antenna for HDTV

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Would an antenna originally designed for standard TV be usable with HDTV
broadcasts? Alternatively, would the antennas I've seen lately as being
"HDTV-compatible" also work with a regular TV for now? I suppose it all
comes down to the question of whether standard TV and HDTV are broadcast in
the same general frequency bands....

m9876c at yahoo dot com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Al Dente wrote:
> Would an antenna originally designed for standard TV be usable with
> HDTV broadcasts? Alternatively, would the antennas I've seen lately
> as being "HDTV-compatible" also work with a regular TV for now? I
> suppose it all comes down to the question of whether standard TV and
> HDTV are broadcast in the same general frequency bands....
>
> m9876c at yahoo dot com

A regular antenna will do fine for the frequencies they are intended for
(UHF - VHF). The only mod you may want to make is replace the old flat twin
lead with coaxial cable.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

I probably should have made that a little clearer... I have a standard TV
and antenna now, but the antenna was damaged last week by a falling treelimb
during a storm here in Atlanta, so I'll be shopping for a replacement soon.
However, I expect to be getting an HDTV sometime in the next 6 months, as
the prices come down, and just wanted to know what to look for in an
antenna....

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Al Dente" <nobody@home.com> wrote in
newsQlAe.1556$oZ.5@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net:

> I probably should have made that a little clearer... I have a standard
> TV and antenna now, but the antenna was damaged last week by a falling
> treelimb during a storm here in Atlanta, so I'll be shopping for a
> replacement soon. However, I expect to be getting an HDTV sometime in
> the next 6 months, as the prices come down, and just wanted to know
> what to look for in an antenna....
>
>
>

Get a good UHF/VHF antenna. That will cover it.

http/www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Al Dente wrote:
> Would an antenna originally designed for standard TV be usable with HDTV
> broadcasts? Alternatively, would the antennas I've seen lately as being
> "HDTV-compatible" also work with a regular TV for now? I suppose it all
> comes down to the question of whether standard TV and HDTV are broadcast in
> the same general frequency bands....
>
> m9876c at yahoo dot com
>
>
>
If the digital broadcasts in your area are on the UHF channels, get a
good UHF antenna. Don't let anyone tell you there is such a thing as
a HDTV or HDTV-compatible antenna. That's bullshit! Your last
statement says it all. Just get an antenna for the frequency bands
that you want to receive. An antenna doesn't care what is being
broadcast, whether it is music, morse code, or HDTV, all that matters
is that it is for the right frequency.
Sam

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Thanks for the replies! You pretty much confirmed what I had suspected, that
the so-called "HDTV-compatible" antennas I've seen are the equivalent of
left-handed wrenches and screwdrivers! As you have suggested, I'll start
looking for a good quality VHF & UHF antenna, which should be an improvement
for now, and adaquate for my future HDTV plans! Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Al Dente" <nobody@home.com> wrote in
news:SHlAe.1550$oZ.1409@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net:

> Would an antenna originally designed for standard TV be usable with
> HDTV broadcasts? Alternatively, would the antennas I've seen lately as
> being "HDTV-compatible" also work with a regular TV for now? I suppose
> it all comes down to the question of whether standard TV and HDTV are
> broadcast in the same general frequency bands....

An antenna is an antenna. It doesn't know one kind of TV signal from
another and its designer doesn't really care. What you want to be sure
of is that the antenna has significant response (and preferably
directivity) at the frequency you're trying to pick up. For HDTV that
usually means UHF TV channels, so a VHF TV antenna is not going to be
that much help, whereas a UHF or dual band VHF/UHF model will be.

Other things to consider:

Is it a set-top indoor antenna or an outdoor mast-mounted job?

If it's an indoor job and it comes with a built-in amplifier, make sure
you can bypass it. This is especially important in high signal areas, as
these cheap amps can overload easily and cause more problems than they
cure.

Outdoor antennas should be fed with a balun and good satellite-quality
RG6 cable with as short a run as is practical. And if you're going to
use a preamp, get a good one with decent intermodulation resistance and
mount it at the antenna feedpoint, not at the TV end.

The more directional an antenna, in general, the better it is at
eliminating the reflections (ghosting on analogue signals) that are the
bane of digital reception.

In other words, antennas can help solve two problems. Weak signals are
improved by putting an antenna outdoors and up into an area of stronger
signal. They are further improved by the gain that accompanies
directivity. And interfering signals MAY be reduced if they are off the
antenna's main pattern. Having a rotor is useful here.

But the short answer to your question is that there is no such thing as
an "HDTV antenna" just a good UHF antenna.


--
Dave Oldridge+
ICQ 1800667

A false witness is worse than no witness at all.
God is an evolutionist.

 

[greywolf]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

You guys have got to let go of this idea that digital TV signals are always
UHF. A number of them are VHF right now and more will be after the
transition to all digital. For example, Chicago has one VHF channel right
now and will have at least 3 in 2009.

Pat

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Greywolf wrote:
>
> You guys have got to let go of this idea that digital TV signals are always
> UHF. A number of them are VHF right now and more will be after the
> transition to all digital. For example, Chicago has one VHF channel right
> now and will have at least 3 in 2009.
>
> Pat


After the digital transition is complete......

