Printable View
We're cutting off the satellite (no cable in our area between Barrie and Orillia) and I'm looking for a VHF/UHF digital antenna. Been on the internet for hours trying to pick one, but the info/reviews are all over the map. Looking for some first-hand advice. Thanks!
The regular style antenna will work just fine for receiving the Digital broadcasts. You don't need a "DIGITAL" antenna, the greater the capture size( the bigger the elements..those long tubes) the more signal you will receive at the TV.Quote:
Originally Posted by ninepointer
these will work just fine. A rotor to point the antenna at the area that the station broadcast from will give you more stations. IE buffalo or Rochester, or even Cleveland. You will also have to get the antenna up high enough to "SEE" the transmitter, but more on that later.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-Outdo...tenna/14554620
https://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-Outdoor-60-Mile-Antenna-With-Mast-UHF-VHF-and-HDTV/872034
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Channel-M...ystem/46771281
Channel Master 100 mile antennae with a rotor system is the way to go,especially,in your area of limited reception. My parents used to be in the business way back when and I sometimes got tapped to install the towers and mast when I was young and crazy. We specialized in 40-60' self-support towers. Depending on what type of tower and height,installation can be a DIY project. There's several good contractors in the GTA if DIY isn't an option. Right now,I'm using Bell Fibe on a promotional basis,but,when the deals come off,the cost to keep it will be insane. I'll be going to OTA ,too. A great system can be installed for under$1K and that's the end of it,no monthly fees,ever and the CRTC can't tell you what to watch,either. I'm surprised more homeowners aren't doing it.Quote:
Originally Posted by ninepointer
I'm moving to Windsor soon and that will be an option I will have to explore as I see hundreds of them installed down in the area. know a lot of people have direct TV there as well.
Your reception with an antenna in that area will be limited due to range to transmitters.
Digital signals don't carry as far as the old analog signals.
As already mentioned
1: Size of the elements and number of elements play a big part.
2: A router to aim it is also very important.
3: Height of the antenna is important.
If your in lower ground this could be challenging.
A signal amplifier may also help.
This link should help you find out what signals are available to you where you are.
http://www.receptionmaps.com/Advanced-TV-Maps.html
Go to "Find TV Signals" and enter your address or Coordinates than click on "map this".
Enter antenna height above ground.
This will give you a good idea of what's available to you.
By changing antenna heights this will show you the effect of raising your antenna.
I went to <http://www.saveandreplay.com/> around the 401 and 410 in Toronto, if you are in the area. very knowledgeable and can help you out. Look up your address on this site below - it will give will give you an idea of what you need for tower height, and what to expect to be able to receive.
http://www.tvfool.com/
Instead of using a rotator, i ended up with two channel master antennas and an amp, one antenna points toward toronto, the other buffalo on a single pipe mounted of the side of the garage. works fine for buffalo, toronto, kitchener london barrie hamilton and erie stations.
An Preamp can help but it can also over drive the receiver. Too much signal will look almost the same on the tv as too little. If you over drive the signals the channels bleed into each other and create snow or distorted pictures. If you put up the antenna and think a preamp will help get an adjustable one. Put the tv on the weakest channel and slowly turn the amp up. Then check to be sure you are not over driving the stronger stations..
Good luck..
Go to Wallmart and pick yourself up an antennae from anywhere from $39.00 to $59.00. My mother just picked one up and receives 20 to 30 channels including HD on her new samsung tv. You do not need to go over the top on spending tons of money.
The number of channels you will get is fully dependent on where you live and your height above ground level in respect to the surrounding terrain.Quote:
Originally Posted by yellow dog
Best HDTV antenna I own for the truck camper was made from youtube for about $5.00. I got an RV booster connection and it is screwed to the inside roof of truck camper. About 20 miles outside of Ottawa on crown I get 12 channels of HD picture, 4 from the US.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jh3M931WUU
thanks for the info Gentlemen.
