EV's Recommended & Top Rated DTV Indoor UHF/VHF Set Top Antenna Review Round-Up Guide - Page 94

tylerSC, I get UHF channels from 71.5 miles away with the antenna in my previous post, also located indoors. No amp. Location has a lot to do with indoor reception.

I live in Mechanicsville, VA. This is my TVFool Report:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...81a30d43efb32a

I just purchased a VIZIO 26" LED LCD TV and plan to put the TV on the counter in the kitchen. There is no cable outlet available in the kitchen, so I want to get OTA channels. What indoor antenna would you recommend?

Based on your TVFool, the RS 15-1874 (and not a walmart lookalike).
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2103077
Aim broadside to the Southwest.

I hate to sound like a Radio Shack promoter (I can't stand the stores), but this simple little antenna often works much better than one would expect, and much better than many indoor antennas costing several times as much.

Thank you for all of your suggestions!

I ended up getting an indoor/outdoor antenna by Antennas Direct. I put it outside and was able to get some channels. Others fade in and out. Tomorrow I will try to elevate it to see how much that helps. I am not too keen on getting up on the top of the roof, so hopefully the 8 ft or so I can elevate the antenna will make enough of a difference

I am ready to ditch pay TV so I cant wait to see if this works, so far so good though with what I am able to receive.

Thanks again for the info, and helping me save time! I'll post an update soon.

Which model?

Clearstream2

For better results, maybe adjust location and add a preamp. As Arxaw suggests, location is key. And the RS-1874 is indeed a very good basic indoor antenna-rabbit ears and loop. The Clearstreams, DB2, HDTVa, etc are just possible improvements/alternatives when stronger gain is needed. The RS antenna did receive one of my 75 mile Clt stations, WBTV-3, but not all of them, so I needed to step up to Clearstream in order to pick up WCNC-36 and others. So it all just depends.

So you would not recommend getting the ClearStream2 antenna? Once again this is my TVFool report (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...81a30d43efb32a).

That is a UHF antenna and may not work well for VHF channels. You have at least 3 major networks in the VHF band.


No. You have both VHF & UHF channels.


.

Any other recommendation on other antennas if the Radio Shack model does not work?

YMMV, but strictly based on my own experience helping people install indoor and outdoor antennas, I have usually found that if the RS budget model doesn't work well, it's either sitting in an indoor dead spot (adding a longer coax and moving it around may help), there is indoor interference from electrical/electronic & or wireless devices, the building materials are blocking reliable indoor reception or distance & terrain are not conducive to indoor reception and an outdoor antenna is needed.

There are no "miracle" indoor antennas and special "DTV" antennas do not exist. That is just a label on the box to convince you to buy an antenna.

Per your TVFool, your signals are very strong and could probably be received with a twist-tie wire stuck in the coax port. If a budget antenna doesn't work, the problem is likely due to something else.


.

pglover19,

I had a similar question several weeks ago and took arxaw's advice about getting that specific cheap Radio shack antenna. I was a bit skeptical at what looked like a cheap antenna that cost only a touch more than ten bucks, but I trusted his experience & knowledge. I'm glad I did.

That antenna has worked perfectly, even when I put it in the attic as a temporary measure until I could order and receive the attic antenna he recommended. In fact, it is working so well I am waiting on buying the attic antenna.

Try the SPECIFIC model recommended. Really. And thanks again, arxaw - I appreciate your help here!

Thanks again!

I'll take this one back too and make a trip to Radio Shack to see if that indoor one will work.

I'm glad these stores have good return policies, it makes this process a LOT easier

hanesian, thanks.

The first time I bought one (based on others' recommendations here on AVS), I was also skeptical. But if signals are strong and interference free, it's all that's needed.

If yours continues to work fine in the attic, there's no reason to waste money replacing it with a more expensive antenna.

wow... The OTA channels(UHF & VHF) looks great with the Radio Shack antenna.. Thanks you so much for the recommendation...

pglover19, I'm glad it worked for you.

Hello,

My TVFool is http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...81a329c91e01d2

My home had cable TV when the PO lived there, and Comcast strung coax all over the outside and around the basement. We have coax in most every room...

What I'd like to do is use the coax up in the attic to do an indoor attic-mounted antenna, one lead split out to the TV up there, then through an amplifier through the network everywhere else. I may reduce down the system to minimize splitters, but figure Ill have at least two or three...

I'd really love to get channel 52, if possible. What I know is that we can generally get it and everything else clearly from the attic. From the second story, only at night on good nights. On the first story, we sometimes cannot even get in our main channels, which are 3,6,10,29. I currently have a terk with a log-periodic on the first story... second story will only receive most channels with the amplifier on (small RCA rabbit ears) and up to full - but then it is crystal clear.

Was considering a DB2 or DB4 with a 7777 amplifier right after a splitter in the attic that feeds the TV up there. Would that be overkill? Certainly would love other recommendations.

Thanks!

I'm going to have to experiment with moving the antenna around and getting a splicer. So far I get nothing with this new antenna, but we'll see what the move brings.

