[kwlug-disc] Cutting the cord

[CrankyOldBugger]

Again, so many good points have been brought up in this discussion.  I seem
to have hit the jackpot for ideas!

So... if I was to go out today and buy an antenna just to see what channels
I can get, is there a particular make and model that you guys recommend?
 Let's just assume for a moment that I'm willing to pay a couple of extra
coins for quality if it means eventually getting rid of the monthly
satellite TV bill (just a couple of extra coins, not a lot!).

If there isn't a clear make and model known, what sort of features do I
look for instead?  The last time I bought an antenna it was a set of rabbit
ears that sat on top of the old RCA TV.....

If I can't get any stations over the antenna in my location then I'm just
going to take it back to the store, so obviously I would prefer to deal
with a reputable dealer.




On 26 February 2014 09:40, Jason Locklin <locklin.jason at gmail.com> wrote:

> * In regards to two antennas: It's tricky, but it can work, it's called
> "stacking" in OTA parlance:
> http://overtheair.saveandreplay.com/Antenna_Stacking_Ganging.asp
>
> Generally, it's tricky to keep signals from both antennas from
> interfering with each other because of being just slightly out of
> phase, but it can work with a little patients. One exception, being,
> that if you are combining signals from two different frequency bands. I
> have a VHF/UHF coupler that I plan on using to add a VHF dipole which
> bypasses my amp, so that the local CTV on channel 6 stops overloading
> things. The coupler only allows VHF signal from one antenna, and UHF
> from the other, so there is no issues with phasing.
>
> If you are going the PVR route, such as with MythTV, and you are having
> trouble with your stacked antennas, you could run two lines down to two
> tuners. It will be slightly more expensive, but you will get much
> better performance, and double your simultaneous recording ability.
>
> * Regarding TV guide information: All the Channels are broadcasting
> guide information now, but only for 12-25 hours ahead. This works fine
> with MythTV because I can set automatic recordings and even automatic
> searches to enable recordings. If you have a PVR that requires manual
> scheduling, it would be a pain, as you can only see a day's worth at a
> time. I did have a Schedules Direct membership for a while because
> Global didn't used to broadcast guide data at all. It was generally
> more accurate and had about a month of data.
>
> * Regarding XBMC and MythTV: I have been using XBMC as a frontend for
> MythTV for a couple years. It has never worked very well for me, and I
> usually end up switching to the MythTV frontend to watch recordings. I
> just have a script that alternatively starts the two programs, so when
> I exit MythTV, XBMC starts, and vise versa. It's a bit slow, and  I
> thought of putting them on two different virtual desktops and using the
> window manager to flip back and forth instantly, but because they both
> use graphics acceleration, there was issues. I also thought of running
> two X-servers and switching back and forth, but I never got around to
> trying that.
>
>
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