[Shawn O]

Well,I'm ready to make the jump to hdtv.I live about 40 miles from the Detroit towers(as the crow flies) and have no big buildings around me.Just lake St.Clair between me and Michigan.


Anyway,I keep hearing good things about the Channel Master CM-4248.The only problem I have is that my wife would also like to watch the VHF analog channels from Detroit.


So what are my options?Is there an antenna(yagi style)that has a comparable UHF section + VHF or am I going to have to get two separates and combine them?If I have to combine them,how do the 2 attach to one another?


Btw,it will be an outside mount with rotor and Panasonic TUHDS20.


Thanks,

Shawn

 

[Shawn O]

Anyone?..Please.

 

[bmello]

Do a search on the "Mt. Wilson" thread and you will find alot of info on antennas. I think most of the larger antennas sold at Lowes, Home Depot and Radio Shack are combo UHF & VHF. Also, try to search Yahoo Groups for a local HDTV group in your area that might have more specific antenna info for your location. Good Luck!

 

[wd_allen]

you could check radio shack online for antenna selection, or www.antennaweb.org

 

[wd_allen]

sorry i think the antenna web link is dead or has been moved. sorry again........

 

[del]

I use the channel master stealth. You should have no problems with any of them. Winsdor is not far at all and your only about 15 miles from the ones on 8 mile.

 

[Gerald C]

Quote:

Originally posted by wd_allen: sorry i think the antenna web link is dead or has been moved.

Try this URL: http://www.antennaweb.org/antennaweb/


--Gerald C


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STOP DVI/HDCP!

 

[Tom Harms]

Hi Shawn, Can you currently receive analog UHF and VHF channels from Detroit? If your UHF reception is marginal, you may want to go with separate UHF and VHF antennas. The UHF antenna will probably need a UHF-only pre-amp and use RG-6 cable. If you are not using your STB for DSS, you should have two antenna inputs ~ one for UHF (DTV) and the other for VHF analog. There are ways to share one of the antenna inputs with DSS. A good source for antenna, amplifier, rotor, & cable info is:
http://www.starkelectronic.com/allant.htm


Tom

 

[Shawn O]

Tom,

I can currently receive most stations with an old winegard omni-directional(looks like a ufo)antenna and booster that was left here when we bought this house.There is a lot of interference though.I suspect this is caused by the old booster.If I turn the booster off I get nothing,just snow.

 

[Shawn O]

I guess what I need to know is,what are the advantages of going with separate uhf and VHF antennas over an all in one uhf/VHF antenna?Is a separate uhf antenna better than the uhf section of a uhf/VHF antenna?


Thanks again,

Shawn

 

[JimboG]

Shawn,


Most of the Detroit antennas are in Southfield, near 8 Mile Road. You could take a detroit area phone book and plug in some addresses to get an idea of where the towers are relative to you. Depending on which part of Windsor you are in, it is probably west or north. Can't say for sure though. It shouldn't be too much of a long haul from Windsor.


Which analogs does your wife want to watch? Most of the stations that are worth watching in Detroit already have digital stations on the air. The digital upconverts should be as good as or better than the analog stations. Good luck!


Jim


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Let me get this straight, this show is hi-def and 5.1, but my local affiliate makes it crappy NTSC and mono?!

 

[jurassicjockey]

For a listing of the Detroit area transmitters go to http://www.metronet.com/~chipk/tv/DTW.html This will give you the Lat and Long. of the transmitters You can then take this information along with your own Lat and Long to this site http://indo.com/cgi-bin/dist and it will give you the distance

 

[Tom Harms]

Are you going strictly OTA or you also going DirecTV? I highly recommend an "overkill" on both a UHF and separate VHF antenna with separate antenna pre-amplifiers with RG-6 coax cable directly to your receiver. It is not that expensive (in relation to your other system costs) to optimize your antenna setup, especially if you can do it yourself. Tom

 

[Shawn O]

Thanks for the replies guys,


jurrasicjockey,

I followed your links(thanks)and came up with exactly 30 miles to the Southfield transmitters.


JimboG,

My wife would like to watch NBC,ABC,CBS and FOX.

The problem is,she likes to watch soaps which are daytime not primetime shows.

I'm assuming that they don't have the entire schedule(NBC)on their HD channel yet?Only primetime,right?


Tom,

I would like to leave the option open for Directv.How can this be done while still using two antennas?Also,you mentioned the word "overkill".Is it possible to have too powerful of an antenna?


Thanks again,

Shawn

 

[jurassicjockey]

I think the Young and Restless is being broadcast in HD now in the daytime, not sure about the others

 

[Shawn O]

Thanks guys,


Well it seems that antennaweb is for US locations only http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/frown.gif

del,are all the hdtv towers located on 8 mile?


Shawn


[This message has been edited by Shawn O (edited 08-07-2001).]

 

[Tom Harms]

Hi Shawn, I don't think you can get too much signal strength from a 35/40 mile distance. I believe most of the major affiliates are broadcasting their normal analog programming on the digital channel 24 hours a day. Tom

 

[Shawn O]

Ok.I've decided to go with the cm4248 uhf and a separate VHF.

Now,what VHF antenna do you recommend?Also,can the antennas be stacked so that I only need 1 rotor or do they have to be mounted on separate masts?


Thanks,

Shawn

 

[ufotofu]

Shawn,

While you're certain to get better reception with the outdoor antenna, I'm roughly diametrically opposite you from the Detroit transmitters, and get the signals just fine with an indoor Radio Shack double bowtie and UHF preamp, using a Samsung SIR-T150 STB.

For spousal approval points, the 'Young and restless' is broadcast in hidef. Of course, even with regular SDTV, the picture quality will beat the pants off cable or regular OTA. Check http://www.titantv.com for local listings of DTV broadcasts.

Jim

 

[MAX HD]

Shawn,


You can put both antennas on one mast.Just keep them at least 4 feet apart so they won't interfere with one another.The UHF goes on top.A mast around 8ft.long should give you enough room for antennas and a preamp,if you decide to use one.


A good VHF antenna is the Winegard 5030.Starks usually has it in stock.


I've installed this set-up,with a CM 7777 preamp,and it works very well.