# Combining antennaes?



## consumedsoul (Jan 13, 2013)

I use a Roamio basic combined w/ a Mohu antennae (amplified) and am not getting solid signals on a couple stations unless I move it to another indoor location, but if I do then the other stations lose signal - any chance I can purchase another Mohu antennae (same model), get a splitter and put both antennas in their respective locations to get a 'consolidated/combined' better signal? Sorry I'm totally ignorant in this area.

Or should I be looking to purchase a better OTA antennae?


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## Scooby Doo (Dec 18, 2002)

No, you can't combine antennas. Get a better antenna, preferably an outdoor one.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

I have one of these...

http://www.amazon.com/Amplified-High-Definition-Antenna-Off-Air-Reception/dp/B0007MXZB2

and it works pretty good. I tried one of those flat ones years ago and couldn't pick up much of anything. This one picks up all stations in my areas with 70%+ signal.

If that doesn't work then an outdoor or attic mount antenna would be the next step.


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## consumedsoul (Jan 13, 2013)

Scooby Doo said:


> No, you can't combine antennas. Get a better antenna, preferably an outdoor one.


What if I live in an Apt and am restricted to indoor, any better models you can recommend vs. a Mohu?


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## janry (Jan 2, 2003)

I've combined antennas before using a splitter with some degree of success. I'll just say you aren't going to hurt anything to try except the cost of the 2nd antenna and splitter if you don't already have them.

However, I suggest you get a TVFool report and see what it suggest.

http://www.tvfool.com/


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## Davelnlr_ (Jan 13, 2011)

IF the two (unamplified) antennas are directional (the indoor ones usually are not), and you can aim them in such a way as each one nulls out the stations the other is picking up, and assuming the signal strength is good on both for their respective stations, the splitter method will work.

What usually happens is the same station will be picked up by both antennas, and when combined, will be slightly out of phase and cancel each other out, or worse, add together with slightly different timing causing digital dropouts (used to be ghosts in the analog days).

Even in an apt, you can usually get a 4 bay screen antenna and some good quality coax, and mount the antenna high up in a closet, and run the coax to the tv. This would work much better for most people than gimmick antennas with built in amplifiers which usually amplify more noise than signal. If the signal isnt present at the antenna terminal, no amount of amplification is going to help. Amplification is basically used to boost the signal AND some amount of noise to overcome the attenuation in long coax runs to the TV, or where the signal is split to multiple rooms. Except in the case of satellite reception, amplifiers are usually not designed to do what most people think they do.


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## Joe Siegler (May 10, 2000)

Dan203 said:


> I have one of these...
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Amplified-High-Definition-Antenna-Off-Air-Reception/dp/B0007MXZB2
> 
> ...


I had one of those (amongst others) in trying to find a good antenna for my home, and found out that they don't work for me due to interference in the walls. I wrote about my trials picking the right antenna here.



janry said:


> I've combined antennas before using a splitter with some degree of success. I'll just say you aren't going to hurt anything to try except the cost of the 2nd antenna and splitter if you don't already have them.
> 
> However, I suggest you get a TVFool report and see what it suggest.
> 
> http://www.tvfool.com/


I'll back that. I love tvfool's reports. Antennaweb has gotten better lately, but tvfool still has more info and types of maps available.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

When I bought the antenna I lived in a place with no access to the attic, so I had to go with something I could attach directly. If I were buying one now I'd probably go for an attic mount one because I have easy access to the attic. But it sounds like the OP lives in an apartment so he's pretty much stuck with something her can keep in doors. Although I have heard of people putting those attic mount ones in closets and having them work. If he can't get a good signal from a TV top one that may be the next step.


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## Joe Siegler (May 10, 2000)

Those flat ones can work better in a window in an apartment, but it all depends on what direction the window is facing, obviously.


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## StevesWeb (Dec 26, 2008)

The indoor antenna that Dan203 linked to above gave me much better results in my previous home than any of the amplified type.

The 4 bay bowtie Davenlr suggests was my standard suggestion to customers when I was a TV repairman.


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## consumedsoul (Jan 13, 2013)

Picked up a Clearstream Micron XG (Antennas Direct) from Best Buy to try to replace my Mohu, getting more consistent signals from ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox (the 4 I mainly care about), and no longer getting solid signals from PBS/CW (the 2 I don't mind not having). 

Set it to one level (4 strengths available) of 'amplification' for stronger signal on some stations, any more doesn't really add benefit.

Interesting effect, I had it sitting next to the HD TV, I moved it behind it and the strength levels actually went up (around +5 to +10) on all stations (bizarre) according to TiVo's channel strength indicator.

Some stations are still a bit/slightly 'noisy' if you look up really close (e.g. at TV station static logos that's there), but otherwise very watchable.

Going to buy a couple more units from Best Buy to experiment tomorrow...


