Somewhat off topic....antenna use with HD OTA

[gastrof]

I almost posted this in the thread about how good the HD tuner is in the series 3, but thought better of it.

I live about 13 miles from the transmitters in my area. The compass designation for all the channels fall within two or three degrees of one another. (I've checked with www.checkhd.com.)

Thing is, I live in a bit of a gully. On one end of our street there's a hill, and the cross street we connect to is at an elevation just above the roof of my house.

The transmitters actually sit in the opposite direction, but I suspect the ground gradually rises, so gradually we can't see it here, and I'm fearing a line-of-site problem with the transmitters (which I can't see at all, even at the top of the hill, due to how many trees we have around here...the major reason I have cable and not satellite).

I did at one point try out an amplified, omni directional antenna from Radio Shack (not meant for HD) with an older HD receiver, and INSIDE THE HOUSE got several channels. Putting the thing up on the roof temporarily led to more channels, tho' some I'd gotten inside were no longer coming in.

I've been told part of the problem is the type of antenna, and if I'd used an antenna made with HD in mind and NOT one that was omni-directional, I might've had better and more consistent results.

Does it sound to you gurus out there like I might be able to get away with using an indoor, or should I anticipate needing a roof-mounted big boy?

[Tico]

I would suggest a SIlver Sensor and you should be fine Indoors...

http://www.microsupply.com/product_info.php?products_id=6433?ref=2003

[rainwater]

I would definitely start out with a small indoor antenna. Then if it doesn't work, you can always return it for a better solution. But you may be surprised how well of the reception you get. The big issue is that with the S3 (or any dvr), you don't want to have to change the direction of the antenna to get a good reception for each channel. So you have to make sure you can get one that will work for all the channels in one location.

[gastrof]

...you have to make sure you can get one that will work for all the channels in one location.

Yeah. The channels I'd need to get are all within that three degree compass range. (From 198° to 201°.)

The map at the website shows there are three other directions I could aim at to get maybe four more channels, but they're home shopping and foreign language ones.

Not exactly at the top of my list. :p

[Bierboy]

Two words -- Channel Master. They're the best.

[Dssturbo1]

not meant for HD?.......... forget HD it is about receiveing a uhf/vhf signal just like 30 years+ ago. the "HD antenna" is marketing hype.

your ota reception is going to have variables with your tuner, location, direction, distance, terrain/topography, trees, other houses, byuildings, etc, etc
see if you need a vhf/uhf combo for your station or just a uhf. you can get them locally at radio shack home depot lowes etc. and if they do not perform take back easy and get different one to try. try small inside if that is what you want and then if not go higher and bigger. channel manster and winegard make good antennas. avoid terk as they are overpriced and usually underperformers. use good rg6 cabling and make sure connections are tight.

[arendth]

My situation seems unique to me but it probably is not. My home theater is located in the basement where i intend to place my series 3. In other situations, radio and wifi I have had very bad luck with reception. Luckily I have a direct pipe from my basement to my attic 3 floors above. Are there any additional recomendations for this specific scenario.

I intend to install 2 cox cable cards and an antenna for ota


I own 5 regular tivo units, not including the s3, plus I rent a Motorola DVR

[moyekj]

You'd be amazed what you can pick up... I'm 70 miles away in Orange County, CA from ATSC OTA antennas on Los Angeles Mt. Wilson and I pick up all the major network HD channels no problem (90% or better signal strength) using simply a $20 indoor amplified UHF antenna from Lowe's that I stuck in my garage facing mostly north. If you go by antennaweb.org there should be no way I should be able to do that, so just because it sounds impossible you should try the cheap solution first.