Digital T.V. Converstion Aug 31

[Entropy]

I have a house on Lake Scugog, near Port Perry.

I have an old antenna on a tower with a boster and a rotor.

We have lost all but 1 channel as of this eve.

So, I went to Wall**** and bought a digital converter.

 

I now get the following:

 

Ch

3-1 CKVR

5-1 CBLT-DT

7-1 CIII-HD

9-1 CFTO

19-1 TVO

35-1 CFTO-54

41-1 CIII-HD

67-1 CHCHDT3

 

My antenna is pointing to the south west, towards Toronto.

 

Is anyone doing any better?

 

What else can I do to get free live tv.

 

Any help would be appriciated.

 

 

Entropy

[Kawartha Kev]

Interesting I also have a similar old antenna with a rotor and used to get several channels not sure which ones. With the new digital converter you got does it make any difference where you rotate the antenna to or does it not matter now with the digital converter? Just curious as to what to expect next time I go up to the cottage guess I'll have to look at getting a digital converter box also how much was yours if you don't mind me asking?

[whitbyboatguy]

I have a house on Lake Scugog, near Port Perry.

I have an old antenna on a tower with a boster and a rotor.

We have lost all but 1 channel as of this eve.

So, I went to Wall**** and bought a digital converter.

 

I now get the following:

 

Ch

3-1 CKVR

5-1 CBLT-DT

7-1 CIII-HD

9-1 CFTO

19-1 TVO

35-1 CFTO-54

41-1 CIII-HD

67-1 CHCHDT3

 

My antenna is pointing to the south west, towards Toronto.

 

Is anyone doing any better?

 

What else can I do to get free live tv.

 

Any help would be appriciated.

 

 

Entropy

 

I am doing a lot better.

 

At least 2 things: point it towards Buffalo and Rochester. The have signals.

 

Google "AVS forums"

[Entropy]

Interesting I also have a similar old antenna with a rotor and used to get several channels not sure which ones. With the new digital converter you got does it make any difference where you rotate the antenna to or does it not matter now with the digital converter? Just curious as to what to expect next time I go up to the cottage guess I'll have to look at getting a digital converter box also how much was yours if you don't mind me asking?

 

 

I rotated the antenna and moved it from pointing West to point South-West, which pulled in 3 more channels, so yes it does seem to matter where it is pointing. The digtial converter box was about $50 at Wall**** today, but I think it was on sale last week for $25. The guy said it was a crap unit if we want T.V. over the next few days ... I didn't and don't have time to shop around for the next couple of weeks.

 

Entropy

[irishfield]

Digital is definitely a point to point system. We had Jen set up with a flat screen and digital antenna while in Mount Sinai after her surgery and during her last chemo session. During chemo she had a direct shot at the CN tower and got double the channels she did on the other side of the 11th floor hall after surgery... where I had it set up to get a bounced signal off the kid with braces on the Sick Kids Hospital roof !

Edited September 1, 2011 by irishfield

[Entropy]

Whitbyboatguy,

 

I'm over the 'ridges' so, am not sure if pointing to Buf and Rod would do any good. Are the more south of Toronto or past Toronto assuming my location is in ..... Lindsay. Toronto for me should be ... South West and Buf and Rod .... what SSW?

 

Entropy

[whitbyboatguy]

you are missing

2-1, 2-2, 2-3 = americano.....all sports, nbc, all retro

4 americano

11

17 (3 of them) PBS

city-tv

omni

some christian deal

 

some silly stations 1/2 of which I dont know what the heck they are +"2 all music stations 1 country 1 some new stuff"

 

All the majors are accessible from Oshawa so scugog should get them: ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, CBC, Global, City-TV, CFTO, PBS

 

dont' stop until you have the most......he that dies with the most stations wins.

[whitbyboatguy]

Whitbyboatguy,

 

I'm over the 'ridges' so, am not sure if pointing to Buf and Rod would do any good. Are the more south of Toronto or past Toronto assuming my location is in ..... Lindsay. Toronto for me should be ... South West and Buf and Rod .... what SSW?

 

Entropy

 

 

if it is on a rotor point it about 180-210 degrees (south) and do a rescan of the channels. Some converters (like mine) are crappy and you have to do a few tricks to get it to tune the station or try an auto scan.

 

You should get PBS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNED-TV Virtual = 17 real = 43. If not then you could have a bad cable coming from the antenna or you are being blocked. Bad cable can be a bit of a pain to diagnose.

 

I point mine south most of the time...I still get CBC and all the major american networks.

