Looks As If Blu Ray Will Win

[Ronbo]

Digital HD requires better signal level than analog and the frequencies are almost all in UHF now. the existing channel numbers are basically "place setters" (why the TV has to scan these in on setup).

I changed my antenna out to a true HD antenna, made a world of difference. Try one of these: Antennas Direct | DB4 The Best HDTV Antenna on the Market

They also have an 8 element if your way out in the boonies.

BTW if any of you get flack from your local natzies, I mean housing board. There's an FCC ruling passed in '96 that says you can go up to 12ft above your roof line. They can't tell you to take it down. Here's the rulling: FCC Fact Sheet on Placement of Antennas

[Wes Tausend]

Originally Posted by Ronbo

Digital HD requires better signal level than analog and the frequencies are almost all in UHF now. the existing channel numbers are basically "place setters" (why the TV has to scan these in on setup).

I changed my antenna out to a true HD antenna, made a world of difference. Try one of these: Antennas Direct | DB4 The Best HDTV Antenna on the Market

They also have an 8 element if your way out in the boonies.

BTW if any of you get flack from your local natzies, I mean housing board. There's an FCC ruling passed in '96 that says you can go up to 12ft above your roof line. They can't tell you to take it down. Here's the rulling: FCC Fact Sheet on Placement of Antennas

Thanks for the link, Ronbo. It might be worth a shot and $69 is not too much to gamble.

I'm fairly close, less than 15 miles from all towers and I get a good signal strength reading, so I have some doubts. Still, I could be losing signal lock to aircraft flyovers and such since I'm about 5 miles from an airport. A better dedicated antenna might resist fluctuations better. It is my understanding that newer tuners are also more resistant to momentary multi-path signals which may present themselves as dropouts instead of ghosts as in analog.

I don't have a problem with outdoor antenna restrictions, but good point. I'm using one similar to this:
( http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/produ...rshalt1_dt.jpg )

What do you mean by "place setters"? Is that to say that the current digital channel assignments are temporary? I haven't run across the term before.


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[Ronbo]

Well the old station channels corresponded to an actual frequency i.e. ch 4 was the same frequency everywhere.

On over the air you have ch4-1, 4-2, ect but they aren't on any specific frequency, it's a VHF channel on the old system on ATSC it's what ever frequency the FCC assigns and likely a UHF frequency. Your TV treats the old channel number like the call sign. (WGBH) Basically makes the transition easier for people ch4 is still displayed as ch 4.x (up to 4 sub channels)

Sorry if this is confusing, it's only because it is. Scary part is it makes sense to me.

To put it briefly the TV doesn't know where ch4 got parked on the new band so on initial setup it scans the whole frequency band. Neat thing is they can re-assign a channel and the info is transmitted to your TV automatically. Your guide will load channels that you can't tune in though. (mine does) Where I'm at it shows channels from Gainsville, FL. because some people are in an over lap area and can pick up both cities. I can't and my TV doesn't know it's actual location. (Sat receivers ask for your zip code)

BTW the antenna your using a lot of people think the "front" is the arrow pattern (the longer VHF rods) it's actually the stubby UHF three prong portion. (short rods) The two offshoots are actually reflectors to the center section. (don't ask, some guy with a lot more grey matter than me designed it)

[Ron61]

The original TV antennas were designed with the longer rods to pick up more of the old analog signals than the short ones that feed the TV would. That way you got better reception and not so many ghosts. When we had antennas here I figured out all the frequencies, we only could receive 6 stations and cut aluminum rods to the exact length of each frequencies wave length. Worked great. No standing wave refractions at all.

Ron

[Wes Tausend]

Originally Posted by Ronbo

Well the old station channels corresponded to an actual frequency i.e. ch 4 was the same frequency everywhere.

On over the air you have ch4-1, 4-2, ect but they aren't on any specific frequency, it's a VHF channel on the old system on ATSC it's what ever frequency the FCC assigns and likely a UHF frequency. Your TV treats the old channel number like the call sign. (WGBH) Basically makes the transition easier for people ch4 is still displayed as ch 4.x (up to 4 sub channels)

Sorry if this is confusing, it's only because it is. Scary part is it makes sense to me.

To put it briefly the TV doesn't know where ch4 got parked on the new band so on initial setup it scans the whole frequency band. Neat thing is they can re-assign a channel and the info is transmitted to your TV automatically. Your guide will load channels that you can't tune in though. (mine does) Where I'm at it shows channels from Gainsville, FL. because some people are in an over lap area and can pick up both cities. I can't and my TV doesn't know it's actual location. (Sat receivers ask for your zip code)

BTW the antenna your using a lot of people think the "front" is the arrow pattern (the longer VHF rods) it's actually the stubby UHF three prong portion. (short rods) The two offshoots are actually reflectors to the center section. (don't ask, some guy with a lot more grey matter than me designed it)

Ronbo,
Thanks for the explanation. It helps make sense why my set-top digital tuner(s) originally tune to a specific UHF frequency and thereafter flips the displayed channel info to read traditional channel numbers for known local networks. At first I thought it odd but apparently they all do it according to plan.

My simple understanding of VHF parallel reflector and director antenna elements are that the reflectors are spaced 180 degrees out of phase, and behind, with the chosen wavelength and the director elements are in phase ahead of the main dipole. Or is it visa-versa? The "tapered" length variation supposedly broadens the band response, I think. A V-shaped UHF array is even more mind boggling.

Originally Posted by Ron61

The original TV antennas were designed with the longer rods to pick up more of the old analog signals than the short ones that feed the TV would. That way you got better reception and not so many ghosts. When we had antennas here I figured out all the frequencies, we only could receive 6 stations and cut aluminum rods to the exact length of each frequencies wave length. Worked great. No standing wave refractions at all.

Ron

I'd like to see that, Ron. I used to wonder if I couldn't place tuned lengths of twin-lead dipoles stapled on my ceiling to match specific local channels. The idea was to paint over them to obscure their presence but my wife wouldn't let me try it in HER house. I wasn't sure how I could mix and match the various 300 ohm feeds.

We used to have only have three VHF channels, PBS, NBC and CBS for years. Somewhere in the '80's we got two UHF channels, ABC and FOX. I don't think the UHF have as much broadcast range, but I think the VHF is good up to about 75 miles. Lucky for me I live close to all.


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[Ron61]

Wes,

Since the longer rods are just collector or refractors the same as the dish is for the satellite signal, I just took the regular antenna we had and took off the ones that weren't close to anything we could receive way back then and then while at work I made the ones that I used. Way back in the early days when I got my FCC license we had to know all the formulas and stuff to figure out how to build and set up radio and TV stations. Now I can't even remember my name. Now with my very limited mind, I stick to stuff that is built to work. I even gave up on the Mars Robot I was going to build.

Ron