Over the Air HDTV Reception Advice in East Cobb (Atlanta Area)

I'm new to HDTV. Just set up my 40" Sony Bravia. I live in the East
Cobb area outside Atlanta

Wow! What a difference. It's really amazing what I can pick up with
that old antenna in the attic.
I also have DirecTV (not HD) connected.

But I have noticed quite a bit of freezing and drop out, sometime with
the screen going blank for a second. Is this just a matter of trial and
error, going up in the attic and moving the antenna a little?
Or is there anything else I need to look into (like putting the antenna
outside, or getting an amplifier). I'm sure there are some of you who
might have had some experience in this area.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm new to HDTV. Just set up my 40" Sony Bravia. I live in the East
Cobb area outside Atlanta

Wow! What a difference. It's really amazing what I can pick up with
that old antenna in the attic.
I also have DirecTV (not HD) connected.

But I have noticed quite a bit of freezing and drop out, sometime with
the screen going blank for a second. Is this just a matter of trial and
error, going up in the attic and moving the antenna a little?
Or is there anything else I need to look into (like putting the antenna
outside, or getting an amplifier). I'm sure there are some of you who
might have had some experience in this area.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks.

IMO you will get a much stronger signal if it is mounted outside. I have my
OTA outside with a rotor and a amp. I'm 50 miles from the towers and get
superb reception.

wrote:
I'm new to HDTV. Just set up my 40" Sony Bravia. I live in the East
Cobb area outside Atlanta

Wow! What a difference. It's really amazing what I can pick up with
that old antenna in the attic.
I also have DirecTV (not HD) connected.

But I have noticed quite a bit of freezing and drop out, sometime with
the screen going blank for a second. Is this just a matter of trial and
error, going up in the attic and moving the antenna a little?
Or is there anything else I need to look into (like putting the antenna
outside, or getting an amplifier). I'm sure there are some of you who
might have had some experience in this area.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks.

It could be a couple of things. First, I'd go to www.antennaweb.org
and see where the antenna should be pointing. Then I'd tweak the
antenna around that direction. If your antenna is designed for the
distance and signal types you need (VHF or UHF), then check a place
like www.solidsignal.com for a replacement antenna. Also, make sure
your cable is in good shape and the at the connectors are tight. If
the signal strength is marginal (most ATSC receivers have a signal
strength meter built in), then I'd look at getting a good quality
pre-amp, like a Channel Master 7777. Putting the antenna outside will
also help, since you won't be losing any signal due to your roof and
walls. On the other hand, if the signal strength is good, the drop-out
could be caused by "multi-path" interference (the receiver getting
multiple copies of the signal due to reflections). In that case, a
different style of antenna might be the solution. Also, moving the
antenna to a new position might help. Finally, you might have a
situation (like we do in Chicago-land) where one or more of the
Digital/HDTV stations is using a relatively low power low VHF channel
(for us, its WBBM on Channel 3). Low VHF is very succeptible to noise.
About the only help is to get the best low-VHF antenna you can get
your hands on.

My experience has been that it is easier to get good quality Digital
Signals than good quality analogue signals. And of course HDTV looks
waaaaaaay better. }

Dan (Woj...)

On Tue, 12 Dec 2006 10:35:57 -0800, noonehere wrote:

I'm new to HDTV. Just set up my 40" Sony Bravia. I live in the East
Cobb area outside Atlanta

Wow! What a difference. It's really amazing what I can pick up with
that old antenna in the attic.
I also have DirecTV (not HD) connected.

But I have noticed quite a bit of freezing and drop out, sometime with
the screen going blank for a second. Is this just a matter of trial and
error, going up in the attic and moving the antenna a little?
Or is there anything else I need to look into (like putting the antenna
outside, or getting an amplifier). I'm sure there are some of you who
might have had some experience in this area.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Outside is always better, but just as important as location is the antenna
selection itself and more so in what direction it is pointed. As i pointed
out last time, you should be using a good combo yhf/vhf antenna
like a CM 3018 or larger pointed at about 18 degrees to pickup stations in
Macon which is only about 40 miles away. I'm not sure I could get such an
antenna in my attic, so maybe you need a new antenna mounted outside.
Mount in location with clearest path at 18 degrees.

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"dmaster" wrote in message
oups.com...

Finally, you might have a
situation (like we do in Chicago-land) where one or more of the
Digital/HDTV stations is using a relatively low power low VHF channel
(for us, its WBBM on Channel 3). Low VHF is very succeptible to noise.
About the only help is to get the best low-VHF antenna you can get
your hands on.


Boy, you got that right!
Even from the Midway airport area, no WBBM reception.

Going to try a Wingard HD7210 as soon as the weather allows.

Gary C wrote:
"dmaster" wrote in message
oups.com...

Finally, you might have a
situation (like we do in Chicago-land) where one or more of the
Digital/HDTV stations is using a relatively low power low VHF channel
(for us, its WBBM on Channel 3). Low VHF is very succeptible to noise.
About the only help is to get the best low-VHF antenna you can get
your hands on.


Boy, you got that right!
Even from the Midway airport area, no WBBM reception.

Going to try a Wingard HD7210 as soon as the weather allows.

Gary, I hope the HD7210 works out for you. I'm using an Antenna's
Direct V4 MKII. Its billed as a "low VHF" antenna, but it works
marvelously for all 2 - 66 out here in Aurora. Of course, I am running
it through a Channel Master 7777 pre-amp as well.

Dan (Woj...)

"dmaster" wrote in message
ps.com...
Gary C wrote:
"dmaster" wrote in message
oups.com...

Finally, you might have a
situation (like we do in Chicago-land) where one or more of the
Digital/HDTV stations is using a relatively low power low VHF channel
(for us, its WBBM on Channel 3). Low VHF is very succeptible to noise.
About the only help is to get the best low-VHF antenna you can get
your hands on.


Boy, you got that right!
Even from the Midway airport area, no WBBM reception.

Going to try a Wingard HD7210 as soon as the weather allows.

Gary, I hope the HD7210 works out for you. I'm using an Antenna's
Direct V4 MKII. Its billed as a "low VHF" antenna, but it works
marvelously for all 2 - 66 out here in Aurora. Of course, I am running
it through a Channel Master 7777 pre-amp as well.

Dan (Woj...)

Ah yes, the City of Lights.
Me, I'm surrounded by brick 2 flats and tall trees, all taller than two
stories.
Depending on where in Aurora you are, you could have the same situation
as me, I.E. New York St. and the river, or the direct opposite ... New York
and Eola or New York and Orchard, with the new sub divisions having
very young (low) trees :-)

Right now, I'm just using an RCA indoor antenna for OTA. NBC, ABC
and FOX digital come in superb! It's just WBBM that I am striving for.
No specific reason, I'm just not giving up the fight. Been fighting WBBM
for years now, like all of us.

Well, I don't think I'll make any adjustments yet. The channel in
question (2.1 - WSB-TV Atlanta) appears to be fine "most" of the time.
Had lots of problems when I set up the TV on Wednesday, but yesterday
it was fine all morning (early) until GMA came one, dropped for a
while, came back again, dropped for a while during a soap (I don't
watch TV all day, I'm leaving it on mute just to monitor this for a
while). Today, dropped for a couple minutes during GMA.

Also, it appeared to drop late yesterday afternoon when a couple
commercials with lots of text graphics came on.

I'll play it by ear for a while before making any adjustments.

Thanks.