![]() ![]() If the broadcasts are coming from all around you, you may wish to purchase an omnidirectional antenna. If your RabbitEars signal report shows that the stations you’re hoping to receive are clustered in mostly one direction, a unidirectional or multidirectional antenna will probably be the right choice. Which type is right for you depends less on the antenna’s features and more on where your home is located.Īntennas need a direct line of sight to broadcast towers, so the front of the antenna will need to face where the signals are originating. Outdoor units are generally classified by their directionality into three categories: omnidirectional (“all directions”), multidirectional (“multiple directions”) or unidirectional (“from one”). OTA antennas are available in a wide variety of designs. “Directivity” refers to an antenna’s ability to receive broadcasts from one particular direction and reject signals from others. Once you’ve located nearby TV towers, you’ll need to purchase an OTA antenna with a range greater than your farthest tower.įor this step, you’ll need to determine the directivity of your future antenna that’s best for you. It’ll provide you with a list of real (otherwise known as “RF” or radio frequency) channels being broadcast in your area - in the UHF and VHF bands. This report will show you which channels you’re likely to pick up, and give you ideas for how to aim your OTA antenna. One very good tool is RabbitEars, which makes it easy to input your address in the website and receive a signal report customized for your location. So how do you find surrounding transmitters? Keep in mind that hiring a professional to do the job will cost (on average) the equivalent of around two to three months of your satellite TV bill, so factor that into your cost savings.īut they’ll know how to do the job properly. If you’re not comfortable climbing onto your rooftop and working with tools, then by all means engage a professional installer to remove the dish and attach your new TV antenna. ![]() This will save you from having to drill any new holes or run any new cable. You’ll also keep the end of the coaxial cable that had previously been connected to your satellite receiver box. This will eliminate the need to add a new mast when setting up the antenna. ![]() The part of the dish installation that you want to keep is the mounting bracket on the mast holding the satellite dish in place. Below I’ll give some ideas on how to best do this.Įvery satellite comes in two parts: the dish assembly and the mast. ![]() The first (and perhaps most satisfying) step for turning your satellite dish into an antenna will involve getting rid of the dish by dismantling it. In addition, the TV satellite dish mounting is already on the roof at the right height for picking up terrestrial television signals.Īnd since you’re leaving the mounting in place, you won’t have to drill any new holes in your roof or run more cables through your home. Since your home is already wired for a dish on the roof, you can use the existing coax cable for the new antenna, which eliminates the need to wire or rewire the house again. The presence of a mounted satellite dish on the roof is an advantage when it comes to getting started with an HDTV antenna. This means you can skip several steps that would otherwise be required if you had to add the outdoor TV antenna on its own. However, you can use the mast that holds your TV satellite dish and the already-installed grounded coax cables to speed up the process of setting up an HDTV antenna, which will allow you to watch TV channels for free. No you cannot, and don’t believe anyone who claims this. Can You Use Your House Wiring as an HDTV Antenna? Such electronics are not designed for processing terrestrial broadcast signals. In addition, the dish itself has special electronics, such as a low-noise block down converter (LNB) – part of that arm sticking out of the dish – with its cables that converts satellite signals into electrical pulses to be sent down the coaxial cable. You can’t convert your satellite parabolic dish into an HDTV antenna because it’s not an optimal shape for capturing terrestrial UHF and VHF signals. The good news is that for dish subscribers, cutting the cord is very doable.Ĭan you get regular satellite TV service for free? No, not legally. Run a Channel Scan and Enjoy Your Free TV Can a Satellite Dish Be Used as an HDTV Antenna? Connect the Coaxial Cable to Your New Antenna Point the Antenna in the Direction of Your Local TV Towers Can You Use Your House Wiring as an HDTV Antenna?.Can a Satellite Dish Be Used as an HDTV Antenna?. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |