ok, i did a search on antennaweb and it seems that all but 1 HD signal come from about the same direction. now, the channels are only about 18 miles away. but i have no idea what antenna to get. i dont want to drill holes in the wall for mounts, and i dont want to put it outside, so im kinda limited. any and all help would be great.

ill be using the antenna with this reciever:
Samsung HDTV tuner (http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-DBTH260F-HDTV-Terrestrial-Tuner/dp/B000JV6TQY/sr=8-1/qid=1171760343/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4753783-5193654?ie=UTF8&s=electronics)

now i read it has QAM, so would that mean, i could just bypass this whole antenna thing if i already have basic cable? thanks for the help

ok, i did a search on antennaweb and it seems that all but 1 HD signal come from about the same direction. now, the channels are only about 18 miles away. but i have no idea what antenna to get. i dont want to drill holes in the wall for mounts, and i dont want to put it outside, so im kinda limited. any and all help would be great.

ill be using the antenna with this reciever:
Samsung HDTV tuner (http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-DBTH260F-HDTV-Terrestrial-Tuner/dp/B000JV6TQY/sr=8-1/qid=1171760343/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4753783-5193654?ie=UTF8&s=electronics)

now i read it has QAM, so would that mean, i could just bypass this whole antenna thing if i already have basic cable? thanks for the help

Yes, if you have basic cable, plug it in and do a scan - you may be surprised with the number of channels you pick up.

If you want to go the antenna route, try the Zenith Silver Sensor:

http://www.zenith.com/sub_prod/product_Display.asp?cat=&id=131

I am using this, and am about 30 miles away from the towers - all are around the same area as well. Reception is very good. Hope this helps.

ok, i did a search on antennaweb and it seems that all but 1 HD signal come from about the same direction. now, the channels are only about 18 miles away. but i have no idea what antenna to get. i dont want to drill holes in the wall for mounts, and i dont want to put it outside, so im kinda limited. any and all help would be great.
If you could post your zip code, we could tell you if a Silver Sensor UHF antenna is sufficient or not. Terrain, whether the stations are digitally broadcasting on UHF or are some on VHF, whether they are all at full power - those are key questions that have to be considered. You should also check the local thread for your area or city in the Local HDTV Info and Reception forum.

the zip code i would mainly be using the tuner in, would be 23320. but i might also use it for college, which would be 24142. keep posting, and thanks for the help

the zip code i would mainly be using the tuner in, would be 23320. but i might also use it for college, which would be 24142. keep posting, and thanks for the help
For zip code 23320, the antennaweb results for the digital stations show all the stations are digitally broadcasting on UHF and get yellow color codes:
* yellow - uhf WHRO-DT 15.1 PBS HAMPTON-NORFOLK VA 293° 14.7 16
* yellow - uhf WGNT-DT 27.1 CW PORTSMOUTH VA 296° 12.7 50
* yellow - uhf WAVY-DT 10.1 NBC PORTSMOUTH VA 295° 15.3 31
* yellow - uhf WVBT-DT 43.1 FOX VIRGINIA BEACH VA 295° 15.3 29
* yellow - uhf WVEC-DT 13.1 ABC HAMPTON VA 297° 13.0 41
* yellow - uhf WTKR-DT 3.1 CBS NORFOLK VA 293° 14.7 40
* yellow - uhf WTVZ-DT 33.1 MNT NORFOLK VA 293° 14.7 38
* yellow - uhf WPXV-DT 49.1 ION NORFOLK VA 293° 14.7 46

The Silver Sensor indoor UHF antenna is a good candidate to work here if you can place it in a spot with minimum obstructions aimed toward the west. You can get the Silver Sensor at many Circuit Cities under the Philips brand name.

For zip code 24142, antennaweb places the location down near the river so I moved it and added 60' to the antenna height to get a more complete list of digital stations. The elevation of your actual location in 24142 will matter. The antennaweb results were:

* yellow - uhf WPXR-DT 38.1 ION ROANOKE VA 87° 21.9 36
* yellow - uhf WDBJ-DT 7.1 CBS ROANOKE VA 86° 21.9 18
* green - vhf WBRA-DT 15.1 PBS ROANOKE VA 86° 22.1 3
* blue - uhf WSLS-DT 10.1 NBC ROANOKE VA 86° 22.4 30
* violet - uhf WFXR-DT 27.1 FOX ROANOKE VA 86° 22.1 17

The WBRA-DT PBS station is on VHF 3, so you will need a rabbit ear antenna at a minimum to get it. All of the stations are in the same direction. I don't see an ABC station on the list except for one way off in Lynchburg. The Silver Sensor is UHF only, so here you would need a VHF/UHF antenna setup if you want to get the PBS station in digital. The Terk HDTVi is a Silver Sensor with rabbit ears for VHF, so you may to look at that model. The Silver Sensor may not work here, but this depends heavily on where you are in the zip code. If you are in an upper floor apartment or dorm room with a window facing east, it may work.

Good luck!

For zip code 23320, the antennaweb results for the digital stations show all the stations are digitally broadcasting on UHF and get yellow color codes:
* yellow - uhf WHRO-DT 15.1 PBS HAMPTON-NORFOLK VA 293° 14.7 16
* yellow - uhf WGNT-DT 27.1 CW PORTSMOUTH VA 296° 12.7 50
* yellow - uhf WAVY-DT 10.1 NBC PORTSMOUTH VA 295° 15.3 31
* yellow - uhf WVBT-DT 43.1 FOX VIRGINIA BEACH VA 295° 15.3 29
* yellow - uhf WVEC-DT 13.1 ABC HAMPTON VA 297° 13.0 41
* yellow - uhf WTKR-DT 3.1 CBS NORFOLK VA 293° 14.7 40
* yellow - uhf WTVZ-DT 33.1 MNT NORFOLK VA 293° 14.7 38
* yellow - uhf WPXV-DT 49.1 ION NORFOLK VA 293° 14.7 46

The Silver Sensor indoor UHF antenna is a good candidate to work here if you can place it in a spot with minimum obstructions aimed toward the west. You can get the Silver Sensor at many Circuit Cities under the Philips brand name.

