Nice performing ATSC/DTV antenna

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by old_tv_nut

"It was suggested to me by someone in this thread that I consider using an ATSC-to-NTSC converter box with my Insignia 19" flat screen, which already has its own clear-QAM tuner. My question is simply this: Are the QAM tuners built into many if not most flat screens that terrible as far as RF sensitivity is concerned? "

Clear QAM tuners are only for unscrambled digital cable, not for over the air. QAM is not broadcast over the air, only ATSC 8-VSB. As most cable companies are taking to scrambling everything, there may not even be any clear QAM signals on your local cable system anymore.

My cable operator is Time Warner. To the best of my knowledge and belief, they have no intention at this time of scrambling everything on the cable, thereby forcing all subscribers to use a cable box ahead of the television to receive anything at all. (Comcast does require boxes now, and Time Warner would today as well if their merger with Comcast had materialized, which it did not.)

I have broadcast basic service (not digital). The cable connects directly to my VCR, which in turn is connected directly to the TV. There are no descrambler boxes or anything else, again to the best of my knowledge, between the cable coming into my apartment and the VCR. If there are such devices being used by the company, they are probably on the utility pole outside my apartment or hidden away in a junction box in the basement of the building. I'm sure Time Warner would have notified me by now if they had any intention whatsoever of scrambling absolutely everything, including broadcast channels.

[old_tv_nut]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

My cable operator is Time Warner. To the best of my knowledge and belief, they have no intention at this time of scrambling everything on the cable, thereby forcing all subscribers to use a cable box ahead of the television to receive anything at all. (Comcast does require boxes now, and Time Warner would today as well if their merger with Comcast had materialized, which it did not.)

I have broadcast basic service (not digital). The cable connects directly to my VCR, which in turn is connected directly to the TV. There are no descrambler boxes or anything else, again to the best of my knowledge, between the cable coming into my apartment and the VCR. If there are such devices being used by the company, they are probably on the utility pole outside my apartment or hidden away in a junction box in the basement of the building. I'm sure Time Warner would have notified me by now if they had any intention whatsoever of scrambling absolutely everything, including broadcast channels.

You have completely confused me. First you talk about inability to get over the air channels, then you bring up clear QAM, which is only for cable. Why are you asking about how good your clear QAM tuner is? Are you saying:
1) My TV has a tuner that can do BOTH clear QAM and over-the air VSB, and
2) I have heard that tuners that do both clear QAM and over the air are not very good at over-the air (?)

If that is your question, the answer is that both dual-purpose and single purpose tuners may be better or worse depending on the design. Being dual-purpose does not necessarily mean poor over-the-air results; but, a tuner with poor threshold would show a deficit on over-the-air sooner than on cable, which should have a decent signal strength.