TV antenna. ..hd?

[pgomalley]

I have the winguard over the air antenna with the wingman added.
I have a Smart Tv by Samsung...I don't get H D channels...what antenna do I need in today's broadcasting world? I'm not interected in Direct TV or Dish....

[wildtoad]

Your existing antenna is the best you can get. You may need to look at your connections, make sure the antenna booster is turned on, have you done the proper tv channel scans. Are you not getting any channels? Are you in the boonies or near the broadcast stations?

Unless it is broken, the Winegard Batwing antenna with the Wingman is as good as it gets. I've tried several different ones and none beat it.

[luvlabs]

There are no HD specific antennas and your current system is the as good as it gets. With digital TV, you either get the station or you don't.

There is no FCC rule that tv stations have to broadcast in HD. So if you are far enough from the big cities, you may only get SD broadcasts or the programming that is currently on is SD. Try watching in prime time and see if they are still in SD.

[Triker56]

My 46" Smart TV from Samsung has no problem searching for HD off air channels.

On remote select Source too TV...Menu....Broadcasting...Set Antenna to AIR...Auto Program.

Then when on a channel. On Remote hit "INFO" and at top right if it shows 480i then that is a SD station. If it shows 1080i then that is a HD station.
More of them are probably 480i then 1080i

[harleyjt]

You didn't say what coach you have and if you are doing a retrofit or if it is OE. So, if you are doing an upgrade from old TV, are you trying to use an old existing analog BOMB? (box of many buttons). This is the issue I had when I changed out to flatscreens from the old tube tvs. I removed the bomb and ran antenna directly into TV. I added a Winegard SensarPro to power up the amp in the antenna. I connected the antenna to the front and rear TVs to it. I also added a true on/off switch to it. There was another thread here that detailed that.
The analog bomb is identified by a ch 3/4 button towards the left side. You need the SensarPro as the bomb is what powered the antenna in the past and you have to get rid of it since its analog. You cannot get digital signals through the analog bomb. Just doesn't work. When I figured that out, everything got good really quickly.
jt

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by pgomalley

I have the winguard over the air antenna with the wingman added.
I have a Smart Tv by Samsung...I don't get H D channels...what antenna do I need in today's broadcasting world? I'm not interected in Direct TV or Dish....

You have the best HD RV antenna made.. Well, Actually the Best RV TV antenna made.. You have a problem somewhere.
Suspect list in path order:
The antenna might have gone bad. Hey, it happens, rare but it happens.
Bad coax. Antenna to roof,, Much more common
Bad connector (Roof) Have heard of it.. Once.
Bad coax roof to switch.. Even more rare than bad antenna
Bad power supply/switch in motor home (more common than bad antenna, less common than bad rooftop coax).
Power supply turned off See notes
Bad coax power supply/selector to TV (Very common)

Notes:
Two types of selector switches. (really 4 but we get to 3 later and 4 is rare) One is a wall plate 12 volt accessory outlet, Antenna connector LED and Switch,, LED MUST BE ONE for OTA antenna to work.

The next is a Matrix Swich or box of many buttons (BOMB) you must select ANT for the proper TV and.. This is important the power button (usually far left) must be ON (Light on).

The 4th is a simple wall plate switch and optionally LED, must be ON,, this one is rare.

#3 is the Winegard Sensar Pro.. I seriously doubt you have it, it is an upgrade for the wall plate unit.. And it is the ONLY device I recommend for using ahead of the BOMB units.. IT WORKS. I'm looking at one as I type this. Many features.

Next: you need a smart phone app.. Antenna helper free.

Invoke the app. when it gives you the option choose the MAP icon.. This will show you a map out to around 70 miles or so centered on your RV.. There will be lines radiating.. Pick a GREEN ONE.. Now rotate your Batwing so the wingman points in the same direction as that green line. (use a compass app to insure you get it right) THEN scan.

Coax: Most of the coax used in RV's has cheap Crimp ON connectors.. These tend to pull off easily.. Most significant is the switch to TV cable.. I've had to replace several of the connectors in my RV as while upgrading this or that the end simply pulled off. I use a much better connector.

