I Cut The The Cord!

[launderess]

That's what I did!

Nabbed an Access HD digital converter box and RCA Ant200 Antenna off fleaPay for a decent price (would have been better if some stupid sniper hadn't tried to outbid, when will they learn), and the kit arrived this morning.

After spending a good part of the afternoon setting the thing up (ran the converter box connection through the VCR), and fooling with the antenna to get best signal strength am now that well pleased! We have at least 15 digital channels on our 'old" JVC CRT, some of them in HD. This includes all CBS channels currently being blacked out due to a dispute that network is having with Time Warner Cable.

At first converter box kept saying "no signal found" but again after awhile of fooling around managed to sort that lot out.

Picture is crisp, clear and streets better than the old analog and or cable signals via direct hook-up. Only downside so far cannot pick-up any of the local PBS stations. May look into other antennas to see if we can get those and or perhaps more stations.

Thanks to all in the group who posted under other threads about cutting the cord. Just one month of not having to pay TWC more than covers what one paid for this kit.

 

[danemodsandy]

Oh, Thank GOD.

You meant cutting the cord of your TV cable.

I was afraid this was going to be about a first attempt at midwifery! ;-)

 

[whirlcool]

Now all you need is a Roku XS box to have access to the entire world of free programming. Do you have a network on your computer?

 

[launderess]

Well About One Week On Now

And all the misery of antenna television came flooding back! *LOL*

Having reception fade in and out, stations being *there* one day and not the next or even several hours later. Oh and the joys of finding a spot where *all* channels can be received.

Since must use an indoor antenna have resisted thus far any urge to push out the boat for anything more than the RCA "bunny ears" that came with the converter box. These are amplified and after a few days of moving the thing about to different locations finally found a spot on top of a large and tall bookcase that seems to *work*. By that we can reach about 40 stations but lost CBS (channel 2) which we received when initially had the antenna on top of the television.

You see the problem was couldn't get PBS, and *THAT* would never do, hence all the moving about. Problem is our local PBS station is a "high VHF" frequency while CBS, channel 2 is a low one. We can get one or the other atm, but not both. Well could but would mean getting up and readjusting the bunny ears each time, and that gets old very fast.

Anyone considering thinking about going OTA must realize and not get to worked up over number of channels received by antennas. Yes, you may pick up 20, 30, or more channels, but a bulk of them are rubbish. Just as with cable many are simply affiliated clones of major stations. In these instances what is on one channel is also on another or more. So you really aren't getting that many "new" content channels. Much of the rest are also Latino/Hispanic, religious, public access/local government, religious and shopping (QVC, etc...) stations. Think out of the 40 or so stations we now get only really watch a handful.

Am thrilled with the following stations: Movies!, Antenna, This TV,

Between them am seeing old television shows (Rin Tin Tin, Outer Limits, All In The Family, Maude, etc.. ) haven't seen in ages. The movie channels show older and even some newish (so far up to the 1980's and early 1990's) that one either hasn't seen in awhile or never. Last night we watched WUSA with Paul Newman, an under rated and unappreciated work that apparently did not do well in it's first BO run.

Now the downside: commercials, commercials, and more commercials. Had forgotten how many and long those breaks are. Still it gives one a chance to do what we did "back then"; go for a bevvy and or snack, pick-up a conversation, use the powder-room, etc..

 

[sudsmaster]

It is possible to use two antennas and to mix their signals into one input into the TV, using a simple inexpenive coax signal splitter wired to combine two signals rather than split one signal. Also there are newer indoor antennas designed specifically for digital TV reception.

At one time I believe multi-story apartment buildings had antennas on their roofs, and a wiring system to deliver the rooftop signals to all the apartments below. When the wiring was the old 300 ohm "twin lead", the signal degradation must have been horrific. Coax 75 ohm cable resists ghosting and other interference much better. I wonder if your building has that wiring... or if it can be resurrected. New York City being the origination point for so much TV and radio programming I would think the signal strength should be pretty good once the roof is reached.

 

[retromania]

Launderess: Is your antenna on the roof? Are you close to a tv station?

 

[launderess]

NYC Signal Strength Is All Over The Place

Things only got worse after 9/11/01 since the Twin Towers were where most television and IIRC radio signals were broadcast from; this was natural since they were the tallest buildings in the area. Happily the "Freedom Tower" is nearly complete and it's antenna has been installed.

From what one has been reading (and one has done quite a lot of that) on this matter "HDTV" and "digital" antennas are more a marketing gimmick than anything else. Most antennas from old rabbit ears to Yagis will pick up signals digital or analog. Yes, there are various differences in sensitivity but what really matters is the design and where the thing is located.

Since we cannot put an antenna on the roof (have a huge building management would not be happy), for now it is where it is. When things calm down will purchase longer cable and a connector to allow the thing to sit in window. We shall see then if reception is clearer and or more stable.

It is very odd but then again the nature of OTA broadcasts that so many things can affect. Wind, rain, planes, automobiles, trucks, persons walking by, etc... all can bring things to a halt.

In the old days of analog if one had a poor or weak signal at least you got "ghosts" or a grainy picture. Not no more. If the signal is week with digital you see nothing. Interruptions bring on pixilation but that either resolves or you loose the picture totally.

All and all am not unhappy about the quality of OTA broadcasts. Frist it is free which says something. Next one does not watch that much television to really get worked up about things. It is just a comfort and sometimes a necessity (news, weather or when one is ill), but other than that....

One worry is recording programs onto VCR. It can be done as the antenna is routed through the VCR, but am worried about gaps or loss of signal. Could end up with part or most of the program missing.

