HDTV Over the Air - A Primer

[JavaJelly]

I am surprised at how many folks don't know how easy it is to get HDTV over the air and it works w/the basic crank up antennae on coaches and RVs. I thought it might help to give a summary of how it works and what's available.

First, almost every local market broadcast digital television alongside the normal broadcast that has been on for decades. So let's take Channel 2 in Buffalo. There is a 2.1 which is HDTV and 2.2 which is 24 hour weather & radar. Also, 2.3 and 2.4 for alternate programming.

There is way more High Definition broadcast over the air than on satellite or cable. So with all this high end video equipment in our rigs, we should be leveraging it w/our over the air antennaes. Sports of any kind in High Definition is incredible. (caveat: DirecTV is adding more all the time.)

Any tv antennae can receive these signals. What you need to view them is a TV with a HD tuner or a Satellite/Cable box with an HD tuner that is hooked to an HD ready TV.

For example, in my coach I have my antennae feed to all my TV's via a coax cable. The one I have midship is a Sony Bravia LCD 32" XBR2 which has an HD Tuner built in. I crank up the antennae, autoprogram the TV and Bingo, I'm watching sports etc. in High Definition. Sports of any kind is great in HD.

My front TV is a Sony 26" LCD without the HD Tuner. However, I have an HD Satellite Box which I feed the antennae into. That is hooked to that TV. The satellite menu system has the ability to display those over the air signals.

You have to make sure you are connected to the Satellite box with either component cables (red, green, blue) or HDMI (single USB looking cable that has both video and audio).

Most coach set-ups I've seen have the HD TVs installed but, don't run the HD cables. I had to request special cables on mine plus do some customizing.


Additioinally, if a program wasn't filmed in HD then it can be broadcast in HD but, you still will have a lesser picture. So when the satellite company says they have HBO in High Def. Only 10% of what's on that channel is really High Def.

[JavaJelly]

I am surprised at how many folks don't know how easy it is to get HDTV over the air and it works w/the basic crank up antennae on coaches and RVs. I thought it might help to give a summary of how it works and what's available.

First, almost every local market broadcast digital television alongside the normal broadcast that has been on for decades. So let's take Channel 2 in Buffalo. There is a 2.1 which is HDTV and 2.2 which is 24 hour weather & radar. Also, 2.3 and 2.4 for alternate programming.

There is way more High Definition broadcast over the air than on satellite or cable. So with all this high end video equipment in our rigs, we should be leveraging it w/our over the air antennaes. Sports of any kind in High Definition is incredible. (caveat: DirecTV is adding more all the time.)

Any tv antennae can receive these signals. What you need to view them is a TV with a HD tuner or a Satellite/Cable box with an HD tuner that is hooked to an HD ready TV.

For example, in my coach I have my antennae feed to all my TV's via a coax cable. The one I have midship is a Sony Bravia LCD 32" XBR2 which has an HD Tuner built in. I crank up the antennae, autoprogram the TV and Bingo, I'm watching sports etc. in High Definition. Sports of any kind is great in HD.

My front TV is a Sony 26" LCD without the HD Tuner. However, I have an HD Satellite Box which I feed the antennae into. That is hooked to that TV. The satellite menu system has the ability to display those over the air signals.

You have to make sure you are connected to the Satellite box with either component cables (red, green, blue) or HDMI (single USB looking cable that has both video and audio).

Most coach set-ups I've seen have the HD TVs installed but, don't run the HD cables. I had to request special cables on mine plus do some customizing.


Additioinally, if a program wasn't filmed in HD then it can be broadcast in HD but, you still will have a lesser picture. So when the satellite company says they have HBO in High Def. Only 10% of what's on that channel is really High Def.

[DonavonP]

Very informative. Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FLYTYER]

To add to Javajelly's great info....

Many locals are slowly switching to HD and standard digital broadcasting. Many have already made the change. Starting late 2007 and then by the end of 2009 to comply with the FCC rules, our locals will be turning off their analog signals and fully switch to digital and HD.

To assist you find out if you can get your local TV digital/HD broadcasts, keep reading.

