Any tips on recieving HDTV reception?

[jras20]

I need some tips, I havnt tried anything yet for HDTV for out at my place in Lavaca county, but what I want to do is be able to get San antonio HD Houston HD and Victoria HDTV, what will I need to get? The main problem is that KSAT 12 is going back to 12 and KHOU, KTRK are going back to 11 and 13 when the transaction takes place. Will they still have the same coverage as before? I wish I could get it with a pair of Rabbit ears, here at my home place near Austin I can get Austin/San antonio TV great with just a pair of cheap rabbit ears. Any help will be usefull.
Thanks!

 

[dhett]

Nothing about receiving TV has changed. Although the broadcast format will now be digital, it's still sent out by radio waves. Whatever you do to receive analog signals from San Antonio, Houston and Victoria, you do the same for digital: point the antenna west for San Antonio, east for Houston, and south for Victoria.

 

[jras20]

Is there a decent powered omnidirectional HDTV antenna out there? indoor or outdoor?

 

[Markxxx]

Well you seem to have got the jist. If a station stays on its DTV channel it is protected from interference from other stations. If it returns to it's analog channel or has to pick a new channel (say if its, DTV channel was above 51), the it is not protected and must accept interference if there is any from adjacent or TV stations on protected channels.

A good UHF antenna does a pretty decent job of getting channels 10-13 and an OK job of channel 7 thru 9.

Also remember that many DTV stations aren't running at full power just yet. You'll need to check the TV station to see if it's totally up and running.

Also tuners do matter, but a 4th genration DTV tuner and above should work just fine.

 

[dhett]

Well you seem to have got the jist. If a station stays on its DTV channel it is protected from interference from other stations. If it returns to it's analog channel or has to pick a new channel (say if its, DTV channel was above 51), the it is not protected and must accept interference if there is any from adjacent or TV stations on protected channels.

Not quite, Mark. Full-service TV stations are always protected, regardless of what channel they're on. Before the FCC would approve any channel elections, the stations had to prove that their ultimate channel would be free of unacceptable interference. If an LPTV station was co-channel or adjacent to a full-service station, the full-service station, being a primary service, had full rights, and the LPTV station would have to accommodate interference and not cause any.

 

[CW]

Well you seem to have got the jist. If a station stays on its DTV channel it is protected from interference from other stations. If it returns to it's analog channel or has to pick a new channel (say if its, DTV channel was above 51), the it is not protected and must accept interference if there is any from adjacent or TV stations on protected channels.

Not quite, Mark. Full-service TV stations are always protected, regardless of what channel they're on. Before the FCC would approve any channel elections, the stations had to prove that their ultimate channel would be free of unacceptable interference. If an LPTV station was co-channel or adjacent to a full-service station, the full-service station, being a primary service, had full rights, and the LPTV station would have to accommodate interference and not cause any.

All I can say is a good antenna mounted preamp will help everytime!!!!! I installed a Channel Master 7777 model on a setup that had the antenna about roof high, 75 ft of coax to the TC, also diplexers to feed the sat dish...gbhot a new diplex3er to pass DC ton BOTH SAT and TV ports....and the 7777 works GREAT!!! picked up a FLEA power DTV I could never get before....and a LP translator 20 miles away is viewable now...on 69!!!!!I didnt know it was there!!! A TV plugged right into the antenna (A small portable DC powered one) with an excellent tuner didnt see it....
ALWAYS use a mast mounted LOW NOISE preamp......I HIGHLY recommend the CM 7777...you dont have to ise its PS becauase it runs off the DBS DC feed to the LNB....get a DIPLEXER that WILL pass DC to both ports, and you are set!!
If you go higher with the antenna and use a longer cable run, RG11 or 1/2 CATV line is preferred over RG6 IF you can afford it.....

 

[w9wi]

All I can say is a good antenna mounted preamp will help everytime!!!!! I installed a Channel Master 7777 model

Not *every* time...

Yes, they can be quite helpful if you're a reasonable distance from the towers. (I'm 22 miles from the nearest station, and my antenna-mounted preamp is quite helpful)

If you're near one or more stations, however, an amplifier may do more harm than good. It can overload - generating spurious signals that interfere with desired stations - or in digital, making it impossible for the receiver to properly determine which 8VSB level is being transmitted. (either way, you get *nothing*)

 

[jras20]

What would be the price of those antennas? The thing is I'm 85 miles from Houston's transmitters and 84 miles to San antonio transmitters and about 30 miles to Victoria Transmitter. I can hardly get KAVU analog out there I can get Houston/San antonio better than I can get KAVU. I do have a 30db TV/FM amp I use, but I believe it puts out way to much noise for TV or Digital TV. I dont even use it for FM reception. If a TV station now that is broadcasting in full HDPower will that change to more power or less when the analog is shut off? All I have is the 50 ft coaxal running into my TV and I got it hooked up direct from the antenna.

 

[CW]

All I can say is a good antenna mounted preamp will help everytime!!!!! I installed a Channel Master 7777 model

Not *every* time...

