Video Asylum

Posted by tunenut (A) on June 07, 2008 at 12:18:10

In Reply to: RE: Something that *might* help... posted by Russell on June 02, 2008 at 22:21:58

Well, before I read your post, I suspected that I could change the aspect ratio with this Zenith. Now that you've pointed me to the Zoom button, the aspect ration problems are solved.

This has been a big step in the right direction. Depending on the broadcast itself, I can watch letterbox or full screen and the things that are supposed to be full screen are now really full screen.

The digital picture is really very nice. I am preferring it to analog, when available.

The rub remains reception. I have to mess with the antenna to pick up about half the channels. One channel barely comes in at all, unless I put the antenna up against a window, and even then it is marginal.

I tried your suggestion- no help. I've been hoping to hit a sweet spot, but after a lot of messing around, I am realizing the sweet spot varies with each channel. So today I plan to try an amplified antenna and see if that gets me there.

Once an antenna is reliably working, my own personal DTV conversion will be accomplished.

It's not all that easy. I can see a lot of dismayed people next February.

Later update: I found a Philips amplified antenna for $40 at Circuit City, checked the web, found out it is $30 at Walmart. I drove over and picked it up. Very carefully opened it, so that I could repack it and take it back. I did not expect much.

However, the amplification has brought me to an almost fully acceptable state. I am using the full 50 dB. I am reliably picking up all but 2 stations now, and I consider them both minor and unimportant. The other 2 stations seem to be watchable with careful antenna adjustment, but then I lose the fully stable configuration on everything else. So I am pretty much there.

Indoor antennas are very specific to location, but for the record, this is the Philips MAT510.

Edits: 06/07/08