To help everyone see if the local station of interest has the range for you to watch OTA (off the air) HD or SD (Standard digital) check this web site.

www.fcc.gov/mb/video/tvq.html

In the appropiate box enter the station ID call letters, go the bottom , click SUBMIT DATA. You will the get a listing of station info. Scroll down to the station ID info, click on the one identified as a DT license, the scroll down again through new info and click on the "Service Contour Map 41dbm" This will show you the range of coverage they have. If you are inside the map you'll get a perfect picture. If you are outside the map contour, you'll need a real good antenna with ampification.
Do not confuse this with the map for their analog signal as there is one for each type of signal they broadcast.

You can use this tool to also obtain a list of all stations within a specified distance from you. Just read the first page info to see how it works.

I use this tool regularly to determine what reception may be possible at the various locations we camp at or overnight at. Quite often I find I do not need to set up the satellite dish and can watch many great local programs and sporting events in HD.

[JavaJelly]

FLYTYER reminded me to post a website for your reference. It has all local listings and what area has which channels and what format they are broadcast in.

It has a bunch of resources like FAQs etc.

[url="http://www.titantv.com%5BURL=www.titantv.com%7D"]www.titantv.com[URL=www.titantv.com}[/url]

But, please don't fall for the trap of buying a special antennae. As mentioned, my standard weingartz gets all digital channels w/in range. Also, once the signal is strong enough, you have a perfect picture. No snow or shadowing, kind of like 51% on the satellite.

[JavaJelly]

Follow up to first post. I should have mentioned this too.


Digital (HD) Formats:

FLYTYER mentioned standard digital. There are many formats that are digital. They are either interlaced (i) or progressive (p). Without getting into the math, progressive is generally better per resolution and better for sports.

They are:

480i - this is what standard satellite is in and has been in since it started. Any TV can show this. It is also what FLYTYER meant when local stations will stop with analog and move to standard digital.

480p - lowest level of "High Definition" TV. Better than 480i. DVDs use this a lot.

720i - Not used that I know of.

720p - Best when used for watching sports. ABC, FOX, NBC etc. all broadcast their games in this.

1080i - What the top end HD has been for 5 years now. Best for movies and non-sports shows. 720p is still better for sports as progressive handles fast movement better. You will find PBS to have the best HD filming of shows. Your TV will come to life.

1080p - Just now coming out in large scale. All new upper end Sony TVs will have this capability. For all practical purposes it is indistinguishable to the non-video techie from 1080i or 720p. It is also what the DVD format called Blue Ray is in. Don't chase this expensive technology yet.

Please give me feedback if this is confusing or just not wanted. The forum has been so helpful to me in my coach that I hoped to easily explain an area I knew a little about.

[Bob (WA0MQE)]

javajelly... what about satellite? Isn't a special sat. antenna required, one with multiple LNB's or somesuch? I have DirecTV and I thought I read somewhere that I'd need to upgrade my antenna.

[JavaJelly]

You can get HD over satellite. And you do need both a receiver box and dish that will handle HD.

However, this topic was targeted at getting over the air HD. I used the satellite HD receiver example because that receiver will not only tune satellite HD but, also over the air HD if you connect the antennae feed to the back.

Regarding your question on the dish/dome. Not sure which you have. Yes you are supposed to have a 3 LNB dish. However, I currently have the R5 w/o the HD upgrade. The upgrade is just a special circuit board and costs $8-900. Without the upgrade I still get 80% of the HD channels.

Here's why. If you are aligned to get satellite 1 & 2 (w/LNBs 1 & 2) then satellite 3 is right in the middle. The domes don't use the same LNB technology the home dishes do. So I'm not springing for the upgrade yet.

BTW, I don't mean to cause further confusion but, DirecTV now has 5 LNB dishes. I'll save that topic for later once I have it upgraded at my house. They will do it for free and I will see what it means.

Not sure if my R5 will deal with that. Maybe Peter knows if his R6 will.

[Lug_Nut]

Scott, I'm not aware of the R6 KVH being any more multiple than two LNB's as it relys on rotating the dish each time a channel is selected that is on another of three selected satellites.

Peter