Yes, they can be quite helpful if you're a reasonable distance from the towers. (I'm 22 miles from the nearest station, and my antenna-mounted preamp is quite helpful)

If you're near one or more stations, however, an amplifier may do more harm than good. It can overload - generating spurious signals that interfere with desired stations - or in digital, making it impossible for the receiver to properly determine which 8VSB level is being transmitted. (either way, you get *nothing*)

Agreed...I was making a statement on distant station reception...luckily I am 15+ miles from any TV or FM transmitter..
In downtown Houston or especially living under the Mo City towers, though, FORGET it

 

[CW]

What would be the price of those antennas? The thing is I'm 85 miles from Houston's transmitters and 84 miles to San antonio transmitters and about 30 miles to Victoria Transmitter. I can hardly get KAVU analog out there I can get Houston/San antonio better than I can get KAVU. I do have a 30db TV/FM amp I use, but I believe it puts out way to much noise for TV or Digital TV. I dont even use it for FM reception. If a TV station now that is broadcasting in full HDPower will that change to more power or less when the analog is shut off? All I have is the 50 ft coaxal running into my TV and I got it hooked up direct from the antenna.

Signal gain is good at 30db (even the 7777 Channel Master doesnt do that much I think)....but if it has a high noise figure (more than 3-4db) get rid of it....The CM7777 costs about $50-75 new depending on source. Also has FM trap (switchable) if you live close to a FM site that can cause overload..(I have my FM trap turned off...I use the same antenna/preamp for my FM reception as well)...HD power will not change after analog is shut off IF they are at full licensed power now (some are running at lower power under STAs)..What antenna do you have? BTW I am getting an UHF analog, noisy, but watchable 80+ miles away off the SIDE of my antenna (VHF/UHF Radio Shack probably made by CM or Wineguard) thanks to the preamp.

 

[jras20]

What would be the price of those antennas? The thing is I'm 85 miles from Houston's transmitters and 84 miles to San antonio transmitters and about 30 miles to Victoria Transmitter. I can hardly get KAVU analog out there I can get Houston/San antonio better than I can get KAVU. I do have a 30db TV/FM amp I use, but I believe it puts out way to much noise for TV or Digital TV. I dont even use it for FM reception. If a TV station now that is broadcasting in full HDPower will that change to more power or less when the analog is shut off? All I have is the 50 ft coaxal running into my TV and I got it hooked up direct from the antenna.

Signal gain is good at 30db (even the 7777 Channel Master doesnt do that much I think)....but if it has a high noise figure (more than 3-4db) get rid of it....The CM7777 costs about $50-75 new depending on source. Also has FM trap (switchable) if you live close to a FM site that can cause overload..(I have my FM trap turned off...I use the same antenna/preamp for my FM reception as well)...HD power will not change after analog is shut off IF they are at full licensed power now (some are running at lower power under STAs)..What antenna do you have? BTW I am getting an UHF analog, noisy, but watchable 80+ miles away off the SIDE of my antenna (VHF/UHF Radio Shack probably made by CM or Wineguard) thanks to the preamp.

I have the secound biggest Whinegard TV antenna they have I have it pointed to San antonio for the time being. I may half to turn it to Houston for HD reception and HDFM reception. I have my FM antenna going to Victoria, and a dipole antenna for Houston/Victoria.

 

[CW]

What would be the price of those antennas? The thing is I'm 85 miles from Houston's transmitters and 84 miles to San antonio transmitters and about 30 miles to Victoria Transmitter. I can hardly get KAVU analog out there I can get Houston/San antonio better than I can get KAVU. I do have a 30db TV/FM amp I use, but I believe it puts out way to much noise for TV or Digital TV. I dont even use it for FM reception. If a TV station now that is broadcasting in full HDPower will that change to more power or less when the analog is shut off? All I have is the 50 ft coaxal running into my TV and I got it hooked up direct from the antenna.

Signal gain is good at 30db (even the 7777 Channel Master doesnt do that much I think)....but if it has a high noise figure (more than 3-4db) get rid of it....The CM7777 costs about $50-75 new depending on source. Also has FM trap (switchable) if you live close to a FM site that can cause overload..(I have my FM trap turned off...I use the same antenna/preamp for my FM reception as well)...HD power will not change after analog is shut off IF they are at full licensed power now (some are running at lower power under STAs)..What antenna do you have? BTW I am getting an UHF analog, noisy, but watchable 80+ miles away off the SIDE of my antenna (VHF/UHF Radio Shack probably made by CM or Wineguard) thanks to the preamp.

I have the secound biggest Whinegard TV antenna they have I have it pointed to San antonio for the time being. I may half to turn it to Houston for HD reception and HDFM reception. I have my FM antenna going to Victoria, and a dipole antenna for Houston/Victoria.

Last night the band opened....I got 8 NEW HD stations on my TV....All out the Tyler/E Texas area...could not see their analog (like KTBS on 3) but their digitals were booming in (3.1,3.2,3.3)...as well as the UHF analogs (19, 49, 56 and I think something higher)...
WOW!!! I was shocked...the UHFs were just as good as some VHFs I normally get....The HDs though were the big shock...
I plan to scan again tonight (I can do an ADD ON scan so none of the previous channels are lost)...
of course, the analog UHFs were ok to watch (slightly grainy) when the HDs were "no signal" I loved TV DXing in the 70s and even now...but with digital, its either there or its not...kinda hard to tweak the antenna if you cant see it.

 

[newsmark]

CW, I used to love TVDXing in the 70s, 80s and 90s. I live in a valley now, so my reception is pretty limited. It does seem like DTVDXing will be more challenging, but it could also be more fun when you start spotting distant signals AND subchannels.

Seems like there might be a brief opportunity to DX some Low Power stations, translators and Mexican stations once the full power stations have to shut off their analog transmitters.

By the way, my best DX catches were:
KNBC in Los Angeles from Whitewright, Texas (1265 miles) (in 1979)
KTWO in Casper, Wyoming from Tyler, Texas (942 miles) (in 1985)