Yes of course. I am talking about the majority of people that live near or close to the U.S that can pickup American networks. If your in the middle of nowhere then you are very limited unless you have a ginormous tower.Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodsman
The OP doesn't live close enough to the US to likely get US channels without very extreme measures.
The closet US transmitter is over 160 km's away.
Really. Vhf/Uhf/Ehf communication are common over distance of 200 to 300 miles with only a few hundred watts output at the transmitter. Since TV stations use a few kilowatts there should be lots of US station. The in-laws in Kingsville watch stations out of Buffalo and Rochester NY. Their antenna is just a regular tv antenna about 40 to 50 feet in the air. It just sits in a tripod in top of the two story house.Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodsman
The trick is "LINE OF SIGHT. Which means if there is a straight line between the transmitter and your antenna with nothing to block the signal then you should be getting some distance.
One of the last tower/antenna combinations I installed before my parents sold their business was a 60' self supporter at a cottage that belonged to friends of theirs near Katrine,ON in 1974. I anchored the tower with 1cu.yd. base of concrete lagged into bedrock. It had a 10' mast with a rotor and CM multi-frequency color head and booster that's still in use today. The only upgrade it's needed was an aircraft navigation red light at the top because another cottager landed his float planes on the lake a few years ago and NO,I didn't do the upgrade LOL.Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowwalker
Apples to oranges Snowwalker. Have you plotted the OP's location in respect to reception?Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowwalker
I did and the link I listed took into consideration for land height, antenna height, obstructions, power of signal and distance from transmitter.
By the way digital signals do not travel as far as older analogue signals in respect to usable signals.
Ginormous tower needed . lolQuote:
Originally Posted by Woodsman
What about free satellite? Mostly croatian tv but hey its something...
I would think to the moon and back is not very far then. 300 watts, stacked yagi with about 30dbi gain. It's called EME( Earth moon Earth) bounce.Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodsman
Well he is not going to be watching the local news out of Texas. With a decent antenna and some height, he will get a few.
The GTA & Golden Horseshoe being between him and those US transmitters make it unlikely without going to extreme measures.
Now that you admit the distance is not the problem, topography will likely play a roll. But let's see what he gets. Is his house at the bottom of a valley or at the top of the hill. VHF/UHF/EHF also have this strange behavior of bouncing around off the rocks. Just like a flat stone skipping off the surface of a calm pond, the tv signals can bounce and bend 5 to 10% over the curve of the horizon.Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodsman
So what the website says is a good "Gusstamation", now let's give it a try and see what works in the real world.
When your talking over 160 km's to the nearest US TV transmitter distance is a great factor.
Yep, I will have to look into this more it seems. Not trying to hijack the thread but it looks like I am being forced to look into alternatives for tv now.
Just talked to Shaw Direct and got rid of some packages to save a few dollars and was told that at the end of the year my older boxes would stop working (only 600+ models would work) ..... I had to buy new ones that according to the webpage are $150 EACH, so with tax over $500 for the two at home and the cottage .... unless they start sending out new equipment I will be getting a Roku and free to air antennae.
I have a small one that gets about half a dozen channels indoor and it occasionally get the one Buffalo channel, I am located north Brampton for reference. anyone have anything great to say about the indoor ones, yes I realize they will be very limited but thought I would ask anyway.
In a top floor apartment sitting in a window they can be the cat's meow. You could put a small outdoor on the roof in a tripod or in the attic, and you'll do great.Quote:
Originally Posted by mosquito
I would even bet you'll get the buffalo station and Rochester all the time, even though they are both very far away.:thumbup:
Honestly,as long as I can get The World Series,HNIC and CTV News,I don't much care what else there is.
Depending where you live I suspect HNIC & CTV News shouldn't be a problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by trimmer21
Now the World Series may pose a problem.
It looks like in Canada you'll need a Sportsnet channel which isn't over the air that I know of.
Depending on your location you may be able to get a US Fox channel over the air. Channel 14 from Buffalo in SSE direction from Toronto.