VHF Hi channels 7-13 and

UHF Channels 14 thru 51 will remain.......

VHF low channels 2 thru 6 should disappear.....

A well designed UHF antenna like a Channel Master 3021

4 bay bow tie at $25 will go 40 to 60 miles out

and cover Channels 7 thru 59 very well......

Shielded RG-6 antenna cable should be used....

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

In article <SHlAe.1550$oZ.1409@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>,
"Al Dente" <nobody@home.com> wrote:

> Would an antenna originally designed for standard TV be usable with HDTV
> broadcasts? Alternatively, would the antennas I've seen lately as being
> "HDTV-compatible" also work with a regular TV for now? I suppose it all
> comes down to the question of whether standard TV and HDTV are broadcast in
> the same general frequency bands....
>
> m9876c at yahoo dot com

I use an existing antenna for HD and it works fine.

--
Robert B. Peirce, Venetia, PA 724-941-6883
bob AT peirce-family.com [Mac]
rbp AT cooksonpeirce.com [Office]

 

[greywolf]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Dennis Mayer" <Polaris1@execpc.com> wrote in message
news:42D2F90A.E2DE848F@execpc.com...
>
>
> Greywolf wrote:
>>
>> You guys have got to let go of this idea that digital TV signals are
>> always
>> UHF. A number of them are VHF right now and more will be after the
>> transition to all digital. For example, Chicago has one VHF channel right
>> now and will have at least 3 in 2009.
>>
>> Pat
>
>
> After the digital transition is complete......
>
> VHF Hi channels 7-13 and
>
> UHF Channels 14 thru 51 will remain.......
>
> VHF low channels 2 thru 6 should disappear.....
>
> A well designed UHF antenna like a Channel Master 3021
>
> 4 bay bow tie at $25 will go 40 to 60 miles out
>
> and cover Channels 7 thru 59 very well......
>
> Shielded RG-6 antenna cable should be used....

As much as 2-6 deserve to disappear, 2-51 will be permitted. Low VHF will
thankfully be rare as most, not all, station planners are aware of the
problem and won't opt for lower power bills at the expense of reception
problems with impulse noise. I sure wouldn't plan to use a 3021 to get
channel 7 at 50 miles out. Separate high VHF and UHF antennas combined will
perform best for 7-51 at long distances without getting too big if low VHF
isn't needed.

Pat

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Greywolf" <greywolfin45@*spamisbad*sbcglobal.net> wrote in
news:fYxAe.288$dX5.81@newssvr19.news.prodigy.com:

> You guys have got to let go of this idea that digital TV signals are
> always UHF. A number of them are VHF right now and more will be after
> the transition to all digital. For example, Chicago has one VHF
> channel right now and will have at least 3 in 2009.

Which goes to what I said. Know what frequency (or frequencies) you need
the antenna for and get an appropriate one.


--
Dave Oldridge+
ICQ 1800667

A false witness is worse than no witness at all.
God is an evolutionist.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Greywolf" <greywolfin45@*spamisbad*sbcglobal.net> wrote in
news:0qEAe.778$Ih7.326@newssvr33.news.prodigy.com:

> "Dennis Mayer" <Polaris1@execpc.com> wrote in message
> news:42D2F90A.E2DE848F@execpc.com...
>>
>>
>> Greywolf wrote:
>>>
>>> You guys have got to let go of this idea that digital TV signals are
>>> always
>>> UHF. A number of them are VHF right now and more will be after the
>>> transition to all digital. For example, Chicago has one VHF channel
>>> right now and will have at least 3 in 2009.
>>>
>>> Pat
>>
>>
>> After the digital transition is complete......
>>
>> VHF Hi channels 7-13 and
>>
>> UHF Channels 14 thru 51 will remain.......
>>
>> VHF low channels 2 thru 6 should disappear.....
>>
>> A well designed UHF antenna like a Channel Master 3021
>>
>> 4 bay bow tie at $25 will go 40 to 60 miles out
>>
>> and cover Channels 7 thru 59 very well......
>>
>> Shielded RG-6 antenna cable should be used....
>
> As much as 2-6 deserve to disappear, 2-51 will be permitted. Low VHF
> will thankfully be rare as most, not all, station planners are aware
> of the problem and won't opt for lower power bills at the expense of
> reception problems with impulse noise. I sure wouldn't plan to use a
> 3021 to get channel 7 at 50 miles out. Separate high VHF and UHF
> antennas combined will perform best for 7-51 at long distances without
> getting too big if low VHF isn't needed.

Combining receive antennas for VHF and UHF is tricky without a decent
multiplexer. I do use one on my little ham radio set, which has a VHF
and a UHF band in it, to feed a dual band antenna out on my balcony.
It's good for about 40 miles direct point-to-point contacts and can
easily do about 100 to a suitably located repeater (there are some pretty
high ones around here). But that's FM audio only and using separate
GaAsFET pre-amps on both bands.

The only local TV I can get with a reasonable picture is Channel 14 in
Vancouver, which is OK if you want to watch CBC in French!

Fortunately my balcony is situated in sight of all the 12ghz direct TV
satellites that serve Canada.

--
Dave Oldridge+
ICQ 1800667

A false witness is worse than no witness at all.
God is an evolutionist.