Is there such thing as OTA HDTV without dropouts?

I live about 12 miles away from the broadcasting antenna. I receive
about 40 OTA (over the air) channels. However, it seems like no
matter which channel I'm watching, there are always drop outs. The
picture or the sound does something weird. Then it goes back to
normal.

Although HDTV is much more clear. I actually prefer analog because I
don't have to worry about a dropout.

Stan

wrote in message
ups.com...
I live about 12 miles away from the broadcasting antenna. I receive
about 40 OTA (over the air) channels. However, it seems like no
matter which channel I'm watching, there are always drop outs. The
picture or the sound does something weird. Then it goes back to
normal.

Although HDTV is much more clear. I actually prefer analog because I
don't have to worry about a dropout.

Stan


http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/fixes.html

wrote:
I live about 12 miles away from the broadcasting antenna. I receive
about 40 OTA (over the air) channels. However, it seems like no
matter which channel I'm watching, there are always drop outs. The
picture or the sound does something weird. Then it goes back to
normal.

Although HDTV is much more clear. I actually prefer analog because I
don't have to worry about a dropout.

Stan

Yes, there is such a thing as no or almost no dropouts. I rarely get
dropouts for the strong signal stations. Only the more distant marginal
stations have occasional dropouts and that is typically in poor weather.

Drop puts such as you describe can be due to multipath or a marginal
signal. What does you tuner signal meter show when you have dropouts?
The signal meters can be a % from 0 to 100 or some variant of a series
of bars. Do the signal meter jump over a wide range? Is the antenna
indoors, in the attic, or outside? Another possibility - do you live
near an airport or is the antenna aimed pass an airport?

If you want help, please provide the antenna model #, your zip code, and
what you are using as an ATSC tuner as a starting point.

Alan F

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" wrote:
In article . com,
wrote:

I live about 12 miles away from the broadcasting antenna. I receive
about 40 OTA (over the air) channels. However, it seems like no
matter which channel I'm watching, there are always drop outs. The
picture or the sound does something weird. Then it goes back to
normal.

Oh, but it's DIGITAL quality!

snicker

Dont' listen to Elmo, he's a troll.

I suspect your signal is too strong and is overloading
your tuner. You may need to attenuate the signal.

Chip

--
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Usenet Newsgroup Service $9.95/Month 30GB

On Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:31:48 -0700 wrote:

| I live about 12 miles away from the broadcasting antenna. I receive
| about 40 OTA (over the air) channels. However, it seems like no
| matter which channel I'm watching, there are always drop outs. The
| picture or the sound does something weird. Then it goes back to
| normal.
|
| Although HDTV is much more clear. I actually prefer analog because I
| don't have to worry about a dropout.

Do you see any glitches or pulses or other interference on the analog?
One possible cause if the problem affects all channels is some loose
connection somewhere along the antenna lead line.

--
|---------------------------------------/----------------------------------|
| Phil Howard KA9WGN (ka9wgn.ham.org) / Do not send to the address below |
| first name lower case at ipal.net / |
|------------------------------------/-------------------------------------|

wrote:
On Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:31:48 -0700 wrote:

| I live about 12 miles away from the broadcasting antenna. I receive
| about 40 OTA (over the air) channels. However, it seems like no
| matter which channel I'm watching, there are always drop outs. The
| picture or the sound does something weird. Then it goes back to
| normal.
|
| Although HDTV is much more clear. I actually prefer analog because I
| don't have to worry about a dropout.

Do you see any glitches or pulses or other interference on the analog?
One possible cause if the problem affects all channels is some loose
connection somewhere along the antenna lead line.


The only loose connection involved is likely that between your pea brain
and your typing fingers. I don't think I've seen a connection between
the two, ever, you ignorant, self centered, hypocritical blow hard.

Matthew

--
I'm a consultant. If you want an opinion I'll sell you one.
Which one do you want?

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

wrote:

On Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:31:48 -0700 wrote:

| I live about 12 miles away from the broadcasting antenna. I receive
| about 40 OTA (over the air) channels. However, it seems like no
| matter which channel I'm watching, there are always drop outs. The
| picture or the sound does something weird. Then it goes back to
| normal.
|
| Although HDTV is much more clear. I actually prefer analog because I
| don't have to worry about a dropout.

