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Antenna TV Research 2018
I created the Platteville HDTV Antenna and Streaming page to be dedicated to both streaming tv and local antenna tv solutions. For Platteville WI area residents, you can replace costly CenturyLink/DirectTV/Dish with a lighter package of live streaming cable channels and Madison broadcast channels. CenturyLink no longer allows Platteville residents to sign up for PrismTV. Pushing new customers to DirectTV. CenturyLink will sell DirectTV to you as a “bundle discount”, but it is actually the same price as unbundled if you were to purchase seperate. The cheapest plan from DirectTV costs $70, on top of what you already pay to CenturyLink for internet. New subscribers to DirectTV are signed up…
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OTA Antenna FAQs
Here are some Frequently asked questions I get about TV Antennas in my town: What is the best antenna? Can I go bigger? Can I pick up channels from both Madison and Cedar Rapids? What is the best antenna? The best antenna is the one that fits your budget. Here is my handout I give folks who ask. I have it broken into three budgets. < $50 / $120 / $200 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x113jqeepDhK4VtcKPQecNvcxV7hLQJXG0ZTiL3sqp0 Can I go bigger? Short answer, no. Long answer, it depends but probably is not worth it. You can explore this page which describes running multiple DB8 antennas. Midway down the page you will find “Why this 16-bay…
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Shullsburg is full of Smart People
I took a drive through Shullsburg last weekend, keeping my eyes out for home antennas and towers. Unlike Platteville, I found that nearly every home I saw in Shullsburg had a bow tie reflector type antenna that I recommend. Most were the 4-way ones (DB4 and Clearstream2). While in Platteville I still recommend 8-way type such as the DB8 or Clearstream4. A quick review of tvfool for Shullsburg shows that they have 40 dBm more signal than Platteville. So I imagine that they can get away with a smaller 4-way antennas and no powered pre-amp.
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OTA Secrets
What is the secret to good TV antenna reception? Using the right Hardware and Aiming. Hardware You have to look at every part of the chain from the antenna to your TV. They all affect signal quality. – Antenna – Collect as much signal as possible – Balun – Older baluns can be less efficient – Amplifier – Low noise and mounted near antenna – Cables – Length is the important number. However, older cables can be leaky and may need replacing – Splitters & Connectors – Limit your number of splitters and connectors. Use exact cable lengths wherever possible. http://www.hdtvprimer.com/antennas/basics.html Aiming The success of your antenna reception is highly dependent on good aiming strategy.…
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OTA: Antenna Class!
Last fall, I taught an over-the-air antenna class at the local library. I broke down each step of how to receive free TV broadcasts from Madison. Over 75 miles away ! The first half of the class was a slide show, the second half was the interactive portion. I asked for addresses and we pulled up the reception maps for the attendees to discuss real world reception and aiming strategies. What is the secret to Platteville TV Reception? • Have a good aiming strategy using tvfool.com and a Sighting Compass • Choose an appropriate mounting location. • Route your coax cable through your home’s ground block for static and lightning protection. • Every step…