# Dropped cable now have antenna!



## plasticorange (Mar 1, 2010)

Hey all, just bought a winegard antenna from Amazon and am loving it. 

Was paying $11 a month from Comcast for analog cable (no box) previously. The picture is as good if not better all for $54.


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## Wil (Sep 27, 2002)

plasticorange said:


> Hey all, just bought ... antenna from Amazon and am loving it


The HR10-250 (long since paid for) and an antenna is a huge TV entertainment bargain.

This isn't necessarily advice for you, but maybe useful for others who read this thread:

If all the major "networks" are basically in the same direction the trick is fine tuning a directional sweet spot that gets a decent signal for all. If only one station is way off-direction (and hopefully close by), find the sweet spot for the rest of them and then get a "join-tenna" designed for that station. Get the smallest antenna that will pick up that station and the jointenna will merge that signal with your main antenna feed.

You might want to consider hacking the HR10-250 so that video from other sources can be inserted. Not saying it's easy, but it can be done.

Obvious content supplements are netflix, redbox, etc.

If you're lucky enough to already have a computer like, say a Mac Mini, with built-in HiDef digital out, and high speed internet, the world opens up (with programs like Plex) for all kinds of free online content to supplement OTA. Hulu, etc. Use an HDMI or component switch into your HiDef TV. Much cable-only programming is available free or a la carte cheap, and it's virtually all free if your conscience allows.

The only thing I would really miss with this setup alone is a wide range of live sports. Mere loyalty to long-time content providers keeps my accounts with DirecTV, Tivo and Cable alive, very difficult to justify economically any more.


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## Colby (Mar 2, 2003)

Just curious as to which type of antenna this one is - the Amazon link doesn't go into much detail. Please post your distance to the UHF/VHF broadcast towers in your area using AntennaWeb (http://www.antennaweb.org). Just use the "Choose an antenna" tool, enter your address, and then cut/paste the results.

As an example, here's mine (from the Austin Texas area):

Antenna	Call	Channel	Network	City	Compass	Miles	RF
Type	Sign Heading	From	Channel
======	======	======	======	======	======	======	=======
green vhf	KTBC-DT	7.1	FOX	AUSTIN	116°	8.5	7	
red uhf	KLRU-DT	18.1	PBS	AUSTIN	109°	8.5	22 
red uhf	KEYE-DT	42.1	CBS	AUSTIN	112°	7.6	43 
red uhf	KNVA-DT	54.1	CW	AUSTIN	110°	7.7	49 
red uhf	KXAN-DT	36.1	NBC	AUSTIN	110°	7.7	21 
blue vhf	KQUX-CA	11	SPA	AUSTIN	113°	7.7	11 
blue uhf	KBVO-CA	51	MNT	LLANO	110°	7.7	51 
blue uhf	KVUE-DT	24.1	ABC	AUSTIN	112°	7.6	33 
violet vhf	KAKW-DT	62.1	UNI	KILLEEN	345°	24.8	13 
violet uhf	KADF-LP	20	AZA	AUSTIN	112°	7.7	20


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## Rosemarry (Jun 25, 2010)

So I just got digital cable yesterday and a bit disappointed. Before yesterday I was running everything with an antenna in my attic. I pulled in all my local stations in great clarity with most in HD. Now I have my local stations via cable but everything in standard def.

My setup was a 1-in 4-out splitter, so the antenna in, then the 4 outs to my 4 tvs. They yanked off the antenna input and replaced it with the cable input. One of the 4-outs now goes to a digital box, that box then goes to the coax input on my tv. I tried putting a 2-in/1-out splitter in front of the 1-in/4-out splitter, and hooked cable in and antenna in then it's output to the 1-in/4-out splitter. but that doesn't work.


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## TyroneShoes (Sep 6, 2004)

Rosemarry said:


> ...I tried putting a 2-in/1-out splitter in front of the 1-in/4-out splitter, and hooked cable in and antenna in then it's output to the 1-in/4-out splitter. but that doesn't work.


Most likely because OTA and cable share the same frequencies; if you combine them with a combiner (splitter inserted backwards) as you describe they will interfere with each other, probably to the point of neither working at all on certain channels.

If you want to maintain your antenna system, I would suggest duplicating the 1-in/4-out distribution to each TV (or each TV where it is wanted) and then using an A/B RF switch at each STB to select which system you want at any particular time.

You might also request that the mods move this to the proper forum, assuming there is one (this is a Tivo/DTV HD forum). Good luck. FWIW, I would have a hard time justifying a monthly payment to a cable vendor that can't even provide the locals in HD. It's 2010.


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