OTA HDTV Signals

[Port]

So as it is, our gameroom doesn't have cable wiring. Just the way our place is (we rent btw) and after getting the gameroom up and running, we didn't want to upheave things by having it wired. So we just use it for games and we're happy with it (as you can be when dealing with older systems and HD).

This morning, I remembered about over the air signals. Being close to NYC, I figured we had to have them out there, so I picked up a cheap but well reviewed indoor HDTV signal antenna.

Just curious if anyone here has viewed OTA signals or set up their TV to take these signals in. I figure most have a cable box plugged in, but it can't hurt to ask.

As this is our only TV, I'm kinda psyched to be able to watch HD TV on our HDTV.

[redstar.division]

I set up an indoor HDTV antenna to my TV and got ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW, PBS, a couple of Discovery channels, and a couple of others without much of an issue. Sometimes there's some interference and I'm forced to switch to the regular station. I'm about 20 miles out of Boston and it seems to work fine for me. It has the regular channel than the HD channel is 25-1 or 5-1, overall not a bad solution considering I don't watch a lot of TV and would rather not pay for cable.

[Wildkat]

I have DirecTV, and since they really dont offer HD locals for the Hartford area yet, I use one of those "clip on a dish antennas" for my network HD.

Keep in mind, this isn't analog, so picture quality will NOT be an issue at all. Once you get a good, usable signal the picture is fantastic. Plus you usually get all sorts of little sub channels, like "The Tube" a 24-hr music video channel and some localized weather channel type stuff. Best of all, its free.

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

if you go here, and put your address in, it will tell you all the OTA channels you can pick up with the different types of antennas you will need to pull them in.

I get all the major networks, as well as the CW, and even a Telemundo channel. Hartford has no local PBS broadcasting in digital yet, which sucks, but I can pull in one from Springfield, MA as well as thier HD ABC and NBC stations.

[Port]

Ooo, sweet. Thanks guys. Turns out I have ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS and CW available to me, and Telemundo and 2 indy stations. Whoop whoop! Can't wait to watch Lost in HD tonight.

[K3V]

OTA HD is much better than satellite/cable HD because it's uncompressed. And free.

I set up a pair of rabbit ears and was able to pick up a bunch of local channels no problem.

[D_N_G]

my gameroom i use the OTA, works great and , Lost is awesome in HD

BTW the HDTV antennas are a scam, you really only need rabbit ears. powered signal amp rabbit ears work the best ~20 bucks

[Razor Ramon]

I was thinking about cutting my digital cable and getting rabbit ears for my HDTV. So is the picture that much better on HD channels?

I get NY stations since I'm just across the Hudson from it. Can anyone tell me the channels that are on OTA HDTV?

[Wildkat]

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

Put in your address, it will tell you.


I put in a random NJ zipcode clicked digital only and got this..

* red - uhf WNYW-DT 5.1 FOX NEW YORK NY 15° 23.7 44
* red - uhf WPIX-DT 11.1 CW NEW YORK NY 15° 23.7 33
* red - uhf WWOR-DT 9.1 MNT SECAUCUS NJ 15° 23.7 38
* red - uhf WCBS-DT 2.1 CBS NEW YORK NY 15° 23.7 56
* blue - uhf WXTV-DT 41.1 UNI PATERSON NJ 15° 23.7 40
* blue - uhf WPXN-DT 31.1 ION NEW YORK NY 15° 23.7 30
* blue - uhf WABC-DT 7.1 ABC NEW YORK NY 15° 24.2 45
* violet - vhf WNJB-DT 8.1 PBS NEW BRUNSWICK NJ 312° 30.3 8
* violet - uhf WNET-DT 13.1 PBS NEWARK NJ 15° 23.7 61

[K3V]

I was thinking about cutting my digital cable and getting rabbit ears for my HDTV. So is the picture that much better on HD channels?

Yes.

[Port]

Well the cheap indoor HDTV antenna I got wasn't cutting it. It would get signals but they would constantly cut out. Going to return it and try and get a set of powered rabbit ears like DNG. The channels I did get (local NJN) were very sharp though.

I did manage to find two extra ABC stations, one which was like that Bloomberg network. When I stuck the antenna out the window, I got about 23 HD stations found.