Edited September 1, 2011 by whitbyboatguy

[Entropy]

you are missing

2-1, 2-2, 2-3 = americano.....all sports, nbc, all retro

4 americano

11

17 (3 of them) PBS

city-tv

omni

some christian deal

 

some silly stations 1/2 of which I dont know what the heck they are +"2 all music stations 1 country 1 some new stuff"

 

All the majors are accessible from Oshawa so scugog should get them: ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, CBC, Global, City-TV, CFTO, PBS

 

dont' stop until you have the most......he that dies with the most stations wins.

 

What are the Ch numbers for Fox, City-TV and PBS, they would round out my channels and then I would be happy.

 

Are you using an old style antenna or a new digital type?

 

Thanks!

Edited September 1, 2011 by Entropy

[whitbyboatguy]

if you give a man a fish......

 

http://www.remotecentral.com/hdtv/index.html

also the wikipedia entries have the listing for virtual and real channel numbers.

 

For the people that are uninformed about these things:

 

The virtual numbers are the ones that your TV refers to....so you say I want channel 57 and press 57 to get it like you always used to when you wanted city-tv. Wait that is not exactly true because in order to find city-tv for the first time you have to tell you tv the real channel number. but only tell it the real channel number the first time because after that if you give it a real number it will think it is a virtual number and give you that virtual station (at least on my TV).....make sense? no? Don't worry about it is a totally retarded concept that does not make sense or matter unless you want to use an antennae.

 

 

 

check out AVS forums for technical questions

[Billy Bob]

Our old Analog system most channels were on VHF but now with digital systems everything is using UHF which is basically a weaker signal, so keep that in mind.

 

Now how do you improve with out a huge rotary antenna...EASY PEASY...get yourself 1 - 2 or 3 UHF antennas and mount on your roof with each pointing in a different direction (towards your TV stations) but the antennas need to be combined with a simple indoor coax splitter....BUT you should cover the whole splitter with silicone caulking to protect it from the elements. (I could not find a outdoor grade splitter when I did this.)

 

DO NOT use a VHF / UHF combinder as this will kill any signal coming in from the VHF side of that combinder.

 

This is how my house gets ALL the free stations on all 4 of my TV's...

 

Bob

[danbouck]

That's reminds me, I guess I am down to no stations at the cottage from 1.5 stations. I will probably have to upgrade from the wabbit ears

[mercman]

BUT you should cover the whole splitter with silicone caulking to protect it from the elements. (I could not find a outdoor grade splitter when I did this.)

 

DO NOT use a VHF / UHF combinder as this will kill any signal coming in from the VHF side of that combinder.

 

This is how my house gets ALL the free stations on all 4 of my TV's...

 

Bob

 

You forgot the pop rivets and duct tape Bobby !!!! Ya cheap bugger

[Billy Bob]

You forgot the pop rivets and duct tape Bobby !!!! Ya cheap bugger

 

Not cheap....FRUGAL....

 

I don't believe there is a outdoor splitter available....at least there wasn't when I did mine about 2 years ago when the USA went all digital...you guys are way behind us....

[ccmtcanada]

You could get an outdoor electrical box if you find one big enough and mount that...just in case you don't want to peel off silicone every time you need to fiddle with the connections...should be able to find one that is big enough for a small splitter...

[Billy Bob]

You could get an outdoor electrical box if you find one big enough and mount that...just in case you don't want to peel off silicone every time you need to fiddle with the connections...should be able to find one that is big enough for a small splitter...

 

GREAT idea....but it has to be mounted on the roof antenna and then maybe the winds will get to it....my silicone holds ups for YEARS and no sees it way up on the roof....plus I'm cheap....errrrrr FRUGAL...

 

 

Bob

[smally21]

google 'hack jobs' and you might find some info on this.

 

pretty clever solutions! the other one is gettin' with the times!!!

 

not very helpful post im aware....

[dannyboy]

Check out OTA for more information on the switch to digital.

Also you can go to TV Fool input your address or GPS coordinates and it will show you what channels you may receive.

 

If you have the option be sure to rescan occasionally to pick-up any new channels.

 

We live in Niagara and bought two antennas one aimed at Toronto/Hamilton and one aimed at Buffalo/Rochester and get at least 35 channels on a poor day.

 

Dan

Edited September 1, 2011 by dannyboy

[206]

Scanned in 9 cfto today and my wife say's wow look how clear that is......sad part is she has it in HD on BELL and she even seen the difference.

 

Man i hate paying for so called HD from providers when you get better pic free OTA, but the lack of OTA specialty channels leaves you no choice.

 

If WFN OLN and TSN were OTA the world would be a better place

[ccmtcanada]

....plus I'm cheap....errrrrr FRUGAL...

Bob

 

Nah...you are "economical" lol

 

My "projects" are functional and not decorative!!!