Antenna recommendations...

[NogodZ]

Let's say you lived in the Phila suburbs.
Titan TV shows several live stations available.
antennaweb.org shows several local stations from Phila all in the same compass direction, and recommends a "small multidirectional" type.
Do I need something I can remotely direct or can I get away with a fixed orientation? If so, is it just a matter of strapping it onto the chimney and running the line down to the computer?

Are the ones at radio shack any good?

thanks in advance if anyone has any experience with this,

S

[trbarry]

Because of multi-path I distrust any multi-directional antennas.

I live close to most of the towers and first put a fixed mid size directional antenna on my chimney. But of course the next station that came online was in a different direction and I couldn't record digital Buffy and keep the other stations with any fixed direction.

So I added a rotor.

- Tom

[NogodZ]

Thanks Tom.
Might I ask what antenna you use?
Are the Terk antennas worth the price? Or amplified antennas?
Or would a simple, directional antenna, that is free from interference and tall structures be a good start?

thanks,

Shawn

[trbarry]

I'm not an antenna expert. I actually chose mine a couple years ago by taking the suggested antenna type symbol off antennaweb and picking one up at the nearby Home Depot store a few blocks from my house. But I don't even remember the brand. Then a few months later I looked for a good deal on a remote controlled rotor to add to it.

I can tell you that I have not heard good things about HDTV with antenna amplifiers. Some people have stated they cause as much trouble as they help.

- Tom

[rmatei]

Whatever you do, don't go with Terk. They're overpriced, overmarketed crap (like a certain audio brand). Channelmaster makes good antennas, if you're willing to buy online. So does Radioshack, and the beauty is that you can return them.

[jrmann1999]

Agreed, the Terk TV-55 is a great antenna for short distances where the signal is strong before boost, but you add the booster and a weak signal and you're just asking for transmission stream errors. I took mine down and put up a radio shack monster and sit at 90% signal for most major channels, and I'm about 40 miles from the transmission towers.

[NogodZ]

Which RS antenna did you go with specifically?
Was it either of these 2?
15-2152
15-2160

thanks,

S

[Sarreq Teryx]

Originally posted by NogodZ
Let's say you lived in the Phila suburbs.
Titan TV shows several live stations available.
antennaweb.org shows several local stations from Phila all in the same compass direction, and recommends a "small multidirectional" type.
Do I need something I can remotely direct or can I get away with a fixed orientation? If so, is it just a matter of strapping it onto the chimney and running the line down to the computer?

Are the ones at radio shack any good?

thanks in advance if anyone has any experience with this,

S
Hi, I live in philadelphia itself, less than 6 or 7 miles from the towers in roxborogh and less than 3 miles from the towers in center city, and still get lousy reception, of course I'm using indoor antennas though, always a reception hit with that in a row-home. anyway out of the indoor type antennas I've used the best so far is a combination of a cheapo rad-shack bunny ear and loop combo for $3 plus the RCA Optima (labled "Digial Ready" and "Revolutionary Passive Microwave Technology") for $20. I'd guess if I could have the set put somewhere that's not blocked by a brick wall, it'd work much better.

As for outdoor/roof antennas, I have no idea which to go with, but one of my neighbors has the terk tv-55 and claims it's not even good for analog TV reception.

Never believe what titantv tells you for an antenna selection, it's never right, for me it recommended just the bunny ears, yeah right.

[Sarreq Teryx]

Originally posted by trbarry
Because of multi-path I distrust any multi-directional antennas.

I live close to most of the towers and first put a fixed mid size directional antenna on my chimney. But of course the next station that came online was in a different direction and I couldn't record digital Buffy and keep the other stations with any fixed direction.

So I added a rotor.

- Tom
where could I find a directional antenna, or did you make yours?