Antenna TV issues

[vchimpanzee]

Frontier offers internet-only without TV. That's what I have.

I paid my phone bill this morning and I saw something called Kinetic which may just be the Internet but it was described as being like cable, with all the channels.

And I have gotten Internet from my phone company for twelve years. I nearly dropped them when there were serious problems and they were going to charge me an exorbitant amount for the next fastest speed. Once I went to a web site for the first time, what I had which wasn't much better than dial-up was good enough, but for downloading or going to any unfamiliar web site, it was a long, long wait, and tech support also couldn't send me the software to let them take over my computer by the end. When I threatened to leave, all of a sudden the next fastest speed, which is good enough for most everything (though video can be a problem at times) was plenty chaep and hasn't gone up all that much.

 

[vchimpanzee]

To the point earlier, it is nice to have a HD radio as a separate device, because it's something you can just turn on and leave alone.

Like digital TV, isn't HD radio all or nothing at all? This works only if you are definitely in the signal range. I still deal with a station that messes up every time a car passes. It's not on my cable system but there is something I like to watch there.

 

[Kelly A]

Like digital TV, isn't HD radio all or nothing at all? This works only if you are definitely in the signal range. I still deal with a station that messes up every time a car passes. It's not on my cable system but there is something I like to watch there.

Get a proper antenna outside your home and your reception will markedly improve.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Get a proper antenna outside your home and your reception will markedly improve.

Here's the problem: when I asked what if it didn't work, the store said take it down and bring it back. I asked who was going to take it down because I certainly can't put it up myself. So for that reason and the worry that the trees around my house would mess up the signal, I didn't. Back then the store was willing to send someone out to do the job. Now, they're not.

By the way, my problem with the trees would not affect the station that messes up when a car passes by, except for the fact I have to have an antenna pointing the other way to get all the channels I want. The towers for those channels are on the wrong side of the market. And no, I won't limit myself to the closest channels. Which would require I have one antenna pointed one way and another pointed another. Ideally, I would never be watching channels in one direction at the same time as channels in another direction and could change the direction when that was needed, but I have one DVR that can record four channels at once and all four of those channels would have to be from the same antenna. Because that won't work now, that DVR is still hooked up to expensive cable. Yes, expensive. I was paying about $10 in 2009 and it's over $50 now for the same channels.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

One’s refusal to accept and adapt to circumstances and reality is purely a personal issue.

 

[Kelly A]

Here's the problem: when I asked what if it didn't work, the store said take it down and bring it back. I asked who was going to take it down because I certainly can't put it up myself. So for that reason and the worry that the trees around my house would mess up the signal, I didn't. Back then the store was willing to send someone out to do the job. Now, they're not.

By the way, my problem with the trees would not affect the station that messes up when a car passes by, except for the fact I have to have an antenna pointing the other way to get all the channels I want. The towers for those channels are on the wrong side of the market. And no, I won't limit myself to the closest channels. Which would require I have one antenna pointed one way and another pointed another. Ideally, I would never be watching channels in one direction at the same time as channels in another direction and could change the direction when that was needed, but I have one DVR that can record four channels at once and all four of those channels would have to be from the same antenna. Because that won't work now, that DVR is still hooked up to expensive cable. Yes, expensive. I was paying about $10 in 2009 and it's over $50 now for the same channels.

Can't help you with store return policies.

If you can already receive signals from stations you watch via an indoor antenna, they will be that much better and more of them with an outdoor antenna. For a few dollars more, you can install an antenna rotator, allowing you to fine-adjust the antenna direction, all the way to aiming it at a different market. For example; I have DirecTV at my Virginia home 60 miles south of Washington, DC, but also have a dual band antenna mounted on a mast with rotator mounted about 30' off the ground. If aimed North, I can see all the DC and Baltimore local stations. If turned South, I can watch all the Richmond stations. The total number of primary stations my tuner sees after a scan is about 112. This gives me the capability of watching locals in two markets, including all the 'dot' ancillary channels. Well worth the investment and effort.

If it weren't for my wife's addiction to the NFL and fantasy football, including being a rabid Seahawks fan, I would have cancelled DirecTV a long time ago.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Can't help you with store return policies.

