Best indoor VHF/UHF antenna?

[97tbird]

if any of you are using a VHF/UHF indoor tv antenna for getting regular tv channels (local), what antenna are you using?

...what are the best ones?

opinions/feedback is very welcome,
thanks!

 

[chas3]

i used an outdoor antenna in my attic. its fairly directional (for more gain) but according to http://antennaweb.org everything i want to watch is all in the same general direction.

 

[Papa Bear]

When I was doing service work on the road as a T.V. tech, I saw a lot of antennas in attics like chas3 mentions. One unit that impressed me with it's ability to bring in a good signal and not take up too much room was an amplified antenna used on mobile homes similar to http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062075&cp=&kw=antenna&parentPage=search It will fit in your attic and is a lot better than "rabbit ears"
P.B.

 

[Master ACiD]

tin foil flag glued to a noodle strainer with chewing gum works for me. keeps the alien mind readers from spying on me too.

[ December 15, 2005, 01:53 AM: Message edited by: Master ACiD ]

 

[MarkC]

Can you receive images from the gaseous clouds around Uranus?

 

[97tbird]

Thanks guys..
I don't have an attic. it's a mid-size 2 BR apt.

Any other INDOOR suggestions?

 

[The_Jeff]

if you have foil-backed insulation in your walls or even newer coated windows they can interfere with reception.

Try moving your antenna around the room you're in, near windows especially.

That amplified radio shack jobbie might be nice if you have to put the antenna way across the room, the amplification will help with the long cable run.

 

[keith]

The most common recommendation for UHF indoor use is the Zenith Silver Sensor.

The issue with VHF is that it has longer wavelength than UHF and requires a larger antenna. The shortest VHF wavelength, at 300MHz, is 1m. Down at 30MHz the wavelength is 10m. For really good VHF reception, you need a large antenna. There is no way to circumvent the physics.

Did you try rabbit ears? Often they work well enough if your reception is strong. My reception is weak so I put a ChannelMaster 3671 in the attic.

 

[1sttruck]

I made an antenna when I lived in a apartment, one that sat on top of the entertainment center and wasn't too obvious. It was something like a 'half wave dipole', twin lead attached to a specifically dimensioned piece of wood. It worked well enough that I even needed an attenuator for the stereo receiver for some stations. Cheap, easy to make, easy to locate, potentially cumbersome if you need to point it.

 

[MolaKule]

I would try an amplified version with at least 20 dB of gain such as:

http://www.summitsource.com/philips-magnavox-mant400-45-db-best-local-digital-hdtv-channel-amplified-indoor-dipole-loop-tv-aerial-antenna-uhf-vhf-fm-signal-2-stage-cascade-with-75- ohm-coaxial-cable-connection-ac-power-part-mant400-p-4690.html

or

http://www.jensenaccessories.com/ModelDetail.html?PCD=Home&ProductID=TV931

[ December 15, 2005, 05:09 PM: Message edited by: MolaKule ]

 

[97tbird]

Thanks guys,
Mola, I found this at that same site you posted:
I wonder how it's different from the Philips-M-vox, this is listed as Philips Gemini, and is $5.00 cheaper:
http://www.summitsource.com/philips-gemini-g2000-45-db-super-amplified-high-definition-offair-local-signal-indoor-dipole-tv-aerial-antenna-uhf-vhf-fm-75-ohm-2-stage-loop-part-g2000 -p-4685.html

Now I'm trying to decide between the Philips-Magnavox that Mola showed me, and this RCA, which is also amplified:

http://www.buy.com/prod/RCA_ANT501_Indoor_Amplified_Antenna/q/loc/111/90120671.html

...i wonder which's better...???

 

[Quattro Pete]

I've got a Philips one:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=2625059

But I can't compare it to anything else since this is the only one I've tried so far. I live on the second floor (3-story apt. building). Truthfully, I can only pick up 3 local channels with good quality, then there are another 2-3 which are viewable depending on weather, but the picture is quite grainy and overall noisy. The rest are non-watchable.

I am waiting for my apt complex to sign a deal with Comcast so that I can get some basic cable for $20 a month. Right now the apt complex is served by some local ripoff company which doesn't sell any type of cable below $40 a month, and I just don't watch enough TV to justify that expense.

 

[brianl703]

The Radio Shack antenna is 21" in diameter. You could put it in a closet.

 

[theguru]

97TB,

Unfortunately if you have low signl an amplifier will just do that. Amplify the noise. Amplifiers are used to boost and send an already good signal to over ceom the losses expected by the legth of cable or use of splitters. What you need is to get some signal from an antenna out a window or high spot and then maybe a amplifier to boost it. Do you have digital broadcasts. These are can be less fussy.

 

[chas3]

what you need to buy depends on where you are with respect to the antenna towers. like i said, everything i want to watch is basically in the same direction (NNW with a 30* spread or so). so i can just use a directional high-gain antenna. if you need omnidirectional, then you will need to pick a different antenna. use the web site i posted to check to see how much and what kind of antenna you need.

i stuck a big antenna in the attic since i wanted to watch from vhf/ufh stations from baltimore.

 

[The_Jeff]

That zenith brochure has a funny, emphasis mine:

To receive VHF channels (Channels numbered 1 thru 13)