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FREE HDTV RECEPTION This article is written with helpful
information to get you started with receiving free HDTV by using indoor or
outdoor antennas to receive tv stations off the air. How can this be? The recent changes from analog TV, (the old type of TV signal that took up lots of frequencies), to the new digital formats, enabled the TV stations that do the actual broadcasting over the air of the signals in high definition or standard DTV signals enable them to broadcast both types of digital signals. (standard free DTV and FREE HDTV). After the change, those people who did not have
an HDTV must either buy one or use a converter box on their old "analog"
TV to get "standard definition" DTV pictures. By their nature, HDTV signals off the air do not usually travel as far as the old type analog signals did; so the reception "RANGE" of most of them is much shorter. A digital tv signal is either excellent or non existent; unlike the old analog tv that may have had a "snowy" picture but still watchable. When the digital signal is not strong enough for the digital tv to "lock on", then the picture becomes "pixalated" or very blocky with many colored squares or just a plain blank tv screen! This symptom usually means you need a stronger signal coming to your tv with an external tv antenna. To make up for this, the adding of a good external "tv antenna", usually outside or up high or both to your HDTV should drastically improve the number of stations you can get and for free. Now here is where the term "HDTV ANTENNA" comes into play...there is no such thing as an "HDTV antenna" regardless of what you have seen in any advertising. The laws of physics are the laws of physics....! TV antennas are designed to receive a group of frequencies, not a particular "type" of signal. The antenna does not know the difference! Most manufactures of tv antennas mearly add the
word "HDTV" or "high definition" to their antenna ads to make it look like
this is some new fangled super duper device designed specifically for
HDTV...THEY ARE NOT!. The free HDTV signals over the air that
are broadcast by the local tv stations, can not tell the difference from
an "HDTV" antenna or another antenna that does not have the "HDTV"
word in it's advertising. An antenna designed properly to receive a group
of frequencies is an antenna, is an antenna..that was not a typo. So don't
pay extra for an "HDTV" hyped antenna...period. Any standard good quality
TV antenna will work fine just the same as long as it is designed for
your reception area and
you just saved some hard earned money! Most of
the advertising for tv antennas now include the word "HDTV" making you
believe that they are something "special" designed specifically for HDTV.
They are not. 1. You must live in an area that is capable of receiving over-the-air (OTA) broadcast signals. In other words, you must be within the coverage area of the tv stations you are trying to receive and have a good signal from them off the air. Much of the U.S. population should live within range of an OTA broadcast tower. This may not be true if you are living in a very rural area, like a desert or where a mountain range is between you and the stations/s. It is possible to live within the range of a broadcast tower and still not get a signal, like if you live near large buildings or have physical objects such as a metal roof, large buildings, large hills and other objects blocking the signal getting to your tv antenna. 2. Your local broadcast stations must be transmitting in digital or HDTV. All commercial tv broadcasters are now required to transmit DTV and HDTV is an added bonus. 3. You either have an HD TV
that has a built-in digital (ATSC) tuner or a HD-ready TV and an external
HD receiver connected to it OR if you have the older analog tv, you will
need a digital to analog converter
box. Questions: I was under the impression and had heard or saw in writing that I am not allowed to put up a TV antenna to receive over the air free tv signals where I live due to local homeowners associations, etc. Is this true? A frequent concern to many renters or home owners is the fact that outside tv antennas are not allowed due to various "rules and regulations" of home owners associations, etc. This is far from the truth. The FCC overrides these so called "rules" in most cases. So don't be afraid to put up an outside tv antenna! For the source of this information, see this link to the info on the FCC website here. This is Federal law and completely overrides any local homeowners association, renters law, landlords rules or rules or regulations you may have heard! It is a long read! Read it carefully and understand what it says. What antenna should I buy
for receiving FREE DTV or HDTV? There are many variables in the answer to this question, but distance from the TV station transmitter, its direction from you, its power output, its tower height, terrain between your home and it, obstacles, and your tv antenna height and design, etc ALL play a very important part in the answer. So how do I buy the right tv antenna for my location? Getting free HDTV reception or "standard
