HDTV with ATSC/NTSC tuners, need antenna?

Right now I have standard definition...no cable. I get stations with
an antenna reasonably well.

If I get an HDTV will I need an antenna (HDTV) or does the fact that
it comes with 3 tuners (ATSC/NTSC/QAM) mean that I won't need one?

I've heard that if you get regular cable the QAM tuner will somehow
pull HDTV cable out of it.

kpb wrote:
Right now I have standard definition...no cable. I get stations with
an antenna reasonably well.

If I get an HDTV will I need an antenna (HDTV) or does the fact that
it comes with 3 tuners (ATSC/NTSC/QAM) mean that I won't need one?

I've heard that if you get regular cable the QAM tuner will somehow
pull HDTV cable out of it.

If the set has both ATSC and NTSC antenna
inputs, connect your antenna via a splitter into
the two inputs and do an auto-search. If it has
a single antenna input you won't need a splitter.

See what you get.

After the channel migration in 2009 you can
scrap the VHF portion of your antenna.

--
pj

In article , pj wrote:

kpb wrote:
Right now I have standard definition...no cable. I get stations with
an antenna reasonably well.

If I get an HDTV will I need an antenna (HDTV) or does the fact that
it comes with 3 tuners (ATSC/NTSC/QAM) mean that I won't need one?

I've heard that if you get regular cable the QAM tuner will somehow
pull HDTV cable out of it.

If the set has both ATSC and NTSC antenna
inputs, connect your antenna via a splitter into
the two inputs and do an auto-search. If it has
a single antenna input you won't need a splitter.

See what you get.

After the channel migration in 2009 you can
scrap the VHF portion of your antenna.

Um, it depends on where the OP lives. Some stations will retain (or
revert to) their VHF frequencies after Feb, 2009.

--
Tom Stiller

PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3 7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF

pj wrote:
kpb wrote:
Right now I have standard definition...no cable. I get stations with
an antenna reasonably well.

If I get an HDTV will I need an antenna (HDTV) or does the fact that
it comes with 3 tuners (ATSC/NTSC/QAM) mean that I won't need one?

I've heard that if you get regular cable the QAM tuner will somehow
pull HDTV cable out of it.

If the set has both ATSC and NTSC antenna inputs, connect your antenna
via a splitter into the two inputs and do an auto-search. If it has a
single antenna input you won't need a splitter.

See what you get.

After the channel migration in 2009 you can scrap the VHF portion of
your antenna.

Wrong. The TV channels that are being re-allocated for other use are
UHF 52 to 69. After the analog shutdown, TV broadcasting will take place
on VHF 2 to 13, UHF 14 to 51. Quite a few stations will be switching
their digital signal to their analog channel after the shutdown

Because of interference problems, only 37 full power stations have
selected to return to VHF low 2 to 6. The most prominent is WPVI-DT ABC
6 in Philadelphia which will moving from UHF 64 to VHF 6. There will be
some 450 digital stations on upper VHF 7 to 13 after the analog shutdown
and final digital channel move. The good news is that many larger UHF
antennas also have decent gain for upper VHF, so the people who selected
their antenna carefully should be ok.

To the OP, yes, hook up the current antenna and see what stations you
can get. In many cases, if the antenna has decent UHF performance, you
won't need to mess with the antenna at all.

Alan F

On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:01:23 -0800, kpb wrote:

Right now I have standard definition...no cable. I get stations with an
antenna reasonably well.

If I get an HDTV will I need an antenna (HDTV) or does the fact that it
comes with 3 tuners (ATSC/NTSC/QAM) mean that I won't need one?

Just use your old antenna if it's adequate for your location. There's no
such thing as an HDTV antenna. You will pick up all ATSC stations in your
area. ATSC provides for HDTV. Be sure and run a scan after you hook it up.
I'm assuming your current antenna is pointing in the direction of the TV
transmission towers and you have a UHF/VHF antenna.

