# OTA in San Jose, CA??



## grooves12 (Sep 25, 2001)

Anyone live in San Jose and getting the locals (HD) via OTA with an HR10-250?? I am trying to get it up and running and wondering what kind of antenna I would need... any advice?


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

Check out the "Local HDTV Reception Forum" at http://www.avsforum.com
There's an index thread at the top of that forum. Look for "San Jose" or "San Francisco" to link the thread specific to your location. You can then read about what antennas are working well for folks near you and post your questions.

Also, check out http://www.antennaweb.org.


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## SoJo (Oct 9, 2003)

You should be able to pick up all the locals in HD in San Jose. 

Like litzdog says, check out the two web sites above and you'll be able to find some good feedback on San Jose.


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## elbodude (Feb 15, 2005)

grooves12 said:


> Anyone live in San Jose and getting the locals (HD) via OTA with an HR10-250?? I am trying to get it up and running and wondering what kind of antenna I would need... any advice?


I am in Santa Clara and get all my locals (except NBC) with a little indoor Radio Shack antenna. The Silver Sensor works as well.


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## mikezoom (Aug 15, 2005)

I live in San Jose and get all the major networks in HD as well as UPN, the WB, PBS, and others. I have a Terk TV35 antenna mounted on the roof hooked up to the HR10.


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## miss_my_utv (Sep 29, 2005)

elbodude said:


> I am in Santa Clara and get all my locals (except NBC) with a little indoor Radio Shack antenna. The Silver Sensor works as well.


Just curious, are you saying you get all the *HD* _locals_ with your setup?

Just asking, since this is way different from anything I've ever read about what is needed in the South Bay (which is 30+ miles from Sutro and whatever tower NBC moved to a few months back) to reliably get the HD channels. The Channel Master 4228 seems to be the antenna of choice down here, and that's a far cry from what you say you're using.

Again, just what I've read...


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## brentley (Nov 19, 1999)

Depends on where the antenna really is.

When I was allowed to run wires inside of my house I could get all the locals from sutro with a silver sensor in my upstairs bedroom pointed properly at sutro on a HD-Tivo.

My permenant antenna is outdoors a bit lower and has problems once in a while.

I am in north san jose close to Alviso.


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## bigpuma (Aug 12, 2003)

miss_my_utv said:


> Just curious, are you saying you get all the *HD* _locals_ with your setup?
> 
> Just asking, since this is way different from anything I've ever read about what is needed in the South Bay (which is 30+ miles from Sutro and whatever tower NBC moved to a few months back) to reliably get the HD channels. The Channel Master 4228 seems to be the antenna of choice down here, and that's a far cry from what you say you're using.
> 
> Again, just what I've read...


I live in Campbell near San Tomas expy. and Campbell Ave. I get all the locals except NBC via a silver sensor that is sitting on the shoulder of my chimney. I am 42.1 miles from the Mt. Sutro tower according to antennaweb. I would say if you are looking for a long term solution the Channel Master is probably a better bet and you would probably be able to get NBC as well.


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## Sanjoseguy (Jan 29, 2004)

I thought I'd go ahead and chime in too. I get all major networks except for NBC, which got moved (grrr). I live in the Campbell/Los Gatos area near San Tomas.

Luckily, when I got my HD Tivo, I was given the L.A. NBC and CBS HD feeds. So, when I lost the ota NBC, I just redirected my season passes and things are fine. 

I hope they give you NBC too! Otherwise, you might need an extra aerial facing towards the other tower for ota NBC.

Good luck! I LOVE my ota reception!!

Sanjoseguy


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## miss_my_utv (Sep 29, 2005)

Sanjoseguy said:


> I hope they give you NBC too! Otherwise, you might need an extra aerial facing towards the other tower for ota NBC.
> 
> Sanjoseguy


I thought the NBC transmitter moved late last year to a tower only a few degrees from Sutro (and about the same distance), so it's no longer the opposite direction of all the others (from antennaweb.com):

KNTV-DT	11.1	NBC	SAN JOSE	CA 302°	28.4	12
KPIX-DT	5.1	CBS	SAN FRANCISCO	CA 307° 32.7	29
KGO-DT	7.1	ABC	SAN FRANCISCO	CA 307° 32.7	24
KTVU-DT	2.1	FOX	OAKLAND	CA 307° 32.7	56

Didn't that make a difference (or is that when you "lost" it)?


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## Albertsanchez (Oct 5, 2005)

I'm in the process of installing a Channel Master 4228.

Schad Electronics and Fry's Electronics in San Jose, were both out of stock, so I shopped around on-line and bought it for $69, which includes the $20 "freight" charge.

Click here for CM4228 

Here's a another thread which discusses OTA hardware for San Jose...

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=219110&highlight=TV55


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## bigpuma (Aug 12, 2003)

miss_my_utv said:


> I thought the NBC transmitter moved late last year to a tower only a few degrees from Sutro (and about the same distance), so it's no longer the opposite direction of all the others (from antennaweb.com):
> 
> KNTV-DT	11.1	NBC	SAN JOSE	CA 302°	28.4	12
> KPIX-DT	5.1	CBS	SAN FRANCISCO	CA 307° 32.7	29
> ...


I used to get KNTV until they moved it. I don't know why I can't get it since you are correct it is in roughly the same direction and about the same distance from San Jose.