In the meantime, i'll start researching outdoor antennas, hopefully a size that I can handle since I dont want to get up on the top of the roof

jlhct,
As strong as some of your signals are, you should be getting at least something with the antenna, unless you're living in a structure that has a metal roof and/or foil-backed wall insulation or steel siding.

When you did a digital antenna channel scan in your TV menu, it found absolutely nothing?

I would not get a DB2 or DB4 because they are UHF antennas and you have channels in all 3 bands; VHF-LO, VHF-HI & UHF. In addition, your closest channels are very strong, which might overload a 7777. A better amp choice, if needed, would be a distribution amp or a preamp more suitable for areas with strong signals.

What antenna are you currently using in the attic?
Do you have to move it around to get all your channels of interest?

Hello!

I live in a block home with just a shingle roof, no siding - but the foil backed insulation could be a possibility, not sure though.

When I did a channel scan with the indoor antenna, I received nothing at all. When I had the Clearstream, I had that antenna outside - not elevated and I was able to get some channels. Some would fade in and out and others had no sound. I was able to see 8, 10, 12, 33 & 61. The others were just black screens.

Thanks!

Hello,

Yes I was reading about other amps better for higher-signal areas. I saw that there was also a 7778 which is suitable for medium to strong areas when there is a distribution to feed through. I had heard good things about the low-noise characteristics of the 7777, that was why I figured something along that design might be beneficial... But Im all ears.

We could get all channels well it seems with the RCA amplified rabbit ear setup (rabbit ears and a UHF ring in the middle). However the amp needed to be turned all the way up. Sometimes adjustment is needed, seemingly weather dependent...

If I could get "virtual channel" 3, 6, 10, 12, 23, 29, 52 that would be great. The only ones that are not UHF are 6 and 12. We have never been able to get either on rabbit ears anyplace but up in the attic... But when up there, it works OK.

Something like the 7778 would let me make a twinlead dipole like this:
http://www.wfu.edu/~matthews/misc/dipole.html

and then get a good UHF to combine in and be OK, it seems to me (maybe Im wrong though, trying to learn). My attic is walk-up and finished (80 yo home, all wood), but I have space between kneeling walls which lets me install antennas high and out of sight. I can put the UHF in one wall and the VHF in another I suppose if need be.

Thanks very much for your help!

That explains it. A friend lives in a concrete block structure and gets no indoor TV or cell reception. Is it possible to try the antenna in your attic, using a barrel splice and long extension coax? Set it on top of a plastic storage box or just a cardboard box to get it off the attic floor.

You know, its strange because my cell phone works really well in the house. I may have a cell tower nearby or something.

I'm not sure if I can, I'll have to take a look in the crawlspace, but the TV is in a place that wouldn't make feeding a cable easy. Its sounding more and more like an outdoor antenna is what will fit the bill.

I'd like to put it in my 2nd floor attic space. What do you think?



http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...81a3c0fdb72a0b

I'm dumping CTV this week, and making the DTV jump (Finally!). I'll admit I haven't been able to read all the threads yet, but I'd like to see if I'm even getting into a battle I can win.

First, we are on the ground floor of a two story apartment. The building is steel beam w/ stucco exterior. I'm assuming I'd have to put the antenna on the porch, and there are buildings in the LOS to our strongest signals (as shown in the graph below).

Could I get some suggestions on antennas? I'm not willing to spend more then about $200, and I certainly appreciate the help.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...81a37a73a2e0bd

We dumped the dish and going DTV. We have a large antenna in the attic that I've been attempting to make work but the cables are a mess and the splitters that the original owner used are killing the signal to the lines that I'm able to track. I'm having such an issue trying to locate where everything goes. The other issue is that when the house was switched to cable, the line coming in is in the basement and I have no idea if our main TV room was ever connected to the Antenna, so I think I'm screwed there anyway.

I've tried a few indoor antennas and some are okay at best but missing a large portion of the available OTA stations.

So I need some suggestions on an indoor antenna to try, any help with anything would be fantastic and greatly appreciated. Our dish get's shut off on the 12th...

Steel beams & stucco sound like a recipe for disastrous indoor reception, particularly for your ABC & PBS chs in the VHF band. You can try indoor though. First, try the budget RS antenna, linked to in numerous previous posts. If it doesn't work, return it to RS because you'll likely need something outdoors for reliable reception.

Based on your TVFool, this small outdoor antenna should work.
http://www.amazon.com/RCA-ANT751-Out...9354634&sr=8-1
If you can't permanently mount it on your porch, stick the mast (included) in a 5 gallon bucket filled with pea gravel. Start by aiming it compass direction 184, although with buildings in the way, you may have to aim it a different direction. With patience, should find a good spot to aim it. Moving it to different physical spots on the porch may help find a hot spot, too.

kmueller44, your signal strengths are such that you might also try the indoor antenna I mentioned in the post above this one. Aim it broadside to compass direction 92°. If it doesn't work well, your home's building materials may be blocking good indoor reception, or there could be indoor interference from nearby electronics. Extend the antenna's coax length with a barrel splice & a longer piece of coax, then try different spots in the room to find a reception hot spot.

Awesome, thanks for the advice.