Deftones

I ask because I bought one the other day to accompany my new TV/HD DirectTV receiver. So far, it has been less than ideal. I can get a few channels, but often they have artifacts and skipping audio. I can't even get a few channels that broadcast in HD in my area.

I am in an apartment, but I am fairly close to the broadcast antennae (about 10 miles away). Is there one antenna that seems to work better than others?

The one I bought was a Jensen, that was powered to boost the signal. Funny though, that it seems to work just as well turned off as it does on.

kliiez8

Hey Deftones,

Congrats on the new TV purchase. I've been using a radio shack VHF/UHF combo antenna and it works ok (I'm about 40 miles from the towers). It's really not that much of an issue for me because most of the HD I watch, I get from Dish network and not OTA. I've heard good reviews on the Zenith silver sensor, but YMMV. There's also a clone of the silver sensor, but the name escapes me right now. Someday I plan on putting up a large outdoor antenna, but it's not in the cards for me in the near future.

Deftones

I have to do an indoor antenna b/c of the rules and regs of my apartment complex. Plus, it would be difficult to run the cabling from outside to inside w/ all the current cables from my DirecTv, it would be just too much. I'll have to check out the Zenith one. Thanks for the heads up.

bryce0lynch

The Silver Sensor is great! I went through three radio shack models, and then I switched to the Silver Senor. it was like night and day. Run right out and buy one, you don't be disappointed.

TomMiller

I tried the silver sensor and it simply didn't pick up several channels, but my receiver is in the basement. Given that, it had to have been a darned good antenna to pick up anything at all. But because I wanted better I went with a ~$20 Radio Shack exterior UHF antenna mounted in my attic. The picture has been perfect ever since, and I get every local channel.

I used to work at a Radio Shack. I have no faith in amplified antennas. They came back as returns half the time, and often amplified the noise as well. In my experience, antenna amplifiers only really help for long cable runs. I also think that these $100 roof mounted HDTV space-age antennas are a bit of a con. People think that because the technology is so new and expensive that they must need an expensive antenna as well. I remember the look on the Best Buy salesperson's face when I asked "isn't HDTV broadcast on the UHF band? Why won't a standard UHF antenna work?"

Shannon Nutt

I use the Zenith Silver Sensor.


Works great for me (get about 6 channels)...but since HDTV is essentially an "all or nothing" kind of reception, it's really going to depend on where you live.

Deftones

Well, I went to Fry's tonight after reading kliiez8's recommendation and link. It was $40. Looks like it was money well spent. I can get all channels now, w/o any issues. The signal strength still isn't great (hovers between 50-60%), but no more issues with signal. Thanks all for the recommendations.

Caliking

just bought the silver sensor at buy.com for only $19.99

Deftones

Yeah. I saw the price at Amazon as well. Unfortunately I'm too impatient to wait a week or so to get it in the mail.

Brian Shannon

I use a Winegard 9065

kliiez8

Glad it worked out for you.

Chew

I don't remember the exact name, but I have a full-size antenna I picked up from Radio Shack. Works great.

BigDave

I'm ~80 miles from the Houston towers. I picked up this biggest antenna/pre-amp Lowe's had and can get most of the channels.

The SS works well for close range and I'm able to get my local CBS with it.

gotapex

I tried the Silver Sensor (good indoor choice), and Voom had installed a ChannelMaster 4228 for me. The CM was a great choice, especially for the price ($50 or so). Just before dropping Voom, I bought an Antennas Direct DB8:

http://www.antennasdirect.com/LongRangeAntennas.htm

The DB8 worked marginally better in my situation than the CM4228.

succubiss

I have the Channel Master 4228. $50 @ Fry's.
it's large, but works great.

You probably would need to attach it to a pole.

OldDude

Note that it is a fairly directional design. You may have to rotate it to aim at each station for best reception. That may improve signal strength.

Deftones

Well, any direction I get it pointed, the best I can do is mid 60's. That seems to be working fine since all the stations are coming in well.

bryce0lynch

It's a little non-intuitive. If your stations are in the north then you aim the "wide" part to the north and the "narrow" part to the south.

Are all directional antennas this way?


ObSSStory: I bought two radio shacks; they didn't work. I bought 50' of coax and run the cable through my house, up tothe second story balcony in the NW (where the stations broadcast from.) Neither of them worked. I got pissed and threw away the coax and antennas. I bough the silver sensor and plopped it on top of my AV rack and "pointed" it NE. It now has about 8 plaster and lathe (some metal lathe) walls to go through, and two stories, and it as ground level. It works great!

mrhan

I just reconnected the old antenna on top of my house and pointed it in the direction that antenna.org recommended and I get 9 HD signals OTA.