HDTV Antenna Help

[tarmand]

Please, someone help me. My husband and I are electronically challenged individuals. We have this TV: Hitachi 51" CRT Projection HD Monitor (51F59)
. We just decided to get Dish Network HDTV programming. We ordered the local channels, but we want to get an antenna to mount on the roof in order to catch all local stations and get the HDTV ones in High Def. When I go to the antennaweb website and plug in my information, it shows the following (which is complete jibberish to me):

red - vhf WAFB 9 CBS BATON ROUGE LA 274° 25.7 9
* red - vhf WBRZ-DT 2.1 ABC BATON ROUGE LA 263° 24.5 13
blue - uhf WGMB 44 FOX BATON ROUGE LA 268° 29.5 44
blue - vhf WBRZ 2 ABC BATON ROUGE LA 263° 24.5 2
blue - uhf WLFT-CA 30 IND BATON ROUGE LA 282° 16.8 30
blue - uhf WLPB 27 PBS BATON ROUGE LA 276° 25.3 27
blue - uhf WVLA 33 NBC BATON ROUGE LA 268° 29.5 33
blue - uhf WHNO 20 IND NEW ORLEANS LA 121° 53.4 20
blue - vhf WWL 4 CBS NEW ORLEANS LA 122° 53.2 4
blue - uhf WPXL 49 i NEW ORLEANS LA 121° 53.4 49
violet - uhf WNOL 38 CW NEW ORLEANS LA 114° 55.2 38
violet - uhf WGNO 26 ABC NEW ORLEANS LA 114° 55.2 26
violet - uhf WLAE 32 PBS NEW ORLEANS LA 114° 55.1 32
violet - vhf WVUE 8 FOX NEW ORLEANS LA 116° 56.2 8
violet - vhf WDSU 6 NBC NEW ORLEANS LA 117° 55.9 6
violet - uhf WBXH-CA 46 MNT BATON ROUGE LA 305° 33.2 46
* violet - uhf WGMB-DT 45.1 FOX BATON ROUGE LA 268° 29.5 45

The red ones are Digital. I would love to be able to catch both New Orleans and Baton Rouge channels. We found this antenna on the internet and we are planning to order it, but since wer are so ignorant when it comes to this stuff, I wanted to see if there are any experts here to help me. Terrestrial Digital DB8 Multidirectional Antenna. I posted on avsforums.com, but they are way too high tech for me and I'm afraid I won't understand even if someone reponds. Please help me - Dish is being setup this Friday.

 

[Jestocost]

Your TV only has a digital tuner NOT an HD tuner and won't be able to receive over-the-air HDTV signals without an additional piece of equipment. As a result, an investment in an antenna won't get you what you want on its own.

 

[tarmand]

But, I will have the Dish Network HDTV receiver that is supposed to act like a HD tuner, right?

 

[Charade]

But, I will have the Dish Network HDTV receiver that is supposed to act like a HD tuner, right?

If it's their HD tuner, it does have an OTA (over the air - antenna) tuner. The question is it ASTC (HD tuner)? The model 211 and the VIP 622 do have HD tuners (OTA). I would get the 622 because it's also a PVR (TIVO like device) that you won't be able to live without. The 622 will also record the OTA HD signals.


http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/programming/dishhd/receivers/vip622dvr/index.shtml

 

[Charade]

But, I will have the Dish Network HDTV receiver that is supposed to act like a HD tuner, right?

If it's their HD tuner, it does have an OTA (over the air - antenna) tuner. The question is it ASTC (HD tuner)? The model 211 and the VIP 622 do have HD tuners (OTA). I would get the 622 because it's also a PVR (TIVO like device) that you won't be able to live without. The 622 will also record the OTA HD signals.


http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/programming/dishhd/receivers/vip622dvr/index.shtml

http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/programming/dishhd/receivers/vip211/index.shtml

 

[bicker]

If you're just aiming for the two digital channels, then the multi-directional antenna isn't your best choice. They're within 5 degrees of each other, 30 miles away. A uni-directional antenna would work best in that scenario.

Keep in mind that you need an antenna that works both with UHF and VHF. I really wish the FCC was taking back the UHF spectrum instead of the high-end of the VHF spectrum. Much less interference on VHF than on UHF, and one type of antenna would work for the whole range.

 

[tarmand]

If it's their HD tuner, it does have an OTA (over the air - antenna) tuner. The question is it ASTC (HD tuner)? The model 211 and the VIP 622 do have HD tuners (OTA). I would get the 622 because it's also a PVR (TIVO like device) that you won't be able to live without. The 622 will also record the OTA HD signals.


http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/programming/dishhd/receivers/vip622dvr/index.shtml

Yes, I paid the upgrade fee for that unit. But, that won't get me OTA HD signals without an antenna, right?

 

[tarmand]

If you're just aiming for the two digital channels, then the multi-directional antenna isn't your best choice. They're within 5 degrees of each other, 30 miles away. A uni-directional antenna would work best in that scenario.

Keep in mind that you need an antenna that works both with UHF and VHF. I really wish the FCC was taking back the UHF spectrum instead of the high-end of the VHF spectrum. Much less interference on VHF than on UHF, and one type of antenna would work for the whole range.

I actually want all of the channels if I can catch them. My local channel package with Disn Network will only get me the Baton Rouge channels and I really enjoy some of the New Orleans stations for news and weather. I would love to not pay the extra $5 to Dish for the local channels and just pull everything in myself with an outdoor antenna. So what you mentioned above about the UHF and VHF means that the antenna that we are looking at won't work since it is only UHF - right?

 

[bicker]

That's correct.

 

[tarmand]

That's correct.

Radio Shack recommends this:

Raido Shack

It doesn't say multi-directional but he says that antennas pick up a radius. That's not right, is it? Don't I need multi-directional to get stations coming from two different areas?

 

[Charade]

Radio Shack recommends this:

Raido Shack

It doesn't say multi-directional but he says that antennas pick up a radius. That's not right, is it? Don't I need multi-directional to get stations coming from two different areas?

I don't think you need such a big antenna (or even outside one). Try using an indoor antenna first. According to google maps, you're not that far from BR. It appears (depending where the antenna for those stations are) you're about 20 or so miles away.

 

[bicker]

It looks like the correct type of antenna for your application, especially if you really want to try to receive all those channels you mentioned..