# OTA Reception Worthless!



## mrb (Sep 14, 2006)

Just got an HR10 and hooked up the radio shack antenna that had been working nearly flawlessly when plugged directly into my hdtv here in Chicago. Now I get barely one local station (even though towers are about ten miles away). I've searched and read a bunch of fairly technical "fixes" to this issue but I am not a tech guy unfortunately and am terrified to even crack the box!
Any other suggestions other than put the antenna in a million different places in the room?
The antenna has a gain modulating dial on it, just FYI. 
RF signal attenuator?
FM trap? 
Either of these worth investigating? What a disappointment this is!


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## msmith (Apr 23, 2002)

Might be a bad splitter inside the HR10 - there were a lot of those early on.


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## mrb (Sep 14, 2006)

msmith said:


> Might be a bad splitter inside the HR10 - there were a lot of those early on.


Yeah I read about that, but this box is less than one year old I believe.

What other steps should I take prior to opening the box?


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## mrb (Sep 14, 2006)

mrb said:


> Yeah I read about that, but this box is less than one year old I believe.
> 
> What other steps should I take prior to opening the box?


Short of tips, does anyone here who lives in the Chicagoland area have recommendations for good indoor HD antennas? I have a radio shack amplified now but am thinking of the Phillips models as something to try? Good experiences with those anyone in Chicago (or anywhere?)


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## Indiana627 (Nov 18, 2005)

Lots of good advice here.

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=312472


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## jdspencer (Nov 8, 2003)

One thing everyone who reads this thread needs to consider, is that all tuners are not created equal, be they NTSC or ATSC. Some can reject multipath better than others. An amplifier will amplify everything including the multipath signals, which prevent digital tuners from locking onto the station. Only more directional antennas and aiming can help this situation.

BTW, my HTL-HD does a much better job than my HR10-250. 

I haven't gotten around to perform the changes to my HR10 that are mentioned in that TCF link.


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## mrb (Sep 14, 2006)

jdspencer said:


> One thing everyone who reads this thread needs to consider, is that all tuners are not created equal, be they NTSC or ATSC. Some can reject multipath better than others. An amplifier will amplify everything including the multipath signals, which prevent digital tuners from locking onto the station. Only more directional antennas and aiming can help this situation.
> 
> BTW, my HTL-HD does a much better job than my HR10-250.
> 
> I haven't gotten around to perform the changes to my HR10 that are mentioned in that TCF link.


True above. I bought another type of antenna yesterday and 25 feet of RG6 cable so I could move it all around my living room. After about seven different positions, alternating between the two antennas, I finally found a spot where all but ABC come in clearly...even CBS which is very hard to tune in Chicago for some reason. I nearly smashed both of them with rage at several points, but finally it seems to work ok.

What about pre-amplifiers...any reason to look into those or does that do the exact same thing you mention above (amplifying multipath, etc...) leading to more distortion and pixelization?


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

mrb said:


> True above. I bought another type of antenna yesterday and 25 feet of RG6 cable so I could move it all around my living room. After about seven different positions, alternating between the two antennas, I finally found a spot where all but ABC come in clearly...even CBS which is very hard to tune in Chicago for some reason. I nearly smashed both of them with rage at several points, but finally it seems to work ok.
> 
> What about pre-amplifiers...any reason to look into those or does that do the exact same thing you mention above (amplifying multipath, etc...) leading to more distortion and pixelization?


You could try a preamp, but I think your best bet is to move that antenna outside, or perhaps up into an attic space.


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## mrb (Sep 14, 2006)

litzdog911 said:


> You could try a preamp, but I think your best bet is to move that antenna outside, or perhaps up into an attic space.


I agree, but we live in a condo building so can't do either of those. Hopefully provided I lay down strict rules for my wife and two year old son to never, ever touch Daddy's antenna (yeah right)...well, I can dream at least.


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

If you're truly stuck with indoor placement, the Silver Sensor is one of the best indoor antennas you can get.


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## mrb (Sep 14, 2006)

litzdog911 said:


> If you're truly stuck with indoor placement, the Silver Sensor is one of the best indoor antennas you can get.


The Phillips or the Zenith...both have antennas named Silver Sensor.

The one I found to work best (thus far) is the Radio Shack amplified version here:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103916&cp=2032057.2032187.2032189.2032204&pg=2&searchSort=TRUE&y=7&s=A-StorePrice-RSK&x=11&parentPage=family

Of course recommending particular antennas is a bit silly...it's so hit or miss, you have to try several all over the room until you find the sweet spot. Frustrating until you hit it...and then...presto!


