I Want to try to buy just a basic ant. so I can get HD channels here in Houston. (I live next door to Nasa if that helps anyone) Can anyone give me some advice on a good one to buy say at like Target, Frys, Best buy, etc. Someone said if you can't pick up channels on a 15-20 dollar ant, then a more expensive one won't work either. I bought one around 20 bucks and it seemed to pick up most channels. Can anyone give me some advice on a good one to get that will allow me to pick up the local channels? I'm thinking of canceling cable and just getting my over the air channels as every thing I watch comes on NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, etc.

Also do any channels broadcast over 1080p yet? I just bought a 1080 p tv and would love to pick up some of those channels.

Thanks.

Please repost your question in the HDTV Hardware reception forum which is the forum for antenna questions. You should also provide your zip code so we can look up how far you are from the broadcast towers and what channels they are on.

Whoever told you that if you can't get the stations with a $20 antenna that a better antenna won't help is speaking pure BS. An antenna on the roof or in the attic can work in many situations and at much longer ranges when an indoor antenna doesn't do the job. As for 1080p broadcast, no station is doing this and no free OTA station will for a long time (yes, they could do 1080/24p, but I doubt if any ever will do this). Digital TV broadcasting uses 720/60p and 1080/60i for HD signals and 480i 4:3 for SD signals.

Whats' your zip code?

Then see my sig.

I Want to try to buy just a basic ant. so I can get HD channels here in Houston. (I live next door to Nasa if that helps anyone) Can anyone give me some advice on a good one to buy say at like Target, Frys, Best buy, etc. Someone said if you can't pick up channels on a 15-20 dollar ant, then a more expensive one won't work either. I bought one around 20 bucks and it seemed to pick up most channels. Can anyone give me some advice on a good one to get that will allow me to pick up the local channels? I'm thinking of canceling cable and just getting my over the air channels as every thing I watch comes on NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, etc.

Also do any channels broadcast over 1080p yet? I just bought a 1080 p tv and would love to pick up some of those channels.

Thanks.

What I would do, is go to this website:

Antenna Web (http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx)

Put in your zip code, and it will tell you what digital OTA stations are available to you. It will also tell you approximately where they are broadcasting from (in miles) and give you color codes for all the stations. The color codes will also correspond with markings on OTA antennas you purchase in stores.

Anyway, if you are pretty close to where the stations are broadcasting, then you can get away with a set of "rabbit ears". If you live further away, such as greater than 40 miles or so, then you may have to put up an antenna on the roof or in your attic.

As far as 1080p, there is NO ONE broadcasting in 1080p, as I believe it requires alot of bandwith and/or hardware upgrades. They would need to change their encoders from MPEG2 to MPEG4, as well as other possible upgrades.

The only way you can currently get 1080p, is with HDM such as Blu-Ray or HD-DVD.