definition" digital TV using a converter box for off the air tv requires
an antenna designed for your reception location relative to the tv
station/s transmitter and its direction and distance from your
home. If you live in a location that is between many
different free HDTV stations coming from every direction at different
distances, then you will have to decide whether or not to attempt to get
all of them by using a directional antenna with a rotor. First, you need to know in what direction from you the transmitting station/s are. Tip: The FCC provides free information for use in aiming your antennas by using maps of All Full-Service Digital Television Station Coverage Areas and also a very handy Reception Coverage area web page. One of many methods to decide on direction and what type of antenna needed to get free HDTV is to use a tv signal coverage map like the example below for the Dallas/Ft.Worth area taken from FCC engineering pages mentioned above:
I have added some "circles" to the map for clarity and
explaination. You won't see my circles on the FCC maps! Areas between the blue and the black circle should get best reception using outside house top type antennas. Areas beyond the black circle need the most powerful and very large outdoor type antennas to get the best reception for free DTV and HDTV. These are sometimes called fringe or deep fringe. The small red circle
is my approximate location about 50 miles from the transmitting tower for
KERA TV and the red arrow is the direction I would need to aim an
outdoor directional antenna. However in my location, the terrain is very
flat between my house and the transmitting tower and most of the
Dallas/Ft.Worth transmitters are located in the same area in the
center of the map. So you can see that obstacles, height and terrain make a lot of difference in my case. Your situation may be entirely different than mine due to all the many variables. Areas between the outer
most red circle and the black circle should use the very large
directional antennas. If you happen to live beyond the outer circle, you
would not get this tv station unless you happen to be on a very high
mountain top! Remember, you won't get the old "snowy" picture. With the
way digital tv works, you will normally get nothing at all. DTV Reception and
Antenna aiming maps using your address, city, zip
code. Now to see the direction from you to the station transmitter, simple pick a station call sign (Call letters), from the list on the left, click it and a line will appear on the map from your location to the transmitter site for that station. This is the direction from you to the station in a straight line. Check other station directions by doing the same with their call signs. Unclick each when you are done with them to keep the map from being very cluttered. Look below each station call sign for "Compass direction to tower"..you should see a number..this is the direction on a compass you should use in aiming your antenna for that particular station. Record the compass heading for many stations on the list and hopefully, they will all be within a very few degrees of each other..take the average of them and that is the direction you want to aim your antenna using a compass. Also pay attention to the "band" the tv station transmits on...If all are UHF, then you will only need an antenna designed for UHF and not a VHF/UHF TYPE. If there is one or 2 stations listed as VHF and you want to recieve them, then you will need an antenna designed as VHF/UHF. Antennas are usually measured in gain so the higher the number, the better it will perform for you. Tip...if you are several miles "out" from the transmitter locations, then by aiming your antenna for the best signal strength for one, then they all should be very close as far as aiming is concerned if they are all within a few degrees of each other. In most metro tv areas, the transmitter sites are NOT within the center of the city on a map..they are usually outside of the center of the city sometimes many miles. If you happen to be very close to the stations
and the compass headings are "all over the place" in many
directions, then to get the best reception, you may want to consider
using an antenna rotor and "aim" them separately each time you change the
channel. Using an antenna rotor is usually not needed though. The signals
will ususlly be strong enough if you live within a few miles of the tv
tower. There are basically 3 to 4 types of tv antennas with many models and price ranges in between depending on your needs and pocket book. The cost of the antenna is a very cheap considering you only have to pay for it one time and you don't have to worry about paying those high cable or satellite tv bills (hundred$ of dollars over the year), over and over for a bunch of channels you never watch. We have some recommended examples
below: 1. Short
range, small "set top" antennas such as what are called
