Digital TV Antennas

[Poprivet]

My moho has an satellite dish/ antenna that, since I don't use the satellite, I was going to replace it with the original delta antenna. No luck finding a delta. Now I read that with digital TV, a whole new line of antennas will be offered designed to receive digital tv?

Anyone have information on these "new" antennas?

[rickandsandi]

Sorry David, I haven't seen anything yet. Since the normal broadcasting over the airwaves is to end in '08 I'm not sure what everyone is going to be doing. From what I have gathered from other forums is that the antenna you and I have is going to be fine, we will need to add a digital receiver or decoding box.

[Dover]

I recently purchased a Winegard Digital Reciever. It uses the existing antenna on your rig to receive the signal which is then broadcast on your TV in a digitial (many HD) format. Camping World has this item for 189.00 and an informative viedo to view before you spend any money.

Terry

[Poprivet]

Originally Posted by tnewmanedu

I recently purchased a Winegard Digital Reciever. It uses the existing antenna on your rig to receive the signal which is then broadcast on your TV in a digitial (many HD) format. Camping World has this item for 189.00 and an informative viedo to view before you spend any money.

Terry

So Terry, Whats your assessment of the receiver?

[CanoeStream]

This seems to suggest the antenna stays the same. It's a good FAQ section on broader aspects of the subject in any case. OVER-THE-AIR DIGITAL TELEVISION RECEPTION FAQ: New to OTA? Start here! - AVS Forum

I browse AVSForum now and then -- just won't look at their traffic numbers. And we think we're awesome hitting 20,000 members...

[Jim & Susan]

Off air DigitalTV is broadcast in the same part of the spectrum as analog. I don't think there is a need for a special type of ant, as others have suggested.

Jim

[CanoeStream]

Would it really be necessary to purchase an RV (Winegard) digital receiver? At least there is time to look before analog disappears or digital gets to all markets.

[rickandsandi]

Bob-

You have really good point there! Why worry about it now if you don't have too and, let everyone else buy them now and later on when the price goes down decide it you need it. To be honest, if we are boondocking, we don't have the power to spare to watch TV nor the time too. If we find ourselves at a campground 80% of the time they have free cable. So why bother at all with the digital? Don't we go camping to get away from it?

[Poprivet]

Originally Posted by Canoe stream

This seems to suggest the antenna stays the same. It's a good FAQ section on broader aspects of the subject in any case. OVER-THE-AIR DIGITAL TELEVISION RECEPTION FAQ: New to OTA? Start here! - AVS Forum

I browse AVSForum now and then -- just won't look at their traffic numbers. And we think we're awesome hitting 20,000 members...

Thanks Bob, That is a good link full of information.

[Pick]

Nothing special about antennas for digital signals.The same antenna you have been using all along will work just fine. It's just marketing hype.

You do however need a television receiver with an "ATSC" tuner. Analog tuners are "NTSC". I see a lot of people buying old stock NTSC "HD Capable" analog sets, thinking they are getting a deal because they are going so cheap now. You MUST have an ATSC tuner to receive HD and digital signals off air. Most if not all TV stations are broadcasting in both formats.

[Poprivet]

Ok - I use a laptop computer with a tv tuner card to get tv in the rv. I just looked and the card is for ntsc. Sometime I will have to get a tuner card for atsc and I'll be all set. I thought I got a very good deal on the tuner card when I bought it. Gotta be careful when buying tv stuff for the next couple years.

[Condoluminum]

The digital and HD signals are in a different (higher) frequency band than existing analog channels (VHF and UHF). Those channels are greedily coveted by other industries, and FCC has decreed they'll be shut down and given to mobile data companies right after Super Bowl in 2009 (Isn't politics wonderful...). FCC kept the $$ from auctioning off the frequencies...

They (the government and industry) will make several million discount coupons available in late 2008 to buy so-called ATSC tuners for older TV's that don't have digital tuning capabilities, as prices on tuners come down.

HD and Digital TV work well off newer over the air antenna's, though older smaller flat-screen TV's (like ours in Trailer..) will need one of the new tuners. We are enjoying all local stations in SF area on two HD TV's fed by roof antenna. No cable, no satellite, no monthly fees...We found Daryl Bassard of HDRV Antenna's in Stockton, CA, and he has developed line of RV antenna's designed for digital signals. They're more of flat plate than bars, and will easily fit onto existing Winegard-type retracting antenna structure.
He's at (209) 475-0703 or Welcome to HDRV Antennas Good guy, sells kits you can install or have installed, or will do himself, if you're on west coast...

John McG

[rickandsandi]

OK so we get you know what again by the technology changing faster than we can pay off the last A/V purchase. I'm going back to watching cave paintings!

[Condoluminum]

I should have included the pricing.. The "Aluminum" model to match an Airstream is $79.95... If TV has ATSC receiver built in, no further expense, and no monthly fees or subscriptions, and no additional receiver to buy. If TV is an old one, without the new digital "tuner", then a tuner is supposed to cost less than $30, and coupons may make them much less expensive...

For those who travel with and use satellite receivers and dishes, going High Def will be between you and your satellite service... The ATSC receiver card for a laptop will be a great option connected to upgraded trailer antenna in a year or so...

Or, you could leave the trailer and watch sunsets, stars, local scenery or campfire, if video coverage is not good...

John

[Jim & Susan]

I have a freq chart at work that shows both the old (anolog) and new (HD) bands at work (they are right next to each other). I'll try to see if I can post some it here tomeorrow (if I have time). There really should be no need to puchase a new antenna to watch HDTV. It's mostly sales hype from marketing companies. Receivers are a completely different story.

Jim

[thecatsandi]

David,
The winguard batwing antenna (currnetly installed on AS) works just fine for both Analog and digital. They are in the same frequency spectrum.

If you by a new HDTV make sure it has among other things a ATSC and NTSC tuners.

[SafeHarbor]

Thanks, John. I have been religiously opposed to amping up a basic dipole since I've gotten the Airstream, so I regard the batwing with some disdain. The old style, sort of complicated, Skyliner on my Argosy is such a better antenna. I just ordered the HDRV antenna to cram down on the batwing pole.

I have one of the cheap "Enhanced resolution" Sanyos mounted on the wall next to the fridge. With this antenna and a (hopefully) cheap converter, I hope to pick up some of the Atlanta stations that have been a STRUGGLE for the batwing.

Oddly enough, at home I don't have cable or a satellite, but I do have DSL. Most of what I watch is online, from iTunes, from Blockbuster (online ordering AND in store), and from my small DVD collection. Recently I've started watching scififreetv.com online, too. I only takes about 30 kbs of the DSL connection, and it's fine in a small window of my PC.

I also have a Media Center PC that I'm using as a work computer, and it's not hooked up to cable OR an antenna now. I'm using it to play my XM Roady II through.

I'll let y'all know if installing the HDRV antenna on the Winegard's mast is any great trouble. (Just have to add it into the list of OTHER repairs and upgrades I need to do to get it ready to hit the road this spring.)

Lamar

[tntssafari]

Originally Posted by David Alan

Ok - I use a laptop computer with a tv tuner card to get tv in the rv. I just looked and the card is for ntsc. Sometime I will have to get a tuner card for atsc and I'll be all set. I thought I got a very good deal on the tuner card when I bought it. Gotta be careful when buying tv stuff for the next couple years.

Hey David,
Never heard of a tv tuner card for my laptop. Does it just pick up what you would get with an antanne in a local area or do you have to subscribe to a service? Was it spendy?
Thanks,
Tammy

[Poprivet]

Originally Posted by tntssafari

Hey David,
Never heard of a tv tuner card for my laptop. Does it just pick up what you would get with an antanne in a local area or do you have to subscribe to a service? Was it spendy?
Thanks,
Tammy

Hi Tammy - Do a google search on TV tuner card and you will see what it is. They are just small external tv tuners that plug into a USB slot. Most come with a remote control. The one that just get analog signals are pretty cheap now($40 - $50 ) and the ones that get both NTSC and ATSC are more pricey ($100 - $200 ). I'm certainly no expert in this area and you should see more posts with better information. You can get them at places like Circuit City. Welcome to the forum.

[tntssafari]

Originally Posted by David Alan

Hi Tammy - Do a google search on TV tuner card and you will see what it is. They are just small external tv tuners that plug into a USB slot. Most come with a remote control. The one that just get analog signals are pretty cheap now($40 - $50 ) and the ones that get both NTSC and ATSC are more pricey ($100 - $200 ). I'm certainly no expert in this area and you should see more posts with better information. You can get them at places like Circuit City. Welcome to the forum.

Thanks for the information David. Looks like a good option since the laptop already goes everywhere I do.
Tammy