Receiving Digital Television Tips (2)

For some viewers, an outdoor antenna is the best bet for the highest quality digital reception. The best signal input.
But there is a middle ground: using an outdoor antenna in an attic.
I created a sort of antenna "lab" in my attic which is about 30 km from the channel 42 transmitter. Mounted to the rafters are two antennas: a smaller UHF-only model (Channel Master CM3022, $ 21.95) and a larger VHF-UHF model (Antenna Craft 5885, $ 41.95).
The CM3022 is a great size for an attic, just 43 inches long. Unfortunately, it is not designed to receive VHF signals (channels 2, 4 and 11), and after the digital next February, three local stations are transmitting their digital signals on VHF.

In a test with a converter box Sansonic, the 5885 is powerful enough to pull in channel 42, digital signal to my location, but I get much better signal strength with the VU-90. Its greater size (90 inches) is designed to get the full spectrum of digital channels.
But even with a larger antenna, it is still possible to find digital channels. There can be several culprits.

AIM: Directional antennas (like the models specified above) must be indicated in the right direction for maximum signal strength. Most digital TVs and digital converter boxes offer an on-screen display to indicate signal strength. Some even have the ability to deliver an audio tone those changes according to signal strength. That can help when it comes to finding the best place for an indoor antenna. For an attic or an outdoor antenna, a friend of family see the display and transmit information via cell phone signal or walkie-talkie as the antenna drive back and forth along its axis.

SPLITTERS: Many existing attic or outdoor antenna configurations using a splitter to distribute the TV signal to multiple rooms. Problem is, divisor signal strength degrades, unlike what happens if not everyone in your house comes to the shower at the same time. To determine if this is the culprit, simply take the splitter out of the equation. Unscrew the antenna cable splitter and connect the cable that goes directly to your digital TV using a barrel connector (see above). Should you improve its reception? If you do, then all you need is an RF amplifier (sometimes called an antenna booster) installed between the antenna and the splitter. The closer is the strengthening of the antenna, the better your results should be. You should be able to find an antenna boos for under $ 50.

Read ALso : Important Tips for Digital Tv Antenna