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EV's Recommended & Top Rated DTV Indoor UHF/VHF Set Top Antenna Review Round-Up Guide - Page 26

post #751 of 3229
Quote:
Originally Posted by spokybob View Post

Do you believe the RG6 is noticeably better on such a short run?

Spokybob, probably no. For a 12-foot run indoors, RG59 should be sufficient. I used this same set of 12-foot set of quad-shielded RG6 cable I used with the Philips MANT510, rather than the cable which was included in the box by Philips.
post #752 of 3229
Quote:
Originally Posted by EscapeVelocity View Post

I retested the GE Infinity last night, but it was a bad reception day, according to the DB2. Ill try again soon. Busy this weekend.

Retested yet? We have encountered a few amplified antennas which actually perform extremely poorly when the amp is turned off or very low, it will be interesting if the GE Infinity performs reasonably competently when amplified.
post #753 of 3229
TV Antennas posted by "Collector Kevin".
post #754 of 3229
Thread Starter 
Antenna Shootout

4.1 ABC = RC 34..54 deg..45 miles
36.1 MyTV = RC 35..41 deg..27 miles
24.1 Fox = RC 40..41 deg..27 miles
16.1,2,3 PBS = RC 44..294 deg..23 miles
5.1 CBS = RC 47..55 deg..45 miles
7.1,2,3 PBS = RC 49..55 deg..45 miles
2.1,2 NBC & CW = RC 50..55 deg..45 miles


1 to 3 equals no video....Bad/Red
4 to 6 equals 4 no video or extremely bad breakups, 5 video with some breakups, 6 all good.....OK/Green
7 to 9 equals all good....Good/Blue


Terk TV-55

4
3
6
5
3
6
7

Philips MANT950

3
4
7
6
4
6
8

RS 1880

6
6
8
6
5
5
9

DB2

5
6
8
6
4
5
8

GE Infinity

3
3
5
5
3
3
5

RCA ANT108

3
3
6
6
3
4
6

RS 1868 Delta

3
3
6
6
3
4
6

RS Double Bow

4
5
8
6
4
5
9

Silver Sensor

4
4
7
6
4
5
8

RS 1634 RV Style Omni

4
4
7
7
3
4
6

RS 1892 UFO

6
5
9
6
5
6
8

RCA ANT1500

3
4
7
7
4
4
6

RS Single Bow

3
4
7
7
5
6
7

Philips MANT510

3
4
7
6
3
5
7

Picture Frame Antenna

3
3
7
6
3
5
7

Terk HDTVa

4
5
8
6
5
6
8

Terk TV-3

3
4
7
6
3
5
8

Terk TV-2

3
3
6
5
3
5
6

Winegard SS-3000

5
5
7
7
5
5
8

RS DA-5200

4
5
7
6
5
5
7

Philips MANT940

4
5
7
7
5
6
7
post #755 of 3229
Thread Starter 
Can someone put that in a table or chart or something?
post #756 of 3229
Total raw score listed first, followed by antenna name. I'll prepare a second listing using "weighted" scores (signal strength 6 and higher).

45: RS 1880
45: RS 1892 UFO
42: DB2
42: Terk HDTVa
42: Winegard SS-3000
41: Philips MANT940
41: RS Double Bow
39: RS Single Bow
39: RS DA-5200
38: Silver Sensor
38: Philips MANT950
36: Terk TV-3
35: Philips MANT510
35: RCA ANT1500
35: RS 1634 RV Style
34: Picture Frame Antenna
34: Terk TV55
31: RCA ANT108
31: RS 15-1868 Delta
31: Terk TV-2
27: GE Infinity
post #757 of 3229
Thread Starter 
I think the MANT940 score is 41....and the Delta is missing.
post #758 of 3229
I've ranked these by "weighting" the total scores from EV's shoot out to only include signal-strength scores of 6 or higher. The results may surprise a few of you - and keep in mind a lot of mediocre antennas were omitted from EV's shoot out. The antennas evaluated here are regarded as "cream of the crop" antennas!

