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Some OTA HD help

post #1 of 15
1/22/08 at 12:50am
Thread Starter 
So I'm finally thinking of using my HDTV for some HD about time i'd say.

Unlucky for me though I have one of the HD-Ready models so I have no tuner to just get the free ota HD channels. I know you need a tuner to be able to get the HD reception and those aren't too cheap but I see a lot of used ones on ebay thinking I could save a few bucks that way.

But can I buy a satellite HDtv receiver and use that with a antenna to get the HD ota channels? I googled around and saw some people reported that it would work but this place seems to have all the answers and I don't end up wasting any money. I have just basic cable not digital and I'm basically just looking for the cheapest route to get some HD channels.

The models I was eyeing were the RCA DTC210 and the Sammy SIR-Ts360 and my tv is a 52' RCA D52w20yx1 only has DVI-HDCP no hdmi but that shouldn't matter all that much right?

Appreciate the help and sorry if this is a dumb question but I don't know all that much yet.
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post #2 of 15
1/22/08 at 6:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AK50 View Post

The models I was eyeing were the RCA DTC210 and the Sammy SIR-Ts360 and my tv is a 52' RCA D52w20yx1 only has DVI-HDCP no hdmi but that shouldn't matter all that much right?

You can use the component connection to the ATSC STB box as well. The older ATSC tuners boxes won't have HDMI, but component and probably a DVI port, depending on the age of the box. If you are looking for a used ATSC tuner, look for the Samsung SIR-T451. Don't know what they go for on ebay, but it has good performance in getting the weaker signals and, IIRC, has a DVI port. The T451 has a VGA port which I use to connect it to my Panasonic commercial plasma.

If you need antenna advice, post your zip code and a brief description of your situation - house or condo/apartment, attic or rooftop mount available, surrounded by trees or down in a valley.
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post #3 of 15
1/22/08 at 7:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by afiggatt View Post

You can use the component connection to the ATSC STB box as well. The older ATSC tuners boxes won't have HDMI, but component and probably a DVI port, depending on the age of the box. If you are looking for a used ATSC tuner, look for the Samsung SIR-T451. Don't know what they go for on ebay, but it has good performance in getting the weaker signals and, IIRC, has a DVI port. The T451 has a VGA port which I use to connect it to my Panasonic commercial plasma.

If you need antenna advice, post your zip code and a brief description of your situation - house or condo/apartment, attic or rooftop mount available, surrounded by trees or down in a valley.

afiggatt, if he goes with the Samsung Sir-T451 should he make sure it has the access card with it? I'm not sure if they're required when using the box just for OTA. Also, are these the boxes that need to be plugged in overnight to "revive" them from hibernation? Just curious...

Ed
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post #4 of 15
1/22/08 at 8:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Intheswamp View Post

afiggatt, if he goes with the Samsung Sir-T451 should he make sure it has the access card with it? I'm not sure if they're required when using the box just for OTA. Also, are these the boxes that need to be plugged in overnight to "revive" them from hibernation?

The SIR-T451 was sold directly as an ATSC tuner. This is not a satellite service related STB. No access card needed. Samsung replaced the SIR-T451 (which has a list price of $250) with the current DTB-H260F (current list of $180). There are RCA, Radio Shack HTS6000 Accurians (RS closed them out at ~$75 back in the fall of 2006), and other brand ATSC tuner STBs out there that don't need access cards or activation codes.
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post #5 of 15
1/25/08 at 1:29pm
AK50, Suggest you consider a Hisense tuner that Marsman is selling on Ebay. You can pick them up for $30-$80 depending on whether you want a new one or a used one and whether you want to bid or buy-it-now. The units come with remote, cables, and at least some warranty and I found him very easy to work with. I believe I have the same RCA TV you described and I hooked one of these up using component video and it works great. Good, inexpensive way to get a tuner to do what you're describing. I also hooked the digital audio to my audio system and have the 5.1 audio which is pretty amazing to hear from OTA programming.

