hdtv antenna uhf

On Mar 30, 9:08 pm, "Doug" wrote:
Stevie wrote:
"HarryHydro" wrote in message
oups.com...

I put a deep fringe aerial antenna in my attic pointed to "split
the
difference" between transmitters 10 miles away. 100% signal
strength.

How do you meassure signal strength?

DougW

Without a spectrum analyszer, it's kind of tough. Our Samsung STB has
a signal strength display but it does not relate directly to signal
strength. It's the combination of signal and quality (error correction
and equalization). The HDTV Wonders also have a signal strength
display, similar to the Samsung. The Samsung is fine even down to 3 or
4 (out 13?) bars. The Wonders are totally solid at 66% but in fact,
it would be interesting to try different attenuators in line to see
just how fussy the level really is. Time to bring home the spectrum
analyzer again.

GG

G-squared wrote:
On Mar 30, 9:08 pm, "Doug" wrote:
Stevie wrote:
"HarryHydro" wrote in message
ups.com...

I put a deep fringe aerial antenna in my attic pointed to "split the
difference" between transmitters 10 miles away. 100% signal
strength.

How do you meassure signal strength?

DougW

Without a spectrum analyszer, it's kind of tough. Our Samsung STB has
a signal strength display but it does not relate directly to signal
strength. It's the combination of signal and quality (error correction
and equalization). The HDTV Wonders also have a signal strength
display, similar to the Samsung. The Samsung is fine even down to 3 or
4 (out 13?) bars. The Wonders are totally solid at 66% but in fact,
it would be interesting to try different attenuators in line to see
just how fussy the level really is. Time to bring home the spectrum
analyzer again.

GG

Dunno about those spectrum analyzer things. But I did check out the HDTV
Wonder but ATI doesn't sell it any more.

Here is what I found:
http://ati.de/products/hdtvwonder/specs.html

I really would like to know if I can get OTA where I live using my present
Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick on my computer of course. At first try, I was
unable to get any channel that came in clearly, HD or SD. Nothing.

Oh, I got radio but in Southern Cal, everyone has tons of radio.

DougW

On Mar 30, 9:48 pm, "Doug" wrote:
G-squared wrote:
On Mar 30, 9:08 pm, "Doug" wrote:
Stevie wrote:
"HarryHydro" wrote in message
groups.com...

I put a deep fringe aerial antenna in my attic pointed to "split the
difference" between transmitters 10 miles away. 100% signal
strength.

How do you meassure signal strength?

DougW

Without a spectrum analyszer, it's kind of tough. Our Samsung STB has
a signal strength display but it does not relate directly to signal
strength. It's the combination of signal and quality (error correction
and equalization). The HDTV Wonders also have a signal strength
display, similar to the Samsung. The Samsung is fine even down to 3 or
4 (out 13?) bars. The Wonders are totally solid at 66% but in fact,
it would be interesting to try different attenuators in line to see
just how fussy the level really is. Time to bring home the spectrum
analyzer again.

GG

Dunno about those spectrum analyzer things. But I did check out the HDTV
Wonder but ATI doesn't sell it any more.

Here is what I found:http://ati.de/products/hdtvwonder/specs.html

I really would like to know if I can get OTA where I live using my present
Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick on my computer of course. At first try, I was
unable to get any channel that came in clearly, HD or SD. Nothing.

Oh, I got radio but in Southern Cal, everyone has tons of radio.

DougW

I'm _not_ pushing the HDTV Wonder (though I do have 3 of 'em plus a
spare). Like much of the computer TV stuff, it's not ready for 'prime-
time' in that you can't give one to to grandma and expect her to run
it. Of course, if grandma COULD run it, she'd be a techno-geek. But,
they mostly work.

What ZIP code are you in? These links can help.

http://www.winegard.com/offair/squareshooter.htm

http://www.channelmaster.com/home.htm

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

http://www.nab.org/AM/ASPCode/DTVSta...TVStations.asp

Here in 90274 with a Winegard SquareShooter (no preamp, 4 way split,
35 miles out), I get all the stations in the NAB list _except_ KBEH in
Oxnard and KVCR in San Bernardino.

The spectrum analyzer thing is a Tektronix 2712 which is a very
special 'radio' with an oscilloscope type display that shows frequency
in the horizontal axis and signal strength in the vertical -
calibrated to a gnat hair. I think it was around $15000 when it was
new.

GG

G-squared wrote:
On Mar 30, 9:48 pm, "Doug" wrote:
G-squared wrote:
On Mar 30, 9:08 pm, "Doug" wrote:
Stevie wrote:
"HarryHydro" wrote in message
ups.com...

I put a deep fringe aerial antenna in my attic pointed to "split
the difference" between transmitters 10 miles away. 100% signal
strength.

