Richard B the EMT Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 All please note, that this is in a non EMS discussion area, as it is not EMS related. When the US went to the digital HDTV from the old analog signals, I lost a bunch of stations. As of this time, I have spent over $100 on antennas for use with one new HDTV, and 2 converter boxes with as many old style TVs. (I also have a baby portable HDTV, picking up both analog and digital, but not too well.) FiOS has the neighborhood wired for computers, but not TV, and the last roof-top antenna we had was blown down by Hurricane Donna in September, 1960. Yeah, folks, I'm using Rabbit Ears. I can see one of the transmit sites from the street in front of my house (Empire State Building), but know some of the stations I used to watch are located in the Meadowlands in New Jersey, and others are in Garden City, Nassau County. I have 4 TV sets, in different rooms in the house, and I don't have the same channels on any of them. The living room won't play channels 9, 11, 13, or 25. The dining room won't show 7, 11, or 13, but shows a number of duplicate Spanish language stations (not a help, I don't speak Spanish). I have a set in the spare bedroom that is losing 11, and a mini-TV in my room, that, dependant on what time of day, or what day, decides what stations I can, and not be able to, watch. The HDTV "Panel" antennas are not cutting it, nor was the Hi Def antenna that looked like a set of the older Rabbit Ears. Even though the Panels are supposed to be omni-directional, they most certainly are not! I cannot get to the roof for a house antenna (Momma B refuses, and with my knees, that is for the better), and a rota table antenna would mean we could lose signals for one being watched in one room, when trying to watch another station in another room. Can anyone give me the name of a good omni-directional antenna, for use in a wood frame house? Or suggestions of what to do? Thanks to any and all respondents, in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paraloco Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 All please note, that this is in a non EMS discussion area, as it is not EMS related. When the US went to the digital HDTV from the old analog signals, I lost a bunch of stations. As of this time, I have spent over $100 on antennas for use with one new HDTV, and 2 converter boxes with as many old style TVs. (I also have a baby portable HDTV, picking up both analog and digital, but not too well.) FiOS has the neighborhood wired for computers, but not TV, and the last roof-top antenna we had was blown down by Hurricane Donna in September, 1960. Yeah, folks, I'm using Rabbit Ears. I can see one of the transmit sites from the street in front of my house (Empire State Building), but know some of the stations I used to watch are located in the Meadowlands in New Jersey, and others are in Garden City, Nassau County. I have 4 TV sets, in different rooms in the house, and I don't have the same channels on any of them. The living room won't play channels 9, 11, 13, or 25. The dining room won't show 7, 11, or 13, but shows a number of duplicate Spanish language stations (not a help, I don't speak Spanish). I have a set in the spare bedroom that is losing 11, and a mini-TV in my room, that, dependant on what time of day, or what day, decides what stations I can, and not be able to, watch. The HDTV "Panel" antennas are not cutting it, nor was the Hi Def antenna that looked like a set of the older Rabbit Ears. Even though the Panels are supposed to be omni-directional, they most certainly are not! I cannot get to the roof for a house antenna (Momma B refuses, and with my knees, that is for the better), and a rota table antenna would mean we could lose signals for one being watched in one room, when trying to watch another station in another room. Can anyone give me the name of a good omni-directional antenna, for use in a wood frame house? Or suggestions of what to do? Thanks to any and all respondents, in advance. Look at the directions to make your own on youtube. My daughter moved out, and does not have cable. I made the antenna per the directions. Turns out, she comes back home almost every day to use the internet. So I gave it to my father-in-law who lives out in a rural area. Next time I saw him he said, " It looks just like a satellite picture, I swear to God!" Its ugly, but it does work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Plain Ruff Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Look at the directions to make your own on youtube. My daughter moved out, and does not have cable. I made the antenna per the directions. Turns out, she comes back home almost every day to use the internet. So I gave it to my father-in-law who lives out in a rural area. Next time I saw him he said, " It looks just like a satellite picture, I swear to God!" Its ugly, but it does work. I agree, I have several people in my sunday school class to cheap (ha ha) to get cable and too cheap to buy the commercial antennas soi they built their own. They love em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard B the EMT Posted October 13, 2009 Author Share Posted October 13, 2009 While I check it out, keep the answers coming, folks! Again, thank you in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
island emt Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 While I check it out, keep the answers coming, folks! Again, thank you in advance. Richard: I have the same but different problem. our distance from the transmitters makes us a fringe zone. We are really rural and before when we had analog we could get 3 or 4 channels in even if they had a little "snow" effect at times. When they switched to digital we got no channels in without bitmapped and morphed video. Audio was fair but little or no picture. I bought a digital amplified set of rabbit ears at best buy and now get 5 channels in with satellite quality reception in HD stereo. The secret is to have a flat panel antenna and the digital signal amplifier. The one I bought was made by Phillips, under $40.00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts