Best HDTV antenna

[BROWN FIN]

Looking for the best HDTV antenna to mount in my attic. Any tips or tricks would be appreciated.

[BassAssasin]

Very interested in this as well!

[swamp snorkler]

My buddy has an HD Digital Antennae on his Trawl Boat, he catches abour 25 stations.

He catches all of the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Houma stations and sometimes a couple out of Lafayette depending where he's fishing. That covers CBS, NBC, UPN, FOX, ABC, WYES 9public), HTV (Houma station) some are repeats. Last I talked to him he was supposed to get rid of cable and get a netflix subscription and a digital antenae for his house.

[AceArcher]

Results of mounting in the attic vs outside are going to vary a good bit. (definetly better off outside)


If your determined to go in attic, Pick up a good quality medium sized, multi directional antenna with a preamp on it. Something like this will do a good job http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp...0Antennas&sku=

after getting it set up and plugged in use a site like http://www.antennaweb.org/ so that you can determine the best direction to align the antenna in.

once you have it close have someone watch the TV while you tweak the antenna.

You should be able to get 10+ HD channels in the lake charles area. There will usually be some duplicates.

Everything you don't get from those you can get on netflix or hulu.

You will be amazed at how nice true full HD channel's are.

Understand that a lot of the programs during the daytime are still broadcast in SD (most of the HD broadcasting is done in primetime only)

[AceArcher]

oh and use titantv.com to get your programming so you will know whats on each channel.

[BROWN FIN]

I'm dropping Crooked Link to go with direct tv. Just looking for a back up. The amount saved for one year pays my day care bill.

[AceArcher]

You might just be surprised with how much you get for free with the antenna.

[moe1967]

Don't buy into the "HDTV" antenna thing. In other words, there is no difference between a "HDTV' antenna and a SDTV antenna(standard definition). Any quality antenna will do what you need.

my BNL made one out old coat hangers and 2X4 and put in his attic. works very well!!!

[AceArcher]

Originally Posted by moe1967

Don't buy into the "HDTV" antenna thing. In other words, there is no difference between a "HDTV' antenna and a SDTV antenna(standard definition). Any quality antenna will do what you need.

my BNL made one out old coat hangers and 2X4 and put in his attic. works very well!!!

Indeed any antenna will pick up either regular or HD broadcasting as all the antenna cares about is whether or not there is signal. With digital broadcast if you can pick up the signal it's going to be a perfect one... (either the signal is there digitally or not, there is no in between)

The only difference between HD & regular is the Preamp, And in consideration that his signal strength in that area is not going to be the best, it is certainly worth the 10$ premium to buy an antenna like the one i listed that has a pre-amp vs one that does not.

It will make sure that he is best able to recieve channels (even one with poor signal strength), It will help offset the fact that he wants to mount in his attic (which will cut down his signal by possibly as much as 40%, and will also allow him to aim in multiple directions for more channels.

[swamp snorkler]

Ace do you have a digital antenna?

I'd like to pick one up to catch the HTV which I cant get with Directv, I would actually like to drop directv all together and get the best internet available and a hulu/netflix sunscription. Only thing holding me back is that DVR, I love being able to pause something, go do something and comeback and watch the rest. Or rewind it to see what I missed.

[BassAssasin]

What are some good ones to mount on the roof?

[Reggoh]

I have a reasonable question...
For you guys that are dropping cable/satellite all together and using Netflix and a Digital Antennae... How do you catch ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network, Outdoor Channel, Spike, TBS, TNT, Golf Channel, Discovery, etc...

I don't think I would want to give up those channels.... Is there a way to get those on Netflix or Hulu that I'm totally missing?

[BassAssasin]

Originally Posted by Reggoh

I have a reasonable question...
For you guys that are dropping cable/satellite all together and using Netflix and a Digital Antennae... How do you catch ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network, Outdoor Channel, Spike, TBS, TNT, Golf Channel, Discovery, etc...

I don't think I would want to give up those channels.... Is there a way to get those on Netflix or Hulu that I'm totally missing?

it was a big hurt for me to not have those. But i managed, I just spend more time outside playing with my kids. Prolly an adjustment i needed to make anyway.

[AceArcher]

Originally Posted by swamp snorkler

Ace do you have a digital antenna?

I'd like to pick one up to catch the HTV which I cant get with Directv, I would actually like to drop directv all together and get the best internet available and a hulu/netflix sunscription. Only thing holding me back is that DVR, I love being able to pause something, go do something and comeback and watch the rest. Or rewind it to see what I missed.

I went this route when I lived in Maryland and was very happy with it. All the HD local programing one could ever want. Netflix for show's and the internet for hunting and fishing shows etc.

Where i live at here in Leesville, there is only one broadcast channel within 80 miles, so since I needed high speed internet and the only option i had on that was cable (suddenlink) we went ahead and did the combo deal. (it chaps my **** when i have to pay for it though )

You can certainly pick up a DVR to use with your own antenna but they can be a bear to set up programming on.

[AceArcher]

Originally Posted by BassAssasin

What are some good ones to mount on the roof?

Since you live in Lafayette and have a full load of local channels (all located in that area)

Any decent roof top antenna will work fine, honestly even a multidirectional placed in your attic should be fine. (your so close to all the channel's broadcasting that you wont have an issue)

If you want a more traditional outside mounted antenna something like this will be tough to beat. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0024R4B5C/...sl_84hpy14h7_b

[AceArcher]

Originally Posted by Reggoh

I have a reasonable question...
For you guys that are dropping cable/satellite all together and using Netflix and a Digital Antennae... How do you catch ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network, Outdoor Channel, Spike, TBS, TNT, Golf Channel, Discovery, etc...

I don't think I would want to give up those channels.... Is there a way to get those on Netflix or Hulu that I'm totally missing?

Your not gonna get a direct matchup on those unless you pay to suscribe to them like on their websites....

but I got my what i wanted from searching the web for fishing / hunting videos and for watching sports in HD over the internet on sites like WIZIWIG

for example here is there list of NFL stuff that they are gonna broadcast live on dates mentioned. http://www.wiziwig.tv/competition.ph...ericanfootball

[swglenn]

I live west of Sulphur and use a Winegard HD 7698P antenna to pick up Lafayette stations, KPLC, LPB, Fox 29. I am blocked to the west pretty bad but can get Beaumont 10 off the back side. This is a large and directional antenna.

[BassAssasin]

Originally Posted by AceArcher

Since you live in Lafayette and have a full load of local channels (all located in that area)

Any decent roof top antenna will work fine, honestly even a multidirectional placed in your attic should be fine. (your so close to all the channel's broadcasting that you wont have an issue)

If you want a more traditional outside mounted antenna something like this will be tough to beat. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0024R4B5C/...sl_84hpy14h7_b

I have a crappy antenna now mounted near the tv, and all i catch is abc and fox (if i stand up on my couch and point north) and maybe pbs or something

[AceArcher]

Originally Posted by BassAssasin

I have a crappy antenna now mounted near the tv, and all i catch is abc and fox (if i stand up on my couch and point north) and maybe pbs or something

Well the nice thing about digital broadcasting is it's a case of either get it or not... there is no in-between like the snowy channels you used to get in analog.

So as long as your getting the channels you want... don't mess with a good thing.

[AceArcher]

Originally Posted by swglenn

I live west of Sulphur and use a Winegard HD 7698P antenna to pick up Lafayette stations, KPLC, LPB, Fox 29. I am blocked to the west pretty bad but can get Beaumont 10 off the back side. This is a large and directional antenna.

Probably 60 miles or so from Sulphur to Lafayette so the directional Winegard is a darn good choice.