Indoor Antenna???

[medusa]

As you can see I'm very low tech when it comes to tv reception. I hate paying cable for something I dont watch alot. I have a older(10 years) big picture tube type TV. I have had a Amplified Cornet rabbit ears antenna F-6454A. The reception has never been that good lots of ghost and wavy stuff going on. It is pluged into the back of the tv. I live in a small neighborhood just outside a medium size city. I have tried a dc filter on the ant line but doesn't help the snow. If i mess with the antenna on a non windy day reception is ok, otherwise i will get fair to good reception on two channels all the time. What can I do keeping the cost down to improve my reception without going cable or dish? Is my 10 year old tv digital, it has a coaxial connector on the back? Also should I hold out to Digital tv comes in next year( or now) and go with a rotating rooftop ant. As you can see I like keeping things simple.

Thanks in advance.

Medusa

[radiotvnut]

Your TV is not digital and will require a set top converter box as of 2/17/09. The digital signal will be "all or nothing" so you may need an outside antenna for best results.

[Celt]

My oldest brother and his wife have a house in Memphis, smack dab in the middle of several strong stations broadcasting digital signals. They've tried several amplified indoor and outdoor antennas with dismal results. As noted above, the signal is either there or isn't; not much different than with digital cell phones.

[medusa]

Thanks for the replys, are you saying with a digital signal being brodcast I may or may not pick up a good signal on a home antenna's. Maybe i will buy a lcd tv when i have to change tv's.

[Carmine]

Originally Posted by medusa

As you can see I'm very low tech when it comes to tv reception. I hate paying cable for something I dont watch alot. I have a older(10 years) big picture tube type TV.

I wish there were more like you... What a better world without cable TV.

[ChrisW6ATV]

Medusa-

If you want to "keep things simple", your best option, by far, is to work hard one time, by installing an outdoor roof antenna, or having one installed. After it is installed, you will probably get good reception on every channel from that city (if there are no big hills between the TV stations and you). Your reception will probably be good now, and will probably look as good or better when we all switch to digital in February 2009. You can get two $40 coupons for the converter boxes you will need from this Web site:

www.dtv2009.gov

(The converter boxes will cost as little as $40 each, so they will basically be "free".)

To find out what kind of antenna will work for you and what channels you can receive, go to this Web site:

www.antennaweb.org

The one-time hard work of getting a roof TV antenna installed will absolutely be worth the trouble. Roof antennas just plain work (in most locations like you describe), it is that simple. Indoor TV antennas require constant twiddling and fiddling, and it is still always just luck when they do work, amplified or not.

[medusa]

Chris,

You are the man, you told me just what I wanted to hear. i will difinately get a good roof antenna, probally one that rotates. Thanks again, Joe

[riffer]

Here is a great reference on antennae:

http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html

Navigate around. There are measurements for Indoor and Outdoor antennae, plus a bunch of other stuff.

Also keep in mind that you will probably need a combination UHF/VHF antenna to cover all the digital stations.

[medusa]

Thanks again for the replies. I have ordered a couple of converter box certificates. I think I will just wait and see how the converter box works with my existing ampified rabbit ears, then go from there if there is no notable improvement. At one time I was connecting the rabbit ears to my Phillips DVD/ recorder/player then sending the signal to the tv. That was not a good signal at all(maybe a low buget tuner in the Phillips DVDR 3400). So lately I been plugging it into the tv, better but not good on the vhf. I will let everybody know what happens when I get the converter box.

Medusa

[MKRUPKA]

The Box Will Allow You To Recieve The Local Channels In Digtal Eliminating Most All Of The Reception Difficulties We Have Lived With For Years. So That May Be All You Need Using The Rabbit Ears If Your Locals Have A Strong Signal! Good Luck Michael