If you can already receive signals from stations you watch via an indoor antenna, they will be that much better and more of them with an outdoor antenna. For a few dollars more, you can install an antenna rotator, allowing you to fine-adjust the antenna direction, all the way to aiming it at a different market. For example; I have DirecTV at my Virginia home 60 miles south of Washington, DC, but also have a dual band antenna mounted on a mast with rotator mounted about 30' off the ground. If aimed North, I can see all the DC and Baltimore local stations. If turned South, I can watch all the Richmond stations. The total number of primary stations my tuner sees after a scan is about 112. This gives me the capability of watching locals in two markets, including all the 'dot' ancillary channels. Well worth the investment and effort.

If it weren't for my wife's addiction to the NFL and fantasy football, including being a rabid Seahawks fan, I would have cancelled DirecTV a long time ago.

This station is closer than the stations I need cable to watch, though. I did pick up those stations when I first tried to back in 2009 but never enough for them to be watchable. And some days that station I first mentioned is perfect.

What's really bad is I got a perfect signal back in 2009 with the same antenna for one of the stations I need cable to pick up. The perfect signal had only one program: instructions on how to watch digital TV.

 

[Kelly A]

This station is closer than the stations I need cable to watch, though. I did pick up those stations when I first tried to back in 2009 but never enough for them to be watchable. And some days that station I first mentioned is perfect.

What's really bad is I got a perfect signal back in 2009 with the same antenna for one of the stations I need cable to pick up. The perfect signal had only one program: instructions on how to watch digital TV.

Don't forget, since most stations moved to UHF, you should have a dual band antenna. Old crappy rabbit ears with twin lead cable into it won't work very well.

Sounds like you're looking for a sure-shot satisfaction guarantee at little to no cost. There are a lot of resources on-line to help determine how many and what specific stations can be received based on your address and estimated height with a particular antenna gain. If you take the time and invest in a good installation, I believe you'd be pleased. If you'd rather complain and assume some sales person at Best Buy will guarantee results, you'll be wasting your time, because they rightfully won't.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Don't forget, since most stations moved to UHF, you should have a dual band antenna. Old crappy rabbit ears with twin lead cable into it won't work very well.

Sounds like you're looking for a sure-shot satisfaction guarantee at little to no cost. There are a lot of resources on-line to help determine how many and what specific stations can be received based on your address and estimated height with a particular antenna gain. If you take the time and invest in a good installation, I believe you'd be pleased. If you'd rather complain and assume some sales person at Best Buy will guarantee results, you'll be wasting your time, because they rightfully won't.

"invest in a good installation"? How do you propose I do that? No one has given me satisfactory advice yet. If I had been willing to accept whatever when the store would still do it, maybe things would have worked.

I think I live in a good location but some of the problem trees are not on my property and cutting down the ones that are might be too much.

 

[Kelly A]

Good Lord, do we have to hold your hand for everything? It doesn't matter if there are trees, if you use the proper antenna, coax, and splitters, you can get several channels:

How to Install an Outdoor TV Antenna in 7 Steps - Long Range Signal

Here's our ultimate guide on how to install an outdoor antenna. Get your favorite over-the-air TV channels by following these steps to set up an outdoor TV anatenna

longrangesignal.com

Get TV Antenna

We can help you find the best TV antenna so you get crystal clear, perfect clarity, and catch your favorite shows on your local stations.

gettvantenna.com

Antennas Direct | Learning Center

(Assuming you know what your zip code is; you can plug in the zip code and it will recommend antenna models).

 

[vchimpanzee]

Is this telling me how to do it myself? I can't do stuff like that myself and I certainly can't climb up on the house.

Also, "Several channels" is not all the channels.

 

[Kelly A]

Is this telling me how to do it myself? I can't do stuff like that myself and I certainly can't climb up on the house.

Also, "Several channels" is not all the channels.

In my example, I can get 112 channels from two markets. In the Seattle market, you can expect to see around 64. Is that enough? If you're looking for cable channels for free too, (including adult channels), you won't find them Over The Air.

 

[kwthom]

Back then the store was willing to send someone out to do the job. Now, they're not.

