[Suparuki]

Ok I thinking about making the jump to HD but I am getting conflicting answers to questions so im looking for more information. This is what I am thinking of doing. I am more than likely going to be buying a Panasonic PT-43LC14 (43" lcd projection) that is HD ready. Here is my unique situation. I do not currently nor do I plan to get cable or satellite. I only watch network tv and I can currently get abc,cbs,nbc,fox,wb,pbs,tbn with cheap rabbit ears I bought at walmart. My motivation to go HD is that I watch a lot of movies and play a lot of games. I have read that most of the networks I watch are broadcasting HD right now so if I can get it I would like too. SO heres my big question. I was at circuit city last week and the sales guy told me that all I had to do was buy a terk TV55 antenna and stick it to the back of the tv to get OTA HD programming. I asked if I needed an HD receiver and he said it was built into the antenna. This didnt seem to make sense to me so I questioned him on it and he stuck to what he was saying. He said I didnt need a reciever b/c I didnt have cable or sattelite. does this make sense to you guys? Let me know. Thanks

 

[greywolf]

You need an ATSC receiver. The Terk TV55 is a miserable and overpriced antenna. Other than that, he really knows his stuff.

 

[mjones73]

Unless the specs on the TV specifically state it has a built in ATSC tuner, you need an external ATSC tuner... Just a hint, when they are sold as HD monitors, they don't have a ATSC tuner built in, that's an easy way to figure it out.


To back greywolf, if it says Terk on the box, just put it back down and walk away quickly

 

[Suparuki]

Ok I checked the specs on the TV and it only has an NTSC tuner built in. SO I would need to purchase an ATSC tuner is that correct. Any suggestions on what to get?

 

[mjones73]

The LG LST4200A is a well liked receiver, it runs for $299 on average. Hit up antennaweb.org and see what your range is to your local digital stations and let us know and we can help suggest an antenna for you. If your close enough, the rabbit ears you have might even work...

 

[Suparuki]

I did the antennaweb thing and I have all the stations I care about listed in the DTV category as yellow - uhf. They are all within 13.5 miles of my house. And they are all in the same compass orientation of 11-12 degrees. SO what do you guys think? And let me just give a quick thanks for the input. I appreciate it.

 

[AcuraCL]

Also consider a different tv:

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs...del=PT-43LCX64


This is basically the same set as the one you selected, but has a built-in ATSC tuner.

 

[mjones73]

Not sure in an indoor antenna would work for you but you could try something like the Silver Sensor. A low priced yagi on the roof or in the attic should definently work as long as you have nothing major blocking your line of site to the towers...

 

[arxaw]

Quote:

Originally posted by Suparuki I did the antennaweb thing and I have all the stations I care about listed in the DTV category as yellow - uhf. They are all within 13.5 miles of my house. And they are all in the same compass orientation of 11-12 degrees....

All channels UHF.

All channels "yellow".

All channels within 1° of each other.


You can probably get by with an indoor antenna, possibly even the antenna you now own, if it has a UHF loop. If it doesn't work, the Silver Sensor should work. Do not waste your money on any antenna sold by TERK. They are overpriced JUNK.


As for OTA receivers, the LG LST4200A mjones mentioned is excellent. For something cheaper that also works well, try the USDTV receiver from Walmart online, or buy one locally if your local Wal Mart has them.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=2598451

 

[Suparuki]

I had seen the walmart reciever but it only has an s-video out and instead of HDMI or DVI port. Any big drawback with going with something like that. the Panasonic has an HDMI-HDCP built in as well as lots of other ports.

 

[mjones73]

The Walmart receiver has component outs, with an LCD you'd probably want a receiver with a DVI or HDMI out...


I'd have to agree with AcuraCL and say get the same TV with a tuner built in if you can, would simplify things...

 

[Jordan420]

1 I personally would not buy a TV from that salesman or store, I believe in voting with my wallet.


2 I will just reinforce what everyone else said DO NOT BUY ANYTHING WITH THE NAME TERK ON IT!!!!!!!


3 Since you are able to receive a good signal now thru an antenna you will probably have success with HD thru an antenna


4 I also agree w/ mjones & AcuraCL, get the TV with a built in tuner, 1 more open input on the TV & 1 less box to find a place for. If you had cable or sat most would say no tuner in the TV , but since you have no plans for either just get the built in tuner, you wont have to switch inputs to watch HD.

 

[Suparuki]

Thanks so much everyone you have really helped to clear some things up for me and given me some new options to look over. I know where to go now if I have any questions. Thanks again!

 

[lmadsen]

Let me second the recommendation of the LG LST-4200a if you go with an external ATSC tuner. It is OTA only (it also has an NTSC tuner and unscrambled QAM tuning), fairly inexpensive by today's standards and an absolutely incredidble tuner from the standpoint of sensitivity and features. I just got mine last week ($293 shipped from Cousin's Video) and this is by far the best tuner I have ever owned. It beats both the Samsung SIR-T165 and RCA ATSC21 by a mile and I have tried both.

 

[arxaw]

Quote:

Originally posted by lmadsen Let me second the recommendation of the LG LST-4200a if you go with an external ATSC tuner. It is OTA only (it also has an NTSC tuner and unscrambled QAM tuning), fairly inexpensive by today's standards and an absolutely incredidble tuner...

The 4200A does have an excellent 5th generation tuner. They will work in multipath environments where others won't - and often on just a loop antenna or rabbit ears, with no precise placement or aiming.

 

[fithian]

I have had the LST-4200A for about two months and the sensitivity and selectivity are excellent. It is by far the best tuner I have seen. Stations from distance come in very well, in digital, with my two UHF yagis with preamp. The borderline reception is a station that is 70 mph away that has a power of 50k watts. Last weekend a station that is 265 miles away came in digitally. Distances above 80 miles are not normally very stable, but that is the physics of the situation. Selectivity is great: a strong 1000kW station, located 8 miles away, line-of-sight, does not affect the channels near it.


The DVI output is connected to my Sammy DLP, but I have also hooked it up through the s-video, composite, and VGA ports. The only thing really missing is a firewire output so it can be used with a JVC 30000 DVHS recorder.


I purchased it from Cousins.

 

[Otto Pylot]

Quote:

Originally posted by arxaw The 4200A does have an excellent 5th generation tuner. They will work in multipath environments where others won't - and often on just a loop antenna or rabbit ears, with no precise placement or aiming.

I too have the 4200A and love it. However, it is not a 5th generation tuner. It is a slightly modified 4th generation tuner with the 3302 chipset. The 3303's are 5th generation but won't be out in production until the end of the year or first quarter next year. No word on whether LG will make an OTA only 5th generation tuner or not.

 

[STEELERSRULE]

I have the 4200A and love it as well. I can pull in stations over 50-60 miles south of me(Pittsburgh) with a cruddy RCA amplified indoor antenna.


But if you can afford the Panasonic with the built-in tuner and cablecard access, you will probably be better served to get that. It will eliminate clutter and allow you the option of getting HDTV via a local cable co. if you ever decide to do so(via the cablecard if your local cable co. uses them).


Hell, you can even get CLEAR QAM HDTV of local stations(ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, WB, UPN, Etc...) alot of the times via cable companies with just analog cable(NOT ALL THE TIME though. Some encrypt them, but alot don't.)


I thought the ENCRYPTION of local channels by cable companies was against the law. Is that true or not?


I thought the FCC set it so if you can receive a channel OTA with an antenna that local cable companies have to send those channels in the clear by law because they didn't want local cable co. gouging customers for stuff they receive OTA for free.


Did I screw this up?