Denver, CO - OTA - Page 276

I'm having an issue with CBS (ch 35 - 4.1) in Aurora. I just mounted an RCA ANT751R on my 2nd story (273 degrees magnetic) about 20 feet above ground with some objects possibly in the way. I get every channel 100% without glitches, except for CBS which every minute or so drops the signal for a split second causing glitches. I do not have an amplifier with it, and the cable run is about 40ft.

Current CBS signal strength is 100% and quality is 98% with 100% symbol quality, but it drops randomly for a split second.

Is this something an amplifier could fix?

I realize it does not seem logical since many of the signals all come from the same transmitting antenna on look out mountain, but I have had similar symptoms when the signal is too strong, you might try lowering the CBS signal strength by re-aiming the antenna?

No. You do not have a signal power problem. You have either a problem with intermittent electrical interference or from multi-path. You can probably solve the problem simply by moving the antenna to a different spot if it's the latter.

You're not using an HDHomeRun box are you? My HDHomeRun boxes did the exact same thing on channel 4 and 7. Nothing I did fixed it. Wound up selling them and getting some cheap USB tuners which receive 4 and 7 no problem.

I can give that a shot later this week. Thanks for the suggestion.


I'm using a HDHomeRun HDHR3-US so I can feed my xbmc htpcs tv. Know of an alternative that could work?
Edited by pgjensen - 5/5/13 at 5:19pm

Other than setting a PC up as an XBMC TV server with a couple tuners in it, I don't know of any solutions that are quite as elegant as the HDHR... 

Anymore it seems that 1 will have to perform a re-scan every month to get all the available channels.

Any idea what type of programming "GetTV" will offer?

"Smoke Talker"
Web Master of www.RMRondyNews.com

Sony movies, mostly.

- Trip

I own a local business that helps folks get TV for free. For most of my customers I build HTPCs that I hook up to OTA antennas, so I have used a lot of different TV tuners in a bunch of different locations... I would have to agree with Symbios that it is an issue with the HD Homerun. I don't use them that often but I have noticed the same thing recently, and I don't think it has anything to do with the signal since it has been the same issue at different locations. Also, when I use a HTPC with a PCI-e TV tuner 4.1 seems to works just fine. I keep meaning to get a hold of HD Homerun support (they are great-very responsive), but haven't found the time to do so. Short of using a PC with either a usb or PCI tuner card I would suggest contacting HD Homerun Support. Please let us know what you find out! If I hear of a fix I will post it here...

Which tuner(s) do you recommend?

I bought an HDHomeRun in 2008 when I was trying to build an HTPC because I wanted a dual OTA/QAM tuner with the capability of streaming content to my PC over my CAT5/6 network. I had reception problems because the stations were not yet broadcasting at full power then as well as problems getting my MythTV set up. I spent $165 or some large amount on it and don't want drop more $ on another tuner(s) in my reattempt to rebuild my HTPC. I'm not sure QAM is an option any longer since Comcast switched to full digital and one of the main reasons for the HTPC is to drop cable since I'm tired of spending $100 extra a month for a small capacity HD DVR.

It depends on the situation but I usually use one of 3. In the case of my business (hence the name) I help people save money on their telecom bills (drop cable or satellite), but I do build HTPCs for pay TV customers sometimes too. HD Homerun (network) we covered, Hauppauge 2250 (PCI), or in your case it sounds like you are looking for the best tuner at the cheapest price I would get the Avermedia A188 HD Duet for $50. My stock HTPC I build is just over $400, if a customer want a dual tuner I add this one in for $460... I am still developing the page, but I have a DIY section on my site with links to Amazon for it. If you need any help please let me know!

I hope I wasn't the only one to complain to KMGH about their #$@! weather crawl during The Middle on Wednesday.

They spent five minutes telling people it was raining (not heavy rain, not severe weather, but it was raining) and to please download their #$@! app.

I think I'm going to have to start watching programs off the ABC web site instead.

They ain't got nuthin' on the clowns at KUSA, who just can't seem to resist the urge to squash the aspect ratio of your screen for three out of 10 prime-time programming minutes every time it's raining, or snowing, or a sliver of some county 200 miles out with all of about eight residents might have severe weather, or that the roads are... GASP!... wet.

Full disclosure: I do like to stick it to 9News, but they're a mere outlier among a bunch of really bad actors. The pablum local broadcasters serve up as "news" hereabouts is worse than pathetic in a top-20 television market. There are plenty of outlets in the bottom rank of the top 100 whose product puts what we get in Denver to shame. Inquiring minds want to know: When will the lot of you stop angling for your next big career break among the bubbleheads in LA, and start serving the audience right in front of you that's paying for your wardrobes, dental veneers, hair highlights and badly over-inflated salaries?

Weather is an important thing to people. Consider Milsap, Texas this past couple days. Would seem that WFAA-TV 8 did a great job covering the severe WX in their neck-of-the-woods.

In the last few years (using KMGH as an example), ch7 like most stations would only interrupt programming or run crawls only during programming -- then let the LOUD commercials run totally UN-interrupted (& on-sked). This practice really pissed me off fiercely when I needed up-to-second info to prepare accordingly during nasty WX.

When the Windsor tornado hit, ch7 at least, ran their severe WX pre-empting BOTH commercials & programming. Since that time, depending on given WX conditions, ch 7 has been pre-empting commercials -- leaving programming (like DWTS) intact though crawls do run. Personally, I think ch7 is doing a better service to their viewers with this practice & have EARNED my viewing loyalty.. If the other stations would also engage this practice, their viewership might increase as well. Food 4 thought . . .

"Smoke Talker"
Web Master of www.RMRondyNews.com