HD Over the Air Antenna for HDTV

[ITDEFX]

I am looking for an hd over the air antenna for local broadcasts in HD. I have played with two of them so far and none of them is giving me a visual signal. However the tv is reporting that a HD signal of some kind is being recieved, just not strong enough to pick up.

Suggestions?

Something from a B&M store so I can do an easy return if I need to.

[Alkaline]

I had to go through a couple myself. This one works for me, but is cheaply made. Nearly all of the units in Wal-Mart were clearly broken in the box.

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Performance-Amplified-Indoor-Antenna/dp/B000ES8EG0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1214097117&sr=8-4

It was $30 at my Wal-Mart.

[ITDEFX]

I had to go through a couple myself. This one works for me, but is cheaply made. Nearly all of the units in Wal-Mart were clearly broken in the box.

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Performance-Amplified-Indoor-Antenna/dp/B000ES8EG0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1214097117&sr=8-4

It was $30 at my Wal-Mart.


I got this one today
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8073450

It was a non-amplified unit. Guess I need a powered amplified unit.

[usrbin]

Do you know how far your are from the transmission stations? I live about 35 miles from the transmission stations and got this non-amplified directional antenna:

http://www.amazon.com/Terk-Technology-HDTVi-Indoor-Antenna/dp/B0001FV36E

It works great. I know Circuit City also used to carry this antenna in the past.

[ITDEFX]

I am about 25 or 30 miles from the local networks.

I wonder if the turn off switch that is suppose to happen next year is suppose to happen on that exact date or do all stations have to comply with complete shut down by the date...meaning could my local stations (NBC4 in Washington DC) already have their signal cut off?

[ITDEFX]

ok I picked up the one that Alkaline mentioned. I was able to pick up channel 7 (ABC) and channel 20 (what use to be UPN). However it came out staticky. my hdtv is reporting the signal is extremely weak. I will give it a few more tries and adjustments but this might not work in my house forcing me to get an external antenna :(

[von551]

Go here (http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx) to see what HD channels you can expect to get in your area. i live in downtown san diego and i can only get CBS, ABS and CW in HD, so you probably can't expect much living far from the city.

[ITDEFX]

Go here (http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx) to see what HD channels you can expect to get in your area. i live in downtown san diego and i can only get CBS, ABS and CW in HD, so you probably can't expect much living far from the city.


that's exactly what I was looking for, thanks Von!!!

[GBmanNC]

Cant you just use the QAM tuner in your tv? (if it has one)

[ITDEFX]

this is what i have

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8631563&productCategoryId=abcat0101001&type=product&tab=1&id=1194051840985#productdetail


Well I gave it a few more tries... the channel scans indicate it can only pick up 2 NTSC stations, and no Digital/HD TV stations :( the signal is weak (Zero). I have tried everything I can think of. Oh well, it's going back :(

[Koggit]

Go here (http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx) to see what HD channels you can expect to get in your area. i live in downtown san diego and i can only get CBS, ABS and CW in HD, so you probably can't expect much living far from the city.

Two questions.

1. How can you tell what's HD on that site?

2. Are those 3 what you actually catch, or what's listed on the site? If the former, what's listed on the site / what color do you catch?

The channels I want most all suggest rooftop antennas (NBC, FOX, and to a lesser extent ABC). The yellows all suck.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e338/koggit/antenna.png

[naiku]

^

all those channels are "hd" channels. its been awhile but if i remember correctly u get a red uhf antenna you will get yellow and green, so PBSHD, CW HD, including your abchd, nbchd, cbshd. good rule of thumb is the "point channels" are digital. so 480p-1080i, pbshd is actually decent because its broadcasts 24/7 hd feeds.

everything sent over the air on that channel isn't hd, so judge judy will look 480p. if it isn't recorded and offered in hd, it wont be hd. mostly prime time shows do 1080i or 720p. hopefully that helps.

[sendme]

You do not need a "HD" antenna. Hell last year I got the superbowl in hd with a set of rabbit ears that were about 10+ years old. On my old tv when I was having issues with it the repair guy from american used a wire and a screwdriver to pick up hd on that tv. He told me what works best is an old school outdoor tv antenna.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_e?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=outdoor+tv+antenna

I dont know much about them other then you point the wide part in the direction the signal is comeing from.

[KingDox]

Do you know how far your are from the transmission stations? I live about 35 miles from the transmission stations and got this non-amplified directional antenna:

http://www.amazon.com/Terk-Technology-HDTVi-Indoor-Antenna/dp/B0001FV36E

It works great. I know Circuit City also used to carry this antenna in the past.

I have that, and for an indoor antenna it does a really good job. But I'm like 10 miles away from downtown LA so I've got a very strong signal close by.

[josekortez]

Yeah, it sucks. I bought a brand new and sealed Magnavox digital tuner from a flea market yesterday for $40, which is a good deal considering that you can't find them anywhere around here, and I've got fewer channels than I had before and one new one that isn't anything but infomercials.

I refuse to get cable because I'm a cheap-ass.