TV Signal Woes

[R. Johnson]

Well, my wife and I cut the cable some time back. We watch our shows on the Hulu and Netflix using the Roku box and we have an aerial for all the local channels. Well of a while everything was fine with the local channels we got them all except for 5, but we could move the antenna and trade 4 to see 5. Now we can't get anything, no matter where we put the antenna. Except for telemundo, and we don't speak Spanish. Although, some of them Mexican soaps can be pretty entertaining., if ya catch my drift. Nothing changed, the rabbit ears are in good shape, the wires are all in good condition and all the connections are secure. Most y'all folks are smarter than me so surely someone has some wisdom as to what I can do?


By the way, paying for Hulu beats paying for cable a hundred times over.

 

[kinggabby]

When I was without cable channel 5 was a hard one to get.

 

[fishfurlife]

Go to walmart and get a digital receiver if you don't already have one. A few years back, the transition to digital TV broadcast was started and my guess is that it has finally been completed in your area.

I bet you will be amazed and the number of channels that you get when you make the conversion - if you haven't already done so

The channels should come in crystal clear and you will either have them or you won't. If you have a newer TV then there is a good chance that it has a built in receiver in it. Try your menu options to find out.

 

[R. Johnson]

Go to walmart and get a digital receiver if you don't already have one. A few years back, the transition to digital TV broadcast was started and my guess is that it has finally been completed in your area.

I bet you will be amazed and the number of channels that you get when you make the conversion - if you haven't already done so

The channels should come in crystal clear and you will either have them or you won't. If you have a newer TV then there is a good chance that it has a built in receiver in it. Try your menu options to find out.

Nah, my TV has a built in digital tuner. I'm in Norman so we've been getting OKC digital for a while now. It's aggravating cuz when you were on analog you could still get a channel, even if it wasn't completely clear. This all or nothing stuff bugs the crap out of me.

 

[R. Johnson]

I'm really starting to get pretty upset about this. All I want to do when I get home from work in the evening is watch Two and a Half men and Big Bang Theory reruns. Up until a week ago that was never an issue, 25 came in crystal clear. Now all I can get is telemundo like I said, and channel 9 goes in and out, mostly out. I really don't understand why one day everything is fine and the next it's all gone to crap.

 

[WTJ]

Anything can disrupt a digital TV signal, including traffic, WX, people walking between the antenna and emitter, and so on. If you get an external antenna and get LOS above the ground clutter it is more reliable. Digital is much more sensitive than analog, but it doesn't take up the bandwidth on the freq. I can't get any of it where I live or I would can the cable also. Run an external antenna w/ amp on RG6 coax. Try antennaweb.org to get azimuth and strength data based on your address.

 

[inactive]

I had the same issue and corrected it by using an attic antenna. Mine was existing, I just had to hook it up. If your roof is single asphalt over plywood, you can get pretty good reception unless you have a duct or flashing right in the way. It can be nearly as good as an external antenna, without the eyesore.

 

[264killer]

i have a friend that made a antenna out of a board & coat hanger wire. gets 35 channels & one is from tulsa. got info off internet, looked pretty simple to me

 

[????]

I built this. http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/how-to/tv/build-your-own-digital-tv-antenna

My TV is in the garage, it works best in a window, and with an old cookie sheet, or metal window screen behind it.

The digital still drops signal sometimes during windy weather. The built antenna worked way better that the $20.00 commercial version. I dind'nt bother with the rubber tips either

 

[R. Johnson]

I appreciate all the input. I know it sounds dumb, but I took alot of joy watching my reruns and drinking a coke after work, and having that go away has introduced new stress I don't need.