AVS › AVS Forum › HDTV › Local HDTV Info and Reception › San Francisco, CA - OTA
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

San Francisco, CA - OTA - Page 151

post #4501 of 9309
6/9/09 at 11:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by a_mitian View Post

Hello All, i am new to OTA, i just bought "Antennas Direct DB2 HDTV Antenna". I live in Sunnyvale(94089) and i confirmed it on antennaweb.com that i get channels on my location.
I got my antenna yesterday, i mounted it on my balcony and scanned my HDTV using the built-in Digital Tuner. It found 14 Analog and 0 Digital Channels. Even all those 14 analog channels are scrambled.
Please help me out here, am i doing something wrong? I have got 75 ohm,RG-6 Cable(20ft), i live on the second floor of a 3 floored building. I have some trees around my apartment.
What should i do to get a better reception,help me out here

Is your balcony facing northwest with a clear shot towards San Francisco or is your antenna looking through the building toward San Francisco? If it's the latter, the situation may be hopeless. If the analog channels are scrambled then what you're seeing is severe multipath which usually results when the main signal path is blocked and all you can receive are reflections. You need to get to a point where the analog signals are pretty decent. Some ghosts are acceptable but scrambled isn't. There are only a few days left to view analog.

If you are blocked towards the NW then try placing your antenna in a window that's clear in that direction.

Chuck
Reply
Reply

Gear mentioned in this thread:

post #4502 of 9309
6/9/09 at 12:16pm
My balcony is faced towards south,the northwest direction towards San Francisco is blocked by my own building.I also dont have any windows towards the SF direction.
Is there any other indoor antenna which might work for me. Do i have any other way to get OTA?
Reply
Reply
post #4503 of 9309
6/9/09 at 3:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by a_mitian View Post

My balcony is faced towards south,the northwest direction towards San Francisco is blocked by my own building.I also dont have any windows towards the SF direction.
Is there any other indoor antenna which might work for me. Do i have any other way to get OTA?

That's what I was afraid you were going to say. That does not sound promising to me for OTA. I don't suppose you're friendly with the building management and they'd allow an antenna on the roof? It would likely be great on top of a 3 story building.

Just for my own curiosity, what part of Sunnyvale is 94089? I used to live in 94086 near the Westinghouse plant.

Chuck
Reply
Reply
post #4504 of 9309
6/9/09 at 4:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Calaveras View Post

That's what I was afraid you were going to say. That does not sound promising to me for OTA. I don't suppose you're friendly with the building management and they'd allow an antenna on the roof? It would likely be great on top of a 3 story building.

Just for my own curiosity, what part of Sunnyvale is 94089? I used to live in 94086 near the Westinghouse plant.

Chuck

Thats a bad news for me. Is it possible to get better signal using an indoor antenna. I may sound amateurish but blockage should not be a problem for an indoor antenna since its made to work from inside and it will always have blockage from the room walls.
Anyways,94089 is the area around Tasman and Fair-Oaks intersection
Reply
Reply
post #4505 of 9309
6/9/09 at 4:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by a_mitian View Post

Thats a bad news for me. Is it possible to get better signal using an indoor antenna. I may sound amateurish but blockage should not be a problem for an indoor antenna since its made to work from inside and it will always have blockage from the room walls.
Anyways,94089 is the area around Tasman and Fair-Oaks intersection

An "indoor" antenna is all about size, aesthetics, and inability to withstand the elements, not any special ability to receive signals indoors. There is no magic indoor antenna. You just have to hope your situation is not too bad if that's your only choice. I think you're stuck with cable.

Chuck
Reply
Reply
post #4506 of 9309
6/9/09 at 8:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Calaveras View Post

An "indoor" antenna is all about size, aesthetics, and inability to withstand the elements, not any special ability to receive signals indoors. There is no magic indoor antenna. You just have to hope your situation is not too bad if that's your only choice. I think you're stuck with cable.

