Broadcast Digital TV

[Neptune]

Anyone using a digital tuner?  Are you using a regular or digital antennae?  If so, what kind of (or how many) channels you getting?  Problems, complaints?

[DolfanBob]

I have been in the Cable TV/Satellite Dish bussiness for eighteen years. I have installed local antenna's numerous times.
The best antenna for this new digital technology is the old standard flared out antennas that have been around since broadcast television began. Aim it out toward Coweta where the largest amount of towers are stacked. ie 2,6,8,11,23,41,47. channels 19,35 and 53 are in different directions and a seperate antenna and splitter are needed to pick them up.
Avoid the gimmick round antenna's, stick antenna, square or the like.
Also avoid putting them in the attic. I know, I know it does not look very good outside of your high dollar home but believe me when it starts pixellating during your favorite show you will want it outside. Digital signal travels farther but unlike analog it does not penetrate structures as well.
I hope this helps. If not contact me for DirecTV or DishNet. I do both.

[Hoss]

I made this:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/762088/coat_hanger_hdtv_antenna_better_than_store_bought_amazing/

Works great.  Point it to Coweta and it works great.  My SNR is good (my TV has the AT&T 5 bar system; major station never get less than 4 using this).

Took me 20 minutes to build.

[TheTed]

I have a coaxial cable that I stripped the last three feet down to the inner wire. I draped that out the window and I get all the major channels in HD except channel 8. Hopefully that will change in June when they finally turn off their analog transmitter.

[sauerkraut]

Last week I bought a new TV at Wal-Mart, it's a CRT type by RCA for only $138.00 with a 20" picture. It has a digital & analog tuner, and I like the analog better- The digital picture keeps breaking up so I guess I need a better antenna for digital. The TV has a switch to change from analog to digital signals. The TV is not progressive scan, it's just a regular interlaced set with SDTV displays. It shows digital but only at about 500 lines, it's not High def. It's not a bad TV for the money the picture is very clear and it does not have all the bugs like those expensive flat screens have.

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by Neptune

Anyone using a digital tuner?  Are you using a regular or digital antennae?  If so, what kind of (or how many) channels you getting?  Problems, complaints?

Really no such thing as a "digital antenna" regardless of what a box might say.
Good advice to get the UHF-VHF rooftop antennas described above, and I strongly suggest you ground it if it is on your roof.  It wont necessarily help you survive a direct lightning strike but help bleed off the energy from near strikes that can fry your TV (and everything connected to it).

Converter boxes are cheaply made and will likely need a bigger antenna and/or amplifier to get enough signal for a reliable picture.

[BKDotCom]

quote:Originally posted by TheTed

Hopefully that will change in June when they finally turn off their analog transmitter.

When is KTUL turning off their analog signal?  They're allowed to do it anytime between the 17th and June 12th.   I'm really suprised KOTV (Channel 6) is the only local network sticking with Feb 17th.  Unless you also count PBS/OETA Chan 11.  
This whole extension thing is government at it's finest.

[TheTed]

I assume they'll wait 'til June. They seem to be happy with being the least technologically advanced station in the market. Half the NBA Finals weren't shown in HD because they can't show weather crawls on an HD broadcast.

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by BKDotCom

When is KTUL turning off their analog signal?  They're allowed to do it anytime between the 17th and June 12th.   I'm really suprised KOTV (Channel 6) is the only local network sticking with Feb 17th.  Unless you also count PBS/OETA Chan 11.  

KTUL wont be able to go to full power until Ch 10 in Ada Okla shuts down their analog signal.  (I think I may have said a Kansas station earlier).
The reason is, KTUL will actually be occupying the space that is channel 10, but your tuner/converter will be able to figure it out.
My41 is also shutting down analog this month.

[Neptune]

I understand having to have KTEN shut it's analog off.  But, if you're in a location that can recieve both KTEN and KTUL when digital comes up what happens?  Is the signal not that powerful?  Or will you be able to recieve either or both?  Apparently KTEN is still going to be on channel 10.

Just a hypothetical, I don't live in the boonies.  Kind of wondering what the odds are on the number of channels expanding in the future, and also the possibility of overlap.

[sauerkraut]

I dunno why any station would want to shut off it's analog before June 12th, they will be losing alot of analog viewers and viewers are ratings and ratings are money.... "Analog Forever"[]

[BKDotCom]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

I dunno why any station would want to shut off it's analog befor June 12th, they will be losing alot of analog viewers and viewers are ratings and ratings are money.... "Analog Forever"[]

Operating costs of the analog towers = aprox $12000 / month.  OETA has 5 or so towers and hadn't budgeted past Feb 17th.  The analog folks should have their converter boxes by now...

[BKDotCom]

quote: they will be losing alot of analog viewers and viewers are ratings and ratings are money

Lets see... these remaining analog folk have been repeatedly and increasingly told (via commercials, scrolling text, etc) for the last couple years that they must invest $20 to continue watching their precious television..   Yet, they have not done so..   Something tells me these people are hard to sell to..  

Can advertisers specify if they want their adds broadcast over analog and/or digital?  If so.. I expect a surge of loan-shark type adverts on the analog airwaves...

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by Neptune

I understand having to have KTEN shut it's analog off.  But, if you're in a location that can recieve both KTEN and KTUL when digital comes up what happens?

From what I have read, KTEN in Ada/Sherman is delaying its termination of analog, which in turn forces KTUL to do the same until KTEN gets it's act together.

KTEN is supposed to use channel 26 for their digital signal.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by Neptune

Anyone using a digital tuner?  Are you using a regular or digital antennae?  If so, what kind of (or how many) channels you getting?  Problems, complaints?

I get all my TV via free broadcast and have been using converter boxes with my still perfectly fine analog TV's for the past 10 months.  I live in midtown Tulsa, 26th & Yale area and can currently receive the following digital stations:

2.1, 2.2
6.1, 6.2
8.1, 8.2, 8.3
11.1, 11.2
23.1
35.1, 35.2
41.1, 41.2
44.1, 44.2, 44.3, 44.4
47.1
51.1
53.1
73.1, 73.2, 73.3, 73.4

I will rescan after 2-17 and in the future for possible changes.

I use conventional indoor rabbit ear antennas, the same ones I used for analog reception.  So called "digital antennas" are a fraud.  My reception is very good in normal weather, but in periods of high winds or storms, I have reception problems, just like good old analog.  The only difference is with analog, I could still generally watch the picture with snowy interferrence, but with digital the station becomes totally unwatchable with pixellation and the sound cutting out.  So much for "progress."