Newbie HDTV questions

[eng3]

I live in the US and reside in an apartment in a major city.
My building is mostly mad of metal and I am using a regular multi
directional antenna (rabbit ears with one of thus UHF loops). The antenna has to remain indoors.

I signal is pretty bad (ghosting, interference) most likely due to relections and other signals.

I have been thinking of switching to HDTV but I am wondering how good my reception needs to be. I figure that since HDTV is digital, its tolerance for noise should be much higher, but there is still a limit.


Also, I was looking at the HiDTV and MyHD. I noticed that they both use pass thru cables. Are any able to work like a normal tv tuner card where it can go through the graphics interface and show up as a window on the screen, maybe overlayed?

This would be much better since I use dual monitors, one DVI LCD and another regular monitor, but my main goal is high quality captures capture.

[abman]

Signal strength depends totally on your proximity to the source broadcast antennas. Only real way to find out what you'll need is trial and error with different antennas. If you're under 10 miles rabbit ears should be fine.
I have a myhd, it works quite nicely. You might want to try AVS forum for information on cards. This forum is more for encoding from those sources.

[eng3]

Originally posted by abman
Signal strength depends totally on your proximity to the source broadcast antennas. Only real way to find out what you'll need is trial and error with different antennas. If you're under 10 miles rabbit ears should be fine.
I have a myhd, it works quite nicely. You might want to try AVS forum for information on cards. This forum is more for encoding from those sources.

which myhd do you have, the 100 or the 120?
I still have some confusion about the loop back cable and the DVI card.
I don't have an actual HDTV, I just want to see it on my computer and capture it.

I live like 30-50 miles away from the antenna source.

[abman]

That apartment building and source range sound like a bad combination. I'm also in an apartment and have a tough time from 5 miles away sometimes. you'll need an outdoor antenna at that range.
I have an mdp-100 and you do have to do that loop up to your video card's input. you just plug it in then plug the monitor into that and it automagically figures it out. There's no dvi on the 100 though, so there's probably a bit more confusion with the 120 :)

[Zep]

Originally posted by Enrico Ng

I live like 30-50 miles away from the antenna source.

ouch that is far away. better to get your HDTV via your cable.

if you can not then yep you will need a large roof antenna and maybe
pre amp. I'm 14 miles away and it can suck bad and I have a large antenna mounted on my roof. (no boost)

when all the leaves fell off the trees the signal changed and I needed to adjust antenna direction.

I have MyHD 120 also

good luck

[eng3]

I'm using that zeinith "hdtv" antenna. looks like a mini directional antenna. I can get FOX very clearly eventhough its 58%. I can barely get NBC at all, and not any other channels.

I have a 15db amplifier with my cable, so I tried connecting that and I think it jumped up 10%.

NBC came in pretty clearly, but would stick get blocking every now and then. channel 50 came in but it was choppy.

So there is some hope. I'm gonna try a 30db amplifier though of course there is a limit.

[Zep]

Originally posted by Enrico Ng
I'm using that zeinith "hdtv" antenna. looks like a mini directional antenna. I can get FOX very clearly eventhough its 58%. I can barely get NBC at all, and not any other channels.

I have a 15db amplifier with my cable, so I tried connecting that and I think it jumped up 10%.

NBC came in pretty clearly, but would stick get blocking every now and then. channel 50 came in but it was choppy.

So there is some hope. I'm gonna try a 30db amplifier though of course there is a limit.

the problem with an amplifier is it boosts the garbage as well as
the good stuff. So echoes you pick up also get boosted and you MAY
even get a worse signal. You basically need a STEADY signal at about 60% or
higher else you get drops.