Do You Use A TV Antenna???

[Henry]

If you use an antenna to receive your TV signal:

At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting. Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by emergency responders.

We have Dish Network, but also have a backup antenna system from which we can receive Channels 3 & 22.  We don't lose satellite reception that often, but sometimes during a heavy snow storm or heavy rain, we do lose it.  Also, sometimes in the winter when we get heavy wet snow, it blocks our satellite signal as the snow settles on the dish.  Don't always feel like getting the step ladder out and the long push broom, trudge through the snow and brush the snow off the dish.

Anyhow, we are going to have to get a converter box and the link below tells you how to do that:

https://www.dtv2009.gov/

[Dave L.]

It is my understanding that you might NOT need a converter.  I just checked the weblink you have here and if your TV is has a digital tuner, then you will not need a converter and the antenna should still work.

I am not a TV tech, but do work in the Telecom field.

[Loctavious]

Yeah, it depends on how old your tv is really.  A lot of newer models come digitial ready.  we have a Sony Trinitron which is about 4 years old - just befor ehtey started making them digital ready.  We sent away for the Coupons and bought 2 converter boxs for $40 total ( after using both $40 coupons for them).
      Before we got WCAX, PBS and ABC.  WHere one station came in good th eothers did not.  After the converter, we now have 2 channel 3's, 2 channel 5's, 2 channel 22 ( one of them is just lines - it's not on the air yet), 2 channel 44's, and 4 channel 33's.  Most duplicate stations have a constant weather/news feed.  PBS's 4 stations are all different.  So i went from 3 stations to 12.  ALL when tuned in, are like HD compard to the picture clarity before.

[Julie & 6pt Dave]

To see what stations you "should" be ale to receive check out the following link: 

http://antennaweb.org/aw/Welcome.aspx 

When you get to the site click on the "Choose an antenna" button ... zip code is all that is needed on the next page ..  adjust the map to your actual location and you will be shown a list of available stations and what type of antenna should be able to pick the signal up ( UHF or VHF ). Of course picking up a signal has a lot to do with what your antenna will "see".  Unidirectional units are good if you have a rotor.  For systems without a rotor a multidirectional antenna may be a better choice.  A set of rabbit ears may be all you need.

[fletchtb]

I actually have the same experience as Loctavious. We get all our signal using a pair of rabbit ears on top of our TV. The TV is an older "HD ready" TV, meaning it can display an HD picture if you have an HD device like a Blu-Ray player or an HD Tuner. So before all the conversion to Digital TV messages began airing on all the TV stations, I purchased an HD Tuner box. So I now get the same 12 channels that Loctavious gets. Each network ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and PBS all broadcast 1 of their channels in HD. The other channels like WCAXtra get broadcast in regular definition, but they still look great because they come in crystal clear.