TV Antennas

Can someone explain to me how it works if I want to get both VHF and UHF channels over the air with an outdoor antenna? I checked antennaweb.org and I can get all of the local networks from towers located around 20 miles away, on Lookout Mountain in Golden, CO (I'm in central Boulder). However, some of them are VHF and some are UHF. Here's the site.

I checked Antennasdirect.com, and they classify most of their antennas as either VHF or UHF and said that very few channels are VHF (which obviously isn't true around here). They didn't have much useful info as to how I can get all of these channels using one antenna. Since they're all originating from about the same spot I'd imagine I should be able to get them with one antenna, but not sure which one to get. Any recommendations?

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Originally Posted by Pegleg

Can someone explain to me how it works if I want to get both VHF and UHF channels over the air with an outdoor antenna? I checked antennaweb.org and I can get all of the local networks from towers located around 20 miles away, on Lookout Mountain in Golden, CO (I'm in central Boulder). However, some of them are VHF and some are UHF. Here's the site.

I checked Antennasdirect.com, and they classify most of their antennas as either VHF or UHF and said that very few channels are VHF (which obviously isn't true around here). They didn't have much useful info as to how I can get all of these channels using one antenna. Since they're all originating from about the same spot I'd imagine I should be able to get them with one antenna, but not sure which one to get. Any recommendations?

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There's a reception shadow in certain parts of Boulder. Height is your friend. You really need three antenna or a combo. One for HDTV, one for UHF, and one for VHF. To tune the antenna you need to make sure you have solid grounded connections and then turn the antenna slowly to find the optimum direction. A motorized rotator works best but it's too much trouble,

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Originally Posted by 4matic

One for HDTV, one for UHF, and one for VHF.

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This is incorrect. The signal being broadcast on UHF/VHF is either HD or it's not and the antenna does not care which.

Combo UHF/VHF are fairly common. I bought this one http://www.lowes.com/pd_140372-63374...nna&facetInfo= at Lowes for $10 (actually a similar model with much shorter rabbit ears). Set it on the subwoofer next to the TV it works perfectly. I'm about 20 miles from the transmitters, but I can see them out my living room window so YMMV is there is a reception shadow like 4 matic says. You can always buy a cheap one and return it if the signal is not acceptable.

From what I understand, there isn't really a specific HD Antenna, but I bought and use this bad boy: http://www.amazon.com/Winegard-HD820.../dp/B001DFS4BI

It works great and the signal is better than cable! It's really very simple to put up and install, too. Read the reviews and go for it.

Off air can be the best picture because it is not compressed.

I have direct line-of-site to most of the towers in SLC from my house, so I mounted this guy next to the window inside, and have had no problems (UHF only). Like 4matic said, I think the picture quality is better than cable, even.

Directional with an amplified signal will be your friend if all of the towers are in the same area. Maybe something like this?

I tried an indoor antenna (the LEAF flat model) and it doesn't work for shit; only gets a couple of channels and one major network, and I have to move it all around the room every time to find the one spot where it gets reception.

My understanding is that "HD" isn't a separate kind of signal - any antenna will receive HD and standard def. But I do have to get one that'll do both UHF and VHF. I checked the local Home Depot and Best Buy and they don't carry any outdoor antennas, which means I need to order one. Which makes it a pain to return, so I'd like to get it right the first time.

I'm tempted to give this RCA model a try - the price is right and it seems unobtrusive. But I wonder if I need something more powerful, given where I live. The Winegard that BigDaddy posted above looks nice, but it's huge and $150 - would like to go smaller and cheaper if possible.

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Originally Posted by Pegleg

But I wonder if I need something more powerful, given where I live. The Winegard that BigDaddy posted above looks nice, but it's huge and $150 - would like to go smaller and cheaper if possible.

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Come on... this is TGR... GO BIG!

You're right... it's huge and not cheap, but I needed the extra horsepower. I even bought the amp which helped still more. (I hooked it up to a signal strength meter to test the claims.)

The good thing about this antenna, is it covers the entire channel range, so you will never have to buy another. My cable bill was $100 a month, so it's paid for in two months anyhow. Whatever you get, post an update once installed so we know what worked.

If you are in the US (Golden, CO) then you are now digital TV reception and no longer both UHF or VHF like the old TV's. Start at this site for the discussion on antenna
http://www.fcc.gov/guides/antennas-a...tal-television and then look up your local stations available at this site:
http://transition.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/

Once you know what you can get, then you can make a better decision on the antenna needed. Most are UHF but a few are Hi-V listed for your area.

PM Danno. He's been remodeling his trailer recently with windows and such, and just last week he swapped out his tv antenna.

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Originally Posted by Pegleg

I checked the local Home Depot and Best Buy and they don't carry any outdoor antennas, which means I need to order one. Which makes it a pain to return

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How so? Both of those stores (and most B&M stores these days, it seems) allow in store returns for items ordered online. Order it, see if it works, and if it doesn't bring it back to the store.

After doing a bunch of research, I got one of these and it's awesome:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

This is a newer one, but not sure if it's better or worse:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Sadly, I moved to an area with no reception, but my Monoprice antenna worked beautifully in my old city.

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Originally Posted by Pegleg

Can someone explain to me how it works if I want to get both VHF and UHF channels over the air with an outdoor antenna? I checked antennaweb.org and I can get all of the local networks from towers located around 20 miles away, on Lookout Mountain in Golden, CO (I'm in central Boulder). However, some of them are VHF and some are UHF. Here's the site.