Chuck

Good News, i got them, i didnt turn ON the Antenna option on my TV earlier, it was on cable. I am getting most of the channels now.
Although "NBC" and "CW" are still bad, is everyone else getting them?
Reply
Reply
post #4507 of 9309
6/10/09 at 12:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by a_mitian View Post

Good News, i got them, i didnt turn ON the Antenna option on my TV earlier, it was on cable. I am getting most of the channels now.
Although "NBC" and "CW" are still bad, is everyone else getting them?

NBC is from a different direction than most other stations in SF. They are not broadcasting from Sutro.
Reply
Reply
post #4508 of 9309
6/10/09 at 12:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DAP View Post

NBC is from a different direction than most other stations in SF. They are not broadcasting from Sutro.

True, but from Sunnyvale, the beam heading to Mount San Bruno is only 4-5 degs. different from that to Mount Sutro, so "a_mitian"'s reception of KNTV should be fine if he points toward Sutro. I suppose he could aim a tiny bit to the left of Sutro if he wants to try to peak up KNTV, but I doubt that his antenna is directional enough for that to matter.


Patty
Reply
Reply
post #4509 of 9309
6/10/09 at 12:36pm
The big difference with KNTV-DT is that it's broadcasting on high VHF, channel 12. The hdtvprimer website shows the DB-2 has a dip between 11 and 12.
Reply
Reply
post #4510 of 9309
6/10/09 at 12:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by WhiteWhiskers View Post

The big difference with KNTV-DT is that it's broadcasting on high VHF, channel 12. The hdtvprimer website shows the DB-2 has a dip between 11 and 12.

Good point. And with KGO about to move its digital feed to VHF, folks need to be prepared to receive channel 7 on digital, too.


Patty
Reply
Reply
post #4511 of 9309
6/10/09 at 1:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wintertime View Post

Good point. And with KGO about to move its digital feed to VHF, folks need to be prepared to receive channel 7 on digital, too.


Patty

I guess you guys are right, DB2 doesnt seem to be good with VHF channels. Should i buy another VHF antenna and combine that with DB2.
Although i am not sure if i can do that, if thats possible please let me know,how should i do that?
Reply
Reply
post #4512 of 9309
6/10/09 at 1:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by WhiteWhiskers View Post

The big difference with KNTV-DT is that it's broadcasting on high VHF, channel 12. The hdtvprimer website shows the DB-2 has a dip between 11 and 12.

Quoting Ken Nist - "Some UHF antennas are advertised as working for VHF also. As the following net gain graph shows, there is not much truth in that". The DB-2 is terrible for VHF - a minimum of 16dB of loss - and a simple pair of rabbit ears is a better solution for VHF. Using the rabbit ears as a tuned dipole delivers about 2dB of gain and might deliver KNTV for a_mitian. I have attached a link to Ken's website and information on using rabbit ears as a tuned dipole - http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/RabbitEars.html
Reply
Reply
post #4513 of 9309
6/10/09 at 2:02pm
I suspect your reception problem is more to do with placement and aim than the antenna itself. You need to point the antenna towards the transmitter, not just towards the outdoors as you described in an earlier post. If your television has a signal strength OSD, see if you can work with that to aim your antenna for the strongest reception.
Reply
Reply
post #4514 of 9309
6/10/09 at 3:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by a_mitian View Post

I guess you guys are right, DB2 doesnt seem to be good with VHF channels. Should i buy another VHF antenna and combine that with DB2.
Although i am not sure if i can do that, if thats possible please let me know,how should i do that?

I have in use a VHF - UHF combiner in use. I got it a very long time ago.

I wonder if this just an ordinary splitter marked for another use.

If the signals received by the UHF and the VHF antennas do not have what is on the opposite antenna it should work just fine.

I remember looking inside the UHF / VHF splitter / combine and seeing nothing different from my FM / VHF splitter / combine.

