Antenna problems

[Mott441]

I recently purchased the radio shack 190XR antenna hoping to watch the local networks in HD, but living out in Suffolk County, Long Island I'm finding that the reception is crap considering that Manhattan is about 40miles away. I've haven't gotten around to grounding the antenna yet, but RS suggests that I do that. Is there any hope in that I'll be able to use my OTA to watch the locals in HD or am I a sucker and will just have to settle for Direct TV's 2 HD channels. My wife gona kill me!

What kind of cable do you suggests: RG59 or RG6?
I am currently using RG59.

[mpholic]

I don't have any first hand experience concerning the reception in Long Island maybe somebody reading the boards the lives in your area can help.

Some advice though would be to figure out which local stations carry your HDTV signals. Most HDTV stations are carried on UHF and your antenna may be more geared to VHF. Many antennas though are designed to receive both.

Then find out where the stations transmission towers are located (in your case you think they are in Manhattan), in my city the towers are in different directions so I have to point my antenna in different directions. The antennaweb.org site can tell you the general direction of the station transmitters from your address.


You said you are forty miles away from the signal source, you may want to consider an antenna preamplifier. Antenna preamps mount very close to the antenna where the signal you receive is closet.

[kevinw]

How about some specifics..

What type of tuner are you using?

What type of signal strength do you have?

How is the antenna mounted-on roof or in attic?

Is your crappy picture break ups or freezing of the picture.

[Mott441]

My HDTV is the RCA 38" in which the tuner is inside the unit and the antenna is mounted on the rooftop. The picture is moving not frozen and contains alot of interference(lines). The TV doesn't list signal strengths it only says that the signal is weak.

[kevinw]

One thing about digital is either you have it or you don't. Something like lines is an analog problem. What Hd programs have you tried to watch, because it sounds like you may be watching the analog station instead of the digital?

[Mott441]

After hooking up the Antenna late last night(at about 12 midnight)
I tried to watch Jay Leno, but since September 11th I figured that maybe he's not being broadcast in HD here in NY. While at work today I had my wife back at home tune into to CBS and she said that the 16x9 screen was full and the signal stunk. So that leaves me to believe that we're receiving the digital signal. I'll double check the RCA manual for anything related to the tuner. I do know that there are two antenna inputs, but I received the same results with both of them.

Tonight I'll be hooking up DirectTV. I'm keeping my fingers cross for that too.

[kevinw]

Or possibly you were watching the analog picture stretched to fit your screen? A digital picture that is malfunctioning looks all black or block like(pixelation). No lines should be there at all.

Good luck

[Mott441]

Come to think of it I did put on a DVD movie for the kids this morning in which I utilized the 16x9 screen setting. Thanks for all of your advice. Unfortunately I will not be able to check anymore responses to this thread until Monday when I return here to work.