Something for you to consider anyway.
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post #6 of 15
1/25/08 at 10:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GlennInTexas View Post

AK50, Suggest you consider a Hisense tuner that Marsman is selling on Ebay. You can pick them up for $30-$80 depending on whether you want a new one or a used one and whether you want to bid or buy-it-now. The units come with remote, cables, and at least some warranty and I found him very easy to work with. I believe I have the same RCA TV you described and I hooked one of these up using component video and it works great. Good, inexpensive way to get a tuner to do what you're describing. I also hooked the digital audio to my audio system and have the 5.1 audio which is pretty amazing to hear from OTA programming.

Something for you to consider anyway.

I just looked up this model and it looks good, but following his link to digital channels, I get nothing in. I am on Dish Network Locals only to have Center Ice (hockey). What would be the best route for me to go in order to get OTA channels for free?

Thanks!
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post #7 of 15
1/25/08 at 10:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by afiggatt View Post

The SIR-T451 was sold directly as an ATSC tuner. This is not a satellite service related STB. No access card needed. Samsung replaced the SIR-T451 (which has a list price of $250) with the current DTB-H260F (current list of $180). There are RCA, Radio Shack HTS6000 Accurians (RS closed them out at ~$75 back in the fall of 2006), and other brand ATSC tuner STBs out there that don't need access cards or activation codes.

Please see my post below. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
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post #8 of 15
1/26/08 at 1:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by audioexcels View Post

I am on Dish Network Locals only to have Center Ice (hockey). What would be the best route for me to go in order to get OTA channels for free?

As far as I can tell from http://www.nhl.com/nhlhq/centerice/ Center Ice is available only on cable or satellite, not OTA.
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post #9 of 15
1/26/08 at 1:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtbell View Post

As far as I can tell from http://www.nhl.com/nhlhq/centerice/ Center Ice is available only on cable or satellite, not OTA.

I'm definitely keeping Dish due to having to have Center Ice, but trying to figure out how I can use Dish "and" get OTA HD channels since I only have the bottom package from Dish along with Center Ice (had to get Dish or someone's lowest month to month package in order to have Center Ice)...but it would be nice to get some more channels in HD since I only have SD channels via Dish (only the very basic ones, but still, to see say, the NHL All-Star game or the Super Bowl in HD vs. SD would be nice).

Best!
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post #10 of 15
1/26/08 at 7:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by audioexcels View Post

I'm definitely keeping Dish due to having to have Center Ice, but trying to figure out how I can use Dish "and" get OTA HD channels since I only have the bottom package from Dish along with Center Ice (had to get Dish or someone's lowest month to month package in order to have Center Ice)...but it would be nice to get some more channels in HD since I only have SD channels via Dish (only the very basic ones, but still, to see say, the NHL All-Star game or the Super Bowl in HD vs. SD would be nice).

We need more information. To get the local digital broadcast stations, you need an ATSC tuner and an antenna. If your HD TV is fairly new, it should have an ATSC tuner built-in. If your HD TV is "HD-ready", then it does not have a ATSC tuner. The Dish HD DVRs have an ATSC tuner, but some restrictions in how they work, as I understand it.

If you are looking to buy an ATSC tuner for HD, the Samsung DTB-H260F is available at most Best Buys and on-line as a new model, but it is still $180 list. Should be some used ATSC STBs on ebay and the like, but you need to carefully check what you are getting. If you need advice on what to get for an antenna and whether an indoor antenna is viable or you should be looking at an outdoor or attic mount, post your zip code and a description of your situation: live in house or condo/apartment, surrounded by tall trees, and so on.
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post #11 of 15
1/26/08 at 12:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by audioexcels View Post

I'm definitely keeping Dish due to having to have Center Ice, but trying to figure out how I can use Dish "and" get OTA HD channels...

You could also knock a few bucks off of your bill by dropping the locals then.

