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OTA TV - need a solution for the Superbowl!

2K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  jimbotelecom 
#1 ·
Hi Folks,

I cancelled TV a year ago and haven't missed it - except for live sports. There are options on the net, but still limiting. The Superbowl is coming up and while I could go over to a buddy's house, my boys are wondering how we're going to watch it. It's become a tradition so to speak and if I can, I'd get it hooked up for them. It's all about the memories of prepping / eating food and not so much the game :)

So, I was thinking of grabbing some of the over the air channels like my Grandparents used to do when they lived in their rural area. Fun times trying to get the hockey games to come in perfect! lol

I have a receiver with HDMI connected to my TV, still a bell satellite on the house, but no deck/PVR from them.

I saw this gadget and wondered if it connects directly to my TV or the satellite somehow?

Quantum HDTV Amplified Antenna | Canadian Tire

Cheers,
Keebler
 
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#3 ·
... I saw this gadget and wondered if it connects directly to my TV or the satellite somehow?

Quantum HDTV Amplified Antenna | Canadian Tire
I don't know that model specifically, but those kinds of amplified antennas tend to be very poor. As mentioned, your location is essential.

Another critical aspect: does your TV have an ATSC tuner? Check the owners manual or specs. There are no more analog (NTSC) broadcast signals so you have to have a digital ATSC tuner or you'll need an external box. The satellite box will almost certainly not have one.

Craig
 
#5 ·
sorry about that folks - i'm in the Ottawa area so not rural.

I checked the ATSC requirements for the TV and it's good. The only problem is that my TV is wall mounted without access to the back. I'd lift it, but I have a bum shoulder and don't trust myself to even try lifting it.

Do these devices have connects like RCA or composite to connect to a receiver 1st then I could access it that way? or maybe they don't operate like that?

Cheers,
Keebler
 
#6 ·
If you read the reviews, most say it works well and since all you need to receive is CTV for the game, at $40 or so this is a small gamble. Combine that with CTC offering a pretty good return policy if it does not perform up to standard and it's no gamble at all. It likely connects via a coaxial cable would be my guess as HD rabbit ears I have uses that format. Enlist the assistance of a couple of friends to lift that beast and you're good to go.
 
#9 ·
It's been a while since I played around with OTA but a few years ago I tried a few different antennas. The best indoor one by far was from The Source. I found it by doing bunch of searches online. People were raving about this Radio Shack one.

http://support.radioshack.com/support_video/doc71/71332.pdf


Since there were no Radio Shack anymore, I tried The Source and found they had one that looked identical. Worked very well.

Another indoor one that seemed to be the one to get at the time was the Silver Sensor. Might be worth checking out as well....

Silver Sensor Digital HDTV UHF Indoor Antenna - ZHDTV1 - A/V Antennas - CNET Archive

If you are in a house and can get an outdoor antenna, you will get much better results and you can build one very inexpensively.
 
#10 ·
Thanks digital gary - i have a bell satellite still on my house (no service to it though). I take i can plug the satellite into the antenna and use te sat to pick channels up?

I had called the source yesterday and he had no clue what i was looking for. I did mention ota and not antenna so that might have thrown him for a loop. Lol.
 
#11 ·
Thanks digital gary - i have a bell satellite still on my house (no service to it though). I take i can plug the satellite into the antenna and use te sat to pick channels up?
Nope, your satellite dish is just that, for satellite reception and will be of no benefit to your antenna. The dish is aimed into space to catch signals. Your OTA signals are roughly parallel to the ground, not 'up'. Operate it independently of the dish.
 
#13 ·
Just wanted to say thanks!

I bought the Quancomm HDTV antenna from CDN Tire and my neighbours held my tv off the wall while I screwed it in.

I'm in the basement and will extend the cable, but as it is, I have 6 channels including CBC for hockey and CTV, CJOH etc.. I'm hoping one of those will have the Superbowl (according to CTV, it will). CTV is the only channel where there's some digital artifacts and audio issues occasionally, but other than that, the quality of all the channels is very good.

So thanks to everyone for their help - I appreciate it.

Cheers,
Keebler
 
#15 ·
One thing you should consider is using the coax cable going to the satelitte dish for another antenna which you can point north to Pointe Fortune where all the Canadian HD is broadcast from. You can also point South towards Watertown NY and see if you get PBS and other U.S. stations. Make sure you ground your roof top antenna if you go that route.
 
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