[Touch0Gray]

I was wondering, as a new-comer to HDTV....(and stuck by geography to over the air (antenna)), I seem to need to connect two antenna leads to the TV to get both the NTSC and the HDTV signals. This is fine, but am I better off with an A,B switch instead of a splitter which seems to eat up signal strength. I have tried both and the splitter seems to work better, but do I run any risks by switching the antenna from one input to the other while the set is on?
'preciate the tips...but please try to keep any expalnation simple enough so I can understand...lol

 

[vol245]

Go to Home Theater Spot

You will find all your answers to a/v stuff there.

 

[Touch0Gray]

Go to Home Theater Spot

You will find all your answers to a/v stuff there.

Thanks I'll give it a shot.

 

[shokhead]

I was wondering, as a new-comer to HDTV....(and stuck by geography to over the air (antenna)), I seem to need to connect two antenna leads to the TV to get both the NTSC and the HDTV signals. This is fine, but am I better off with an A,B switch instead of a splitter which seems to eat up signal strength. I have tried both and the splitter seems to work better, but do I run any risks by switching the antenna from one input to the other while the set is on?
'preciate the tips...but please try to keep any expalnation simple enough so I can understand...lol

Use a good splitter and you'll be fine.

 

[Touch0Gray]

I am an HDTV snob, I only discuss Samsung DLP, nothing more. If this is the case then we can talk shop, if not, you're on your own.

Kidding, I'll look into this dealio for you. In the meantime dude, get a dish/satellite.

Thanks....well actually I so have a samsung DVD player....(hd860)

I have had 3 HDTV fail in less than a month and am desperately trying to figure out if it is my antenna configuration or just the luck of the draw...(I know the odds of 3 sets, 2 mfr. failing are infinitessimally small, but I DID get 5 bad Garmin e-trex legends in a row!!!!!!)
maybe I ought to be buying lottery tickets?
Unfortunaley, a dish of any kind or cable is not an option I am rural and live smack dab in the middle of 30 acres of woods...(no clear shot at the southern horizon!)...sigh...I have to use a MODEM toooooooooo wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Touch0Gray]

I still do not know if I want to talk/discuss tv's with you...do you have a Samsung tv set or not???

Er uh um, 3 sets failing? Sumptins wrong etc.

What tv set are you currently using? Model number? Make, the whole 411 dude.

Something wrong?.... ya think?....
The odds of getting a bad set are reasonable....two pretty low but 3?....but then again...SOMEONE has to be the 1/4 of .05%....normally...that's ME.
Considering all the problems have been totally different..... sigh.....

I purchased a Vizio, L32 HDTV and set it up through an attic mounted, 55 inch boom antenna with a rotor and a Radio Shack 15-2507 Antenna mounted High-gain signal amplifier (30dB adjustable) I run the coax through surge protection. I need to split the coax into 3 for the NTSC input, the DTV input, and a third for the stereo FM signal. I am rural (53579) and the stations I am getting are at least 25 miles away. I am running the coax through an A,B,C switch (manual)for now and all seems to be working just fine, I have good reception and very little interference. I have had 3 problems so far with sets failing, 2 Polaroid, and now this Visio. The first, the HDTV tuner just flat out quit acquiring the signal after less than 24 hours, the second , well it popped, and set up a high pitch squeal and died after 19 days. I replaced with the Vizio and set it up and less than 8 hours later it developed vertcal stripes on the right side of the screen. They are replacing the set but I am so tired of this. Is there something that I could be doing on the antenna side of this that could be causing the problems?????
Would I be better off with a splitter than an A,B,C switch if I could?
Could the signal through the amplifier be too strong? I changed amps and surge protection between set 1 and 2...and I have the amp set to the lowest gain (20dB I believe)

 

[Touch0Gray]

I decided that since I got done with my work at 2;00 this afternoon, instead of screwing around with the computer OR the TV...I went for a ride...which is what I would most like to be doing anyhow. Forget the 80 mph headwind coming from N, S, W and east...sigh....welcome to spring in WI!...now back to the other problems at hand....TV has stripes...but there NOTHING on anyhow!

 

[Snapster]

Ah, I should have gotten to this thread sooner.
I can answer your immediate questions.
First, I'm surprised that you need two inputs for NTSC/ATSC, but if you say so then, a GOOD switch will work better than a splitter assuming that you are not over amplifying the signal, but a good splitter should work fine. A good splitter is normally not from Radio Shack. Best place online for antenna parts that I've found is solid signal.
If you have stripes on your set, something is wrong with the set unless there is something wrong in the configuration of the set itself. I highly doubt you could cause that problem with your setup.
My experience with HD is that I work for a large broadcaster and do all OTA antenna HD at home. Unfortunately, you may have bought the wrong antenna and amp for the best OTA reception, fortunately, the good stuff still isn't that expensive, < $100. Let me know your zip code and I'll tell you what you need for good reception. For < $150 I pick up stations up to 50 miles away. And please please mount the antenna outside, you lose a ton of signal strength with the roof. Oh, and chances are you don't need a large vhf antenna array as most broadcasters are staying on uhf for digital. That means the antenna can be fairly small and not so ugly.
Mike

 

[Snapster]

Sorry, didn't see your zip.
You could be over amplifying if the splitter works better.
This is one of the best amplifiers out there for vhf/uhf:
http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?main_cat=03&CAT=&PROD=ANC7777
It is expensive, but well worth it.
If you want UHF only, then the Channel Master 7775 is great.
I don't think you're doing anything wrong with the set though.
Mike

 

[Snapster]

Ok, last thing I post until you reply. (Yes, I'm a tv/computer geek)
www.antennaweb.org
Put in your address and stuff to see what kind of antenna you really need.
I used just your zip and you need a large directional (outside mounted) to get a FOX station. But, FOX is VHF so you'll have to have a big VHF array to get it, so it'll be ugly if its outside (This might not matter to you). Anyway. Your resources are:
a. antennaweb.org
b. solidsignal.com
c. hdtvprimer.com
d. avsforum.com (hdtv) section

Mike

 

[Touch0Gray]

I REALLY appreciate the advice here, it makes me feel a LOT better about it NOT being ME screwing up. The fact is I am getting a GREATsignal, including the fox stations out of Madison as well as 3-1, 3-2, 15, 21-1, 21-2, 27-1, 47-1 (fox), 57-1, 57-2 and a bunch of religious channels that heathen swine like me doesn;t appreciate. My problem has been crap TV sets I think, that is why I was asking if it could be my hardware setup that was causing it!