35 (45): RS 1892 UFO
35 (45): RS 1880
28 (42): DB2
28 (42): Terk HDTVa
27 (41): Philips MANT940
27 (38): Philips MANT950
27 (39): RS Single Bow
23 (41): RS Double Bow
22 (42): Winegard SS-3000
21 (38): Silver Sensor
21 (36): Terk TV-3
20 (39): RS DA-5200
20 (35): Philips MANT510
20 (35): RCA ANT1500
20 (35): RS 1634 RV Style
20 (34): Picture Frame Antenna
19 (34): Terk TV55
18 (31): RCA ANT108
18 (31) RS 1868 Delta
12 (31): Terk TV-2
zero (27): GE Infinity
post #759 of 3229
Thread Starter 
The RS UFO and the RS 1880 should be equal on the weighted list.
post #760 of 3229
Quote:
Originally Posted by EscapeVelocity View Post

The RS UFO and the RS 1880 should be equal on the weighted list.

My math error. You are correct, both come out at 35.
post #761 of 3229
EV, thanks for all this test results, which should benefit lots of people still struggling with OTA reception. I hope the attached file will be easier for other readers.

Best regards to all those that contributed.

 

EV_Antenna_2008July28.doc 91.5k . file
post #762 of 3229
Based on EV's shoot out test results, with the hypothesis that a "6" signal level as measured by the Zenith CECB is a good benchmark.

Why haven't any of the sponsors of the AVS Forum offered this kind of critical testing program of DTV antennas?

FIVE STATIONS AT “6” or Higher
35 (45): RS 1892 UFO
35 (45): RS 1880

FOUR STATIONS AT “6” or higher
28 (42): DB2
28 (42): Terk HDTVa
27 (39): RS Single Bow
27 (41): Philips MANT940

THREE STATIONS AT “6” or higher
27 (38): Philips MANT950
23 (41): RS Double Bow
22 (42): Winegard SS-3000
21 (36): Terk TV-3
21 (38): Silver Sensor
20 (39): RS DA-5200
20 (35): Philips MANT510
20 (35): RCA ANT1500
20 (35): RS 1634 RV Style
20 (34): Picture Frame Antenna
19 (34): Terk TV55
18 (31): RCA ANT108
18 (31): RS 1868 Delta

TWO STATIONS AT “6” or higher
12 (31): Terk TV-2

NO STATIONS AT "6" or higher
zero (27): GE Infinity
post #763 of 3229
EV: I wonder if the GE Infinity antenna you obtained is defective.
post #764 of 3229
Thread Starter 
No, I think the element is smallish giving poor capture, and who knows the quality of the amplifier on top of that.

The Terk TV-3 amped and TV-2 unamped have nice largish thick loops with lots of surface area for signal transfer.
post #765 of 3229
Thread Starter 
What happens when you weight them at 5 and up?
post #766 of 3229
Thread Starter 
The Single Bow seems a bit out of its proper place. ???
post #767 of 3229
Quote:
Originally Posted by EscapeVelocity View Post

The Terk TV-3 amped and TV-2 unamped have nice largish thick loops with lots of surface area for signal transfer.

The Terk TV3 and TV2 appear to have good craftsmanship, but this was a competition among the "cream of the crop".

Hammacher Schlemmer is free to believe whatever they want - it's a free country - but their GE Infinity "best indoor TV antenna" didn't win this comparison shoot-out.
post #768 of 3229
Quote:
Originally Posted by EscapeVelocity View Post

The Single Bow seems a bit out of its proper place. ???

EV, you can double-check my math if you wish. If you'd like, you can calculate rankings for strength of "5" and up, but my guess is "6" is probably a more useful threshold since very few of us really want to put up with signal break-up.

Perhaps sometime you will have another opportunity to run the same test shoot-out with these antennas, and see if the results remain consistent? My suspicion is you are undertaking the kind of scientific testing and evaluation that so-called consumer advocates like Consumers' Digest and Consumers' Union should be doing.
post #769 of 3229
Thread Starter 
The Terk TV-55 did better than the other night. Dont know why?
post #770 of 3229
I added "average score per channel" and assuming only 6 and above would be a good choice. Only the top few would receive most of the channels, and be watchable.

