Whole house HD antenna recommendations?
 

I'm about to cut the cable, finally. I have an old dish attached to the house still from the previous owner and the cable is already run to various rooms.

I'm wondering if it's possible to replace or augment the dish out there to pick up the OTA local signals and feed the house through the cables already hooked up.

I would prefer having something internal (attic or whatever) but I'm all about whatever will work.

I really know nothing about this. I found this antenna but I have no idea if that's any good. It's kinda gaudy.

Re: Whole house HD antenna recommendations?
 

The first thing you should do is check which stations are available to you here: http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?opti...pper&Itemid=29

Then you'll have an idea what sort of range you need with an antenna, and also whether you need to consider VHF channels as well. Most digital stations are on UHF, currently, at least in my area.

It's hard to say if that antenna would be good for you without knowing your TVFool results. Since it's omni-directional, it might be useful if you're not too far, and if the transmitters are located in different directions. There can be problems with multi-path signals with it, which are less of a concern with a directional antenna, except in extreme cases.

As you're planning to use the signal all over your house, you'll probably also want to use a distribution amplifier.

Attic mounting is not usually recommended because there can be a fair amount of signal loss. Of course, if it's easy enough to access, there's no harm in trying.

Re: Whole house HD antenna recommendations?
 

Thanks for the link, I ran it with my L&L and got this: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...03fb18d1c62046



As you can see, most stations are between SW and SE of me anyway. And it appears all the majors might be happy with a simple indoor antenna.

Looks like 2 of the major locals (KJRH and KTUL) are in the VHF-Hi spectrum.

I guess I need to get myself a trial antenna and see what's what.

Thanks for the advice, andicus. Do you see anything else in that report I should consider?

Re: Whole house HD antenna recommendations?
 

The best antenna?

The one that works at your house!

Yes, go by the various guides to fine the type you need, but than you just going to have to try it. I had good luck using an antenna in the attic hanging from the ridge beam.

Having said that with antenna's, higher is better and bigger is better. But you may not need a high or big one. Some people get excellent results with "rabbit" ears.

Re: Whole house HD antenna recommendations?
 

With those TVFool results, you can probably get away with a small antenna. I would suggest, if you are at all handy, making one yourself. I'm using a homemade antenna for stations as far as 50 miles away. They're quite easy to make, but it's important to stick to the dimensions provided. If you're interested in that, let me know and I'll point you to some good resources.

If you're not handy, or just can't be bothered, consider something like the Channel Master 4221HD. It usually goes for under $50, and I would be surprised if you couldn't use it in your attic. The only thing I would wonder about is its ability to receive the 2 VHF-HI stations. You could always try it, and if it doesn't work for the VHF stations, you could buy a small VHF antenna and use a UHF/VHF combiner.

I would tend to avoid the 'knock offs' of this type of antenna. Although they can be quite a bit cheaper, they are generally crap compared to the real deal.

Re: Whole house HD antenna recommendations?
 

Warning, bigger is NOT always better with antennas. Too big can cause reception issues with your tuner by overpowering it, very common. Get the size recommended for you.

The 4221 and similar looking models are excellent, and often work for VHF channels, although that certainly isn't guaranteed. The Antennas Direct DB series is often cheaper than the big names (Channel Master & Winegard), just as good, they are a new high-quality player. I wouldn't bother even shopping if it isn't one of these 3 names.

You might be just fine with the smaller 4220 model, which ought to be under $35. Try shopping at solidsignal.com to compare models, they show distance ratings and clearly mark models made for UHF/VHF.

Re: Whole house HD antenna recommendations?
 

Good point! I forgot about the 4220. It may be sufficient in this case. Although, KTPX and KWBT at 37 and 40 miles may be pushing it, especially considering the possibility of an indoor mount.

Re: Whole house HD antenna recommendations?
 

Ive got the same antenna in my attic that I had for years before the changeover. Works like a champ. I get a beautiful HD picture, on all the networks.

Re: Whole house HD antenna recommendations?
 

Yes. There is certainly nothing special about an antenna to make it work well for HD/Digital reception. It's been a marketing tactic by many companies to proclaim their antennas as specially designed for HD reception. I only recommended the 4221HD because it is the current model available. The original 4221 is no longer in production.

Re: Whole house HD antenna recommendations?
 

Heh?