Sudmaster:

Think many buildings sealed up and or took down master antennas in Manhattan at least when cable was rolled out. Have heard stories from old timers in tenement or smaller buildings that people used to hang antennas out windows or place them on fire escapes (a big NO-NO). Others simply put them on the roof of the building. Was not told what various landlord responses were to such actions. It was all that or simply put up with bunny ears indoors.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Commercials are all over and dominate the programs on cable, too. You can almost forget channel surfing because unless you wait 5 minutes, all you see are commercials. Last week I put the 8 qt pressure cooker full of potatoes and carrots on the 3500 watt induction unit set for full power. Then I turned on the TV. The pressure was up and I was ready to turn down the power before the commercial break ended. Also, the channels are screwing with the volume again. The programs are purposely broadcast at reduced volume and the commercials are LOUD. Even effing PBS does this. The program ends and the PBS break comes on and just about blows the speakers out of the TV.

 

[whirlcool]

As I mentioned earlier, a Roku box would fix most of these problems. There are some commercials on only a few of the stations, but the majority have no commercials at all. And there are tons and tons of television programs to watch.

 

[tolivac]

Folks living in large citys with tall buildings suffer what is called the "canyon effect"on VHF and UHF TV,radio signals.the buildings block,reflect,or distort the signals.The only effective antennas for these are the master systems on the building roof and signals distributed to each apartment.In these buildings,portable antennas may or may not work.If you buy such a thing-agree with the store you can return it for refund or exchange for something else.
Digital OTA TV is a new animal now-unlike the analog-where a weak signal gave you a snowy picture and noisey sound-digital receivers suffer the "plateu effect" either the set works or it doesn't.Another thing-the FCC has moved many OTA tv stations to UHF and Hi band VHF(Ch7-13)The lo band-Ch2-5 the frequencies are scheduled to be auctioned off to other services.Guess that was part of the change!Free up some bands for other uses.Was said many of the other wireless data services wanted the old TV channels.
A strange thing--in large citys with big buildings-the AM stations do really well in those places-folks can get the AM well there.

 

[launderess]

Quite A Few Households In NYC Are Going OTA

With Time Warner and so forth seemingly having lost their minds about prices, coupled with a weak economy and employment market persons have to make do and mend.

Most when they sit down and do the sums quickly realize they are paying way too much each month for cable and getting little in return.

Have read accounts of NYC residents in back apartments facing brick walls and obtaining decent signals. It all depends upon the antenna. Those facing fronts of buildings are best off, and those facing South are better still.

Don't see master antenna's making a huge comeback for larger buildings here in NYC. Not with Time Warner, Verizon FIOS and DishTV amount other sources. Landlords/building management just do not want the hassle and liability costs involved.

 

[tolivac]

With many of the portable antennas working-we are now getting the GOOD part of the Canyon Effects.The buildings are acting as a conduit to route signals.This often happens,too.Could explain why the antennas are working.You just have to be lucky enough that your apartment faces the good side.When I was a cliff dweller in older times-if you wanted OTA-the building master antenna was the only thing you could use-it was even in your lease that you were to agree to connect your TV to it.I don't think most landlords enforced the agreement,though.I used to use the buildings system or a portable antenna depending on the station I was trying to see-Wash DC area.Surprizing with the portable antenna I was in place that the UHF stations from Baltimore came in well!Some of the DC stations-not so well.
I can go along with not wanting to use the pay TV services such as cable and sattelite.Just their bad service and reputation and constant rate hikes-and their service doesn't improve.I don't use any of these-get flyers in the mail constantly from them--into the shredder they go!!

 

[wayupnorth]

I would love to cut the cord

Unfortunately, where I live has a ton of trees that mess up the regular tv now that its digital, especially it is stormy with a roof antenna, now that it is digital like now. I have DirecTV without locals which works most of the time under a grandfathered package that has alot of mostly garbage channels that have mostly commercials, but not one or two networks I would like. BUT if I change anything, my rate goes way up. I got PrimeStar satelite for the commercial free stations many years ago and it went away, I would love to have it back.

 

[davey7]

I know I'm bumping this

I just got a converter box from a friend after not having one for two years. I was amazed at how good my reception is (and my problem is the opposite of Launderess's, no big networks, but all the PBS channels). Despite facing away from the Sears Tower (yeah, Willis it ain't) I have a perfect reception, so far.

 

[whirlcool]

To most Chicagans, it will always be the Sears Tower.

 

[Ultramatic]

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">The Sears Tower, for me too. They will always be the RCA Building, the Pan Am Building, the Queensboro Bridge, the Tri-Borough Bridge, the Interboro Parkway etc...</span>

 

[launderess]

PBS Is Fine Now

Once one has found the right *spot* all three channel "Thirteen" PBS spots come in; only problem we have is again related to living in an area with so many tall buildings. The trees still being in leaf isn't helping matters either. Find viewing later in the day and night better as is less interference from passing cars, persons, cell phones, etc...

Am really loving the "Movies!" channel. Am seeing tons of older films that have been wanting to see for ages.

 

[sudsmaster]

In San Francisco, it's primarily the Sutro Tower. It's a huge orange monstrosity erected on top of Mt. Sutro, near the UCSF Medical Center Campus. Used to be just a much smaller KGO TV/Radio transmitter location. Then the stations got together and got a waiver to build the Godzilla like tower. With the promise that it would deliver crystal clear pictures to the entire city. Well, the city being built on at least seven hills, the clear broadcasts never really came true for large parts of the city in the hills' shadows. But out here in the East Bay, have a nearly clear line of sight to the tower and the reception - esp the digital - is generally great.

 

[davey7]

Funny thing is, my immediate upstairs neighbors complain about poor reception. I think their tv is in the other end of the building and they probably have a fancy antenna they have no idea how to use (they got rid of satellite TV because they couldn't figure out how to work the remote). I just have some older rabbit ears.