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## elbodude (Feb 15, 2005)

miss_my_utv said:


> Just curious, are you saying you get all the *HD* _locals_ with your setup?
> 
> Just asking, since this is way different from anything I've ever read about what is needed in the South Bay (which is 30+ miles from Sutro and whatever tower NBC moved to a few months back) to reliably get the HD channels. The Channel Master 4228 seems to be the antenna of choice down here, and that's a far cry from what you say you're using.
> 
> Again, just what I've read...


Yep all except NBC which moved their antenna. Sometimes I have to rotate the antenna to ge the signal, but the antenna has a remote for that.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...2057&kw=vhf&kwCatId=2032057&parentPage=search


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## grooves12 (Sep 25, 2001)

I think part of the problem for all of you unable to get NBC is that it is broadcast in VHF... and the silver sensor and many other antennas are UHF only.

For the guy using the small Radio Shack antenna... which one do you have?? I tried one and got absolutely NOTHING with it. I have heard good things about the silver sensor, I will have to try and find one.


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## Darknight (Aug 28, 2001)

grooves12 said:


> I think part of the problem for all of you unable to get NBC is that it is broadcast in VHF... and the silver sensor and many other antennas are UHF only.
> 
> For the guy using the small Radio Shack antenna... which one do you have?? I tried one and got absolutely NOTHING with it. I have heard good things about the silver sensor, I will have to try and find one.


That's not true. I live in South San Jose out by Tully and Capital Ave near Eastridge, over 40 miles from Sutro, and I get all local networks in HD including KNTV NBC through my Silver Sensor indoor antenna. I placed it upstairs and it took some adjusting to get it to work with everything but once I did, everything was great. You might need to do just a slight adjustment on the aiming of your antenna. If I just move it like half an inch, I could lose good reception, but where it's at now it's all strong signals.


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## elbodude (Feb 15, 2005)

grooves12 said:


> I think part of the problem for all of you unable to get NBC is that it is broadcast in VHF... and the silver sensor and many other antennas are UHF only.
> 
> For the guy using the small Radio Shack antenna... which one do you have?? I tried one and got absolutely NOTHING with it. I have heard good things about the silver sensor, I will have to try and find one.


Corrected link:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...2057&kw=vhf&kwCatId=2032057&parentPage=search


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## mikezoom (Aug 15, 2005)

miss_my_utv said:


> Just curious, are you saying you get all the *HD* _locals_ with your setup?
> 
> Just asking, since this is way different from anything I've ever read about what is needed in the South Bay (which is 30+ miles from Sutro and whatever tower NBC moved to a few months back) to reliably get the HD channels. The Channel Master 4228 seems to be the antenna of choice down here, and that's a far cry from what you say you're using.
> 
> Again, just what I've read...


After reading the other posts, I must be lucky using the TV35 miss_my_utv. I've been getting all the Bay Area HD locals since I hooked up my first HD reciever a year ago. This includes NBC, which was breaking up for a while during bad weather in December but lookin good now. I originally bought the TV35 around 3 or 4 years ago when I was having problems with UPN reception on cable. At the time it was being touted as a good HDTV antenna and it's worked for me.  BTW, I live in southwest San Jose and I know I'm skimming some hills to see Sutro tower!


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## Sanjoseguy (Jan 29, 2004)

I made an assumption that since I lost the signal altogether, it must have been moved a significant degree. Now I am really baffled. 

All I know is that I was getting 48-2 beautifully and then one day...nothing. Ah well.

SJ


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## mikezoom (Aug 15, 2005)

Sanjoseguy said:


> I made an assumption that since I lost the signal altogether, it must have been moved a significant degree. Now I am really baffled.
> 
> All I know is that I was getting 48-2 beautifully and then one day...nothing. Ah well.
> 
> SJ


Try 11-1 now. I believe that replaced channel 48-2.


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## jdk (Mar 15, 2001)

48.2 was a simulcast from Telemundo of the KNTV DTV broadcast (Both Telemundo and KNTV are owned by NBC). It was sent from Mt Allison in the East Bay.

When KNTV fired up their new transmitter in San Bruno, they shut down the simulcast from Mt Allison. KNTV-DT is now only available on Channel 12 (remapped to 11.1).


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## miimura (Apr 3, 2002)

The HDTV-in-SFBay Yahoo group is also a good resource for SF Bay Area OTA status and antenna recommendations. There has been a lot of tower work at Sutro lately and you will find status updates on this Yahoo group. You can also find useful things like the REAL reason that 48.2 was shut down. (the FCC withdrew the channel ID exception KNTV was using after they got the new Mt. San Bruno tower up and running)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HDTV-in-SFbay/

- Mike


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## grooves12 (Sep 25, 2001)

Update: I bought the Zenith Silver Sensor indoor antenna and was able to get all channels with the exception of channel 11/NBC (which is the only VHF channel)... and channel 9/PBS is kind of flaky (but no biggie as I don't watch PBS much.)

That pretty impressive, imo since all the channels are 44 miles away from me according to antennaweb.org and it only cost me $20.

I still would prefer them delivered via satellite, but it is a good interim solution.


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## Albertsanchez (Oct 5, 2005)

grooves12,

Just an FYI...

In the Bay Area, *PBS* broadcasts 5 digital channels (9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5).

*Channel 9.1 brodcasts "real" HD* most of the time 

Overall, the quality of the programiming on these 5 digital channels is excellent.

However, depending on your location, you may need a different antenna configuration. I've been very pleased with the Channel Master 4228.


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