Antenna nerds?

[2WD_NISMO]

I am looking for a signal amplifier for my home TV sets. I am too cheap/poor (take your pick) to have cable, so it's over-the-air TV all the way here in my mansion. Do those signal amplifiers work? I have my doubts, but in reality I don't know. I have a roof top antenna which pulls in the Big Three, but other stations are iffy. I'm also interested in, and would prefer, a multi-directional exterior antenna which supposedly pulls in all stations without having to rotate the antenna but I'm REALLY skeptical about that.

[Inyourface1650]

I have seen electrically rotating antennas.......

[drobs]

I too am too cheap (poor) for cable. Did you get your government cheese cards for the Digital Converter box? I hear you get more channels once you install it. I have the cards but haven't gone and bought the box yet.

https://www.dtv2009.gov/

[2WD_NISMO]

Yes I got those government handouts, but now the fringe stations don't come in. Here's a little secret about digital TV if you get it over-the-air: The signal has to be strong or it won't come in. With analog, you'll get fringe stations with ghosting, snow and etc. but still watchable, yet with digital it's either you get the station, and the pic is always great, or you get the "no signal" message of death and get nothing -- there is no in between. Also, the antenna has to be aimed at the right spot, not "about" right. (You can go to hdtv, type in your address and it will show you where to point the antenna for the available stations in your area.)

[drobs]

Originally Posted by 2WD_NISMO

Yes I got those government handouts, but now the fringe stations don't come in. Here's a little secret about digital TV if you get it over-the-air: The signal has to be strong or it won't come in. With analog, you'll get fringe stations with ghosting, snow and etc. but still watchable, yet with digital it's either you get the station, and the pic is always great, or you get the "no signal" message of death and get nothing -- there is no in between. Also, the antenna has to be aimed at the right spot, not "about" right. (You can go to hdtv, type in your address and it will show you where to point the antenna for the available stations in your area.)

That's just fantastic. Thanks for the heads up.

[scurvydog]

You could try Free To Air satellite tv. I've never done it but it's something I've thought about. You definitely won't get all the big channels but it's something to watch and all you have to buy is the equipment. I imagine it would be like it was when I was a kid and we had one of those gigantic motorized dishes in the yard and you could point the dish with the receiver to all the different satellites. We didn't pay a dime for tv. Of course with this you can get a stationary dish or add a motor to it so you can hit the different satellites. Here's a site that describes it and the current list of free channels.

FTAList.com - The easy list of North American free-to-air TV channels

[Jonchos]

Originally Posted by 2WD_NISMO

Yes I got those government handouts, but now the fringe stations don't come in. Here's a little secret about digital TV if you get it over-the-air: The signal has to be strong or it won't come in. With analog, you'll get fringe stations with ghosting, snow and etc. but still watchable, yet with digital it's either you get the station, and the pic is always great, or you get the "no signal" message of death and get nothing -- there is no in between. Also, the antenna has to be aimed at the right spot, not "about" right. (You can go to hdtv, type in your address and it will show you where to point the antenna for the available stations in your area.)

I agree and disagree with you. Digital signal will also have "tiling"(little squares of the image scattered al over the screen) or you will loose your sound. That is equivalent to a snowy pictures on an analog signal.
On the amplifier. If you are not getting a good reception and you use an amplifier you will be "boosting" bad quality signal which can give you issues with the image and the sound. But I think is worth a try. If it does not work, you can just return it.
I hope this helps a little. I am no expert but I do work for a cable company so I kinda have some knowledge. If don't know I will make it up, lol.