[kwlug-disc] What's needed for OTA on a TV cart?

Tue Apr 2 10:47:04 EDT 2013

There is definitely no analog transmission of CKCO anymore.  Digital
distortion is very obvious--the audio starts to break up and the
picture is replaced by large randomly colored blocks.  Not the same as
the "snowy" picture of yester-year.

I am surprised that you can't get global.  That transmitter is really
close.  Is it a really old rabbit ear?  It might not be the right
impedance match.  A lot of the old tower antennas would work just fine
except for the tiny bit of electronics attached to them.

Brent

On Tue, Apr 2, 2013 at 3:15 AM, Bob Jonkman <bjonkman at sobac.com> wrote:
> Demo for the LUG?
>
> From your description, it sounds like you're still pulling in an
> analogue signal. Why else would you be seeing garbled closed
> captioning?  I thought with digital broadcast it was all or nothing.
>
> And I expect you've already searched for something like this:
> https://ixquick.com/do/metasearch.pl?query=digital+reception+rabbit+ears
>
> --Bob.
>
>
> On 13-04-02 01:20 AM, unsolicited wrote:
>> Ended up purchasing the Zinwell, $70, at
>> http://www.researchelectronic.com/fta.php?sub=5&a=23
>>
>> - apparently they have even cheaper ones, and Canada Computer still
>> has the Homeworx for $40. If I did it again, I'd go as cheap as
>> possible (now knowing what's what). I went with this one as it has a
>> better (separate signal strength and quality) meter, and this all
>> being new to me / the TV not being stationary, separate meters seemed
>> useful.
>>
>> [We already had 'rabbit ears', much like
>> http://www.thesource.ca/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Indoor+Antennas&product=1501857]
>>
>> The TV being on wheels / a cart, means no internal/external/fixed
>> antenna is possible - it has to fit and sit on the cart.
>>
>> Only CKCO comes in - it does see that TVO and CITS are out there, but
>> can't bring them in.
>>
>> Apparently with a better / directional internal antenna, Global, TVO
>> and City should also be possible, and perhaps even CBC and CFTO
>> (Channel 9, CTV2).
>>
>> Even if we replaced the TV with a widescreen LCD and built in tuner,
>> an antenna would still be needed. Even just putting your finger on the
>> connector is sufficient, but I have yet to find anyone willing to
>> stand still long enough, without bathroom breaks, to be useful.
>>
>> (If closed captioning is required - forget it, it's all garbled.)
>>
>> On 13-03-24 03:12 AM, unsolicited wrote:
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>>> Minimal non-high def tuner boxes are around the 40 dollar range
>>>
>>> I'm guessing you're talking about an ATSC tuner?
>>>
>>> Got a link to the sort of beastie you're talking about? Canada
>>> computer, factory direct, Orion, K-W Surplus?
>>>
>>>> A decent VHF rabbit ear can often do it.
>>>
>>> There's a set of rabbit ears there, but it's never been able to pick
>>> up anything, AFAIK. Even CKCO was full of snow. Now that they're
>>> digital ... I'm not sure anyone's tried. We just assumed the analogue
>>> rabbit ears / TV wasn't going to get anything.
>>>
>>> Not knowing what 'decent' is, any links?
>>>
>>>> failing that an antenna costing sub 40 dollars could be stuck in a
>>>> window to pick up it and possibly Global as well.
>>>
>>> No window anywhere near where it's normally used. This would have to
>>> be entirely mobile / plug and play - and the plug would be of a
>>> single extension cord into a power outlet. (-:
>>>
>>> Come check us out any Friday night, we serve the best Sloppy Joe's in
>>>  town! Free! For you, I'll throw in a cup of coffee!
>>>
>>> On 13-03-24 02:24 AM, R. Brent Clements wrote:
>>>> Minimal non-high def tuner boxes are around the 40 dollar range
>>>> (maybe less now).  CKCO doesn't really require much in terms of an
>>>> antenna. A decent VHF rabbit ear can often do it.  failing that an
>>>> antenna costing sub 40 dollars could be stuck in a window to pick
>>>> up it and possibly Global as well.
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, Mar 24, 2013 at 1:25 AM, unsolicited <unsolicited at swiz.ca>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>> For the TV gurus out there ...
>>>>>
>>>>> At kwootcfri, K-W Out Of The Cold (kwootc.ca), Friday, we have a
>>>>> (analogue tube) TV on a cart. No cable. We play DVD's for the
>>>>> guests each Friday night. Corner of King & William, in Waterloo.
>>>>>
>>>>> What might we need to be able to watch CKCO / news / whatever?
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm guessing some sort of internal antenna (being on a wheeled
>>>>> cart, nothing could be mounted anywhere), and an ATSC tuner.
>>>>>
>>>>> Being donation and volunteer based, any recommendations for the
>>>>> cheapest / cost reasonable / value for reception ability /
>>>>> <stuff> needed?
>>>>>
>>>>> Although we have wi-fi, I don't believe it would be practical to
>>>>> strap a PC to the cart and get content via the internet, but the
>>>>> idea is intriguing. Is there <stuff> to be had, out there? (It
>>>>> would have to be fire and forget, there's nobody around minding
>>>>> the channel / remote / whatever.)
>>>>>
>>>>> (If you guess I know little about this topic, you'd be right.)
>>>>>
>>>>> TIA
>>>
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