Over the air antenna

[CountryBoy19]

I ran 2 antennaes on a splitter wired up backwards. It worked...ish. I added amplified rabbit ears to my roof mounted antenna, and didn't really notice an improvement.

I didn't do it with 2 good antennaes though, so I have no idea how effective it really is.

I suppose there's probably an issue with decibel levels and the ability of the splitter to carry 2 full signals.

You would likely need to amplify after you combine.

I did a bit more research after I asked that question and found an answer that I'm "ok with"

The antenna have to be spaced a specific distance apart vertically and at least 1 wave-length horizontally if they are on the same vertical plane. The co-ax from each antenna to the "combiner" (backward splitter) has to be the same length. You may still get ghosting if the 2nd antenna picks up signal from the direction of the first one.

I'm going to try it. I ordered 1 winegard antenna off amazon the other day, supposed to be here next week. I plan to try an attic install first. I think with a good gain antenna and an amp I should be able to pull in Indy stations with no problem. If that works out well then I'll try adding on the Louiseville stations.

My wife has been bugging me to get real TV for once; I'm finally going to try to do it. I just don't know enough about this old-fashioned "over the air" TV.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Wow, I ordered the Wineguard HD7694P antenna from amazon on Thursday, I was totally shocked to step out onto my front porch to find it waiting on me a little while ago. "Assembly" was a snap, literally, all the pieces are attached, you just have to fold them out until they snap into place. It's way too hot in the attic to try installing it right now, but I tried resting it on the railing of the back porch pointed roughly in the direction of Indy. I instantly picked up 21 channels from Indy/Bloomington direction, I have no doubt that when I put this up in the attic it should give me even better reception. I'm happy so far, I just wasn't quite prepared to install it yet (2 day shipping is pretty good from an amazon seller) so I was caught w/o any of the other materials needed to do an actual install.

 

[IndyBeerman]

Clearstream 5 is what someone on INGO told me they have and it works for them. Is anyone else using anything else?

That would be me!

TV Fool

AntennaWeb - Home

Use these two sites to see what stations are available and what frequencies they broadcast on. if there are VHF signals in your area that you want to watch then you need an antenna capable of VHF (most hd is UHF). Also there are two flavors of VHF, 2-7 and 8-13 channel spectrum's. Very few stations broadcast in the 2-7 range. This requires a much larger antenna to receive. Attic mount is acceptable, but there will be some loss going through the housing materials.

Depending on your distance and direction from the transmitters, you might need an amplifier or rotator

It's the 8-13 in the VFH range that has the most problems, particularly like the below model Channel Master 4228, and even Antennas Direct DB8 which is the same style antenna. I know, I've been piping in HD over the air for 11 years and have experimented with several styles of antennas.

I have one of these:

Amazon.com: Channel Master CM 4228 8-bay HDTV/UHF Antenna CM4228HD: Electronics

Works great, even though I mounted it inside my attic.

The CM4228 is a nice antenna, but the Antennas Direct DB8 is better, I tried them within 30 minutes of each other and the DB8 (better gain) is vastly superior on range and reception over the CM4228.

Currently I have two separate antenna setups.

The current setup outside is a Antenna Direct D8 facing the NNE to get the Indy antenna farm, and mounted above it is my older DB4 that pulls in WTTV and WPAX from Trafalgar. They are both run into a splitter and is tied into my LG digital box upstairs that I use with my projector. The problem is that when everything went all digital is when this setup started having problems grabbing the WTHR digital signal 13 and some sporadic reception of WISH on digital 9.

I then got the chance to try out the Antenna Direct Clear Stream 5, which is the bee's knees on what I think the the best multi direction over the air antenna I have ever seen.

Currently it is sitting inside my sunroom hooked up to my 60inch plasma and pulls in EVERY available signal with in the mileage it is rated at, and even though every thing to the south is blocked by my house, it pulls in WTTV and WPAX with no problems.

When I get a little more funds together to rent the bucket lift move it to the chimney (also mounting my 5-1 weather sensor there also), it will be the lone antenna up there, unless I can find something that can pull in WICD ABC between Danville, IL and Champaign, IL so I can watch the Indy 500 live instead of tape delay.

 

[the only Qualk]

Bringing this back from the dead. I am looking to purchase the clear stream 5 from amazon and I just did I not know if I needed other items also? Thanks

 

[jedi]

Amplifier most likely.

 

[tom1025]

I just use an indoor antenna made by RCA that scans for signals non stop. I get most of the local channels without to many problems. Some good info i the this thread. I am thinking about adding an outside antenna as well.

 

[IndyBeerman]

Amplifier most likely.

I beg to disagree, only if there is a significant long distance between the antenna and reciever.

The ClearStream 5 has a peak gain of 7.6 dBi, so an amplifier should not be needed.

My ClearStream 5 is sitting on a small rack in my sun room and pulls in every signal around me, even ones that are not in direct line of sight and blocked my my brick house. I'm hoping to get it up on the chimney by the end of Sept. first of Oct. and see what it while do up there.