I've heard that if you get regular cable the QAM tuner will somehow pull
HDTV cable out of it.

Sometimes, but then only the same channels you get for free OTA with an
antenna.



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On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:11:51 -0800, pj wrote:

After the channel migration in 2009 you can scrap the VHF portion of
your antenna.

Not everywhere. A lot of stations will still be using vhf. We have one
here on channel 9 now. Not sure if some of the others are moving back to
vhf at changeover or not, but many stations with NTSC vhf feeds will move
their atsc feeds there in 2009.

--
Want the ultimate in free OTA SD/HDTV Recorder? http://mythtv.org
My Tivo Experience http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/tivo.htm
Tivo HD/S3 compared http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/mythtivo.htm
AMD cpu help http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/cpu.php

"kpb" wrote in message
...
Right now I have standard definition...no cable. I get stations with
an antenna reasonably well.

If I get an HDTV will I need an antenna (HDTV) or does the fact that
it comes with 3 tuners (ATSC/NTSC/QAM) mean that I won't need one?

Try the antenna you have now first, keeping in mind that the HD channels
will likely be on UHF. Channel assignment in you area might change early
2009. As for cable, if the TV has separate antenna and cable inputs, connect
the obvious. If there is a single antenna connector, you will have to choose
whether you want cable or antenna; a splitter won't work, and a switch will
only work for CH2 - 13 for the service that is not set up.

I've heard that if you get regular cable the QAM tuner will somehow
pull HDTV cable out of it.

Mine did, but the analog SD channels will look crappy compared to what they
would be on digital cable. To get all the channels you would need a cable
box or CableCard. Don't hold your breadth on the latter.

Tam

On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:11:51 -0800 pj wrote:
| kpb wrote:
| Right now I have standard definition...no cable. I get stations with
| an antenna reasonably well.
|
| If I get an HDTV will I need an antenna (HDTV) or does the fact that
| it comes with 3 tuners (ATSC/NTSC/QAM) mean that I won't need one?
|
| I've heard that if you get regular cable the QAM tuner will somehow
| pull HDTV cable out of it.
|
| If the set has both ATSC and NTSC antenna
| inputs, connect your antenna via a splitter into
| the two inputs and do an auto-search. If it has
| a single antenna input you won't need a splitter.
|
| See what you get.
|
| After the channel migration in 2009 you can
| scrap the VHF portion of your antenna.

Bzzzt. False.

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

On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:11:51 -0800 pj wrote:

| kpb wrote:
| Right now I have standard definition...no cable. I get stations with
| an antenna reasonably well.
|
| If I get an HDTV will I need an antenna (HDTV) or does the fact that
| it comes with 3 tuners (ATSC/NTSC/QAM) mean that I won't need one?
|
| I've heard that if you get regular cable the QAM tuner will somehow
| pull HDTV cable out of it.
|
| If the set has both ATSC and NTSC antenna
| inputs, connect your antenna via a splitter into
| the two inputs and do an auto-search. If it has
| a single antenna input you won't need a splitter.
|
| See what you get.
|
| After the channel migration in 2009 you can
| scrap the VHF portion of your antenna.

I know of stations that will be doing their post-2009 digital broadcasting
on channels 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, and 13 just in and very near my own state.

I would rather have had all the TV stay on 14-69 or so, and put at least
some of the new radio services on 174-216 MHz instead. But that's not the
way it will be.

PJ ... maybe you can provide a list of TV markets in which all the full
power stations will be exclusively on UHF only.

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

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 03:58:33 -0500 T Shadow wrote:

| Try both and see for yourself. Not that difficult if you already have both.
| Location and personal preference make it difficult for others to recommend,
| IMHO. If my TV had 3 tuners all three would have something connected. Last
| time the cable did maintenance it was down a day and a half.. Antenna always
| gets something.

Last time my antenna was down for maintenance, it didn't get anything for
over a week.

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