[MikeekiM]

I am considering hoisting up a UHF/VHF antenna this weekend to get OTA HD programming... I am also a DTV subscriber...

Is the additional OTA content in the Bay Area, above and beyond the local HDs offered by DTV already, worth the hassle???

I really don't care about the argument over "HD Lite" and the higher compression of DTV... I am just interested in the content... And quite honestly, if I can avoid hoisting an antenna, I'd rather avoid it...

Bottom Line: What additional programming does an OTA antenna bring to me?

Thanks All!

 

[Inches]

If all you are interested in is OTA DTV then a UHF antenna is all that is necessary. If you have a direct shot to Sutro & Bruno you won't need much of an antenna. I am running a 28db gain and still can not get 7 or 20 DTV.

What you get is all the digital sub channels. As an example KQED 9-1 is HD when on but 9-2 through 9-5 you can also pick up. You will not get any PBS HD over satellite, for now.

 

[redfiver]

You get the most additional programming from PBS. For our house, 9-5 (KQED Kids) was one of the stations we really wanted, as well as the HD version of PBS.

depending on where you are at, you may need a fairly large antenna. I'm in San Jose and needed an 8-bow UHF antenna to get all the stations, but they all come in just fine. On the HR20, i'm using several of the stations via the satellite instead of through the antenna (such as KTVU-2) as the signal strength from those stations is pretty weak.

 

[bigpuma]

depending on where you are at, you may need a fairly large antenna. I'm in San Jose and needed an 8-bow UHF antenna to get all the stations, but they all come in just fine. On the HR20, i'm using several of the stations via the satellite instead of through the antenna (such as KTVU-2) as the signal strength from those stations is pretty weak.

Interestingly when I lived in Campbell all I needed was a small Zenith Silver Sensor UHF antenna which I placed on the shoulder of my chimney. It picked up every channel except NBC after they moved towers.

 

[pgtogo84bsxy]

I live in Vallejo and in addition to the extra PBS channels, when I had my HR10 with OTA, I also got:

2 or 3 more ABC channels. One was a weather channel and one had local shows like gardening and house repair (??) I think NBC had something like this, but the signal was never strong enough.

Channel 20 in HD- This is because this used to be OTA for the WB (KBWB).

Channel 44 in HD- formerly UPN's KBHK 44, but they are now CW. As of now, D* doesn't have this network as one of their local HD networks.

I moved to the HR20 to get FOX, NBC, and CBS as my HD locals as the OTA signals weren't always reliable. For me, it isn't worth the hassle to get the other OTA channels right now, although it would be nice to have CW as one of D*'s local HD networks.

 

[redfiver]

Interestingly when I lived in Campbell all I needed was a small Zenith Silver Sensor UHF antenna which I placed on the shoulder of my chimney. It picked up every channel except NBC after they moved towers.

I wish I could have used a smaller antenna. I couldn't get all of the stations before. But, it may have been because KNTV was still broadcasting from Loma Prieta. I was a beta tester for KNTV when they were moving their antenna to Mt. San Bruno (as I called and complained about their HD coverage for the olympics often...they asked if I would provide them signal strenth during the testing of their move). Most of the stations all broadcast from Sutro, but KTVU's signal strength is less than the others coming off Sutro. I talked to the engineers from KNTV about this at length (KTVU would never get back to me...), and they knew about the signal strength and position of all of the local stations. KNTV and KTVU broadcast HD in VHF, which is part of the problem as well. But, I get everything now, so it's all okay. If i repointed my KAGI antenna, I could probably pick up some salinas/monterey stations, but it's just not worth it to me. The Bay Area stations are much better.

 

[taylorhively]

IMost of the stations all broadcast from Sutro, but KTVU's signal strength is less than the others coming off Sutro. I talked to the engineers from KNTV about this at length (KTVU would never get back to me...), and they knew about the signal strength and position of all of the local stations. KNTV and KTVU broadcast HD in VHF, which is part of the problem as well. But, I get everything now, so it's all okay.

I thought KTVU was channel 56 (uhf.) Is my info wrong? I got it from antennaweb.org. It's also on Sutro according to my antenna pointing.

I'm picking it up just fine on my TiVo HD DVR and Sony TV, althought this signal is barely strong enough with the small amplified outdoor antenna I got from Radio Shack.
It's 64 miles away from my house and the antenna claims 50 mile range.
I just got a larger UHF only antenna with 75 mile range that I hope will help. I hope KTVU is really UHF, that was half the point of getting a larger UHF only antenna.

As for KNTV 11, it's on channel 12. But I'm in south san jose so I can pretty much pick it up with anything. Even the smallest omni directional VHF antenna should get it for me.

The DirecTV's HR-20 has it's frequency mapping messed up since KTVU just changed the PSIP for broadcasting. I hope that's fixed soon, but that could be why you don't get CH 2-2.