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## tenthplanet (Mar 5, 2004)

The mohu is primarily a UHF antennae so if you are trying get VHF you would have to something designed for both. If you're trying indoor antennaes you need something that has rabbit ears and a loop at a minimum. The problem you're running into is fairly common. A little trial and error with a long enough cable to move the antennae around can work wonders sometimes.


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## Leon WIlkinson (Feb 13, 2000)

So how good is the Roamio Tuner, >= Premiere or >= to a TiVoHD?


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## tenthplanet (Mar 5, 2004)

consumedsoul said:


> Picked up a Clearstream Micron XG (Antennas Direct) from Best Buy to try to replace my Mohu, getting more consistent signals from ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox (the 4 I mainly care about), and no longer getting solid signals from PBS/CW (the 2 I don't mind not having).
> 
> Set it to one level (4 strengths available) of 'amplification' for stronger signal on some stations, any more doesn't really add benefit.
> 
> ...


 As weird as it sounds sometimes a properly placed person can help reception, this goes to back the days of analog tv. People can be like super aluminum foil. Since no one wants to play reflector for any amount of time you might want to try some foil on a piece cardboard in the place where you were standing.


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## StevesWeb (Dec 26, 2008)

Leon WIlkinson said:


> So how good is the Roamio Tuner, >= Premiere or >= to a TiVoHD?


I hope to be able to help answer this question after Thursday when my Roamio arrives.

My existing Premiere XL receives 133 digital channels but only after I bought a new outdoor antenna. Compared to the HDHomerun, older Sling with ATSC tuner, and my Panasonic TV the Premier has always performed worst. Channels which were consistently fine on other tuners would suffer loss of sync on the Premiere XL.


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## ncbill (Sep 1, 2007)

IMHO, the Roamio is better than the Series 3 at OTA.

I can pick up one out of market (transmitters roughly 60 miles away) station with the TivoHD, but 3 add'l from that market with the Roamio.

And that's with splitting the signal from a 2-bay antenna between two Tivos.



Leon WIlkinson said:


> So how good is the Roamio Tuner, >= Premiere or >= to a TiVoHD?


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## 9300170 (Feb 21, 2003)

A "jointenna" will allow you to combine two antennas to receive one additional frequency. I've used one for years.

http://www.warrenelectronics.com/Antennas/Jointennas.htm


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## k2ue (May 9, 2002)

9300170 said:


> A "jointenna" will allow you to combine two antennas to receive one additional frequency. I've used one for years.
> 
> http://www.warrenelectronics.com/Antennas/Jointennas.htm


This the correct way to do it -- using a simple combiner/splitter will cost you 3-4dB SNR on all channels, plus add multipath problems.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

Scooby Doo said:


> No, you can't combine antennas. Get a better antenna, preferably an outdoor one.


You CAN combine antennas that are aimed in different directions just by using a 2-way splitter connected backwards. Your only issue is making sure the beam is narrow so you minimize multipath (ghosting) with both antennas seeing the same transmitters, which is less of an issue with a digital signal.


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## A J Ricaud (Jun 25, 2002)

I'm using this one with good results:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10901&cs_id=1090102&p_id=4730&seq=1&format=2


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

A Winegard combiner that isn't channel specific.
http://www.amazon.com/Winegard-CC-7...d=1378158465&sr=1-2&keywords=antenna+combiner

It works. Read the reviews.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

How's that work? Does it just detect which antenna has the strongest signal on each frequency and then pass that one through?


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## Scooby Doo (Dec 18, 2002)

Those Winegard combiners provide impedance matching which solves part of the problem of combining antennas, but they don't fix the multipath problem. As others have said, you may get satisfactory results if you are using highly directional antennas and know what you are doing. But for most people they aren't a good solution.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Scooby Doo said:


> No, you can't combine antennas. Get a better antenna, preferably an outdoor one.


OF course you can combine antennas. It just needs to be done properly to avoid issues. I have two Square Shooter antennas mounted outside my condo that have been combined since Spring 2004. Although My OTA only Premiere is the only box that uses them now. But without both of the antennas being combined, I would not receive all of the major stations in the area. I combine all frequencies.


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## Scooby Doo (Dec 18, 2002)

The OP was using omnidirectional indoor antennas. No, you can't sensibly combine these.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

Dan203 said:


> How's that work? Does it just detect which antenna has the strongest signal on each frequency and then pass that one through?





Scooby Doo said:


> Those Winegard combiners provide impedance matching which solves part of the problem of combining antennas, but they don't fix the multipath problem. As others have said, you may get satisfactory results if you are using highly directional antennas and know what you are doing. But for most people they aren't a good solution.


For me I'd aim one antenna south at Chicago and one north at Milwaukee. This discussion may make me get off of tail and get something up before winter.

I'd think you could solve any multipath issues by adding specific antennuator(s) on the unwanted channel(s) on the antenna that's getting the signal on the side.


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