[Black]

I'm getting an elliptical dish for DirecTV and I'm looking forward to checking out HD HBO


However, since Los Angeles has almost the whole network lineup in HD (some programs atleast), I'd like to receive those as well. I've been looking into all the different kinds of OTA antenna's and most of them are quite large or not exactly pleasant looking to be on my roof. While reading in a electronics magazine, I stumbled across what looked like a 18" satellite dish, but turned out to be a UHF antenna and they claimed it worked with UHF, FM, and HD. Here is the link to it:

http://www.technoscout.com/general/p...001&sourceid=0


Now for my questions:


1. Would this really work with HD OTA channels?

2. What kind of signals can I expect compared to some of the channel master "bow ties".

3. I believe they claim it to be non directional, however, is there any direction or tilt I'm supposed to point towards to pick up the LA HD feeds (cmon, 10 million people in this city, I know I'm not the only one on here)?

4. I'm moving to the Palisades Highlands which is up in Topanga State park (mountains, but clear view right down to the ocean), can I pick up HD signals up there? (FM AND AM radio stations came in loud and clear)

5. Could I connect this, "antenna dish", if you will, to my 5x8 multiswitch to send the HD OTA, DirecTV, AND FM signals through one wire to each receiver to then be diplexed back out?

6. I still haven't decided on an HD STB yet. I'm not going to pick the Panasonic because I've used it and its SOOOOOOOOOO slow. Haven't tried the RCA but its a little big. The Toshiba seemed alright (any comments?) and the Mitsubishi did as well (any comments?).



Thanks, please answer back soon! I need to buy this stuff in a matter of hours because I'm moving in on Friday and I need all of my TV stuff squared away by the time I'm in there.


-Black

 

[Joseph]

Sorry, I can't answer all of your questions, but DO go to antennaweb.org and follow the directions to find out what type of antenna will work for your new address. Good luck with the move!

 

[TomF]

I'm highly skeptical of this antenna, as it appears more gimmicky than effective. Since you menton that FM signals come in loud and clear, and you don't mention any need for VHF signals, this antenna is way more than you need.


For your area, I would start with the $17.99 Radio Shack double-bowtie antenna. I used this antenna initially and was able to pick up LA stations in San Diego at night, 103 miles away. I've since mounted a Channel Master 3021 antenna on a rotator in my attic and can receive all of the LA stations day and night, almost always at a signal strength at or near 100.


If this does not work, only then would I consider larger, more expensive antennas. Any UHF antenna will work, there is no magic HDTV antenna. The CM3021 costs only about $25.00.


The best results for digital OTA are obtained from directional UHF antennas pointed at the broadcast towers, which is why I used a rotator to get both San Diego and LA stations. In your case, everything is on Mt. Wilson. At 6,000' it's the highest point over LA and one of the reasons that I can receive LA signals in San Diego.

 

[Wilson-Flyer]

Quote:

I'm highly skeptical of this antenna, as it appears more gimmicky than effective.

According to the engineers at WRAL-DT and based on my own personal experiences for three years; this is one of the most effective OTA HD antennas out there for the money. Hands-down. Not criticizing just addind the fact that it's no gimmick antenna.

 

[Black]

Which, the Xium Air or the Double Bowtie?

 

[ShiningBengal]

Quote:

Originally posted by LearningMan According to the engineers at WRAL-DT and based on my own personal experiences for three years; this is one of the most effective OTA HD antennas out there for the money. Hands-down. Not criticizing just addind the fact that it's no gimmick antenna.

The antenna under discussion is an omnidirectional antenna. As such, it has all the advantages, AND all of the drawbacks of this type of design.


If you have no tall buildings, hills, transmission towers, etc., anywhere near you, and you don't need a lot of signal amplification, these work fine. So do a lot of other far less expensive omnidirectional VHF/UHF antennas.


On the other hand, if you DO have some of the multipath signal reflectors such as I mentioned, they are worthless. Ditto if you need a lot of signal amplification.


I bought a Radio Shack UHF only Yagi style antenna (VERY directional) for $19.95. I installed it in my attic (a location which reduces signal and can cause other problems as well).


It pegs the signal meter on my Panny and gives me absolutely perfect reception, even though there are highvoltage transmission towers only about 500 feet from the antenna, and several concrete and steel grain elevator towers about 150 feet tall in the same general direction of the antenna farm twenty miles further on.


My neighbor tried one of these frisbee antennas and couldn't believe how much better my reception is than his.

 

[neilneil]

I read the information on the website from the link above.


On one hand they talk about how their antenna " lets the XiumAir grab signals coming from all directions" and then mention "XiumAir’s 18" parabolic reflective/ground element increases signal strength and stability ".


