Which OTA HDTV Antenna?
- Thread starter C5YA
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I use a Zenith Silver Sensor. I live about 18.5 miles from the source and get mid 80s to low 90s for pretty much all the big networks. I don't have any tall buildings around me and no trees or anything. It has worked really well and only costs about $40 so I would say it's worth a try for starters.
I live 18-20 miles from the transmitters, with no large obstacles. I use a cheap-o ($10-$20 depending where you look) RCA ANT120 indoor antenna. When plugged into my 811 I get 85%-95% on all of my locals.
C5YA said:
HI,
I have been using the Channlemaster stealthtenna with the preamp that fits into it for 2 weeks now and it works like a charm. I live 25 miles from the towers in northern VA.
I even installed the thing under my deck and the only thing i need to do is go out into my back yard and manually move it slightly to the left if I want to watch the WB or PBS if I want.
I got the Stealthtenna and the preamp for about $60 bucks total at
http://www.warrenelectronics.com/. I highly suggest the preamp. I was getting channels with outiit, but with blips and drop outs from time to time. With the preamp it's been gold baby! Gold I tell ya!
HD capable is in fact not an issue with antenna's. Just make sure it is VHF, UHF or both depending on what your local station's broadcast digital signals in. A mid sized directional should handle the job but if you don't mind the couple extra bucks and the lager displacement I would go with a full sized directional for hassle free viewing.
If your stations are all UHF (14-69), the Channelmaster 4228 antenna and Channel Master CM 7777 Titan2 VHF/UHF Preamp are highly rated.
Or the Radio shack VU190 or any decent mid to large combo VHF/UHF antenna and the same preamp if you have some VHF stations.
I also had good luck with the tiny indoor Zenith Silver sensor UHF ant and the 7777 preamp monted on a pole outside @ 30 miles from the transmitters.
Or the Radio shack VU190 or any decent mid to large combo VHF/UHF antenna and the same preamp if you have some VHF stations.
I also had good luck with the tiny indoor Zenith Silver sensor UHF ant and the 7777 preamp monted on a pole outside @ 30 miles from the transmitters.
rnesky said:If you want a high preformance antenna in a small size I recommend the Zenith ZENGEMDTV1. They wholesale for around $40.00. And you won't have a big wind sock sitting on your roof! It is specificaly designed for HD reception.
You mean Digital reception. Saying an antenna is designed for HD reception is like saying Windex is a High Def cleaner.
These are the channels that I can get
* yellow - uhf WGBX-DT 44.1 PBS BOSTON MA 197° 20.3 43
* yellow - uhf WGBH-DT 2.1 PBS BOSTON MA 197° 20.3 19
* yellow - uhf WBZ-DT 4.1 CBS BOSTON MA 197° 20.3 30
* yellow - uhf WCVB-DT 5.1 ABC BOSTON MA 197° 20.3 20
* green - uhf WHDH-DT 7.1 NBC BOSTON MA 194° 20.3 42
* green - uhf WLVI-DT 56.1 WB CAMBRIDGE MA 194° 20.8 41
* green - uhf WUTF-DT 66.1 TFA MARLBOROUGH MA 237° 20.4 23
* red - uhf WBPX-DT 68.1 i BOSTON MA 195° 20.5 32
* red - uhf WZMY-DT 35.1 IND DERRY NH 332° 12.4 35
* red - uhf WSBK-DT 38.1 UPN BOSTON MA 197° 20.3 39
* red - uhf WYDN-DT 47 DAY WORCESTER MA TBD 195° 20.5 47
* red - uhf WFXT-DT 25.1 FOX BOSTON MA 194° 20.8 31
* red - uhf WMFP-DT 18 SAH LAWRENCE MA TBD 195° 20.5 18
* blue - uhf WMUR-DT 9.1 ABC MANCHESTER NH 340° 32.0 59
* blue - uhf WUNI-DT 27.1 UNI WORCESTER MA 249° 31.1 29
* violet - uhf WNEU-DT 60.1 TEL MERRIMACK NH 340° 32.1 34
* yellow - uhf WGBX-DT 44.1 PBS BOSTON MA 197° 20.3 43
* yellow - uhf WGBH-DT 2.1 PBS BOSTON MA 197° 20.3 19
* yellow - uhf WBZ-DT 4.1 CBS BOSTON MA 197° 20.3 30
* yellow - uhf WCVB-DT 5.1 ABC BOSTON MA 197° 20.3 20
* green - uhf WHDH-DT 7.1 NBC BOSTON MA 194° 20.3 42
* green - uhf WLVI-DT 56.1 WB CAMBRIDGE MA 194° 20.8 41
* green - uhf WUTF-DT 66.1 TFA MARLBOROUGH MA 237° 20.4 23
* red - uhf WBPX-DT 68.1 i BOSTON MA 195° 20.5 32
* red - uhf WZMY-DT 35.1 IND DERRY NH 332° 12.4 35
* red - uhf WSBK-DT 38.1 UPN BOSTON MA 197° 20.3 39
* red - uhf WYDN-DT 47 DAY WORCESTER MA TBD 195° 20.5 47
* red - uhf WFXT-DT 25.1 FOX BOSTON MA 194° 20.8 31
* red - uhf WMFP-DT 18 SAH LAWRENCE MA TBD 195° 20.5 18
* blue - uhf WMUR-DT 9.1 ABC MANCHESTER NH 340° 32.0 59
* blue - uhf WUNI-DT 27.1 UNI WORCESTER MA 249° 31.1 29
* violet - uhf WNEU-DT 60.1 TEL MERRIMACK NH 340° 32.1 34
OK, all your digitals are UHF, so you just need a decent UHF antenna. There is no such thing as an HDTV or digital antenna.
