OTA

[ShmoeTheHo]

Hey guys,

Pardon my possible ignorance, but I can't seem to find a thread with my answer.

I neglected to have a cable run for OTA to my hr-20, nor did I need a multiswitch at the time.

The way I was cabled (all new runs, yay!) I can drop a Zinwell WB68 in the mix at any time very easily.

So if I drop the multiswitch, run a line to the OTA port of my HR-20, am I to assume that the dish itself is going to act as an OTA antenna? Or did DirecTV actually drop an OTA antenna with all of your installs as well?

Any assistance is much appreciated!

[shoelessjoe]

Hey guys,

Pardon my possible ignorance, but I can't seem to find a thread with my answer.

I neglected to have a cable run for OTA to my hr-20, nor did I need a multiswitch at the time.

The way I was cabled (all new runs, yay!) I can drop a Zinwell WB68 in the mix at any time very easily.

So if I drop the multiswitch, run a line to the OTA port of my HR-20, am I to assume that the dish itself is going to act as an OTA antenna? Or did DirecTV actually drop an OTA antenna with all of your installs as well?

Any assistance is much appreciated!

The dish does NOT act as the antenna. You need to connect to a regular TV antenna(the same type used for analog signals) to get your locals via OTA. Outdoor antennas are better but in some cases, indoor antennas (rabbit ears, etc.) work fine. It depends how far you are from the station's transmission tower.

[ShmoeTheHo]

The dish does NOT act as the antenna. You need to connect to a regular TV antenna(the same type used for analog signals) to get your locals via OTA. Outdoor antennas are better but in some cases, indoor antennas (rabbit ears, etc.) work fine. It depends how far you are from the station's transmission tower.

Thanks, I also guess they no longer make OTA antennas that will mount to the slimline dish?

[shoelessjoe]

Thanks, I also guess they no longer make OTA antennas that will mount to the slimline dish?

I'm not really sure, but a good outdoor antenna with a rotor is worth the price. I pick up HD in 3 different DMAs, so I have a lot more channels than D* is allowed to offer. Best of all the picture quality is superb...better than the cable stations here.

[msmith]

In Marlton, you might not need an external antenna.

Try this Terk antenna (http://www.amazon.com/Terk-HDTVa-Amplified-High-Definition-Reception/dp/B0007MXZB2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-5420244-0007106?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1193688107&sr=8-1) (probably available at Circuit City or Best Buy too).

I use the unamplified version with a Radio Shack pre-amp on the top of my AV stack on the first floor. Pointed in the right direction (it's highly directional), I get 3, 6, 10, 12, 17, 29, 35, 57, and sometimes 52 (it's in the other direction and VERY close to me).

[shoelessjoe]

In Marlton, you might not need an external antenna.

Try this Terk antenna (http://www.amazon.com/Terk-HDTVa-Amplified-High-Definition-Reception/dp/B0007MXZB2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-5420244-0007106?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1193688107&sr=8-1) (probably available at Circuit City or Best Buy too).

I use the unamplified version with a Radio Shack pre-amp on the top of my AV stack on the first floor. Pointed in the right direction (it's highly directional), I get 3, 6, 10, 12, 17, 29, 35, 57, and sometimes 52 (it's in the other direction and VERY close to me).

I heard people have success with that model when you are close to the transmission towers. ..Are you trying to pick up most of the Philadelphia channels with it?

[msmith]

I heard people have success with that model..do you pick upmost of the Philadelphia channels with it?

That list of channels is all the "big 6" in Philly, plus the PBS, another public station, and my local PBS (NJ has a PBS mini-network).

The Big 6 are: ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW, MyTV