[MarcVoc]

Can someone from the Chicago suburbs help me out? I'm about to take the plunge and buy a TV and STB (most likely the Mits WS-65857 and SR-HD500). I'd like to know what type of antenna I'd need for OTA reception. Will I need to install one on my roof or in my attic, can I get away with an antenna that "clips" on to the dish, or would some strong "rabbit-ears" work? I'm in Lake in the Hills (northwest suburb about 50 miles from Downtown Chicago).


I tried asking the fine folks at Tweeter about what antenna I'd need. The sales rep told me I didn't need one because DirecTV has the digital locals channels, along with HBO-HD, Discovery-HD, and a sports channel coming soon. I corrected him about the locals (digital...yes...high-def...no) and that there is no Discovery-HD channel. He seemed confused about that so I didn't push it.


I am currently a DirecTV subscriber, and I can't go without NFL Sunday Ticket, so switching to Dish is not an option.


Any help is greatly appreciated.


Marc

 

[RickZ]

In my case, I am using a 160" Radio Shack VHF/UHF antenna that is in my attic and I get all the current digital stations in Chicago with 80+ signal strength which is enough to have an error free picture virtually all the time. It isn't good enough to pull in the reduced power test signal that WBBM-DT has been using without constant drop-outs.


I already had my antenna from when we built in '89 so we had some TV until cable made it to our property. If I were you I would start with cheap, convenient, and less intrusive products/technologies and work up until the reception becomes acceptable. Make sure you can return whatever doesn't work.


Keep researching so you don't overpay for the same performance that a mainstream product can provide, i.e. specialized "High Definition Ready" models.


------------------

Turn the sound up and the lights down!

 

[MarcVoc]

Thanks Rick. Sounds like a good idea.


Anyone else in the NW burbs have any recommendations?


(Wanted to bump this post up to the front again. I posted the original late Friday night...some of the Chicago-area forum members might have missed it.)

 

[BigRed]

Live in Park Ridge, have a roof-top antennae (old rusty one) which brings in everything 95+. However, when deciding, I bought a Terk TV55 (or whatever it was called) and tried that out. Just laying it on the couch in the living room, I was able to get 95+ on all the stations (but it was very directional). So I would assume it would have been fine in the attic. I didn't try rabbit ears because I think they're ugly... I'd prefer the attic solution anyway.


Good luck...

 

[Steven Prell]

I use a medium sized directional antenna in my attic here in Cary. It was already installed when I moved in. Nothing special. I get all the digital stations at 100%, except WGN, which I get at 80%.

 

[rad]

Quote:

Originally posted by MarcVoc: I am currently a DirecTV subscriber, and I can't go without NFL Sunday Ticket, so switching to Dish is not an option./B]

Have you considered keeping D* around just for Sunday Ticket and getting Dish for everything else? I mention this since they will be starting to provide a CBS HD feed, this has been announced it's not a rumor, by the start of the fall season. Since WBBM-DT hasn't made it on the air, and the person from WBBM that used to keep us informed on what was happening appears to have fallen off the face of the earth, you might want to rethink the decision.

 

[Kipp Jones]

Quote:

Originally posted by rad: Have you considered keeping D* around just for Sunday Ticket and getting Dish for everything else? I mention this since they will be starting to provide a CBS HD feed, this has been announced it's not a rumor, by the start of the fall season. Since WBBM-DT hasn't made it on the air, and the person from WBBM that used to keep us informed on what was happening appears to have fallen off the face of the earth, you might want to rethink the decision. Dish will not be offering the cbs feed to anyone near the Chicagoland metro area. Even considering the current status of wbbm-dt. The same goes for any other metro area around the country. You really have to be out in the sticks to even be considered for the cbs feed.

------------------

Kipp


IS THAT A REMOTE CONTROL IN YOUR POCKET OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE HDTV?

