Can you get hdtv broadcasts with a regular antennae?
dpepperdrinker asked:
I get one hdtv channel (abc) even though I dont think the antennaie I bought was for hdtv. The other hdtv channels I dont get. I dont have cable just rabbit ears. I do have an hdtv television. The antennae I bought may be an hdtv one but it was very cheap 9$. Is this the reason I only get one channel?
I get one hdtv channel (abc) even though I dont think the antennaie I bought was for hdtv. The other hdtv channels I dont get. I dont have cable just rabbit ears. I do have an hdtv television. The antennae I bought may be an hdtv one but it was very cheap 9$. Is this the reason I only get one channel?
July 29th, 2008 at 10:56 am
There is no such thing as a digital or HDTV antenna-it’s a marketing gimmick. There are indoor antennas that are better than simple rabbit ears, but they may not be good enough for you if you are far from the broadcast antennas. You may need an outdoor antenna. See the links below.
July 31st, 2008 at 5:47 pm
An HDTV Antenna is a UHF antenna. Rabit ears are not propper and have the wrong resonance. Conventional TV broadcasts on longer wavelength VHF frequencies and rabbit ears are tuned to these frequencies. A UHF antenna is typically round or bow tie in shape and smaller (due to the wavelength being shorter)
The best HDTV signals are those you pull of the broadcast air. Broadcast network stations delviered via cable or satellite have a variety of signal compression algorithms applied and the image quality does suffer some.
Because HDTV signals are UHF (ultra high frequecy) in character, they are directional (VHF signals were more omnidirectional) so you might have to aim your antenna in the proper direction to find the signals from the other stations in your area. Where I live, there are two broadcast towers we need to aim for, fortunately, they are sort of in the same direction so we split the difference and get a fair signal from both towers. Fortunately, a digital broadcast eaither works or does not, so moderate signal strength delviers just as good a picture as does a strong signal.
Astrobuf
August 4th, 2008 at 1:48 am
Spend the money on an outdoor antennae and booster, I think you will be very happy, I know with mine I have to have a strong signal for the HD channel to work so a booster really kicks it up. I know they passed a law that all local broadcasting channels have to go to HD digital, but some are behind but most major broad-castings are there. I think your problems is in the reception department. Also there is a web site that tells you how to position your antennae to get the best reception by your address, sorry I can not recall it though but it will so you where all station are in your area, I am fortunate to get 2 cities here although fox channels here suck in HD.