6th generation tuners...the solution to getting weak signal stations?
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Back on December 19, 2007, I had the unexpected opportunity to install an HDTV for a fellow church member on the far northeast side of DeKalb. A few months earlier, to improve his reception and prepare him "someday" for an over-the-air digital converter box, I added a ChannelMaster 7777 preamplifier. He has a VHF/UHF Winegard combo antenna on a 30' tower using RG-6 cable except for a 2' RG-59 jumper; it's about 15 years old, and only the VHF portion of the antenna is used. It's diplexed with a ChannelMaster 4228 UHF antenna, installed at the same time, pointed at Rockford. I warned him: with all but two Chicago stations currently on UHF, and with the UHF antenna pointed at Rockford, most Chicago stations won't come in. And, WBBM-DT will be a no-show until 2009, and WWTO-DT from Utica, IL on channel 10 (just southeast of Starved Rock State Park) won't come in, because he is due north of the station by 45 miles, with the antenna pointed east towards Chicago. He can also lock PSIP on Milwaukee's FOX station on channel 33, even with a low power 33 in Rockford (and the antenna pointed at Rockford, of course)!
What I didn't know was that he decided to buy an HDTV that I recommended to him with an apparent 6th generation tuner. And after a Bible study, I found myself up late into the evening putting in the TV, and then checking out the reception, which blew me away!
From ~55 miles out, he has a rock-solid lock on WBBM-DT. When I mean rock-solid, the signal strength is 4 bars out of 4 on his new Initial brand HDTV! He has NO impulse noise breakups, except during a thunderstorm on December 22nd, when they occurred "one every great once in a while". And 3.5 bars out of 4 on WWTO-DT! All Rockford and most Chicago stations come in, but he cannot lock WYCC-DT and WCIU-DT. This is from major analog interference from two high-powered analogs in Madison, WI causing the inability to lock. He can lock all the other Chicago stations just fine.
Then, I got a report this morning from another gentleman who did an HD install near Elburn. With lots of electrical interference and snow on WBBM-TV analog, he, too, was still able to lock in WBBM-DT solid! It reportedly left him amazed, to say the least!
Up until now, I haven't had experience with 6th gen tuners, but had heard of their extreme sensitivity. Most DTV tuners need a signal to noise ratio of 20:1 to have a solid lock; go down to 19:1, and the picture breaks up. 15.7:1 is the theoretical limit, and these tuners reportedly go right up to it! This is not trivial: the improvement from signal reception alone is 66%+! Plus, the tuner chip features slightly to somewhat improved performance from interference and multipath, causing an even greater improvement! Those of you who are thinking about getting a second or third HDTV or your first one...and plan to use OTA reception...5th or 6th generation tuners are a must, in my mind (every tuner I know out there sold these days is at least 5th gen). But for WBBM reception, I now strongly recommend a TV with a 6th gen tuner. Those absolutely known to have it are:
1. All LG HDTVs that are 2007 models and later (note: Insignia brand HDTV's, made by LG, and sold exclusively at Best Buy, still only have 5th gen tuners!)
2. All LG/Zenith DTV digital converter boxes that are "coupon approved" by the FCC DTV converter box coupon program
3. All Mitsubishi 2008 HDTV models
Since most HDTV's use LG made tuners (they hold the patent), look for 6th gen tuners to sprout in off-brand and other name-brand models. I cannot confirm 100% the Initial branded TV having it, but the reception is way beyond anything I have ever seen. And if you want WBBM-DT reception, there are still no guarantees...but it substantially increases your chances of getting it with these latest generation tuners.
With a 30' high large antenna and amplifier, when WBBM goes high power on 12 and WLS goes high power on 7 in 2009, you'll be able to get both these stations, I'm thinking, in Rockford, and maybe beyond with a 6th gen tuner!
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Gilbert