[chicodog]


Was wondering if anyone can help me.  I have no cable, so I bought an RCA DTA800B1 digital converter box.  It worked I guess.

I got a few channels.  I had it hooked up to the cable outlet in the wall, even though I don't have cable.  But was told I really need an antenna.  So I went and got a GE 74700 amplified indoor antenna.  Than I hooked up antenna to the converter box.  I have a digital TV so I performed a channel scan.  And nothing.  I then just tried the hooking the TV up just to the antenna.  Again nothing.  So then hooked it up TV just to the converter box like I had it.  Then received channels again, but lost a couple.  I live downtown with a lot of buildings around, so don't know it that would affect the antenna.  So if any can help explain the correct way to hook anything up.  Or do I just stick with the converter box and rescan again until I get the channels I had??  The thing is I've heard I should get more channels than I do.  And the channels keep losing signal, so that's why I got the antenna so I could fine tune the channels when watching.  I hope that makes sense.  Help.................................

 

[blueiedgod]

IF you have digital tuner in the TV, you don't need the converter box. It was meant for older, tube style TV's that did not have digital tuner.


Try opening a window and positioning the antenna outside. Many energy efficient windows have metallic coating which is intended to prevent IR radiation, but it also prevents TV signal from penetrating the glass.

 

[chicodog]


So just hook the TV up to antenna only??  How do I know it already has a converter built in??  I know when you turn it on it says " digital television ".  It's an Emerson.  Don't know model, but can look and research.  

 

[RCbridge]

Hok up the antenna and just perform a channel scan with antenna as the input and seee what you get.

 

[chicodog]


Ok.  So I just hooked up the antenna and it didn't work and lost all the scanned channels.  So I did a channel scan without anything hooked up to TV and nothing.  Connected TV back up to converter box.  Strange thing.  I lost some channels I had before.  So I did another scan a lost those channels and got the ones back I had.  Now I can't get back all the channels I had all at once before.  Would a reg antenna work better than an amplified antenna??  All just confusing.  Wish someone that lives in downtown Portland, OR was here to help.  

 

[RollTide2011]

Have you checked out TV Fool to see what they recommend ?

 

[blueiedgod]



Quote:
Originally Posted by chicodog  /t/1523820/help-with-digital-converter-box#post_24538423


Ok.  So I just hooked up the antenna and it didn't work and lost all the scanned channels.  So I did a channel scan without anything hooked up to TV and nothing.  Connected TV back up to converter box.  Strange thing.  I lost some channels I had before.  So I did another scan a lost those channels and got the ones back I had.  Now I can't get back all the channels I had all at once before.  Would a reg antenna work better than an amplified antenna??  All just confusing.  Wish someone that lives in downtown Portland, OR was here to help.  

When you run the scan, which tuner are you telling the TV to use?


Most new TV's have 3 tuners; NTSC, ATSC and ClearQAM. Refer to the Owner's Manual as to how to select which tuner to use. ou should be using ATSC tuner with OTA antenna.

 

[chicodog]


I know the TV as an ATSC tuner, as I looked it up on the Internet.  I also bought a used GE Indoor Amplified Antenna Model 24700.  I have tried that.  But didn't get any channels where I did the scan.  Although it is about 10 ft for a window.  Is that not the antenna I need.  I did go to AntennaWeb.org and found I need a multidirectional antenna.  I looked up the antenna I bought and not much info.   I looked up the multidirectional ones and not sure if they can be used indoor or not.  I can not mount or install an antenna as I live in a small studio apartment.  Any suggestions??  And would I have to move everything closer to the window??