Cheap OTA STB and boosted indoor antenna

Jetmeck · 01-14-07, 06:56 PM

I have searched to no avail. I would appreciate ANY INFO ON A CHEAP WAY to
get local OTA HD on a HD ready tv without an internal tuner. What type of cheap STB would YOU RECOMMEND ?

I DID FIND SOMETHING ABOUT A POWERED INDOOR ANTENNA ? I don't want to spend alot and don't want to run wires for the antenna in case I do spend the dough on a DISH HD reciver in the future which according to them will pass the HD locals without an OTA antenna, of course for the 5.95 a month or whatever.
Just want a taste of HD for football games.

Thx for any info.

Bill E.

jimcrow21 · 01-14-07, 09:22 PM

Hughes HTL-HD for OTA HD Box. It's a former DirecTV box but will work as standalone without requiring Access Card and without requiring subscription. Try the Zenith Silver Sensor ZHDTV1 Antenna without a signal booster and see how that works out.

If you are trying to pick up a signal that is 80+ miles away, then try a (pre)amplifier. I personally am using the Motorola Signal Booster, with 15dB amplification and 2dB of noise. Note that using a signal booster might strengthen the signals you get across the board but it may actually screw up the signals too if the broadcasting station is too close.

I've got a CBS station that is about 9 miles away and I get breakup sometimes with the amplifier (without it, I don't get the stutter and macroblocking). It does, however, boost my signals that are originating from 80+ miles away, which coincidently include another CBS station that produces very few video stutter.

ataxic_dentist · 01-14-07, 09:44 PM

Do you have to connect the coax "out to tv" along with the dvi connection from the hughes htl-hd to the tv concurrently? I am considering this for myself and noticed on pg. 31 of the user manual that this is pictured. I don't have a coax in on my tv.

Thanks

01-14-07, 06:56 PM	#1 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a4ac4393' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:30&n=a4ac4393' border='0' alt=''></a>
Jetmeck Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 170	Cheap OTA STB and boosted indoor antenna I have searched to no avail. I would appreciate ANY INFO ON A CHEAP WAY to get local OTA HD on a HD ready tv without an internal tuner. What type of cheap STB would YOU RECOMMEND ? I DID FIND SOMETHING ABOUT A POWERED INDOOR ANTENNA ? I don't want to spend alot and don't want to run wires for the antenna in case I do spend the dough on a DISH HD reciver in the future which according to them will pass the HD locals without an OTA antenna, of course for the 5.95 a month or whatever. Just want a taste of HD for football games. Thx for any info. Bill E.

01-14-07, 09:44 PM	#3 \| Link
ataxic_dentist Caffeine Free Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fort Smith, AR Posts: 229	Do you have to connect the coax "out to tv" along with the dvi connection from the hughes htl-hd to the tv concurrently? I am considering this for myself and noticed on pg. 31 of the user manual that this is pictured. I don't have a coax in on my tv. Thanks Last edited by ataxic_dentist; 01-14-07 at 09:51 PM..

01-14-07, 09:22 PM	#2 \| Link
jimcrow21 Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 80	Hughes HTL-HD for OTA HD Box. It's a former DirecTV box but will work as standalone without requiring Access Card and without requiring subscription. Try the Zenith Silver Sensor ZHDTV1 Antenna without a signal booster and see how that works out. If you are trying to pick up a signal that is 80+ miles away, then try a (pre)amplifier. I personally am using the Motorola Signal Booster, with 15dB amplification and 2dB of noise. Note that using a signal booster might strengthen the signals you get across the board but it may actually screw up the signals too if the broadcasting station is too close. I've got a CBS station that is about 9 miles away and I get breakup sometimes with the amplifier (without it, I don't get the stutter and macroblocking). It does, however, boost my signals that are originating from 80+ miles away, which coincidently include another CBS station that produces very few video stutter.