Off Air HDTV for One Station
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New member Username: NortynortyFt Lauderdale, FL Post Number: 1 Registered: Apr-06 | I have a SONY Bravia 40" LCD with cable card and all is working well. However, my cable company does not broadcase CBS in HD. Is there a simple way to get CBS HD off the air? I have no roof antenna and the TV is mounted on an interior wall (although there is access to the attic). Please advise. |
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Silver Member Username: JimkwColumbus, Ohio USA Post Number: 134 Registered: Jun-05 | I'm no expert, but my first thought was does your TV have a built in tuner? If it does you could put an antenna in the attic and run a wire from there to the TV and have all the OTA signals. I have found that OTA picture quality is better than Directv satelite HD. |
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New member Username: NortynortyFt Lauderdale, FL Post Number: 4 Registered: Apr-06 | It does have a built in tuner and I considered an antenna in the attic, but the rep from Solid Signal said that an attic antenna would not work in my home because I have a barrel tile roof. |
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Bronze Member Username: MvanmeterKY USA Post Number: 41 Registered: Jan-06 | input your zip at www.antennaweb.org and see how far you are from the broadcast tower for your CBS station. Reception of OTA with an antenna is usually a bit of "trial and error". Don't take someone's word for it....try it. If your CBS station's DTV signal is on a UHF frequency (channel 14 and above) the $25 Radio Shack U-75R is an inexpensive test antenna that can be mounted in an attic or outdoors. You will also need some RG-6 75 ohm cable and a 300 ohm to 75 ohm converter (Rat Shack 15-1140)to connect the antenna to the coax cable. $50 may be a little pricey for a test, but if it works you will get better non-compressed HD over the air than through cable or satellite. |
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New member Username: NortynortyFt Lauderdale, FL Post Number: 6 Registered: Apr-06 | After checking with several local antenna installers, none would recommend an attic installation although one said they would do it. Then following up with my homeowner's association, they were not optimistic that the board would approve and outdoor antenna. As such, I took Martin's suggestions exactly and it works beautifully. My reception is very clear and positioning the antenna using my compass and antennaweb's guide, I am now very pleased. Thank you Martin and the others who responded. |
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Silver Member Username: CableguyDeep in the ... U.S. Post Number: 762 Registered: Mar-05 | One side note, and very strong point of interest. Copied and pasted from the FCC website.... As directed by Congress in Section 207 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Federal Communications Commission adopted the Over-the-Air Reception Devices ("OTARD") rule concerning governmental and nongovernmental restrictions on viewers' ability to receive video programming signals from direct broadcast satellites ("DBS"), broadband radio service providers (formerly multichannel multipoint distribution service or MMDS), and television broadcast stations ("TVBS"). The rule (47 C.F.R. Section 1.4000) has been in effect since October 1996, and it prohibits restrictions that impair the installation, maintenance or use of antennas used to receive video programming. The rule applies to video antennas including direct-to-home satellite dishes that are less than one meter (39.37") in diameter (or of any size in Alaska), TV antennas, and wireless cable antennas. The rule prohibits most restrictions that: (1) unreasonably delay or prevent installation, maintenance or use; (2) unreasonably increase the cost of installation, maintenance or use; or (3) preclude reception of an acceptable quality signal. Effective January 22, 1999, the Commission amended the rule so that it also applies to rental property where the renter has an exclusive use area, such as a balcony or patio. On October 25, 2000, the Commission further amended the rule so that it applies to customer-end antennas that receive and transmit fixed wireless signals. This amendment became effective on May 25, 2001. The rule applies to individuals who place antennas that meet size limitations on property that they own or rent and that is within their exclusive use or control, including condominium owners and cooperative owners, and tenants who have an area where they have exclusive use, such as a balcony or patio, in which to install the antenna. The rule applies to townhomes and manufactured homes, as well as to single family homes. The rule allows local governments, community associations and landlords to enforce restrictions that do not impair the installation, maintenance or use of the types of antennas described above, as well as restrictions needed for safety or historic preservation. Under some circumstances where a central or common antenna is available, a community association or landlord may restrict the installation of individual antennas. The rule does not apply to common areas that are owned by a landlord, a community association, or jointly by condominium or cooperative owners where the antenna user does not have an exclusive use area. Such common areas may include the roof or exterior wall of a multiple dwelling unit. Therefore, restrictions on antennas installed in or on such common areas are enforceable. As you can see, there is nothing your home owners association nor your local laws can do to prohibit the installation of antennas. (and this coming from a cableguy lol  ) |
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New member Username: NortynortyFt Lauderdale, FL Post Number: 8 Registered: Apr-06 | Cableguy, Thanks, this is an important point and something I plan to share with my association as it is hard to believe that there aren't others in my community who want to get OTA signals, especially since our local cable company does not transmit CBS in HD. Norty |
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