DTV converter questions.

[kujito]

Anybody using one? What kind of antenna are you using? How's the reception? Anybody got an unexpired coupon they're not gonna use? Any other info?
Thanks

[RichP]

The DTV is nice except for one thing, you either have signal or you don't, it either works or it does not, no inbetween snowy pictures. If you can invest in a good VHF/UHF antenna do so and put it up high. If you have a well insulated abode with E rated windows don't expect to get it next to a window and have it work, the metal film they use in E rated windows tends to block signal nicely.

[Tarakian]

I have one in the garage. I like the extra channels, but the reception sucks. I am only using rabbit ears, but I can open my garage door and SEE the transmitting towers, across reasonably flat ground, less than 10 air miles away. The garage door being up or down doesn't seem to make any difference. I think they don't have all the bugs worked out yet.

Rich is right, there are three types of reception, good, good that goes bad and the picture freezes, and no reception at all.

[TheAlmightySam]

I've got one. Works really nicely with the cheapo set of rabbit ears I had laying around. Very pleased.

[.40CalPatriot]

Like Rich said you either have reception or you dont. And so far I am not impressed with the picture quality. To tell you the truth some stations looked better with just my rabbit ears. And I alomst always loose signal when it is windy. I will definatly be buying a new tv and get satelite this summer when I start making better money.

[kujito]

Not expecting that much. Just trying to get the bills down, as I'm still trying to find a job and the wife ig getting laid off next week.
I can't see any towers will the naked eye, but I have a pretty clean line of site to downtown Denver and Golden. Hate to ditch the cable, mostly because we got a 42" plasma as a wedding gift. Oh well. DVDs still look amazing. Might have to sign up for Netflix.

[RichP]

Not expecting that much. Just trying to get the bills down, as I'm still trying to find a job and the wife ig getting laid off next week.
I can't see any towers will the naked eye, but I have a pretty clean line of site to downtown Denver and Golden. Hate to ditch the cable, mostly because we got a 42" plasma as a wedding gift. Oh well. DVDs still look amazing. Might have to sign up for Netflix.

Actually if your plasma has a decent VGA or DIVI connector you can watch TV from any of the internet companies that run programs, No not your cable company, you can watch Scifi channel from their web site, just a matter of hooking up your PC to the plasma display.
Do a search on yahoo for 'TV shows on the internet' and go from there.

[4wdParakeet]

You may want to try radio shack and find a digital antenna. That may help with the reception issue. If that doesn't work look at a decent attic antenna with a good pre amp. There are websites that show you which direction to point that antenna to get the best reception. I've got a decent antenna set on top of the TV and I have issues with some stations but it seems like everybody I talk to has the same issues so I think it's the digital transition bugs they still have to work out.

Also sometimes when viewing analog signals on a digital tuner you loose quality in the conversion process. Good example for me was the lower number cable station around here still uses an analog signal and those channels would look like crap on a LCD/Plasma.


Parakeet

[kujito]

@RichP: Ya, we've watched a few things that way. Streamed a concert live on New Year's Eve. Don't have a machine w/HDMI out, but the s-video works well.

I'm considering just mounting an ant. on the roof. No covenants/HOA to worry about. Aiming's a piece of cake. Just have to point is west. There's now a single tower on the east face of Lookout Mtn. to serve metro Dever. I think I've got a powered splitter around here somewhere from my low volt installation days.

The local Fox station may not be broadcasting until later this summer. I saw a psa one day, but didn't really pay attention to it. not sure about the rest of the local stations.

[.40CalPatriot]

Hey Kujito you mentioned that you got a plasma for your wedding. Does it not have a built in digital tuner?

[kujito]

Funny you should mention that xjboy! I just thought of that. It's scanning for channels right now. Not very hopeful though. I've got no antenna yet.

Nope, didn't pick up a thing. To be expected from the location though. It's downstairs in a tri-level; half underground, I've heard it called 'garden level'.

