[shrewdinvestor]

I'd like to know how flexible configurations are for receiving OTA HDTV. I originally thought that line of sight was required with an aerial antennae, but based on a couple of recent threads, it appears that some people have had various degrees of success with indoor or set-top antennaes, e.g. rabbit ears/bow ties/silver something.


I live within abt a 25mi radius of the OTA HDTV stations, but I'm not willing to install an aerial antennae, but if a can use an indoor, small form factor antennae, then I'd consider buying an HDTV decoder. I'm a DirecTV subscriber with an elliptical dish, but the 2-3 channels they carry in HDTV is not good enough for me to warrant any HDTV investment at this point.


Thanks for your assistance!

 

[shrewdinvestor]

How does one check signal strength for their area? Is there an inexpensive device I can buy to see how strong the signal is in my area before I invest $$ in an HDTV decoder?

 

[taron1]

The rule is if you can see the analog signal then you will most likely see the digital signal. If you buy the STB locally you have 30 days to see if you can get the signal.

 

[Ken H]

No, there is no easy or inexpensive way to verify DTV reception, without having a receiver & antenna (and probably the specific ones you plan on using) at the specific location.


A rough idea can be gained by NTSC reception. If you get stable analog reception, stable DTV reception may be possible, too. But this is no guarantee, by any means.


I would suggest borrowing a DTV receiver from a friend or, buy one (along with a few antennas) from a local retailer that has a good return policy.


You could also post a topic asking for others in your specific area to give you feedback about their DTV experiences.


Part of the issue is that antenna placement is critical. Indoor antennas can produce widely varying results, by being moved mere inches.


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"better living thru modern expensive electronics"

tm


[This message has been edited by Ken H (edited 06-17-2001).]

 

[Michael Mullis]

I've had almost NO luck with the Terk TV 55. Do you have any multipathing problems with it?


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Michael Mullis

Director of US Operations

Next Level Gaming
http://www.nlgaming.com

 

[jaye fayed]

I am using a CM 4228 and a CM 7775 Pre amp and it is great. 52iles from stations. Getting a 90 on the meter on most channels.