I would get this antenna for outdoor or attic:
http://www.warrenelectronics.com/antennas/4221.htm
Or a silver sensor for indoor:
http://www.google.com/search?q=silver+sensor+antenna
Do NOT buy ANY antenna sold under the TERK brand. They are overpriced junk, and most won't work well. If a TERK does happen to work, a coathanger would've probably worked just as well.....
I would get this antenna for outdoor or attic:
http://www.warrenelectronics.com/antennas/4221.htm
Or a silver sensor for indoor:
http://www.google.com/search?q=silver+sensor+antenna
Do NOT buy ANY antenna sold under the TERK brand. They are overpriced junk, and most won't work well. If a TERK does happen to work, a coathanger would've probably worked just as well.....
WOW...really sounds dumb to pop in but my plain jane standard $40 Radio Shack antenna which I just tossed into the attic works amazingly well. Just sort of 'guessed' pretty close which way to aim it. I get 80-90% and I'm 43 miles from antenna farm and get all VHF / UHF standard & digital perfectly. Runs into my HDTV tuner and split (again) into vip211 (for program info)
Might also add, that it is connected to standard (old) RG59 cable with a 3 way splitter burried somewhere in the insullation (which I have not found yet) as the signal is present at 3 locations in the house. The house is 30+ years old, we are second owners and antenna wire was located laying in the attic wrapped around a support joist when we moved in. Just thought I'd hook it up and see what happened.
Picture is excellent - on par or better than of the HD satellite and vip211. I'd bet a coat hangar and some duct tape may work just as good
Might also add, that it is connected to standard (old) RG59 cable with a 3 way splitter burried somewhere in the insullation (which I have not found yet) as the signal is present at 3 locations in the house. The house is 30+ years old, we are second owners and antenna wire was located laying in the attic wrapped around a support joist when we moved in. Just thought I'd hook it up and see what happened.
Picture is excellent - on par or better than of the HD satellite and vip211. I'd bet a coat hangar and some duct tape may work just as good
C5YA said:
Your digital stations are all on UHF channels. In 2009, at least one of them will revert to VHF. The Channel Master 3016 is an all channel antenna, about 30 dollars.
The highest rated UHF only antenna is a Channel Master 4228, about 50 bucks. It's overkill for you unless you want to try for Providence stations too. Your location will not need a rotator unless you want to get WMUR in New Hampshire. The Providence stations are on the same heading as the Bostons stations.
The cheapest UHF only that I would suggest is the Winegard PR-4400 at just over $20.
The best place to put an antenna is on the roof.
Second best location is the attic.
Third choice is set-top. Indoor antennas are fussy. They may work some of the time, but other times may have freezing or pixelization.
Your location In Tewksbury indicates that a preamp is not needed.
One nearby vendor is in Worcester: http://www.starkelectronic.com/allant.htm
If you go with an outdoor antenna, the CM4228 is overkill. It's a large 8 bowtie antenna that is two CM4221s placed side by side. It has a range of 60 miles. It is very directional but because of the size of the grate behind the bowties, is a pretty decent vhf antenna too. I live about 30 miles from most stations (two different transmitting locations 50 degrees apart) and have a CM4221 that works great (also picks up vhf with no problem). The 4228 would require a rotator to pick up all the channels in my area. You might be able to get away with a "stealth" type antenna - most have a range of about 25 miles.
yep, the CM 4221 would be my choice. It works well for that distance on UHF & VHF highband (chs 7-13), and is not as picky about direction as the more directional 4228. It's smaller, too.
If a station is "reverting" back to its VHF assignment and it's in the highband VHFs (7 -13), a separate VHF antenna shouldn't be needed.
If a station is "reverting" back to its VHF assignment and it's in the highband VHFs (7 -13), a separate VHF antenna shouldn't be needed.
I'm using an antennasdirect.com DB2. It's noticeably better than my Silver Sensor.
http://www.antennasdirect.com/DB2_Indoor_antenna.html
http://www.antennasdirect.com/DB2_Indoor_antenna.html
I'm glad yours works for you. They do work in some cases, but are definitely not worth the inflated price. Like Monster cables, terk antennas are heavily promoted in big box stores because their profit margins are obscenely high.joedoe said:I have a TERK HDTVA antenna from Best Buy and it works very well
Here are some interesting test results for various antennas:
http://www.hdtvexpert.com/pages/squareshotpf.htm
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html
I live about 40 miles from the transmitter and have the Channel Master 4228. It works like a charm. I also use their pre-amp but don't think I really need it.
Just in case you find for some reason that you have a huge hill (my case) between you and the transmitters, I recommend the cm4248 or the cm4228. If you are lucky and get a decent signal the cm4224 is less directional and does a great job. Good Luck!