Suggest you find a handyman on a service like Facebook or Nextdoor that might be able to physically accomplish the task.

I have a complete mountain range (and no translator station available) blocking my OTA viewing for my Fox affiliate.

Complaints about my situation on an international broadcasting forum ain't solving my problem.

Good luck!

 

[vchimpanzee]

In my example, I can get 112 channels from two markets. In the Seattle market, you can expect to see around 64. Is that enough? If you're looking for cable channels for free too, (including adult channels), you won't find them Over The Air.

What I really want is the channel that has all the movies cleaned up for TV.

Someone recommended a handyman to fix another problem I have and when I get around to calling him for that, maybe, but not every handyman is an expert.

 

[ContinuousWave]

I had a RadioShack VU90 with a CM7777 amp at 20ft off the ground and got most of the Houston full powers 120 miles to the west 24/7..I used top rail post screwed together as the mast...had a bracket at 15 ft holding it all up

 

[Kelly A]

I had a RadioShack VU90 with a CM7777 amp at 20ft off the ground and got most of the Houston full powers 120 miles to the west 24/7..I used top rail post screwed together as the mast...had a bracket at 15 ft holding it all up

Exactly. Once you take the time, or spend the money to have someone install the antenna, it's good for many years of use. If you consider the cost of cable or satellite, even a more elaborate installation is paid for in a few months.

 

[kwthom]

What I really want is the channel that has all the movies cleaned up for TV.

Someone recommended a handyman to fix another problem I have and when I get around to calling him for that, maybe, but not every handyman is an expert.

Suggest *you* start a new thread on this topic, since it has next-to-nothing to do with the current thread topic.

 

[CTListener]

(Assuming you know what your zip code is).

That's the zone, right? Like Boston, 2, Mass.?

 

[MarcB]

I have a small cheap indoor antenna I bought for under $20 at Walmart. I get plenty of stations.

3.1 CBS
3.2 Court TV Mystery
3.3 Laff
3.4 WFSB Fairfield County (Same as 3.1 except with ads for Fairfield Country Business, but mostly PSAs)

19.1 Telemundo
19.2 Telexitos

20.1 CW
20.2 Court TV
20.3 Comet
20.4 Stadium

24.1 PBS
24.2 PBS Kids
24.3 CPTV Spirit (Secondary PBS channel run by CPTV)

26.1 ION
26.2 Bounce
26.3 Court TV
26.4 Grit
26.5 QVC
26.6 HSN

30.1 NBC
30.2 Cozi TV
30.3 NBC LX

35.1 METV
35.2 Heroes and Icons
35.3 Start TV
35.4 Movies!
35.5 Decades

61.1 FOX
61.2 Antenna TV
61.3 TBD
61.4 True Crime Network

65.1 CPTV Spirit
65.2 PBS Kids
65.3 PBS

I can not pick up WTNH/8 ABC or WCTX/59 My Network TV. They barely came in before the switch to all-digital in 2009. They now channel share. I can not pick up Univision as Entravision made the decision to sell Channel 18 in the Spectrum Auction. They now Channel share with their LPTV sister station UniMas Channel 47. Their transmission site is on the other side of the CT River from where I live.

 

[Kelly A]

What I really want is the channel that has all the movies cleaned up for TV.

Someone recommended a handyman to fix another problem I have and when I get around to calling him for that, maybe, but not every handyman is an expert.

Besides your local channels, there are several 'digiNet' ancillary (dot) channels available in pretty much every market OTA. As Marc showed his example: Movies!, Decades, and Hero's and Icons feature classic movies. Antenna, MeTV, Grit, Bounce, and Cozi feature classic TV series and sitcoms. Some markets have interesting news and feature networks like: NHK English, BBC, CCTV, and AlJazerra English. Buzzer features 24/7 classic game shows, and NBC-LX features lifestyle programming for Millennial's.

As I showed you, there is a ton of information and resources for setting up an outdoor antenna. Assuming you hired a handyman with a ladder, all it would require of you is to research the best installation for your location, purchase the parts and pieces on-line, then hire someone get up on the ladder to follow the instructions. If you don't want to put forth the effort and a little bit of money, then don't expect good results.