"rabbit ears". 2. Medium range outdoor all directional or directional antennas. The all directional types are sometimes called omni-directional. These are the most popular rooftop antennas because of their modest size and expense. These are mounted outside your home or up in the attic as a worst case and receive from all directions or from one direction depending on their design type. Many have internal amplifiers to boost the tv signals to a stronger level than the standard set top or rabbit ear types. 3. Long range directional sometimes called fringe or deep fringe. These types are used when the tv signals are very weak and when they come from one direction or can be rotated or aimed at the station with a mechanical "rotor". These types are usually very LARGE and used when the less expensive antennas will not work in your area. Selecting which of the types above may be confusing for you, but to be able to get free HDTV, bigger, HIGHER and OUTSIDE is always better if that is possible for you and your situation. We've done lots of research for you and here are a few highly recommended and highly rated antennas that should get you great reception depending on your situation and location relative to the stations. If you are undecided, always go a step higher in price than what you think you will need. Remember, outside tv antennas are much better than set top types for receiving free HDTV OR DTV signals. Indoor..Used indoors in metro and urban areas very close to the stations. Usually sets on the tv or nearby. Try them near a window facing the station. Experiment with the best inside location. Outdoor..Used outdoors in areas from 10 miles out to about 30 to 45 miles when stations are in many different directions from you. Highly recommended. Comes with 50 feet of coaxial cable. This is an amplified antenna and should not be used when closer than 10 miles to nearest station. Very powerful
and very large outdoor antenna used in extreme distances out
to about 100 miles from stations and is highly directional. Usually
requires a rotor to aim the antenna if stations are located in
different directions. If this antenna does not work for you due to being
too far from the stations, then bottom line.... you will have to go back
to paying dearly for cable or satellite! IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS WHEN INSTALLING ANTENNAS Remember, when working on a roof, use two or
more adults. Follow the instructions and installation guides
that come with the antenna. Never walk on a composition roof in cold weather. Do not install in high winds or when ice and snow or wet roofs can cause you to slip and fall. Follow the instructions that came with the antenna. Don't shortcut the procedure. People are severly injured or even killed installing antennas. Use extreme caution and get professional help if needed. Wear sneakers or crepe soles, and use a safety rope. Always watch for power lines. Never install any antenna over, under or near power lines where they can fall on the antenna or the antenna or any part of it can fall on them! If this happens then the free HDTV may not be so free! Some common questions:
Hints and Tips! Always use NEW high grade coaxial cable like
RG-6. Never use RG-59 due to higher signal losses in it. You want the
maximum signal from the antenna passed to the tv. Remember, you are not paying dearly
for literally hundreds of channels you will never watch. And don't
forget about all those "music" channels" that your paying for. Free tv off
the air provides your basic tv needs so why pay for all those extra
channels when you don't need or want to? Follow the instructions that come with the antenna. NEVER use small thin metal tubing to support the antenna. The wind will take it down and all of your work will have been for nothing. We are not responsible for nor liable for your
installation under any circumstances! Summary...Why you should be viewing FREE HDTV off the air: Save Hundreds! The average cable or satellite tv subscription is about $75.00 per month nationwide in the U.S. An inexpensive set top rabbit ear antenna can be less than a good meal out! An outside TV antenna is more expensive but you can get more local stations.....free! The Most Watched Programs are on Local TV Stations...why pay extra to get your local news, etc from satellite or cable when you can get them for FREE using your own antenna? Off the Air TV is Always On! Weather such as rain does not bother local off the air tv reception like cable or satellite tv does. Off the air tv uses entirely different frequencies and technology! Best HDTV Quality! The technology is entirely different receiving the HDTV signals off the air. Easy to Install! Connect your external antenna to the "ANT" input of your HDTV, rotate it to receive the most stations and your done! Follow instructions for the TV for off the air reception. If your home is already wired for more than one tv, then you can in most cases connect the wiring to the new external antenna. No set top boxes or convertors required! So what are you waiting
for...get yourself an external
antenna and start watching FREE HDTV! Online sources for external antennas and more info: Use Amazon.com search window below or click the text link to search for TV antennas. Great Deals!
This article written and copyrighted by
Don Butler Hamuniverse.com
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