I have cut the cable. Any recommendations on a good HD antenna?

DoctorQuest · July 01, 2016, 01:21:50 PM

Cox Cable finally talked themselves out of another TV customer. I am keeping internet, of course.

Anyone have any recommendations on a good HD antenna? I don't need long distance at the moment. I have been browsing around and they seem to vary a LOT in price. I am willing to pay a few dollars for a good one.

Dammit Carl! · July 01, 2016, 02:02:57 PM

Color me interested as well; we have a Roku (which is nice but, of course, internet and wifi dependent) but the Mrs. is very, very reluctant to get rid of the cable tv connection totally. I'd love to have some alternative to stick it as much as possible to those Charter Communications bloodsucking bastards.

DoctorQuest · July 01, 2016, 02:26:43 PM

As an interim measure I have hooked up an old cheapo antenna I had lying around. I'm pleasantly surprised how well it does. Most of the local channels come in well. I can see where if I get decent purpose built HD antenna we should be in good shape.

We had some long discussions on the topic but with retirement coming up we are really looking at needs vs. wants. TV is not a need.

mirth · July 01, 2016, 02:35:59 PM

You cam stream just about anything through the internet. Live sports are problematic, but increasingly more available. I haven't had cable tv in over 10 years and don't miss it a bit.

DoctorQuest · July 01, 2016, 03:00:19 PM

I hear you but I'd still like to take advantage of over-the-air broadcasts.

mirth · July 01, 2016, 03:07:02 PM

Yeah, I get that. I have an inexpensive HD antenna. It doesn't work very well even though I am not far from several local broadcast towers. I haven't invested in a more expensive antenna because I am not convinced it would improve the reception.

bayonetbrant · July 01, 2016, 03:17:08 PM

If I can get my CHIP working as an antenna / DVR, I'm going to be totally set out in the man-cave, as I get about 20 channels or so with just the HD antenna.

Unfortunately, there's not a lot of soccer I can get either streaming or over-the-air, so I have to make do.

mirth · July 01, 2016, 03:21:36 PM

Quote from: bayonetbrant on July 01, 2016, 03:17:08 PM

Unfortunately, there's not a lot of soccer I can get either streaming or over-the-air, so I have to make do.

What a shame :P

DoctorQuest · July 01, 2016, 03:22:39 PM

Quote from: bayonetbrant on July 01, 2016, 03:17:08 PM
If I can get my CHIP working as an antenna / DVR, I'm going to be totally set out in the man-cave, as I get about 20 channels or so with just the HD antenna.

Unfortunately, there's not a lot of soccer I can get either streaming or over-the-air, so I have to make do.

What kind of antenna do you have?

bayonetbrant · July 01, 2016, 03:40:27 PM

Right ow I've got some $10 Target basic model I got when we first hooked up the TV in the mother-in-law room downstairs.

When all the renovation work from the water damage had to get done downstairs, we moved that TV to the room over the garage for my son to hook up the xbox.

When the xbox moved back downstairs, the TV stayed out there with me and I've got a basic antenna in place. I'm working on running a hard line out there for ethernet / hub / router, as well as upgrading to a new antenna when I can afford it. But I've already got the CHIP and I just need an HDMI cable to plug it in to the TV and I'll get a wireless keyboard/mouse to go w/ it. The plan is to have a full-up Linux computer on the big TV out there for whatever gaming / videos I want.

The TV does have an integrated USB plug that I'm going to connect to a high-capacity HD with a ton of videos / movies / TV shows on it, so I've got my own video library out there, and just need to figure out a way to get a DVR for the over-the-air stuff so I can pause or record stuff to watch when I'm out there working.

MetalDog · July 03, 2016, 08:48:59 AM

I just cut my cable, too! Saving ~$90 a month. I only ever watched HBO on Sunday nights, so, it seemed stupid to continue paying for something I don't use. An antenna would be great. Football season is coming and I want to be able to watch. Everything else I can get online. Interested to see if any of you come up with an answer for DQ.

Staggerwing · July 03, 2016, 09:21:25 AM

You may want to try making your own first. The higher you can mount it, the better the reception. The design shown actually outperforms many high end commercial HDTV antennas.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/ditch-cable-diy-hdtv-antenna/

Also, this tool is very useful for knowing which way to point the antenna for each station in your area (yes, you have to turn the thing just like those old 70's TV antennas. The 'omnidirectional' antennas are also the lowest preforming. Maybe you could motorize it with a small electric motor):

https://transition.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/dtvmaps/ (put in your zip code, let it find you a list of stations, and then click on each listing to get compass bearing)

Nefaro · July 03, 2016, 09:37:02 AM

If you live in the city, not far from the transmission towers of the TV stations, then you can probably get away with using a well-placed indoor HD antenna. BUT you'll want to get one of the powered versions (with the built in powered amplifier). Because the Plain Jane indoor ones will still make your HD reception flake out regularly in most areas. Analog signals would just get increasingly fuzzy, when the reception was just a bit iffy, but digital signals require perfect reception or they'll pixelate regularly.

You'll still need to find the sweet spot for placement and hope you don't have a intermittent dead zone where you live.

For everyone else, further away, the best options are the outdoor metal rooftop antennas (various sizes depending on distance & terrain). Once again, it's a good idea to run it through an amplifier when in doubt. Especially in more distant and/or hilly areas. You can also get an Antenna Rotator, for the large pole mounted ones, so you can turn it from an indoor controller.

I sold equipment & installations for a huge amount of this stuff, while working part-time in a couple Radio Shack franchise stores during the digital switch (almost a decade ago). Mainly the big outdoor setups for rural customers, but we got feedback from many people who had tried various types.

MetalDog · July 03, 2016, 10:13:31 AM

You make me sad, Nef :( I live in a rural area and I rent to boot. No way I am going through all that trouble just to get a signal. Damn.

Nefaro · July 03, 2016, 11:01:06 AM

Quote from: MetalDog on July 03, 2016, 10:13:31 AM
You make me sad, Nef :( I live in a rural area and I rent to boot. No way I am going through all that trouble just to get a signal. Damn.

Lotsa people in rural areas were pissed about the digital switch. Before that, they could get away with a tiny bit of white noise "snow" on the screen, while watching a ball game or whatnot. Wouldn't be too intrusive. After the signals went exclusively digital, their whole picture would freeze or pixelate out, making the program unwatchable.

Many had to invest a sizable chunk of money for all the equipment, and often an install. Some chose to sign up for satellite, but that doesn't really qualify as "cutting the cable", and satellite is really only ideal for getting cable in rural areas (sucks worse than cable, generally).

If you're not far from the outskirts of the broadcasting city, you may still be able to squeak by with a great (and amplified) indoor antenna. Depending on whether the broadcast tower(s) are on your side (they're sometimes on the outskirts or just outside the city), and if the lie of the land is relatively flat between those and your location. But I would still expect some problems for some stations, if not all, in that case.

It may be worth trying out one of the larger & well amplified indoor types, or a smaller outdoor antenna that's easy to hang (plus amp), if you can return them with little hassle if they don't live up to standard. The latter may be the best place to start, in a rural location that isn't too far from the city.