How do you meassure signal strength?

DougW

Without a spectrum analyszer, it's kind of tough. Our Samsung STB
has a signal strength display but it does not relate directly to
signal strength. It's the combination of signal and quality (error
correction and equalization). The HDTV Wonders also have a signal
strength display, similar to the Samsung. The Samsung is fine even
down to 3 or 4 (out 13?) bars. The Wonders are totally solid at
66% but in fact, it would be interesting to try different
attenuators in line to see just how fussy the level really is. Time
to bring home the spectrum analyzer again.

GG

Dunno about those spectrum analyzer things. But I did check out the
HDTV Wonder but ATI doesn't sell it any more.

Here is what I found:http://ati.de/products/hdtvwonder/specs.html

I really would like to know if I can get OTA where I live using my
present Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick on my computer of course. At
first try, I was unable to get any channel that came in clearly, HD
or SD. Nothing.

Oh, I got radio but in Southern Cal, everyone has tons of radio.

DougW

I'm _not_ pushing the HDTV Wonder (though I do have 3 of 'em plus a
spare). Like much of the computer TV stuff, it's not ready for 'prime-
time' in that you can't give one to to grandma and expect her to run
it. Of course, if grandma COULD run it, she'd be a techno-geek. But,
they mostly work.

Uh oh. Grandpa Geek here? Hey, I ain't lettin' no damn PIC board defeat
me, no way, no how.

What ZIP code are you in? These links can help.

92867


http://www.winegard.com/offair/squareshooter.htm

http://www.channelmaster.com/home.htm

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

http://www.nab.org/AM/ASPCode/DTVSta...TVStations.asp

Yeah, I know I gotta go get me one of them antennas. Hell I paid $5 for
secrets about installing antennas. Got 13 pages of secrets. Well, that was
the print out. Said, basically, small isn't good. Yeah, like yours is
bigger than mine. Newsflash, size counts!


Here in 90274 with a Winegard SquareShooter (no preamp, 4 way split,
35 miles out), I get all the stations in the NAB list _except_ KBEH in
Oxnard and KVCR in San Bernardino.

Antennaweb.org says I have a straight shot to the sources, 30 miles away so
with the number of folks in the neighborhood with DirecTV working for them,
I oughta be able to get my OTA working. I am told that DirecTV HD stb's
have an "AIR" hookup for OTA stuff. True?


The spectrum analyzer thing is a Tektronix 2712 which is a very
special 'radio' with an oscilloscope type display that shows frequency
in the horizontal axis and signal strength in the vertical -
calibrated to a gnat hair. I think it was around $15000 when it was
new.

I checked. Ain't got that in my old tool box with the auger bits and the
box planes.

Doug

In article .com "G-squared" writes:
On Mar 30, 9:08 pm, "Doug" wrote:
Stevie wrote:
"HarryHydro" wrote in message
oups.com...

I put a deep fringe aerial antenna in my attic pointed to "split
the
difference" between transmitters 10 miles away. 100% signal
strength.

How do you meassure signal strength?

DougW

Without a spectrum analyszer, it's kind of tough. Our Samsung STB has
a signal strength display but it does not relate directly to signal
strength. It's the combination of signal and quality (error correction
and equalization). The HDTV Wonders also have a signal strength
display, similar to the Samsung. The Samsung is fine even down to 3 or
4 (out 13?) bars. The Wonders are totally solid at 66% but in fact,
it would be interesting to try different attenuators in line to see
just how fussy the level really is. Time to bring home the spectrum
analyzer again.


Indeed. It amazes me that digital TV sets don't have a built in spectrum
analyzer. Step across the frequency range - perhaps in 100 kHz steps -
measure RF power, and plot it on the screen. Easy enough to drop into the
frame buffer - since there is already the connection for on-screen graphics
and displays.

It would not need to be terribly fast at sweeping, nor would it need the
astounding input performance of some of the Agilent products, but it would
be very useful. (Just please, give a little bit of frequency range setting
to zoom in and out in frequency range, and both a log and linear scale,
with 10 dB steps in a graticule drawn on the screen.)

It would also be useful on satellite receivers, etc.

Yes, I claim rights to the idea.

Alan

"Doug" wrote in message
...
Dunno about those spectrum analyzer things. But I did check out the HDTV
Wonder but ATI doesn't sell it any more.

Here is what I found:
http://ati.de/products/hdtvwonder/specs.html

I really would like to know if I can get OTA where I live using my present
Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick on my computer of course. At first try, I was
unable to get any channel that came in clearly, HD or SD. Nothing.

Oh, I got radio but in Southern Cal, everyone has tons of radio.