 

[perry]

I bought a Mohu Leaf antenna a couple months ago and it has worked out great for me.

Mohu Leaf Indoor HDTV Antenna

I have it stuck to the wall a little above the TV (ranch with vaulted cieling) and I'm able to get the four main local channels and a few others with it. Pretty much what I was paying Comcast $20/month for to get limited basic service. It's really about the same as rabbit ears but in a more visually appealing package. They also offer an amplified version but I don't need it where I'm at.

 

[kjf40]

Jedi...you could always come get the one off of my house, im having my roof redone soon...and its coming down.

There is one inside my attic then it extends outside for another one on the roof.

 

[jedi]

Jedi...you could always come get the one off of my house, im having my roof redone soon...and its coming down.

There is one inside my attic then it extends outside for another one on the roof.

hum... i would but... but... since we got rid of comcast and have been using the cheap-o antenna we have actually decreased our "stuck on the TV" time by a huge factor. The first few months it was bad (being TV addicts) but now the TVs are actually just a piece of furniture that we don't use and in the rooms collecting dust. The kids have been reading more, playing with the LEGO, and other activities and I frankly don't miss any of the few shows I did watch.

We rent movies every now and then but have frankly just don't see the need for TV anymore. News I can get online and I never did watch the TV news anyways.

So for me getting rid of comcast was actually a good thing. One less bill and less "paying homage" to something that just wasted our time.

 

[kjf40]

I wish i could get rid of it.....cable that is, the wife would have my jewels around her neck....lol

Just thought i would throw that out there in case you were lookin.

Congrats on kicking the addiction

 

[jedi]

I wish i could get rid of it.....cable that is, the wife would have my jewels around her neck....lol

Just thought i would throw that out there in case you were lookin.

Congrats on kicking the addiction

Oh its possible without your wife killing u. I actually need to write comcast a letter and thank them. When they upgraded the hood and went digital they messed up the upgrade here. We got the black screen saying our signal did not work and we needed to digital box frm comcast. Fine i got the 1st 3 free of charge. We have 6 tvs btw but i was not going to rent 3 more boxed f***** that. Well even after hooking up the boxses and calling comcast it still did not work. They wanted to send some1 to look at it and it was going to cost us. So that is what finally made us say thanks but no! Cancelled the service and we got charged a $5 cancellation fee. ***sigh***

The house had a very, very, very hard 2 weeks without tv but now meh we dont miss it.

 

[kjf40]

I actually just got rid of comcast and went back to AT&T....comcast raised our bill, seemed like they kept creeping it up.

Soooooo, went back to AT&T to save money, then my wife gets a smart phone with a data package and kills the money i just saved us on TV.

I coulda screamed.....watta ya gonna do!

I just need to watch football

 

[jedi]

I actually just got rid of comcast and went back to AT&T....comcast raised our bill, seemed like they kept creeping it up.

Soooooo, went back to AT&T to save money, then my wife gets a smart phone with a data package and kills the money i just saved us on TV.

I coulda screamed.....watta ya gonna do!

I just [STRIKE]need[/STRIKE] WANT to watch football

FTFY
You won't die if you don't see it. millions of people don't see it and they are not dead.

 

[Bill B]

FTFY
You won't die if you don't see it. millions of people don't see it and they are not dead.

Yes they are, they just don't know it yet

 

[jedi]

Yes they are, they just don't know it yet

 

[the only Qualk]

I beg to disagree, only if there is a significant long distance between the antenna and reciever.

The ClearStream 5 has a peak gain of 7.6 dBi, so an amplifier should not be needed.

My ClearStream 5 is sitting on a small rack in my sun room and pulls in every signal around me, even ones that are not in direct line of sight and blocked my my brick house. I'm hoping to get it up on the chimney by the end of Sept. first of Oct. and see what it while do up there.

Awesome thanks beerman rep inbound

 

[IndyBeerman]

Here's a overhead of my house.

Top is north, bottom south, the line to the NNE is towards the Indy antenna farm, and the SSE is towards WTTV/WIPX in Trafalgar. It even dragged in the WNDY tower in Windfall with no problem.

The amazing thing is picking up WTTV/WIPX with no pixelation what so ever with where the antenna is located (next to an exterior brick wall in the sunroom). My older DB4 mounted on the chimney next to the main gable on the right @ 25 feet pointed directly at the those towers gives me some fits at times with pixelation with my reciever upstairs.

When I move the Clearstream 5 to the chimney it'll be piping the the feed to both TV's downstairs and to my LG HDTV receiver via a powered amp to keep the signal drop to a minimum. With it's ability to suck up the signal, I think it might be able to pull the CBS signal from Lafayette.

 

[Apistoman]

We're in Indy. I gave up comcast TV a year ago for an in the attic antenna.

 

[the only Qualk]

Just receivedmy clearstream 5 from Amazon today. :-) only took two days with free shipping so pretty happy with that. Hopefully I can hook it up roughly tonight and get some good quality free tv .