I also have a low, SD package from E* and OTA for my HD, but the darned, lo-VHF CBS channel here in Chicago keeps me from being able to drop the locals. I get it in, usually OK, but there are times when I've had dropouts. The people in the market here can't wait until they change over to hi-VHF at a higher power.
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post #12 of 15
1/26/08 at 5:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by afiggatt View Post

We need more information. To get the local digital broadcast stations, you need an ATSC tuner and an antenna. If your HD TV is fairly new, it should have an ATSC tuner built-in. If your HD TV is "HD-ready", then it does not have a ATSC tuner. The Dish HD DVRs have an ATSC tuner, but some restrictions in how they work, as I understand it.

If you are looking to buy an ATSC tuner for HD, the Samsung DTB-H260F is available at most Best Buys and on-line as a new model, but it is still $180 list. Should be some used ATSC STBs on ebay and the like, but you need to carefully check what you are getting. If you need advice on what to get for an antenna and whether an indoor antenna is viable or you should be looking at an outdoor or attic mount, post your zip code and a description of your situation: live in house or condo/apartment, surrounded by tall trees, and so on.

Thanks for the help. I live in a remote location of Oregon, right along the ocean, but still far from the cities (if one can call Oregon as having cities). I live in a Tri-Plex on the top floor. Next to us, about 30ft away is another Tri-plex, and there's about 5 more in this section of the street. No tall trees or anything like that around us. I know a person one Tri-plex over from the one next to me has DTV with full HD plan. Not sure if I could pick up his connect, but I'd be even willing to pay him something if I could!

Zip code is 97365.

Thank You again!
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post #13 of 15
1/26/08 at 5:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rammitinski View Post

You could also knock a few bucks off of your bill by dropping the locals then.

I also have a low, SD package from E* and OTA for my HD, but the darned, lo-VHF CBS channel here in Chicago keeps me from being able to drop the locals. I get it in, usually OK, but there are times when I've had dropouts. The people in the market here can't wait until they change over to hi-VHF at a higher power.

I was just thinking, even that Dish has HD locals for a fairly cheap price, though really, if I could pick up the locals, that would save $72 in the year and the Samsung units or even use of the Dish box for getting some OTA locals would only cost about $75 off Fleabay.
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post #14 of 15
1/27/08 at 3:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by audioexcels View Post

Thanks for the help. I live in a remote location of Oregon, right along the ocean, but still far from the cities (if one can call Oregon as having cities). I live in a Tri-Plex on the top floor. Next to us, about 30ft away is another Tri-plex, and there's about 5 more in this section of the street. No tall trees or anything like that around us. I know a person one Tri-plex over from the one next to me has DTV with full HD plan. Not sure if I could pick up his connect, but I'd be even willing to pay him something if I could!
Zip code is 97365.

Is a rooftop antenna an option? Or an antenna on the balcony? You are around 87 miles from the Portland stations and ~63 miles from the Eugene stations. For your zip code and adding 400' for antenna height under options to get a more complete list of digital stations (ignore color codes for this), antennaweb.org shows the following digital stations:

* yellow - uhf KEPB-DT 28.1 PBS EUGENE OR 117° 64.7 29
* yellow - uhf KOAC-DT 7.1 PBS CORVALLIS OR 75° 38.0 39
* yellow - uhf KMTR-DT 16.1 NBC SPRINGFIELD OR 109° 63.9 17
* green - uhf KVAL-DT 13.1 CBS EUGENE OR 117° 64.7 25
* green - uhf KLSR-DT 34.1 FOX EUGENE OR 117° 64.9 31
* red - uhf KEZI-DT 9.1 ABC EUGENE OR 109° 63.9 44
* red - vhf KPXG-DT 22.1 ION SALEM OR 30° 87.2 4
* red - uhf KRCW-DT 32.1 CW SALEM OR 30° 87.2 33
* red - uhf KATU-DT 2.1 ABC PORTLAND OR 30° 87.1 43
* red - uhf KOIN-DT 6.1 CBS PORTLAND OR 30° 87.1 40
* red - uhf KPDX-DT 49.1 MNT VANCOUVER WA 29° 86.8 48
* red - uhf KOPB-DT 10.1 PBS PORTLAND OR 29° 87.0 27
* red - uhf KPTV-DT 12.1 FOX PORTLAND OR 29° 86.9 30
* red - uhf KGW-DT 8.1 NBC PORTLAND OR 29° 87.0 46

