Antenna aiming in setup wizard

Something that would be extremely helpful to me would be a way to show signal strength and possibly provide an audio cue to assist in initial antenna aiming.
I can carry my cellphone onto the roof, but can’t carry my TV!
If you need to manually specify the channel to test that’s fine by me.
Bonus points for displaying possible channels that may be available and the compass coordinates that the antenna should face for those channels

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Um, ok, not sure what you are asking exactly. There are several antenna aiming apps on Google play (I am sure Apple as well). The one I use is DTV Antennas - it shows compass arrows pointing to the towers in my area (based on GPS and FCC info) - really slick, and I easily took my phone with me into the attic for aiming when I installed my anetenna.

Um, ok. not sure what you are asking exactly.

Please follow the community guidelines and not insult your fellow community members straight out of the gate. Choosing phrasing such as “I don’t understand, would one of the X apps do this?” does not imply that the other poster is clueless and their idea is without merit, unlike the quoted text. Even if unintentional, it can appear hostile.

I’m not asking for an app that shows directions etc… I’m asking exactly what it says above - a way to show signal strength to properly aim the antenna.

Antennas aren’t precision instruments that you can just use a compass to point, fine tuning is inevitable in order to pull in weak signals. Simply using a compass to square the antenna face in the compass direction won’t do due to a number of reasons including manufacturing defects, building or terrain reflections, etc. etc… You are looking for the best signal strength possible.

As to the bonus points - I know that the general compass directions and channel list are available online, but wouldn’t it be nice if the tablo helped you during setup so that you didn’t need to bother installing an app you’ll only use once?

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Where is the insult exactly?

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This would be incredibly helpful. I’ve found that the Tablo reacts differently to a regular tv for antenna aiming, and whats Best for my samsung is not necessarily best for my Tablo.

I’ve found aiming by compass to be only moderately useful at best.

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It could take a while, so only do this when you can spend a few extra minutes on the roof.

Using the cell phone app, rescan the channels and look for the response on the weakest station in the same direction as the primary stations. Move antenna a few degrees. Rescan.

Perhaps after a few iterations you will be able to see a cone of reception strength that will let you optimize your antenna direction setting.

Or better yet, stay in conversation with someone in front of a TV that has a numerical signal meter and can give signal reports as the antenna is rotated.

A process I used years ago when outdoor TV antennas were king, except did not have cell phone capability and had to rely on voice commands with an intermediatery person to relay readings and reports of minimum snow and ghosts on the picture tube. Thank goodness we are not in Kansas any more, Toto.

Over the last year I have had 7 different re aiming channel scans my rooftop dbl bow tie antenna. Also, my aiming degree point fluctuated 20 degrees from what TV fool pointed me to. I take my iPhone up on the roof and do channel scans.
Works great and saves several trips up to the roof.

Ditto

When aiming antennas using Internet tables as a guide, keep in mind the difference between true North and magnetic North angles.

Trying to aim using true North angles with a magnetic compass can cause several degrees of error.

I found an app that is called Digital TV Antennas. It tells you where the broadcast towers are, how far away they are. It gives you the station numbers on that tower and the call sign or each channel. I found it very usefull. I have an android phone. Not sure it is available at the Apple store.

Good luck!

It would be helpful to have a strength meter in the Tablo App. I have a situation where the TV says the signal for on startion is great, the Tablo scan shows good but the Tablo sends a weak signal message. A meter would help trouble shooting.

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I agree completely. Setting up an antenna for Tablo is a big steamy pile of trial and error, and you never really know if you have it optimized. Anyone who’s ever set up a satellite dish has used the satellite receiver’s integrated RSSI meter. Many HDTVs have a similar, if slightly less sophisticated, real-time meter.

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he is asking for an app where the tablo provides a real time received signal strength of the tv station that it is scanning/tuned to that can be seen on the cellphone screen app.

I’ve used this method for my antenna alignment…
Instead of using your Tablo for antenna alignment, you might be able to use your TV.
My TV provides a dynamic/real time signal strength level on a per-channel basis.
The downside of this method is it takes two people and a lot of yelling back and forth. :smiley:
Not as convenient as an app, but it’s one way to get the job done.

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It’s unbelievable that this product doesn’t even have a signal meter. I’m trying to adjust my antenna and/or see if I need a better one and I went to the settings to find the signal meter.

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