Who uses TV antennas anymore?

[automojo]

Originally Posted by zenithfan1

I hope they fix it too, then I can drop satellite. It's expensive for how much crap there is on there that I don't watch. I wish the boxes were made a little better too. There is always at least one thing I don't like. I keep buying different ones and they could all use some improvements. The best so far are the Zenith and Digital stream it seems. I have an "Access HD" box that works well but the menus and firmware are nothing to write home about. It keeps forgetting the channels I program in.

I did some checking before I bought one-the Zenith rated high so I got one.
I agree-cables a rip off-satellite is better, but still expensive.
Me and the wife seem to be happy with that, and Netflix. I just cant see spending that much a month on TV-I would never get my money's worth-IMHO.
Hopefully they will get the bugs worked out-but they need enough people to complain about the problems I personally think. I would-but I have great reception, a occasional 'freeze up' like satellite-but I do a minor adjustment with the signal meter, and it clears up-but I'm close to most of the stations-Minneapolis-St Paul-etc, I lucked out in that respect apparently

[Ohighway]

Jeffhs and Hifirob2: In the brief time I was using my DTV box for OTA reception I noticed some good/bad versus the analog signal. I could receive more stations on analog, however some were pretty snowy. Now with the DTV the reception was great, but I had less channels.... because as Zenith2134 mentioned, the signal is either there or it's not... One other thing. I'm unlucky enough to be in the Westward flight path from BWI airport. I'm probably a good 25 miles away from it, and the planes generally have some altitude already, however I noticed as they passed over my house they absolutely -wrecked- the signal on the DTV stations that had somewhat weak signals.
Made trying to watch RTN a challenge.

[automojo]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

I believe OTA DTV reception will improve once the stations are all transmitting at full power. The reason a lot of folks are having trouble getting certain digital stations OTA (aside from distance or terrain issues) is that many of those stations are presently transmitting at somewhat less than their full authorized power level.

Zenithfan1: I did not realize that something as simple as birds sitting on an outdoor TV antenna could wreck DTV reception until I saw your post. As we know, this won't do much if anything to analog OTA reception, but I guess digital is a lot more fussy than analog ever was; witness the "all or nothing" nature of the former. I remember when the cable system here (Time Warner) converted to 100 percent digital last year. I was watching the evening news on my RCA CTC185 19" set shortly after the conversion was completed (or maybe it was still in progress) and saw the picture freezing and pixelating like crazy--I didn't see the end of that night's news because of the problem. I recently spoke with a technician for TW who told me that yes, they did have their share of problems at first, but that's part of the process of transitioning from one technology to another--there will always be bugs to be ironed out.

Interesting- I forgot about the full 'authorized' power- I'm hopeful they will get it worked out-as many people that watch tv-it's hard to believe the FCC could ignore them

[Estring]

I am one of those that uses an antennae to get local hd channels that Dish doesn't provide in my area. I hooked the antennae to my Dish receiver and scanned the local channels into it. I have to admit it works great.

[Hifirob2]

Originally Posted by Estring

I am one of those that uses an antennae to get local hd channels that Dish doesn't provide in my area. I hooked the antennae to my Dish receiver and scanned the local channels into it. I have to admit it works great.

I'm curious, Estring - since you have the ideal set up (that I wish I had) - do you receive channel 13 in digital? I have tried every which way possible, and I still can't get it. I think another los angeles member mentioned he couldn't get ch.13 either.

Not that I need that station, but I hope it isn't broadcasting in full power yet, and that I'll get it eventually.

Rob

[Estring]

Hey Rob,
I don't live in Los Angeles anymore. I moved to Chico a year ago. I was actually getting the LA feed from Dish until recently. That is why I resorted to using an antennae because I couldn't get local hd from Dish.
If I recall correctly, I did get channel 13 from the LA feed, but I couldn't get channel 9.