in Cleveland because its VHF gain, in a word, sucks. (It's a reasonable UHF antenna choice in this case, though.) WOIO (RF 10) has an output power of just 10.3 kW and WJW (RF 8) puts out 11 kW, both of which are probably a small fraction of the ERP your VHF stations in Texas radiate. That Great Lakes humidity and the frequent lake-effect snow showers the OP has to contend with don't exactly aid signal propagation, either.

Good alternatives include:

• An HD-1080, Antennas Direct DB2, Channel Master CM 4220 or Eagle Aspen DTV2B UHF antenna coupled with an AntennaCraft Y5-7-13 VHF-high antenna on UVSJ combiner, or

• A single multiband antenna such as the Winegard HD-7694, AntennaCraft HBU-22 or Channel Master CM-2018.

I manage to get 8 on an intermittent basis with rabbit ears through my aluminum siding, so I'm hoping this works when I take it outside. Part of the problem with WOIO is interference from a Canadian channel on 10, so I'm hoping having a more directional antenna helps. I'll give it a shot. I'm in the city with small lots, so I'm not too keen on putting a massive antenna up unless I have to. Thanks for the advice, but I'll give a smaller antenna a shot first. Plus, I'm a westsider, and we get less snow.

 

[emtpud]

I used the Dishnet j-mast on chimney and attached a rotor then a short pipe and a Radio Shack VU90 and I get 37 channels from Manchester,N.H. to Providence, R,I. and in between. I used same cable since it is rg6. Paul

 

[Don_M]

... Thanks for the advice, but I'll give a smaller antenna a shot first. ...

Apologies for this, but I neglected to mention a good all-channel candidate that is much smaller than the other two. RCA's ANT751 is available from Wally World, and it's even cheaper online. It's less than three feet wide and three feet long.

Your issue with channel 10 is another reason why an HD-1080 isn't a good choice for you: It's not directional on VHF. All others mentioned are, which means they will be much better at rejecting interference from CFPL.