[pgomalley]

Thank you all for your responses.
This is our 3rd MH.1st one had the wall plate,the other a switch. This one is 08 Tiffin Allegro Open Road (bought in May].it has what you all refer to as the bomb, the box with all the push buttons...bought with 2 box TVs, former owner had wiring/cables for satellite ,Tripod, TV, VCR/DVD player & CB. CB,Satellite were removed.
I replaced front and back TV'S with a Smart TV and a flat screen in the bedroom. I Added the Wingman.
I've had hit and miss success. Most recently, in St Peters, Mo, near Colombia & St Louis, I was able to get ABC for good morning america...later that day it disappeared. ..couldn't get football game. Neighbors also in 06 Tiffin Winegard & Wingman "not raised" had great reception...hmmmmm.
I gave up, hooked up my $17 HD stick to window antenna and was able to bring in ABC to watch football game, however,signal would break up .

My question..should I replace "bomb"? And if so, with what?

[gorwig]

Originally Posted by pgomalley

My question..should I replace "bomb"? And if so, with what?

There are too many variables to give a simple answer. If your BOMB is amplifying and passing the antenna signal directly to the antenna input of each tv you should be able to tune in high def stations once you go through the proper tv setup at each new location you camp at. The actual over the air (OTA) signals don't look any different to those electronics than old UHF signals. Check all coax cable connections ... most importantly the one on the roof at the antenna. Also verify that the cables on back of the BOMB are hooked up right AND the BOMB is actually powered up. If things were moved around it is real easy to put a coax cable in the wrong place. In my former motorhome the BOMB was connected to the inverter which had a GFI breaker that always popped when it was raining and we were all settled in for the evening. No power to the BOMB ... no tv.

As for other signals ... DVD or BluRay or satellite. That is where it gets really messy. Due to copyright restriction laws, those signals can't be distributed the same way (can't use a "channel 3 or 4" for high def output from a BluRay player or satellite ... too easy to copy). Instead it has to be HDMI cables which don't exist in your motorhome. It will be easier to get an inexpensive BluRay player for each tv position and hook each up directly with a short HDMI cable to its respective tv. Satellite, if you do get interested, would require a separate coax cable from the satellite antenna to a satellite receiver for each tv you want to hook up. ... Two tv's ... two cables and two receivers. There are other ways with wireless HDMI or using HDMI routers and pulling HDMI cables but those get very expensive or very messy!

[pgomalley]

Thank you for sharing this information. ..it is quite helpful and gives me some things to try...
Learning as I go

[FreedomDream]

Originally Posted by luvlabs

There are no HD specific antennas and your current system is the as good as it gets. With digital TV, you either get the station or you don't.

There is no FCC rule that tv stations have to broadcast in HD. So if you are far enough from the big cities, you may only get SD broadcasts or the programming that is currently on is SD. Try watching in prime time and see if they are still in SD.

The FCC regulation was that after 2009 no OTA broadcast had to be in SD. All TV OTA is now in HD (digital). Before 2009, during the transition, TV stations had to broadcast in both HD and SD (also know as analog). All antennas now installed on RVs are HD antennas and have been since before 2009.

[focker]

Originally Posted by gorwig

There are too many variables to give a simple answer. If your BOMB is amplifying and passing the antenna signal directly to the antenna input of each tv you should be able to tune in high def stations once you go through the proper tv setup at each new location you camp at. The actual over the air (OTA) signals don't look any different to those electronics than old UHF signals. Check all coax cable connections ... most importantly the one on the roof at the antenna. Also verify that the cables on back of the BOMB are hooked up right AND the BOMB is actually powered up. If things were moved around it is real easy to put a coax cable in the wrong place. In my former motorhome the BOMB was connected to the inverter which had a GFI breaker that always popped when it was raining and we were all settled in for the evening. No power to the BOMB ... no tv.

^^^^ This^^^^^

Get a 12V tester and start at the antenna. Unscrew the coax and make sure it has 12V going to it. If it does, make sure your connections are clean and reattach. Check your signal with the antenna properly aimed. If it is still a poor picture start working your way back to the other connections. I found that I had 12V to the antenna but the connection was poor. After a little cleaning I now have a sparkling picture on my TVs .

[wa8yxm]

As others have said, You have the best antenna already. You either have a problem elsewhere or .. Not every place can receive TV.

[ernieh]

Originally Posted by FreedomDream

The FCC regulation was that after 2009 no OTA broadcast had to be in SD. All TV OTA is now in HD (digital). Before 2009, during the transition, TV stations had to broadcast in both HD and SD (also know as analog). All antennas now installed on RVs are HD antennas and have been since before 2009.

I think that you have "digital" and HD (high definition) confused. Almost all signals are now "digital" but they are not necessarily HD. There are stations that broadcast only in SD, but most of the major ones broadcast in both SD and HD. Either way, that signal is "digital".

[pgomalley]

Everyone...Wonderfully informative and helpful. Much appreciated!