For zip code 24142, antennaweb places the location down near the river so I moved it and added 60' to the antenna height to get a more complete list of digital stations. The elevation of your actual location in 24142 will matter. The antennaweb results were:

* yellow - uhf WPXR-DT 38.1 ION ROANOKE VA 87° 21.9 36
* yellow - uhf WDBJ-DT 7.1 CBS ROANOKE VA 86° 21.9 18
* green - vhf WBRA-DT 15.1 PBS ROANOKE VA 86° 22.1 3
* blue - uhf WSLS-DT 10.1 NBC ROANOKE VA 86° 22.4 30
* violet - uhf WFXR-DT 27.1 FOX ROANOKE VA 86° 22.1 17

The WBRA-DT PBS station is on VHF 3, so you will need a rabbit ear antenna at a minimum to get it. All of the stations are in the same direction. I don't see an ABC station on the list except for one way off in Lynchburg. The Silver Sensor is UHF only, so here you would need a VHF/UHF antenna setup if you want to get the PBS station in digital. The Terk HDTVi is a Silver Sensor with rabbit ears for VHF, so you may to look at that model. The Silver Sensor may not work here, but this depends heavily on where you are in the zip code. If you are in an upper floor apartment or dorm room with a window facing east, it may work.

Good luck!

ok, i think ill just use it back home. as for using the hdtv tuner, would i get more normal channels and digital channels with that? say i were to just plug my basic cable into the tuner, would i get my regular channels, and the digital channels? or would i just be better off relying on the digital channels from the antenna?

any ideas?

ok, i think ill just use it back home. as for using the hdtv tuner, would i get more normal channels and digital channels with that? say i were to just plug my basic cable into the tuner, would i get my regular channels, and the digital channels? or would i just be better off relying on the digital channels from the antenna?
The Samsung DTB-H260F is a digital ATSC & clear QAM tuner only. ATSC = digital Over The Air broadcast standard; QAM = digital cable standard. So the Samsung won't tune to the analog cable channels. Nor can it tune to scrambled digital cable channels. The cable companies usually only leave the local digital broadcast station channels unscrambled or in the clear. The national HD channels such as ESPN-HD & TNT-HD along with any digital version of the national SD channels such as CNN, History, and so on are almost all normally scrambled. However many cable systems do not carry all the local SD and HD stations; you have to look up the local cable line-up to see which if any local stations they have on the HD tier. The only way to find out which cable channels the Samsung can tune to is to connect it and do a scan. But the cable channels will come in at odd numbers such as 66-3, 101-6, 103-15.

This is why you did not get a reply before because which channels you can get with a clear QAM tuner varies between different cable systems. Digital cable gets a little complicated. Quite frankly, if you want to get digital cable, a cable STB or a TV or STB with cable cards is easier.

For local stations, hook up an antenna, do a scan, and see what stations you can get.

The Samsung DTB-H260F is a digital ATSC & clear QAM tuner only. ATSC = digital Over The Air broadcast standard; QAM = digital cable standard. So the Samsung won't tune to the analog cable channels. Nor can it tune to scrambled digital cable channels. The cable companies usually only leave the local digital broadcast station channels unscrambled or in the clear. The national HD channels such as ESPN-HD & TNT-HD along with any digital version of the national SD channels such as CNN, History, and so on are almost all normally scrambled. However many cable systems do not carry all the local SD and HD stations; you have to look up the local cable line-up to see which if any local stations they have on the HD tier. The only way to find out which cable channels the Samsung can tune to is to connect it and do a scan. But the cable channels will come in at odd numbers such as 66-3, 101-6, 103-15.

This is why you did not get a reply before because which channels you can get with a clear QAM tuner varies between different cable systems. Digital cable gets a little complicated. Quite frankly, if you want to get digital cable, a cable STB or a TV or STB with cable cards is easier.

For local stations, hook up an antenna, do a scan, and see what stations you can get.

ok, so if i wanted to see my basic analog cable and digital channels, i would have to switch back and forth (ie change the cables from the back of the tv)? or would i just be better off getting the anntena, plugging that into the STB and running that signal thru a component connection

is what i said correct?

You have to answer your question, because you have to look up what local HD stations your cable company offers. The Samsung HTB-H260F is a DIGITAL ONLY tuner, intended primarily for ATSC OTA reception. The H260F can be used for unscrambled digital QAM cable channels, but those are likely to be only the local SD and HD stations. If you want analog channels, you will need to use the NTSC tuner in the TV. If you want national HD channels - assuming your cable system has them - you will need a STB from the cable company or a TV/STB with cable card capability.

If you already have the H260F, hook up an inexpensive indoor antenna and see what stations you get. You can do the same for the cable line. Use component or HDMI to connect the H260F to the HD TV.

You can leave the cable plugged into the TV and still get everything as it was and split the cable to the receiver (hooked to the TV by component or HDMI) to see if you have any clear HD stations on the cable. If you do, bonus for you. If you dont, plug an antenna into the receiver and scan away.

I got NO clear channels on my cable and had to go the antenna route. It works fine.

im prolly just going to get an antenna and go that route. even if i could get HD through the cable, i dont think there would be anything that good i would want to see