 

[Kipp Jones]

Quote:

Originally posted by rad: Have you considered keeping D* around just for Sunday Ticket and getting Dish for everything else? I mention this since they will be starting to provide a CBS HD feed, this has been announced it's not a rumor, by the start of the fall season. Since WBBM-DT hasn't made it on the air, and the person from WBBM that used to keep us informed on what was happening appears to have fallen off the face of the earth, you might want to rethink the decision.

Dish will not be offering the cbs-hd feed to anyone near the Chicagoland metro area, even considering the current status of wbbm-dt. The same goes for any other metro area around the country. You really have to be out in the sticks to even be considered for the cbs feed.




------------------

Kipp


IS THAT A REMOTE CONTROL IN YOUR POCKET OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE HDTV?

 

[JimboG]

Kipp,


What are you talking about? CBS HD is available to people out in the sticks (white areas to be specific). But it is also available to people in CBS Owned & Operated markets. I would hardly call these cities "the sticks": New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; Philadelphia; San Francisco; Boston; Detroit; Dallas; Miami; Minneapolis; Denver; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Baltimore; Salt Lake City; Austin, Texas; and Green Bay, Wis.


Wait a minute, Chicago is a CBS O&O! Well, so much for never getting CBS HD in Chicago.


Jim


------------------

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

 

[rad]

Quote:

Originally posted by kippjones: Dish will not be offering the cbs-hd feed to anyone near the Chicagoland metro area, even considering the current status of wbbm-dt.

Here's the link to the press release: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010712/nyth071.html


The section of interest is: CBS has granted DISH Network blanket authority to deliver the HDTV feeds into the markets that are served by CBS O&Os, which cover nearly 35 percent of U.S. TV households. DISH Network customers subscribing to a local channel package from one of these cities will receive the CBS HD signal at no additional charge.


So if you have Dish, pay for the local station package, and live in the Chicago MSA then you WILL be able to get the WCBS HDTV network via the Dish 61.5 slot, no questions asked.

 

[Kipp Jones]

Sorry I was misinformed......ooops....I read otherwise.


------------------

Kipp


IS THAT A REMOTE CONTROL IN YOUR POCKET OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE HDTV?

 

[Paul G]

I installed my Dish Network OTA module in my 6000 for the first time last night. I'm getting 65% to 70% signal strength levels from the digital locals using a pretty big roof antenna. I need to try aim it a little better to see if it improves. I'm thinking LITH is too far for rabbit ears. Try a roof or attic antenna.


[This message has been edited by Paul G (edited 07-25-2001).]

 

[MarcVoc]

Hey everyone, just wanted to post a quick update...


I got my TV yesterday and tried my first experiment with "rabbit ears". I bought the RCA powered indoor TV antenna (ANT200 I think) for less than $50 at Best Buy, hooked it up to my Mits SR-HD5 receiver, and hoped for the best.


I was able to pull in NBC, WGN and FOX with a signal strength in the high 90s. I wasn't able to get ABC, but I didn't really try messing with the antenna because I didn't want to lose NBC. Wanted to see Leno...pretty cool I must say!! I think I'll play with it some more tonight to try ABC.


Needless to say, I'm very encouraged that I can get the signals with a relatively cheap antenna!!


Marc

 

[Scooper]

As a correction to Rad's post - all the press release states is that the CBS HDTV feed will be made available - not any particular station's. It may well turn out that they use WCBS and KCBS out of LA, but nothing is stated at the current time.


------------------


You CAN put antennas on your owned and/or controlled property...

http://www.fcc.gov/csb/facts/otard.html

 

[jkenton]

I live in McHenry, using a Unity Motion and DTC-100 with biggest Radio Shack antenna and rotor, (have also tried the "super sensitive" Samsung STR-150- no difference) and sometimes get ABC at half ,40% of other OTA 80-85%, no problem other channels in Chicago. Also get NBC & PBS out of Milwaukee no problem. I have tried both Channel Master and Radio Shack UHF preamp. I get zero signal?. Hard to believe it is to much power. Is ABC-WLS transmiting at lower power?