Ready for The Digital TV Transition if you use an antenna

[sdtripper2]

Digital TV Transition
(100% digital broadcasting by February 17, 2009)

Is your trailer TV setuP to the task?


~
I just tested my

20" Vizo HDTV with my Winegard HA-0130 HIDE-A-WAY ANTENNA
this eve between putzing here on the solar sticky.
Found out I am rite and ready without a converter box. :thumbsup:
<img align="right" src= "http://akamaipix.crutchfield.com/Specials/landing/dtv/digitalConverterBox.jpg">
The Digital TV Transition
~ Digital Only is coming; 100% digital broadcasting by February 17, 2009


If you have a TV in your trailer are you ready for service if you only use an antenna?
Don;t have a newer HDTV in your trailer?
Need a $40 coupon that may be running out?

RV net talks TV's and antennas
"Trailer Life" answers many questions on hookups and boxes related to HDTV
HDTV Frequently Asked Questions


What kind of antenna do I need for HDTV?

How to Choose the Best HDTV Antenna

By norman | December 2, 2008

If you have just bought a HDTV you are probably looking for the best
HDTV antenna. Well guess what? There is no such thing as a HDTV
antenna, it�s just a buzzword made up by marketing people to sell
antennas. However there are certain antennas that do better with a HDTV.
There are a few things that you should know before you go looking for the
best HDTV antenna to make sure that you get great picture quality. Nothing
would be worse than having an expensive HDTV and then having lousy
reception.

Outdoor Multi Directional Antennas

First up the best HDTV antenna is probably an outdoor antenna. There are
indoor antennas that are quite popular but these are probably not the best
HDTV antennas for everyone. If your house is not near enough the
transmitting towers then you will have to keep changing the position of the
antenna. Not something you want to do in the middle of a movie or even
worse a live event. So stick to outdoor antennas to get the best HDTV
antenna.

There are also multi directional and directional antennas. A directional
antenna can pick up signals from further away but it must be faced in only
one direction. So unless all the channels you want are being transmitted
from the same direction you may need more than one directional antenna.
A multi directional antenna has the advantage of being able to pick up
signals from different directions and might be the better antenna for you.

Distances and Color Zones

If you live in a remote area then you will probably have to use a directional
antenna. This will give you better reception and also cut down the
interference of reflective buildings and mountains. Multi directional antenna
are good to use if you are only a short distance or medium distance away
from the transmitting towers. Any further and you will get bad reception
with a multi directional antenna.

Another way to get the best HDTV antenna for your home is to determine * use 4~4 Zip-code *
what color zone you are in. The Consumer Electronics Association has
seven color zones that categorize reception quality. The colors are yellow,
green, light green, red, blue, violet and pink. Yellow areas have the best
reception while pink has the worst. The Consumer Electronics Association * Match results of Zip-code to antenna *
recommends specific outdoor TV antenna for each color zone. Find out
which color zone you are in and you will be able to find the best HDTV
antenna for your home.

Remote TV Antenna RV & Home
Perfect RV Antenna = "Picture frame"(Video)
Choosing the best HDTV antenna (home use)
Indoor antenna rounduP
Don (Alphacarina) Suggests Omnidirectional Amplified TV Antenna

Make your own HDTV antenna:
Cheap ~ Got coat hangers ~ Want great reception for FREE ~ Key buy till you make uP your mind ***
Don't know what to buy or hook onto your trailer yet? The antennas
you see are too big and want more time to study the situation?
Make your own antenna for penny's.
Make your own HDTV antenna project (Video)

http://tnttt.com/viewto ... ht=antenna


Good luck

Tripp~Out

[kartvines]

We have the same antenna, and each time we went camping we never could get any reception on our TV, so I was wondering if we may have a problem with ours, Or we may have been too far out in the boondocks, we saw large RV who seem to have no problems.

[Arne]

ah, this brings up an area that has been baffling me. What kind of antenna to use, that works well, and is not detrimental to mounting on the tear.

I have an external jack for connecting to the lcd tv, but am reluctant to drill big holes in the tear to mount an antenna.

would like to hear what type of antennas people are using and how they are mounted with minimally invasive mounting techniques.... I don't mind not having it permanently mounted, but would like it securely mounted when in use.

I've heard that amplified antennas are much better...

[emiller]

I have a external jack also and bought this for the mean time and hooks up to my converter box. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2062081
This is a indoor antenna. Works well.

[Alphacarina]

This one will give you the best all around reception

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2062075

You don't have to mount it permanently - Just a spot for a couple of bolts with wingnuts so you can stick a short pole up in the air. As always, the longer the pole, the better it works

Marine chandelries sell something similar (a low profile, round, omni-directional amplified antenna) which is only 7 inches in diameter, but they don't work as well as the larger versions. I'm using the smaller version and it works OK many places . . . . but the bigger one would be better if you're out in the boonies

Don

[sdtripper2]

Hi, All ~



I have added some more links uP on the first post.
Make your own antenna link might be your key buy for right now.

[Arne]

I must have missed something... the video had nothing to do with antennas.

[sdtripper2]

I must have missed something... the video had nothing to do with antennas.

Arne:

Sorry about that bud ~

I handle many a URL ... and I made a mistake... can you believe that?
The top post is edited to the right video url now.

But ... her it is again here.

Make your own HDTV antenna project (Video)

Steve

[sdtripper2]

I found more information on how to select the right antenna for your exact
Zip-code. Look to the red uP on the first post. click on the form and put in
your 4~4 Zip-code and see the stations in your area.

Then go to the recommendation for outdoor antennas by color code.

[BrwBier]

Here is a picture of my antenna and how I set it up. I Just bought a camera tripod at a flee market, the antenna is from Wal-mart for about $35. It is a Philips and is amplified. It works good up to about 40 miles depending on terrain.

[emiller]

How much power do those amplified antennas use.

[sdtripper2]

BrwBier

<img align="left" src= "http://www.tnttt.com/gallery/image.php?image_id=27273"width="150" height="110" />

This idea shows that keeping it simple and using what you have works.
I like the simplicity of your antenna stand and it plays double duty.
No extra appendages hanging off your trailer either. No holes for screws,
or unsightly outcroppings. Just get the cable from the tripod to the back of
TV and yur good to go.

[BrwBier]

My TV and the amplifier for the antenna both run from converters, but, they are both 12v. So with the proper plug they could run directly from a battery.

[bobhenry]

[
Make your own HDTV antenna project (Video)

Steve

Built this puppy yesterday and it works great. The rabbit ears were registering a 22 on the signal strength after adjusting them every which way and the home built unit registered a max of 71 which is getting into the green zone but barely. These stations are all 50 miles away so I was rather impressed and the picture is fantastic. We have been watching a small black and white with rabbit ears because the 3 color sets wouldn't pull in anything. I have cable available but refuse to pay for the dribble and their info-mercials. I took a 1x6 and sawed 22.5 degree kerfs at the design lacations and ( hold on to your sides) steel banding from the lumber bunks at work as the elements. 10 2" 10 x 24 bolts and 20 washers and nuts were my sole purchase. The connecting wire was some soft copper taken from a couple feet of 12-3 romax electrical wire.
Just wire as shown and you are good to go. YES IT WORKS !

We will take it to the shivaree this week and I will try an get some pics. A.S.A.P.

BOB

[emiller]

I just built one also, haven't tried it yet. I will today.