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## mrb (Sep 14, 2006)

litzdog911 said:


> If you're truly stuck with indoor placement, the Silver Sensor is one of the best indoor antennas you can get.


litzdog911---is the antenna pictured here the one you're talking about? My "sweet spot" is not quite as sweet as I originally proclaimed unfortunately, so I'm going to try this one--man it was hard to find, everyone is sold out but Amazon had two left.

To all: Does it make any sense to have two indoor antennas' coax into a splitter then to the HR10? Would having two of them running into the tuner make it more likely to get a strong signal? Can you combine signals like that? If I'm an idiot with this question, forgive me! :lol:


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

Keep in mind that I think that one of the big Chicago HD stations uses VHF, not UHF. You won't get VHF thru the Silver Sensor.


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## GP245 (Aug 17, 2006)

Yes, in Chicago, WBBM-DT (CBS) transmits on Channel 3 (VHF).

The most the Silver Sensor will do receiving VHF, in the majority of cases, will be
the high end - Channels 7 through 13.


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## mrb (Sep 14, 2006)

wilbur_the_goose said:


> Keep in mind that I think that one of the big Chicago HD stations uses VHF, not UHF. You won't get VHF thru the Silver Sensor.


Indeed...it's CBS that you're talking about. I have read more about using two antennas through a jointenna or splitter. I've just ordered the silver sensor and when it arrives I'll play around with linking it with my radio shack antenna that I have currently.

But if anyone has more tricks or warnings, I'm happy to hear them.

It's hard to go back to fooling with an antenna after like 15 years of cable/satellite!


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

mrb said:


> litzdog911---is the antenna pictured here the one you're talking about? My "sweet spot" is not quite as sweet as I originally proclaimed unfortunately, so I'm going to try this one--man it was hard to find, everyone is sold out but Amazon had two left.
> 
> To all: Does it make any sense to have two indoor antennas' coax into a splitter then to the HR10? Would having two of them running into the tuner make it more likely to get a strong signal? Can you combine signals like that? If I'm an idiot with this question, forgive me! :lol:


Yep, that's the Silver Sensor.

As far as combining antennas goes, it is indeed possible, but does not always yield the desired results. Channel Master makes combiners tuned for combining specific frequencies. Check out their JoinTenna products here ....
http://www.warrenelectronics.com/antennas/Jointennas.htm


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## mrb (Sep 14, 2006)

litzdog911 said:


> Yep, that's the Silver Sensor.
> 
> As far as combining antennas goes, it is indeed possible, but does not always yield the desired results. Channel Master makes combiners tuned for combining specific frequencies. Check out their JoinTenna products here ....
> http://www.warrenelectronics.com/antennas/Jointennas.htm


All the MASSIVE amount of information here, on avs, tivocommunity...just so unbelievably technical...all this frequency combining, mast antennas, wavelengths, multipaths everywhere...! Nooooooooo...I'm a mere hospital administrator who hasn't had to fool with antennas for my tv for probably almost half of my life. It's too much!!

So, I'm going to get this other antenna, hook it and the one I have now to a splitter and run 'em both into the Tivo and see what happens. I just don't want to have to go to the HR20 until it actually functions...until then, I will continue my antenna search.

Mama mia! :hurah:


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## gcisko (Sep 27, 2006)

mrb said:


> Short of tips, does anyone here who lives in the Chicagoland area have recommendations for good indoor HD antennas? I have a radio shack amplified now but am thinking of the Phillips models as something to try? Good experiences with those anyone in Chicago (or anywhere?)


I Live 32 miles from the chicago towers. I have a Phillips MANT 950 in my attic. I get all stations exceptionally. Even WBBM 2-1.


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## cmoss5 (May 26, 2006)

mrb said:


> I agree, but we live in a condo building so can't do either of those. Hopefully provided I lay down strict rules for my wife and two year old son to never, ever touch Daddy's antenna (yeah right)...well, I can dream at least.


Yes you can put up an outside antenna in a condo unit...FCC law over rules
any ordinance forbidding the installation of an outside antenna on a building...


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## mrb (Sep 14, 2006)

cmoss5 said:


> Yes you can put up an outside antenna in a condo unit...FCC law over rules
> any ordinance forbidding the installation of an outside antenna on a building...


Only if you have a private balcony...a common roof or wall is not eligible for an antenna without the approval of the condo Board.


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## say-what (Dec 14, 2006)

wilbur_the_goose said:


> Keep in mind that I think that one of the big Chicago HD stations uses VHF, not UHF. You won't get VHF thru the Silver Sensor.


Depends on the channel maybe - I can get my local PBS which uses ch. 11 for their HD content with the Silver Sensor.


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