Looking for a decent digital tuner--and one with "Add Digital Channels" feature

[ChrisW6ATV]

Originally Posted by Old1625

I'm unearthing a CM-7001 ATSC receiver by CM. Is this the animal?

Yes, that is it (or the CM-7000). The Zenith DTT-900 and DTT-901 (and the identical Insignia NS-DXA1 and NS-DXA1-APT) perform very well also, but I do not remember if they have the "channel add" feature.

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

Why bother with an antenna? Get cable (if your rural area has it; it may not, if you're really out in the boondocks) and you won't have to worry about aiming your antenna or any of the other problems attendant to over-the-air TV.

No, NO! PLEASE don't subscribe to cable TV if you can avoid it by ANY method! Just say NO! to those horrible companies and do whatever you can to receive FREE over-the-air, highest-quality TV signals. "Real" antenna-based TV watching is increasing after decades of losses to the pay-TV companies.

[Old1625]

Many thanks for the informative responses!

Where I am is Suddenly-It's-1950-Again. No cable, no cell phone, etc... For some odd reason I luckily have DSL, but many of my friends and neighbors don't.

I decided that I was damned if I would subscribe to a satellite provider again; I don't watch near enough tube to warrant the monthly expense. I have one Sony Bravia 32" that does pretty well with its tuner, and has the "add digital channels" capability, while another cheaper WalMart special Sony Bravia the same size I got later for the bedroom has the "dumbed down" version of tuner that is 1) not as sensitive, and 2) doesn't have the add feature.

IIRC the closest transmitter to me is about 40 miles away and the vast majority are 100+ miles distant. And in all directions. I use a CM parabolic UHF antenna.

I may well give the CM tuner and others mentioned here a serious look.

Thanks again!

[DavGoodlin]

The CM7000 is the best one because you can update each time you move the antenna and it will not overwrite RF channels with Virtual numbers. The only downside is that you can only tune-in a channel that has been scanned and you must use the virtual channel. I have had good luck with Zenith and Digitalstream boxes also, but there is no S-video output.

Originally Posted by Old1625

M
IIRC the closest transmitter to me is about 40 miles away and the vast majority are 100+ miles distant. And in all directions. I use a CM parabolic UHF antenna.

That CM 4251 is the best UHF antenna ever made, I have one on my shop. The CDE rotor is also the best, though I never had one. The rotor motor unit looks like a bell.

I use the Alliance U100's and U110's I have salvaged. Motors are easy to rebuild and the control boxes last forever.

Avoid the rotors by channel master, ECG, etc and other clones that are still made. They totally suck, the motors cannot handle heavy loads and control units fail and willrequire frequent syncing