Video Asylum

Posted by petew (A) on January 14, 2002 at 13:42:51

In Reply to: What Antenna / Reciever to get for HDTV reception?? posted by Wega Owner on January 12, 2002 at 21:30:10:

the ordinary "analog" antennas work just fine for receiving digital over-the-air broadcast signals. You have to be very careful how you aim them. see the link below to find where that is for your location:

http://www.antennaweb.org/scripts/esrimap.dll?name=cemaweb&Cmd=Raymap&lat=40.1418172914131&lon=-75.462979910961&Obstructed=No

Does your set have a tuner that accepts DTV signals (should be an "F-type" 75ohm cable input on set labled "UHF/VHF/DTV or something like it)?

If your set does not have the digital tuner/decoder then you will need the "set-top box" or HDTV decoder box. Sony's new one, the HD100 will take analog and digital cable signals, cable boxs, and Directv satellite signals and output 480i and 1080i as well as s-video and regular F-type standard tv signals.

The "HDTV" antennas you see advertized are a bunch of marketing crap, sort of like the "digital ready" advertizing seen on loudspeaker boxes all throught the 90's.

You can get HDTV with no antenna at all if you're in the right place, or a set of "rabbit ears", or your FM antenna, or your old analog tv antenna strapped to the chimney or bolted to the roof.

Check the link below (provided by Tom, see his post below) to see how far you are from the broadcast towers, what directions you need to aim at, and what kind of antenna you may need.

• DTV antenna directions and range