Need help understanding OTA options

[tinpanalley]

To be honest, I need help just figuring out if it's even worth it.

I just learned today about how OTA can get you your basic local channels rather simply. I found about tvfool for figuring out OTA in Canada where I live. Here's the analysis that comes up for my location. IF I were happy with even just getting those five green channels, what kind of antenna would I be looking for? For further info, I am on the second floor of an apartment building where I have absolutely no ability to install anything other than something that could go on my window.

Thanks!

 

[JackTheBear]

Background color Estimated signal strength
Green An indoor "set-top" antenna is probably sufficient to pick up these channels

Get yourself a $35 mohu leaf or a terk with a 30 mile range. There is a $40 Terk on sale for $9 at amazon today, at least in the US:
https://www.amazon.com/Trinity-Trim...s&ie=UTF8&qid=1511211155&sr=1-3&keywords=terk

I have this one, it works well. You should get it at this price if you can. If you go for a cheaper antenna (not a leaf or terk) it may work fine and you saved a little money, but if it doesn't you won't know if a better antenna would have been the answer and you're eventually going to end up buying a mohu leaf or a terk anyway, so save yourself the time, effort, and expense. I bought 4 or 5 cheap antennae before eventually getting a leaf and I also bought a terk later. If you get bad reception with a leaf or a terk, you're just out of luck unless you can mount an outdoor antenna on the roof.

That said, some environmental factors can affect your reception. If you're right on a road and put your antenna in the window, you *may* end up with multi path interference. If it happens there is very little you can do about it, but again, if you get a leaf or a terk, you'll know the answer, but if you get an RCA antenna at Walmart, it just might not work as well.

 

[JackTheBear]

And once you get it, you might have to test placement and orientation a little bit. Antennae can be finicky. In the window might work good, but behind the tv might work too, or hung on the wall... And you might have to rotate it a little to get the best signal.

 

[sdifox]

Is your window facing the transmission tower?

 

[tinpanalley]

Is your window facing the transmission tower?

Well, not "facing" but it's in line out my window.on an angle.

 

[sdifox]

Well, not "facing" but it's in line out my window.on an angle.

As long as you can aim your antenna more or less in the direction of the tower without a building in the way, you should be ok.

 

[tinpanalley]

As long as you can aim your antenna more or less in the direction of the tower without a building in the way, you should be ok.

Oh, ok. If it has to be that precise it's not gonna work. I live in a city. There is no clear line of sight with any of these towers. Too many other things in the way, and I'm too low to the ground causing even more of an angle problem.

 

[sdifox]

Oh, ok. If it has to be that precise it's not gonna work. I live in a city. There is no clear line of sight with any of these towers. Too many other things in the way, and I'm too low to the ground causing even more of an angle problem.

Well if you are not too far from the tower it may work even if there is no direct line of sight. I am in Markham and using a small panel antenna sitting on coffee table and I pull five channels off CN Tower.

 

[Kartajan]

1) Different antennae have different directionality specifications, so an "omnidirectional" antenna is not very direction sensitive, where as a high gain "directional" antenna is very specific as to direction.
2) I would take both tvfool and antennaweb calculations in order to estimate your chances for good reception. (tvfool.com, antennaweb.org)
3) If purchasing an antenna seems too early a step, you can use a DIY antenna to get a better "feel" for what potential your space has. one example: http://www.instructables.com/id/Pie-tenna-The-simplest-HDTV-antenna-possible-pos/
4) Since your desired channels look to be in 2 different primary directions, an "omnidirectional" antenna would likely be you best bet. If you can get your desired channels with the DIY <note that the DIY I linked is pretty directional, so you might have to change angles for differnt groups of channels> and want to go with a more finished product, I would probably go something like this one: https://www.amazon.ca/Channel-Maste...UTF8&qid=1511216283&sr=8-1&keywords=CM-3000HD

 

[Mike64]

For further info, I am on the second floor of an apartment building

Second of how many total floors? What's the average size (roughly) of the surrounding buildings?

 

[JackTheBear]

The Terk Trinity is still on sale at Amazon for $10. It doesn't get great ratings, I don't think any indoor antennae do, but it's a pretty good antenna. If it doesn't work, probably no antenna is going to work in your situation and you're out $10 and a little time. But you're so close to the towers, I would bet it will work fine.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Tested alot of flat sheet HDTV OTA antenna and the basic think is the bigger the surface, the better the reception! Get a 10X13" or bigger and you get pretty clear reception! Now it pretty much the same, from Leaf high end to the no names! Amp versions really don't make much of a difference!