Take a second look into the data, there is something to do with the channel transmitter themselves. Generally, NBC is much better than other channels, and can be received by all antenna. And all antenna behave the same with the NBC, pretty strong as compared with ABC, which only 2 antenna can pick them up with relatively weak signal. It might be the station owners to fix the problem from their end, rather than all of us, trying to receive their signal, to struggle.
LL
post #771 of 3229
Thread Starter 
I think that my location is a torture test, as Im in a fringe area for reception....5 may be a better number for the weighted score. The move from 3 to 4 also seems to be significant by the way the tuner meter responds(or doesnt respond). A lot of the out of market stations that I get(on the meter) often sit at 3 just under the Red/Green demarcation line, and no matter what I do(move from hot spot to hot spot and other locations) I cant get it to move above that line. Whereas when I get to 4 and can get a bit of fluctuation on the meter by moving it around.

I decided not to report what I dont consider my local stations, in order to keep the data managable.
post #772 of 3229
Quote:
Originally Posted by wwong View Post

I added "average score per channel" and assuming only 6 and above would be a good choice. Only the top few would receive most of the channels, and be watchable.

Your chart is brilliant!
post #773 of 3229
Quote:
Originally Posted by EscapeVelocity View Post

I think that my location is a torture test, as Im in a fringe area for reception....5 may be a better number for the weighted score. The move from 3 to 4 also seems to be significant by the way the tuner meter responds(or doesnt respond). A lot of the out of market stations that I get(on the meter) often sit at 3 just under the Red/Green demarcation line, and no matter what I do(move from hot spot to hot spot and other locations) I cant get it to move above that line. Whereas when I get to 4 and can get a bit of fluctuation on the meter by moving it around.

EV, during your testing, were the antennas all placed in the same location? Also, during testing, did you move or rotate the antennas around?

In my experience as a suburban user, stations which come in roughly as a "5" do tend to dip below usability, which is why the "6" level is (IMHO) more practical to measure usable reception. For fun, I'll make a quick list of antennas sorted by number of stations received at "5" or higher.
post #774 of 3229
Thread Starter 
Id like to put something like that on the front page.
post #775 of 3229
Thread Starter 
I moved the antennas around to the 3 hotspots in my North facing window and noted the best score for each station.

Some antennas were less sensitive to placement. So in making my final analysis, Id like to place them above others with similar scores.

Additionally, I think that unamped units that scored equal to amped units should be placed above the others with the similar score, as the elements were clearly superior, with no amp help.

For instance, the DB2, the Terk HDTVa, and the Winegard SS-3000....I would list in this order.

The DB2 - Unamped and less sensitive to placement
Winegard SS-3000 less sensitive to placement/direction and amped
Terk HDTVa more sensitive to placement and amped
post #776 of 3229
Stations received at “5” or higher signal, a fairly lenient standard:

Received seven stations:
Radio Shack 1880
Radio Shack 1892 UFO
Winegard SS-3000

Received six stations:
Antennas Direct DB2
Terk HDTVa
Philips MANT940
Radio Shack DA-5200

Received five stations:
Radio Shack Double Bow Tie
Radio Shack Single Bow Tie
Philips MANT950

Received four stations:
Silver Sensor
Terk TV3
Terk TV2
Philips MANT510
Picture Frame Antenna
Terk TV55

Received three stations:
RS 1634 RV Style Omni
RCA ANT1500
RCA ANT108
RS 1868 Delta
GE Infinity
post #777 of 3229
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wwong View Post

I added "average score per channel" and assuming only 6 and above would be a good choice. Only the top few would receive most of the channels, and be watchable.

Take a second look into the data, there is something to do with the channel transmitter themselves. Generally, NBC is much better than other channels, and can be received by all antenna. And all antenna behave the same with the NBC, pretty strong as compared with ABC, which only 2 antenna can pick them up with relatively weak signal. It might be the station owners to fix the problem from their end, rather than all of us, trying to receive their signal, to struggle.

The transmitter power.

post #778 of 3229
Thread Starter 
I think that WTAT 24.1 (RC 40) and WMMP 36.1 (RC 35) just moved to a different tower location last month from 45 miles at 55 degrees with the rest of them to 27 miles at a different location 41 degrees, AND increased their Xmit power. 36 used to be my worst station along with ABC 4.1 (RC 34)....but its gotten much better while ABC still struggles as before.
post #779 of 3229
Thread Starter 
Wong, I might like to use your brilliant color coded chart on the front page. What say you?
post #780 of 3229
Thread Starter 
One more thing....no atennas were turned towards the Alternate PBS Channel 16.1 Real Channel 44 for the test. This was all off the backside.
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