[.40CalPatriot]

Funny you should mention that xjboy! I just thought of that. It's scanning for channels right now. Not very hopeful though. I've got no antenna yet.

Nope, didn't pick up a thing. To be expected from the location though. It's downstairs in a tri-level; half underground, I've heard it called 'garden level'.

Yeah gotta love the reception. Get one of the new DTV antenas and you should be good!

[seanR]

Go here, antennaweb.org (http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Welcome.aspx)
It will help you out.

[Squidmonkey]

Your netflix idea is a good one. That's what me and my wife have done. Works out great. Takes a day or two to get a new DVD but it's not bad. Plus if you have a high speed internet (and plan on keeping it) and already own an xbox, you can stream instant show's that way. Works out rather well for us.

[4wdParakeet]

HIJACK

Sean you just made my day with your sig. I don't even remember where I posted that.

back on topic.

The DTV antenna will help. Also most stations are holding off on the digital transfer till june now while a few have already gone digital.


Parakeet

[RichP]

HIJACK

Sean you just made my day with your sig. I don't even remember where I posted that.

back on topic.

The DTV antenna will help. Also most stations are holding off on the digital transfer till june now while a few have already gone digital.


Parakeet

NE Pa has gone all digital, one station in Scranton turned the analog back on but all the others are all digital now. I have cable so the change does not concern me. I could not get anything BUT snow with an external antenna with analog so I got a snow balls chance in hell of getting digital unless they have put in repeaters which is a possibility seeing as how many cell phone towers have been added.

[seanR]

Also most stations are holding off on the digital transfer till june now while a few have already gone digital.


Parakeet

Most stations did switch over.
only the top 25? did not.
Some stations in the smaller markets could not switch yet because the freq they will occupy is being used by a station that did not switch

[kujito]

Picked up an omni-directional, powered antenna from Radio Shack. Temp. install in the garage rafters. Didn't feel like going up on the roof today, 50mph wind gusts and all.
Picks up the analog channels ok, but the digital ones look good. I'm picking up 26 digital channels, all @ 100% signal strength.
I already miss ESPN and Comedy Central. Don't know what I'm gonna do when the F1 season starts.

[kujito]

So I was watching channel 12, 'The Documentary Channel', and a show called 'Make' came on. Wouldn't you know, part of the show was a How To on build your own DTV antenna with a few wire coat hangers. I pulled the PDF (http://cachefly.oreilly.com/make/television/04/DTV_Antenna_FINAL.pdf)(click it) and gave it a try. I used some scrap 12 ga. Romex instead of coat hangers, 8 panhead wood screws and 1/4" washers. I bought a 75-300 ohm matching transformer and an inline amp, but the amp will be going back. Even without the amp, the picture is just as good as the one from the Radio Shack antenna.
I'll be returning that one. Post-tax, it came to just shy of a c-note.
Total out of pocket cost for the homebrew, $5.96! The signal amplifier is $40.69.
I highly recommend giving it a try before you spent a bunch of money on one!
Didn't take any pics, but it's really simple. I may go get one now that I know it works.

With both antennae, the analog stations are pretty fuzzy, but the digital ones are VERY clear. Cable good.

[seanR]

Like this? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw)

[kujito]

Yup, that's the one. It looks like hell, but it's up in the garage rafters. The picture it provides is WAY better than I was expecting.

[RichP]

Yup, that's the one. It looks like hell, but it's up in the garage rafters. The picture it provides is WAY better than I was expecting.

With some thought you could pretty it up some, use PVC pipe instead of wood, shrink tubing over the hangers and a good coat of clear or regular paint over the whole thing and stick it outside.

[kujito]

I may try to make one that looks better, but it's not really a concern for me. Function over form right? It's hiding up in the rafters with bunch of coolers and boxes of random stuff anyway. As well as it works, I don't care how it looks and I'm really happy with it. If I ever get a converter for the upstairs TV, I might tweek it or make a new one if I have to. I could fairly easily get one into the attic above that tv and just run 2. Attic work always sucks though.