I checked Antennasdirect.com, and they classify most of their antennas as either VHF or UHF and said that very few channels are VHF (which obviously isn't true around here). They didn't have much useful info as to how I can get all of these channels using one antenna. Since they're all originating from about the same spot I'd imagine I should be able to get them with one antenna, but not sure which one to get. Any recommendations?

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Check out my dump the dish page. I bought an Antennas Direct antenna and it works great for me in So Cal.

If you have cable internet coming into your house, you may not need an antenna at all. Just run a coax cable right into your TV or into a tuner if your TV is not very new, do a channel scan and see what happens. Through some agreement with the FCC, cable companies are supposed to send at least your local network affiliates as unencrypted channels. If your cable company is oddly generous, they may send more channels unencrypted. You can check a list here http://www.silicondust.com/support/channels/ to see how the channels should map to the new digital numbering scheme.

Anyone who's considering an antenna should check this first. YMMV though. A friend down in Baltimore said it worked for them for a while before one day they all just disappeared. Then again, they're not exactly tech savvy so who knows what really happened there.

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Originally Posted by radam

If you have cable internet coming into your house, you may not need an antenna at all. Just run a coax cable right into your TV or into a tuner if your TV is not very new, do a channel scan and see what happens. Through some agreement with the FCC, cable companies are supposed to send at least your local network affiliates as unencrypted channels. If your cable company is oddly generous, they may send more channels unencrypted. You can check a list here http://www.silicondust.com/support/channels/ to see how the channels should map to the new digital numbering scheme.

Anyone who's considering an antenna should check this first. YMMV though. A friend down in Baltimore said it worked for them for a while before one day they all just disappeared. Then again, they're not exactly tech savvy so who knows what really happened there.

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I actually did this last week (Comcast cable internet). Not much luck - I got Bravo, TBS and a bunch of random shopping and religious channels. Not gonna cut it. Good idea to check, though.

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Originally Posted by Danno

How so? Both of those stores (and most B&M stores these days, it seems) allow in store returns for items ordered online. Order it, see if it works, and if it doesn't bring it back to the store.

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I meant that I'd have to order it from someone who doesn't have a local store (like Amazon). Didn't think about checking HD or Best Buy online - I'll check that out. Good idea.

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Originally Posted by Blurred

PM Danno. He's been remodeling his trailer recently with windows and such, and just last week he swapped out his tv antenna.

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I walked by Danno's trailer to check, but the clotheshanger antenna is still duct-taped to the old washing machine out front, so looks like he hasn't upgraded it yet.

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Originally Posted by RShea

If you are in the US (Golden, CO) then you are now digital TV reception and no longer both UHF or VHF like the old TV's. Start at this site for the discussion on antenna
http://www.fcc.gov/guides/antennas-a...tal-television and then look up your local stations available at this site:
http://transition.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/

Once you know what you can get, then you can make a better decision on the antenna needed. Most are UHF but a few are Hi-V listed for your area.

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According to the site you linked, that's wrong - UHF and VHF are still very much an issue for digital tv. The signal is now digital, but it's still transmitted over UHF and VHF bands. They now refer to the lower VHF channels as "Lo-V" and the higher VHF channels as "Hi-V" but that's just a change in terminology, not technology.

From the FCC site:

What Kind of Antenna Do I Need to Receive Digital TV Signals?

To receive digital TV signals from all stations, it is important that your antenna be able to receive both VHF channels (channels 2-13) and UHF channels (channels 14-51). Some antennas only provide good reception of VHF or UHF channels, but not both. For example, indoor “rabbit ears” usually need to be augmented with an additional “wire loop” or “bowtie” antenna (see pictures below) in order to pick up signals on UHF channels. Consumers should be aware that even if they use a digital-to-analog converter box, they will still need to use an antenna to receive DTV signals. Many of the antennas currently being sold as “HDTV Antennas,” perform best at receiving UHF signals; some of these models state that they provide reception of signals on channels 7-13 but actually perform less well receiving those channels. If you obtain one of these antennas, be sure it provides good reception of all the VHF channels as well as the UHF channels. The reception capabilities of TV antennas also vary considerably, so be sure to talk to retail consultants and look at information on the packaging and/or the Internet to make sure that any new antenna you may choose provides good reception of both VHF and UHF channels. In addition, if you use an indoor antenna and receive signals on VHF channels, you may need to use an antenna with amplification. To check for the DTV signals that are available at your location, use the DTV Reception Maps.

Thanks all. Pulled the trigger on the antenna Flatlander420 recommended (Antennas Direct ClearStream2) as it claims to do well with both UHF and VHF and has the range I need, and ordered it online from Best Buy so that I can return it locally if necessary (thanks Danno). Total for antenna plus mount was $95.

Will report back once it's up. Fingers crossed that I'll actually be able to watch football this fall...

Update: got that ClearStream2 model, and it unfortunately didn't work for me. I got picture, but at like 60% reception for most channels which means that it did the digital flickering/freezing thing too often to be watchable. It claims reception up to 50 miles and my towers are only like 30 miles away, but apparently I need something more powerful.

Question - does an amplifier boost reception? Or just account for a long cable run from the antenna to the TV? (I was just running 25' of cable, so I assume an amplifier wasn't necessary).

Bumping this thread because I'd like to get some local stations. I really don't want to install something outside and run a lot of cable to the TV. Do any antennas work inside (so I can install it near the TV and just run a cable right there)?

Pegleg, did you try the amplified Leaf or just the regular one?

If you have an attic get an Attic antenna. http://www.antennasdirect.com/store/attic.html

If you want something for in the TV room AND your local channels broadcast on channel 7 or higher get one of these: http://www.antennasdirect.com/store/...-antennas.html

All depends where you live, mang.