These old devices are not very sharp at all.

SHF
Reply
Reply
post #4515 of 9309
6/10/09 at 4:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by a_mitian View Post

I guess you guys are right, DB2 doesnt seem to be good with VHF channels. Should i buy another VHF antenna and combine that with DB2.
Although i am not sure if i can do that, if thats possible please let me know,how should i do that?

(I followed you here from your post on the antenna thread.)

Your tvfool report for zip 94089 is at this link:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...c53474effbc2c6

If you go to tvfool.com and enter your exact address the results will be more accurate. Give us the URL near the top of the page in bold type as I have done; your address will not show in the report. I don't think you have much analog to worry about on friday---that's when the transition to digital happens.

For VHF you will need a VHF-hi antenna. It can be combined with your UHF antenna with a UHF/VHF combiner called a UVSJ.

Your location in the building is not the best for SF, but it is worth a try.

You have NBC on VHF ch 12, and ABC on 7. What channels do you want?
Reply
Reply
post #4516 of 9309
6/10/09 at 6:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit73 View Post

(I followed you here from your post on the antenna thread.)

Your tvfool report for zip 94089 is at this link:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...c53474effbc2c6

If you go to tvfool.com and enter your exact address the results will be more accurate. Give us the URL near the top of the page in bold type as I have done; your address will not show in the report. I don't think you have much analog to worry about on friday---that's when the transition to digital happens.

For VHF you will need a VHF-hi antenna. It can be combined with your UHF antenna with a UHF/VHF combiner called a UVSJ.

Your location in the building is not the best for SF, but it is worth a try.

You have NBC on VHF ch 12, and ABC on 7. What channels do you want?

This is my tvfool report
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...c534e4f4f7ae9a

I am getting ABC now but it will transit to VHF on 12th,so i might it lose it too.

I just want the major networks,ABC,FOX,NBC,CW,PBS. I guess UHF/VHF combiner is my best bet.
Reply
Reply
post #4517 of 9309
6/11/09 at 11:39am
Well, one more day till the switchover and I'll be out of town and miss all the fun. You guys will have to handle it without me.
I doubt that I'll get anything up here in north Santa Rosa anyway until they move the antennas up to the top of Sutro again. (But I'll try when I get back home anyway).
Reply
Reply
post #4518 of 9309
6/11/09 at 12:32pm
KTVU Digital Translator Plan Draws Fire

http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/82260

Quote:


Broadland charged KTVU with seeking the Channel 42 assignment as "a bald attempt to stop KAXT-LD from providing service to the public and/or an attempt to re-capture the analog channel being relinquished by Station KTNC-TV, [in] Concord, CA before anyone else can touch the channel."

The simulations I looked at show the benefit of the proposed KTVU translator to be marginal.
Reply
Reply
post #4519 of 9309
6/11/09 at 2:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by a_mitian View Post

This is my tvfool report
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...c534e4f4f7ae9a

I am getting ABC now but it will transit to VHF on 12th,so i might it lose it too.

I just want the major networks,ABC,FOX,NBC,CW,PBS. I guess UHF/VHF combiner is my best bet.

I would recommend you just watch the analog channel 7 and 11 and see for yourself how they look using your existing antenna. I have a DB2 clone and Analog Ch 7 and 11 looks good to me. I am crossing my fingers for the digital transition.

The digital stations that I am having trouble are 32/36/38 (forgot their call signs/phy channel) and I am hoping they will get better after the transition.
Reply
Reply
post #4520 of 9309
6/11/09 at 5:28pm
Is anyone going to record the Final Moments of Analog Ch. 2, 4 , 5, 7, 9, 11, 26. 44, 54 at 11.56pm??

I only get Analog Ch. 10 & 13 in somewhat in my area..
Reply
Reply
post #4521 of 9309
6/11/09 at 5:30pm
During their 5:00 p.m. newscast, KNTV ran a segment created by NBC News to let everyone know about the imminent death of analog. Problem is, the segment was obviously supposed to be run tomorrow, because at least twice, it referred to analog signals going dark "tonight."