Do you see any glitches or pulses or other interference on the analog?
One possible cause if the problem affects all channels is some loose
connection somewhere along the antenna lead line.

--
|---------------------------------------/----------------------------------|
| Phil Howard KA9WGN (ka9wgn.ham.org) / Do not send to the address below |
| first name lower case at ipal.net / |
|------------------------------------/-------------------------------------|

That or a tree in the way?

I have zero problems with any kind of drop outs on my setup.

If you have this issue on all stations, then its some global problem
such as a bad connection, or something getting in the way of the
signal.

In article ,
wrote:

I live about 12 miles away from the broadcasting antenna. I receive
about 40 OTA (over the air) channels. However, it seems like no
matter which channel I'm watching, there are always drop outs. The
picture or the sound does something weird. Then it goes back to
normal.

I suspect your signal is too strong and is overloading
your tuner. You may need to attenuate the signal.

As someone who also lives "too close" to the transmitter farm, and with
an old tuner, I have to agree. One of the local analog stations here (on
ch 7) has a horrible ghosting problem, so it is reasonable to assume
that multipath problems are also happening on digital.

I have to aim my outdoor antenna very precisely to get every channel to
tune in well, and there are still times when one channel gets dropouts.
Meanwhile, in another room, a crappy FM dipole indoor antenna gets good
results, except for one local station which is consistently low
strength, not just dropping out.

The first thing to do in this case is to NOT use an amplified antenna,
it will just make things worse. Try rabbit ears, but rotate them to find
the best position.

On Aug 3, 5:45 pm, Alan F wrote:
wrote:
I live about 12 miles away from the broadcasting antenna. I receive
about 40 OTA (over the air) channels. However, it seems like no
matter which channel I'm watching, there are always drop outs. The
picture or the sound does something weird. Then it goes back to
normal.

Although HDTV is much more clear. I actually prefer analog because I
don't have to worry about a dropout.

Stan

Yes, there is such a thing as no or almost no dropouts. I rarely get
dropouts for the strong signal stations. Only the more distant marginal
stations have occasional dropouts and that is typically in poor weather.

Drop puts such as you describe can be due to multipath or a marginal
signal. What does you tuner signal meter show when you have dropouts?
The signal meters can be a % from 0 to 100 or some variant of a series
of bars. Do the signal meter jump over a wide range? Is the antenna
indoors, in the attic, or outside? Another possibility - do you live
near an airport or is the antenna aimed pass an airport?

If you want help, please provide the antenna model #, your zip code, and
what you are using as an ATSC tuner as a starting point.

Alan F

Alan,
Thanks for helping me. I looked at my main channels 2,4,5,7,9,11, and
13 and it appears about 75% strength average. I think the 2 channels
that barely have any dropout have a consistent strength at 75%. The
other ones when there is a drop out, the signal varies from 75% to 40%
or below.

The antenna is in the attic. I don't know the model, I just know that
it's one of those really big antenna VHF/UHF antenna that are suppose
to be on the roof. Probably 5 feet big when it's open. I know the
model, I just know I bought it 15 years ago for about $100.00. The
antenna is hooked up with the same type of wire they use for cable
TV. The closest airport is over 20 miles away. Is that close?

My zip code is 91770. I typed my zip into some website and it told me
that all the big channels are about 12 miles away from me. There
aren't that many hills where I live also. The TV i have is a
Philips 30PW9110D/37B that has a built in QAM digital tuner.

I would apprecitate any help.

Thanks,
stan

On Aug 3, 5:46 pm, wrote:
"Elmo P. Shagnasty" wrote:

In article . com,
wrote:

I live about 12 miles away from the broadcasting antenna. I receive
about 40 OTA (over the air) channels. However, it seems like no
matter which channel I'm watching, there are always drop outs. The
picture or the sound does something weird. Then it goes back to
normal.

Oh, but it's DIGITAL quality!

snicker

Dont' listen to Elmo, he's a troll.

I suspect your signal is too strong and is overloading
your tuner. You may need to attenuate the signal.

Chip

--
--------------------http://NewsReader.Com/--------------------
Usenet Newsgroup Service $9.95/Month 30GB

My next question was should I buy a bigger antenna? My signal
strength goes between 75% to 40%.

Stan