Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions

Del Mibbler <mibbler@large> wrote:
> ANTant@xxxxxxxxxx wrote (in part):

> >I was told that I need an outdoor antennae and not rabbit
> >ears type in the other reply in this thread. This might be a problem since
> >I cannot place one outside the house. :( I am upstair (second floor)
> >though.

> First, you need to know what stations you're dealing with. Someone
> else posted the AntennaWeb list for your area, but you should visit
> the site yourself (www.antennaweb.org) and plug in your Zip+4 to get
> the listing for your house (don't forget to uncheck the boxes that say
> it's OK to spam your address). You can also see a map centered on
> your location showing the direction and distance to the transmitters.
> The listing and map can be filtered to show analog only, digital only
> or both. Look for analog UHF stations at the same location as your
> digitals.

Here are my results with the extra four digits:
* yellow - uhf KVEA-DT 39 TEL CORONA CA TBD 322 17.1 39
* yellow - uhf KTBN-DT 23.1 TBN SANTA ANA CA 323 17.8 23
* yellow - uhf KTLA-DT 5.1 WB LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.0 31
* yellow - uhf KWHY-DT 22.1 IND LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.0 42
* yellow - uhf KRCA-DT 62.1 IND RIVERSIDE CA 322 17.1 68
* yellow - uhf KPXN-DT 30.1 i SAN BERNARDINO CA 322 17.1 38
* yellow - uhf KSCI-DT 18.1 IND LONG BEACH CA 322 17.1 61
* yellow - uhf KOCE-DT 50.1 PBS HUNTINGTON BEACH CA 323 18.0 48
* yellow - uhf KDOC-DT 56.1 IND ANAHEIM CA 323 18.1 32
* yellow - uhf KTTV-DT 11.1 FOX LOS ANGELES CA 323 17.8 65
* yellow - uhf KMEX-DT 34.1 UNI LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.1 35
* yellow - uhf KCAL-DT 9.1 IND LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.1 43
* yellow - uhf KCBS-DT 2.1 CBS LOS ANGELES CA 322 18.5 60
* yellow - uhf KNBC-DT 4.1 NBC LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.0 36
* yellow - uhf KJLA-DT 57.1 IND VENTURA CA 323 18.0 49
* yellow - uhf KLCS-DT 58.1 PBS LOS ANGELES CA 323 17.8 41
* yellow - uhf KCET-DT 28.1 PBS LOS ANGELES CA 323 17.8 59
* yellow - uhf KCOP-DT 13.1 UPN LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.1 66
* yellow - uhf KFTR-DT 46.1 TFA ONTARIO CA 12-05 323 18.0 29
* yellow - uhf KAZA-DT 54.1 AZA AVALON CA TBD 323 18.0 47
* yellow - uhf KABC-DT 7.1 ABC LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.1 53
green - uhf KCET 28 PBS LOS ANGELES CA 323 17.8 28
green - uhf KAZA 54 AZA AVALON CA 323 18.0 54
green - uhf KLCS 58 PBS LOS ANGELES CA 323 17.8 58
green - uhf KMEX 34 UNI LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.0 34
green - uhf KDOC 56 IND ANAHEIM CA 323 18.0 56
green - uhf KOCE 50 PBS HUNTINGTON BEACH CA 323 18.0 50
green - uhf KRCA 62 IND RIVERSIDE CA 322 17.1 62
green - uhf KXLA 44 IND RANCHO PALOS VERDES CA 323 18.0 44
* green - uhf KXLA-DT 44.1 IND RANCHO PALOS VERDES CA 323 18.1 51
lt green - uhf KSCI 18 IND LONG BEACH CA 322 17.1 18
lt green - uhf KPXN 30 i SAN BERNARDINO CA 31 19.5 30
lt green - uhf KWHY 22 IND LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.0 22
lt green - vhf KTLA 5 WB LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.0 5
lt green - uhf KVEA 52 TEL CORONA CA 322 17.1 52
lt green - uhf KTBN 40 TBN SANTA ANA CA 323 17.8 40
lt green - vhf KTTV 11 FOX LOS ANGELES CA 323 17.8 11
lt green - vhf KCAL 9 IND LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.1 9
lt green - vhf KNBC 4 NBC LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.0 4
lt green - vhf KCBS 2 CBS LOS ANGELES CA 322 18.5 2
lt green - uhf KFTR 46 TFA LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.1 46
lt green - vhf KCOP 13 UPN LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.1 13
lt green - vhf KABC 7 ABC LOS ANGELES CA 323 18.1 7
blue - uhf KSMV-LP 33 IND SIMI VALLEY CA 323 18.0 33
* blue - uhf KVMD-DT 23.1 IND TWENTYNINE PALMS CA 73 64.6 23
violet - uhf K27DS 27 ABC YUCCA VALLEY CA 73 64.6 27
violet - uhf KVCR 24 PBS SAN BERNARDINO CA 78 37.5 24
violet - uhf K69CO 69 PBS RUNNING SPRINGS CA 60 53.8 69

Most of the channels are coming from North West direction. Five are from East side. I guess this
list looks good.


> If you're getting good reception (even with light snow or light
> ghosts) on UHF analog stations broadcasting from the same location as
> your digitals, then you probably can use your existing antenna.

Ah cool. :) I heard it is either you get a picture or you don't. Is that
true? So, these fuzzy pictures on channels 2, 4, and 5 will be good in
HDTV.


> Rabbit ears can be used for UHF; just shorten the elements. Or an
> inexpensive loop antenna (you could even make your own for a test, but
> they're so cheap you might better buy one). Next step up is the
> Zenith Silver Sensor, about $20-25 mail order, or Sears will sell you
> one for $40. Works very well for an indoor UHF antenna. Finally, a
> 2- or 4-bay bowtie. These are outdoor antennas, but they don't take
> up much room and can often be used indoors. I don't think you need to
> go to that extreme, especially since you seem to be doing OK with
> rabbit ears except on low VHF channels. All your digitals appear to
> be UHF.

Good sign. :)


> If your house is encased in metal (aluminum siding, foil-faced
> insulation, metal window screens) you might have a problem. Best bet
> in that case, if a window faces the transmitters, is to replace the
> screen with a plastic one and mount the antenna at the window. Try to
> keep any indoor antenna away from where people walk (especially rabbit
> ears and loops) because a person near the antenna can throw the
> reception off.

This house is pretty much wooden on a hill edge. :)
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