Sorry, but you can't have it both ways. Either an antenna is omni-directional or directional. I would really be suspect of an antenna that claims to work for CB radio (27mhz) all the way up to the UHF band where HD TV resides.


If you want a high performance outdoor HD antenna, I recommend the Channel Master 4221 4-bay. It is almost as small and really not bad looking at all. You will have to get something else for your CB radio though.

 

[HiDefGuy]

Quote:

Originally posted by TomF I'm highly skeptical of this antenna, as it appears more gimmicky than effective.

I have to agree with Tom.


I bought a StealthTenna about 6 months back to help me receive local HD signals (I'm in a bad coastal location) and found it almost useless. This was *with* the optional pre-amp. I then bought a 3021 (that's the bow tie one, right?) and I get amazing signal reception now, even for the local NBC affilliate. My advice would be to go with this cheaper option first.


I think the StealthTenna is probably good if you are in a good reception area, and it looks very smart (will please many homeowners). In fact, there are several posts in the archives from very happy StealthTenna users, but I'm not one of those, at least for fringe area reception.

 

[woowoo]

Don't get an omnidirectional antenna

You will not be happy


Install a radioshack yagi

They work

 

[rmscott_75077]

I live in DFW about 40 miles from the towers. I have the stealth antenna with the optional built in amplifier. This set-up works as good as most very large antennas. In my attic, I have a plug that goes to the amplifier in the antenna. Then I have a 4-way powered splitter. I use 4 tvs. The analog channels and digital channels all look great with the exception of channel 2 has some snow. Dallas has abc, pbs, cbs, fox, wb, and nbc all with digital channels. I receive greater than 90 percent digital strength on all channels except for 9 (8-01, 8-02). I receive between 75 and 80 percent strength there. As long as you have > 70 percent strength with Dish 6000 OTA, the picture will look perfect.


The stealth is not a gimmick and is not omni-directional. You need to point it at the control towers. In DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth), all of the towers are in Cedar Hill. So pointing is easy. I have mine attached to a pole that mounts to my second dish.


If the stealth does not have enough power with the amplifier you'll need a really large antenna mounted outside. The stealth outside is better than a large antenna inside. The stealth is also pleasing to most home owners associations.

 

[mlewie]

This is a rather confusing thread. Just to be painfully clear, the original poster was not referring to the Channel Master Stealth Antenna, which I agree is not a gimmicky antenna. Rather, the original poster provided a thread to something called the XIUMAir antenna that resembles a dish but claims omnidirectional performance. That sure sounds gimmicky to me. Either way, at $129 its far more expensive than a number of OTA antennas that are most often recommended on this forum.

 

[Wilson-Flyer]

My sincerest apologies to everyone in this thread. I'm not sure WHERE I seem to have read StealthTenna into this thread but obviously I did. My original comments were about the CM StealthTenna and apparently the quote I borrowed was not even about them.


My apologies to the poster I quoted and the rest. I'll get back in my box now.


An afterthought... After further review, I now see that my "vision" LOL came from the thread's title. Again, my apologies if I offended anyone.

 

[mlewie]

Hey no problem LearningMan. I'm actually quite intrigued by your enthusiatic recommendation for the CM stealthantenna. I'm going to first try installing a larger, more directional CM antenna in the attic. If that doesn't work, I'll try installing a stealth on the roof.

Quote:

Originally posted by LearningMan My sincerest apologies to everyone in this thread. I'm not sure WHERE I seem to have read StealthTenna into this thread but obviously I did. My original comments were about the CM StealthTenna and apparently the quote I borrowed was not even about them. My apologies to the poster I quoted and the rest. I'll get back in my box now. An afterthought... After further review, I now see that my "vision" LOL came from the thread's title. Again, my apologies if I offended anyone.

 

[jaymer]

I tried the ChannelMaster Stealthtenna and returned it to Lowes.

I'm within eyesight of 3 Tampa antennas and it didn't work for me, even with the CM booster which Lowes also carries.


I also put up a 30 foot mast with a CM Yagi - sometimes I can pull in Orlando (60 miles), but then I need to add a rotor cause I'm tired of opening a window and rotating my pole to aim towards my far station. This setup is TOO directional for me.


The XIUM is a very neat and capable antenna.


The one pictured is a bit of a gimmick (IMHO) for $130, because the XIUM just by itself is only $50 from Technoscout - so they are adding $80 for a dish, and we all know a dish can be had for much cheaper than that.


So, while many people have had success with the cheap Radio Shack antennas, everyone's situation is DIFFERENT.


In Tampa, 3 channels are together within miles, and the other antenna is 40 miles from me in the other direction - not every antenna can work in that situation, but my $50 Xium does. No more rotating anything and strong signals on my 4 channels.


There's TONS of info on antennas in the hardware forum - do a search and try to narrow it down with some city names for relevant local info.