DougW


Try searching the Canada/U.S. site.
http://ati.amd.com/products/hdtvwonder/index.html

"Doug" wrote in message
...
Stevie wrote:
"HarryHydro" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi Folks:
I recently bought a HDTV and was looking for a good UHF anttenna
for it. I'm not in the city and the nearest TV antenna is about
15~20 miles away. These station come in OK on an ordinary TV using a
discone antenna, but nothing great. I was looking at the UHF band
with a spectrum analyzer and found 7 UHF HDTV stations and the best
was about -76dBm. That wasn't too bad for using a cellular antenna..
So, I just put a 7" piece of wire hanging out of the F-connector on
the back of the TV, and Bingo! It works! (on two stations anyway).
It looks like cable! It looks like, at the time being, some stations
are just re-converting their NTSC to HDTV. Not ALL the programming
is sharper, but it is snow-free! So, I guess nothing very special is
required. But, I bet a flat-response would be best.
Harry

I put a deep fringe aerial antenna in my attic pointed to "split the
difference" between transmitters 10 miles away. 100% signal strength.

How do you meassure signal strength?

Probably not accurate, but it's the signal strength bar on my Dish Network
channel display which shows up with OTH signals.

Although Dish offers locals for my area, they are *not* in HD. With the
VIP625 receiver, you can plug a coax from an antenna into the ANT IN jack
and after you "find" and program in the over-the-air (OTH) signals with the
receiver, you can delete the satellite locals from the on-screen program
guide and in their place will appear your own OTA locals. Thereafter, when
tuning in to any OTA channel gotten through the antenna, the channel info
that momentarily appears at the top also show a signal strength meter.
Pretty neat setup from Dish on the VIP625 unit and so far, everything works
like it's supposed to.

The antenna I got looks a lot like this:
http://www.summitsource.com/product_...oducts_id=4544
and I have it suspended by high-test fishing line in my attic.

Captain Midnight wrote:
"Doug" wrote in message
...
Dunno about those spectrum analyzer things. But I did check out the
HDTV Wonder but ATI doesn't sell it any more.

Here is what I found:
http://ati.de/products/hdtvwonder/specs.html

I really would like to know if I can get OTA where I live using my
present Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick on my computer of course. At
first try, I was unable to get any channel that came in clearly, HD
or SD. Nothing.

Oh, I got radio but in Southern Cal, everyone has tons of radio.

DougW


Try searching the Canada/U.S. site.
http://ati.amd.com/products/hdtvwonder/index.html

I had already gone there. The "Buy It Now" says U.S. only and explains it
isn't sold to Canada because the infrastructure is not sufficient yet.

DougW

Stevie wrote:
"Doug" wrote in message
...
Stevie wrote:
"HarryHydro" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi Folks:
I recently bought a HDTV and was looking for a good UHF anttenna
for it. I'm not in the city and the nearest TV antenna is about
15~20 miles away. These station come in OK on an ordinary TV
using a discone antenna, but nothing great. I was looking at the
UHF band with a spectrum analyzer and found 7 UHF HDTV stations
and the best was about -76dBm. That wasn't too bad for using a
cellular antenna.. So, I just put a 7" piece of wire hanging out
of the F-connector on the back of the TV, and Bingo! It works!
(on two stations anyway). It looks like cable! It looks like, at
the time being, some stations are just re-converting their NTSC to
HDTV. Not ALL the programming is sharper, but it is snow-free! So, I
guess nothing very special is required. But, I bet a
flat-response would be best. Harry

I put a deep fringe aerial antenna in my attic pointed to "split the
difference" between transmitters 10 miles away. 100% signal
strength.

How do you meassure signal strength?

Probably not accurate, but it's the signal strength bar on my Dish
Network channel display which shows up with OTH signals.

Although Dish offers locals for my area, they are *not* in HD. With
the VIP625 receiver, you can plug a coax from an antenna into the ANT
IN jack and after you "find" and program in the over-the-air (OTH)
signals with the receiver, you can delete the satellite locals from
the on-screen program guide and in their place will appear your own
OTA locals. Thereafter, when tuning in to any OTA channel gotten
through the antenna, the channel info that momentarily appears at the
top also show a signal strength meter. Pretty neat setup from Dish on
the VIP625 unit and so far, everything works like it's supposed to.

The antenna I got looks a lot like this:
http://www.summitsource.com/product_...oducts_id=4544
and I have it suspended by high-test fishing line in my attic.

Thanks. Good discount too!

DougW

In article ,
"Doug" wrote:

I had already gone there. The "Buy It Now" says U.S. only and explains it
isn't sold to Canada because the infrastructure is not sufficient yet.

DougW

I know this isn't quite the same, and it's for a Mac, but:

http://www.elgato.com/index.php?file..._eyetvhybridna
--
W. Oates