Over the Air in Calgary - Cutting out Cable

[benyl]

Aereo is done.

http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/25/u...e-court-aereo/

In a precedent-setting decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled today that Aereo is in violation of US copyright law. The decision states that Aereo's use of tiny antennas hooked up to cloud DVR technology violates the right of companies producing broadcast content. Specifically, the decision says that Aereo's business violates the 1976 Copyright Act

[KrisYYC]

Two year thread bump!


I've been thinking about trying OTA for a while as the only thing I miss from cutting cable years ago is some kind of live local news.

Anyway somebody in my building left a Jensen Antenna on the giveaway/free table in my condo building. So I scooped it up. It's free so worth a shot.


I hooked it up to my TV and gave it a shot. Changing my TV input to ANT and scrolling the channels I can't seem to get reception for anything. Just snow. My TV isn't exactly new, it's a 2009 Toshiba Regza HDTV.

Changing the orientation of the antenna doesn't really do anything either. According to the box the antenna can pick up:

VHF 54-230 MHz
UHF 470-812 MHz
FM 88-108 MHz

Unfortunately there are no instructions in the box. The Antenna model is Jensen TV621

I looked up my address on TV Fool and this is what I got:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...dfaf30051de440

Now I'm in a low rise condo building in Haysboro. My building is concrete and my unit is on the East side of the building facing away from the broadcast locations I believe. However I am about 40 feet off the ground and my building isn't in a valley or anything.

I know I'm total noob, but any ideas? Maybe just a shitty antenna?

[Darell_n]

As far as I know you need a digital converter box fed from an antenna, then to your TV.

[kaput]

.

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by Darell_n
As far as I know you need a digital converter box fed from an antenna, then to your TV.

Really depends on the model but your TV should work out of the box.

Getting the right antenna and setting it up right is still tricky.

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by Darell_n
As far as I know you need a digital converter box fed from an antenna, then to your TV.

Most newer TVs can scan digital channels just fine. You just have to run the automated scan and it'll find them. My 5 yer old LG just goes Antenna -> TV

[KrisYYC]

Thanks for the replies. I tried the channel scan in the TV settings and it only found one channel (134) but it's still just static.

[kaput]

.

[mr2mike]

Yep, it's not like old rabbit ears. They need to be aimed to a degree.
There's websites on where to point it.

[ZenOps]

https://www.google.com/maps/place/51...4.214167?hl=en

Point your antenna here. When buying an antenna, make sure to get a directional one (preferably with a reflector behind it) as there is no other signal anywhere else in range of the Calgary area. Also, do not get a broadband antenna - try to get one specifically for HDTV wavelengths.

[Maxx Mazda]

Originally posted by mr2mike
Yep, it's not like old rabbit ears. They need to be aimed to a degree.
There's websites on where to point it.

I was able to pick up a few HD channels using an old set of collapsible rabbit ears (extend up to 6') and the channels came in crystal clear. I'm located in Coventry.

I have Shaw so it's not a necessity for me, and I'm sure I would get much better results with an actual HD antenna, but the rabbit ears DO work.

The TV I used them on is a 6 year old Sharp Aquos 52" LCD.

[benyl]

anyone use one of these:

https://www.silicondust.com/product/hdhomerun-connect/

[KrisYYC]

Originally posted by kaput
Try moving the antenna in different locations and directions during the scan to see if you can get anything. Mine was very sensitive. A few mm made the difference between getting 2 vs. 5 channels. Hold it over your head, near a window, even high in the air outside if you can. Move the TV to a different location if necessary for testing. If you still get nothing then maybe the antenna was free for a reason (try another one), maybe your building orientation completely blocks the signal, or maybe there's something more advanced wrong that will take some research effort to fix.

Thanks. I'll give it another shot this weekend. I think it might be my building as I'm on the far side facing away from the broadcast locations and my building is concrete.

Here's a question for you guys: My building was built in 1975. TV's were common then but I don't think cable into the wall (Shaw etc) TV was yet at that time. How did people use OTA in apartments back in the day? Were the analog signals stronger than the digital ones we have now? Or would apartment complexes have a huge antenna for the building and signal distributed to all the units?

[speedog]

Cable TV was probably around in 1975, for sure it was when I moved here in 1979.

[Maxx Mazda]

Kris it's possible your building has a "communal" antenna up on the roof somewhere that you may be able to tap into somehow.

[ZenOps]

Originally posted by benyl
anyone use one of these:

https://www.silicondust.com/product/hdhomerun-connect/

Kind of a silly device considering you can simply add an antenna to nearly any TV nowadays.

I'm using a $3 Dollarama HDTV antenna within city limits and pretty much get perfect reception on one TV. The other TV is using a bowtie antenna (basically a bent coathanger) made in the 1960's and it gets five out of six channels just fine.

There is also a Digiwave BMX omnidirectional antenna that usually goes for about $10. Primecables sometimes has a sale on that one, and it should be fine for anyone within city limits (excluding Hidden Valley, because they are in the shadow of Nose Hill)

In otherwords, no need to clutter up internet data frequencies with TV signals, when its just easier and cheaper to get another antenna. Ok for tablets maybe...

[benyl]

There are a few reasons I was thinking of using it.

1. Single antenna required.
2. Distribution to any device on the network.
3. DVR functionality and ability to pause live TV.

I get where you are going though, it's relatively a lot of cash when you can buy another antenna for $3.

[ZenOps]

If you just want to record and playback on same TV, they do make ATSC tuners with PVR.

https://www.amazon.ca/Mediasonic-HW-...1U/ref=sr_1_2?

I have this one (it used to be a lot cheaper at $40) Recorded ok to USB stick at full HDTV ATSC bitrate, but then I sort of just gave up on it and attached directly to TV. There are probably far better ones out there now.

[thetransporter]

anyone using a Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1800 i cant get any channels in the SCAN

with the same antenna input i cna get all channels on a TV or any other device.

[Buster]

Originally posted by benyl
There are a few reasons I was thinking of using it.

1. Single antenna required.
2. Distribution to any device on the network.
3. DVR functionality and ability to pause live TV.

I get where you are going though, it's relatively a lot of cash when you can buy another antenna for $3.

I'm thinking about getting one because it integrates with Plex.