All of the stations are currently on UHF. except for KPXG-DT Ion 22 on VHF 4. Checking the final digital channel assignments, KPXG-DT will move to UHF 22, three of stations in Portland will move their digital channel to their upper VHF analog channels 8, 10, 12 and four stations in the Eugene market will be on upper VHF 7, 9, 11, 13. So if you ignore KPXG-DT for 2008, you need an antenna setup for high gain for upper VHF and UHF. The Eugene stations look to be in reach, but you need a good UHF antenna for 2008 and then a antenna with good upper VHF performance in early 2009.

How much room do you have for putting up an antenna? If you have the room, one of the new Winegard HD760xP series of antennas might do the trick. Maybe the HD7696P which is 110" long by 36" wide? See http://www.winegard.com/offair/vhfuhf.htm, but Winegard has not added spec sheets on their website yet. Solidsignal.com does have some spec sheets and prices.
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post #15 of 15
1/29/08 at 11:11pm
Thread Starter 
Alright thanks for all the replys. I was looking at those Hisense tuners but I snagged a TS-360 for a good price. So I got it today had to wait forever for the clicking to die down but now it's showing a time so seems like it's up and running I haven't hooked it up to the TV yet but i'll tackle that tommarrow. Anyways now that everything seems up and running the last part I need to get up is the antenna so posting back to see what you think would work best for my situation.

I do have 2 apartment buildings im sandwiched in between one right next to me a house away and one across the street at the end of the block (seems like this is right in the direction of the street map lvl lines). Also a hospital down the street 3 blocks. My zip is 48192. My readout looks like this:

* yellow - uhf WMYD-DT 20.1 MNT DETROIT MI 2° 16.7 21
* yellow - uhf WJBK-DT 2.1 FOX DETROIT MI 356° 17.9 58
* yellow - uhf WWJ-DT 62.1 CBS DETROIT MI 2° 16.7 44
* yellow - uhf WXYZ-DT 7.1 ABC DETROIT MI 351° 19.0 41
* yellow - uhf WTVS-DT 56.1 PBS DETROIT MI 2° 16.7 43
red - vhf WXYZ 7 ABC DETROIT MI 351° 19.0 7
red - uhf WUDT-CA 23 UNI DETROIT MI 2° 16.7 23
red - vhf WDIV 4 NBC DETROIT MI 358° 19.3 4
* red - uhf WDIV-DT 4.1 NBC DETROIT MI 358° 19.3 45
red - uhf W33BY 33 IND DEARBORN MI 344° 12.8 33
red - uhf WTVS 56 PBS DETROIT MI 343° 20.9 56
red - uhf WWJ 62 CBS DETROIT MI 2° 16.7 62
red - uhf WDWO-CA 18 IND DETROIT MI 344° 12.9 18
red - vhf WJBK 2 FOX DETROIT MI 356° 17.9 2
red - uhf WMYD 20 MNT DETROIT MI 2° 16.8 20
red - uhf WPXD 31 ION ANN ARBOR MI 291° 48.5 31
red - uhf WKBD 50 CW DETROIT MI 343° 20.9 50
* red - uhf WKBD-DT 50.1 CW DETROIT MI 343° 20.9 14
blue - uhf WFUM 28 PBS FLINT MI 348° 50.5 28
* violet - uhf WPXD-DT 31.1 ION ANN ARBOR MI 291° 48.5 33
violet - vhf WLNS 6 CBS LANSING MI 305° 71.0 6

I'd like to keep it indoor antenna wise the distances don't seem all that far. I was thinking about trying one of those $10 indoor Off-Air RCA antennas would that work or should I look for something else. Also whats your take on the DIY homemade antennas sporting the coat hangers lol. Those work well?

Again thanks for all the help
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