Tom Sinkovitz did say after the segment that KNTV would be turning off analog at noon tomorrow, although he didn't come right out and say that the prerecorded video was wrong.

BTW, anyone know whose tower KTVU just showed on that live shot? It certainly wasn't Sutro. Wrong color, wrong shape, and way too many tree-covered hills (as opposed to house-covered hills) below it.


Patty
Reply
Reply
post #4522 of 9309
6/11/09 at 6:56pm
http://www.flotv.com/corp/newsroom/F...Transition.php

"Fifteen new markets will go live immediately following the DTV transition on June 12, bringing service to major markets such as Boston, Houston, Miami and San Francisco..."

Those of you with video-capable Verizon or AT&T cell phones can let us know what you see.


Patty
Reply
Reply
post #4523 of 9309
6/11/09 at 7:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wintertime View Post

http://www.flotv.com/corp/newsroom/F...Transition.php

"Fifteen new markets will go live immediately following the DTV transition on June 12, bringing service to major markets such as Boston, Houston, Miami and San Francisco..."

Those of you with video-capable Verizon or AT&T cell phones can let us know what you see.


Patty

What does this mean??

Will there be some Low Power Statiions poping up on the old analog channels??
Reply
Reply
post #4524 of 9309
6/11/09 at 8:37pm
KRON 4 will be the first station to make a move. The station signs off on channel 57 tonight at midnight and after changing connections and tuning up, will return to the air on channel 38. They expect the changeover to take about 3 hours. So if anyone is up at 3 am or after, do a scan... you should find digital channel 38 - KRON 4 on the air.

KTVU and KGO change channels tomorrow night.

Larry
Reply
Reply
post #4525 of 9309
6/11/09 at 8:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarioMania View Post

What does this mean?? Will there be some Low Power Statiions poping up on the old analog channels??

No... FLO TV from Qualcomm will be using the former (as of tomorrow night at midnight) TV channel 55. They purchased that frequency in cities all across the US at the Government auctions.

You'll need FLO mobile TV service to view it. It uses a different encoding scheme than broadcast TV, so your TV receiver won't pick it up.

Larry
SF
Reply
Reply
post #4526 of 9309
6/11/09 at 8:52pm
Oh ok, thanks for clearing it up...

What will the other analog channel will be for..like on Ch. 2 - 50 in SF
Reply
Reply
post #4527 of 9309
6/11/09 at 9:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarioMania View Post

Oh ok, thanks for clearing it up...
What will the other analog channel will be for..like on Ch. 2 - 50 in SF

See my Post Transition Digital TV list for a complete list of digital stations now on the air and all of new low power stations approved to come on the air. At the bottom of that list is a link to all of the low power analog and translator stations that will remain on the air until they make the switch to digital.

http://www.choisser.com/sfonair2.html

Larry
SF
Reply
Reply
post #4528 of 9309
6/12/09 at 12:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Kenney View Post

KRON 4 will be the first station to make a move. The station signs off on channel 57 tonight at midnight and after changing connections and tuning up, will return to the air on channel 38.

Tuned into KRON just before midnight. They didn't waste any time -- it dumped off the air at the dot of 12.
Reply
Reply
post #4529 of 9309
6/12/09 at 12:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by videojanitor View Post

Tuned into KRON just before midnight. They didn't waste any time -- it dumped off the air at the dot of 12.

analog or digtal??

I still see KRON on my Pocket TV
Reply
Reply
post #4530 of 9309
6/12/09 at 1:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarioMania View Post

analog or digtal??

I still see KRON on my Pocket TV

Digital.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Local HDTV Info and Reception

Gear mentioned in this thread:

AVS › AVS Forum › HDTV › Local HDTV Info and Reception › San Francisco, CA - OTA