Digital TV Signal - Quality, How Many Channels?

[theclaw]

Are you sure your TV doesn't have a built-in tuner? Seems like by 2008 they were all required to have tuners.

I dunno if they're made anymore. But yeah there are tunerless sets. I've used just one in the past, a 37" Viore.
It only had external inputs for consoles and computers etc. No RF input or TV capability of any form.

[TSTR]

Not that I currently rock an OTA TV setup, but when I've messed with them in the past it seems that (as long as you get a good signal) the picture seems somehow better than what gets fed from a cable/satellite box. Less nodes to hit along the way or less compression or something, idk how it really works.

[Jagosaurus]

Are you sure your TV doesn't have a built-in tuner? Seems like by 2008 they were all required to have tuners.

I dunno if they're made anymore. But yeah there are tunerless sets. I've used just one in the past, a 37" Viore.
It only had external inputs for consoles and computers etc. No RF input or TV capability of any form.

I think that is technically the difference between a TV & a dedicated monitor - the addition of a tuner/RF in.

[BurningDoom]

How fortuitous this thread was resurrected. Although my questions are more for T.V. digital receivers.

I just got rid of Cable TV today, and I'm going to pick up a Digital Receiver for local channels, today.

From my online research, it looks to me that the RCA brand receivers give you the best picture quality and grabs a good amount of channels. Can anyone verify this?

And, from my understanding, I can't use a cable-splitter to get signals to 2 different t.v.s, without them both watching the same channel at the same time. Is there any way around this, or do I have to buy 2 receivers if I want different channels on 2 T.V.s?

[samsonlonghair]

canceling cable & saving $50+ a month!

I just got rid of Cable TV today

Congratulations to you both for severing that link.

And, from my understanding, I can't use a cable-splitter to get signals to 2 different t.v.s, without them both watching the same channel at the same time. Is there any way around this, or do I have to buy 2 receivers if I want different channels on 2 T.V.s?

Remember that the digital tuner is the device that tunes in the digital signal. I know that sounds too obvious; let me elaborate: You only need one antenna to catch distant signals, but if you want to tune multiple channels, you need a tuner for each channel you intend to watch simultaneously. The good news is that most TV sets made after 2008 (and practically all TV sets post 2009) have digital tuners built right in.

I think that is technically the difference between a TV & a dedicated monitor - the addition of a tuner/RF in.

Correct. A monitor with speakers and a tuner built in is a TV set. If there's no tuner, it's just a monitor.

[Jagosaurus]

@ BurningDoom. Here is what I ended up buying. It's 9 x 11.5 × 0.4 lol, so thin. There is also an implied version that's $80.



No power supply, plug into your TV tuner, switch TV option to digital antenna, auto-scan, & watch.

I should note, I even get Ion Television & Ion Movies in 1080i. Great addition for free!

[CRTGAMER]

@ Jagosaurus - How many digital channels did you pull off the air?

Congrats on discovering the free digital channels off the air. Of note you do not need a TV Antennae labeled specific for Digital HD, any set of rabbit ears or even a roof antennae will work. One thing I noticed is I got better reception with my portable TV with an external add on digital tuner versus the older analog tuner built in. An all or nothing pic with the digital tuner, but none of the analog snow.

[BurningDoom]

@ BurningDoom. Here is what I ended up buying. It's 9 x 11.5 × 0.4 lol, so thin. There is also an implied version that's $80.



No power supply, plug into your TV tuner, switch TV option to digital antenna, auto-scan, & watch.

I should note, I even get Ion Television & Ion Movies in 1080i. Great addition for free!

Thanks, but I already got the RCA one. Last one they had at my Wal-Mart, and Best Buy had none at all. So stores are obviously trying to push the new T.V.s you guys are talking about, instead.

I hate that when the signal is low that the entire show start freezing. Before digital, if it happened, the screen got a little fuzzy but you could still see, and it wasn't that big of deal.

...dang it's been so long since I haven't had cable & DVR. Well over a decade.

[Jagosaurus]

@ Jagosaurus - How many digital channels did you pull off the air?

Congrats on discovering the free digital channels off the air. Of note you do not need a TV Antennae labeled specific for Digital HD, any set of rabbit ears or even a roof antennae will work. One thing I noticed is I got better reception with my portable TV with an external add on digital tuner versus the older analog tuner built in. An all or nothing pic with the digital tuner, but none of the analog snow.

I get 37 channels, only 16 "worth watching" bc the others are church or Spanish LOL.

Very cool @ rabbit ear antenna. Will the older ones allow for HD OTA though?

@ burning doom, I believe the newer TVs (post 2008) we're referring to simply have a digital tuner. Most older, you'll need a digital to analog converter box.

[Sano]

I live in Aurora, Colorado. With the digital converter box (when we used them), we got about... 10 channels worth watching. There are a lot of Spanish and religious channels, religious channels taking up a majority of the channels.

There is a channel called Create, which is a great channel. Always had it on, I believe its 6-3; but it might be different where you are.