Looking for some antenna advice. I will be moving, I have an old rooftop antenna in my attic currently, which I may leave behind and replace with something new depending on the advice I get here. I want to mount in the attic again at the new location and I have the ability to have power run to the attic along with my coax. Coax run will go from attic to basement where split (and possibly boosted, unless boosting at the source in the attic makes more sense) and run to the necessary rooms of the house. Tablo will likely live in the basement. Thanks in advance.
Current Location:
~14 miles from tower farm
most channels at 123°
a couple at 160°
New Location:
~20 miles from tower farm
most channels now at 132°
a couple at 156°
If the antenna is going in the attic, get the biggest antenna (like the Channel Master 4228 or Antennas Direct DB8e) and not worry about “possible” reception from small and medium size antennas. Both of these also have a 45 degree sweep so that should cover the range between 132 to 156 degrees. Since they’re vertical (up and down) they don’t occupy the space that a horizontal yagi does.
A DB4e or 4221 would also do the job nicely at 20 miles but my preference has always been to get the biggest, baddest antenna dude with the most metal. All these are multibay bowtie type antennas which work best in an attic.
If you need a preamp (which i doubt with those antennas), most preamps at the source have their power injectors separately. One can place the preamp at the antenna and its power injector near the Tablo or in the basement; the power will go to the amp using the same cable to and from the antenna to the Tablo\TV.
In all probablility if you don’t use the Tablo to distribute the video, a distribution amp inside the house (or basement) will do the trick to split the signal multiple ways - doesn’t need to go into the attic.
The DB8e will allow you to aim one side towards 132 degrees and the other towards 156. All in one antenna (really like having two DB4s aimed slightly differently) resulting signals coming down one cable. May be better than aiming one antenna as a compromise in the middle at 144 degrees…
For what it’s worth, I have a similar setup as you. I’m North of my broadcast towers by about 30 miles so they are at a direction of 160 degrees South from my house. I have the Winegard HD7697P antenna below mounted in the attic of my 2 story house with the coax running to my basement where I feed into the amp below. From the amp I go into my house coax feeding 3 TVs and a short run to my Tablo unit which sits right next to the amp and my house networking switch.
The multibay bowties (Channel Master & Antennas Direct) cited above can bring in VHF but are mainly UHF oriented. The Winegard HD7697P mentioned above does both. Solid Signal BTW has less expensive clones of the multibay bowties suggested.
Check www.tvfool.col with your zip code. The channel under REAL is what it is transmitted on. The majority of channels are uhf for broadcast but there are some exceptions. 62 is broadcast on 13 in Austin, TX.
"Check out also Antennas Direct Clearstream series of antennas. They come in different sizes and are designed for foresty areas. Several friends have them and like them. One can add a VHF retro kit to get VHF with the Clearstream UHF series.
The Clearstreams are the easiest to install (or mount) in an attic because of their shape and size.
A friend has a Clearstream 4 in the attic in his tree lined property and it does a great job without a preamp 30 miles from the broadcast towers."
The Clearstream also has a broad sweep (60 degrees) so it should cover your range of stations easily.
DB 4 antenna, mounted on a eve mount…8 feet above roof height
CMaster 4 port dist amp…no other amp needed as i am 20 miles from towers.
Tablo shares one of the 4 coax ports
Tablo is cat 5 into my asus 68 u router.
All 4 coax ports have a strong signal to the respective tvs.
Getting 20 chanells …720’p stations…30 …480
I have a Clearstream 2V mounted in my attic. I am with in 15 miles of my local towers. All of my watched channels are in one direction except for one channel which is roughly 180 degrees in the opposite direction. I originally pointed the antenna in the middle of these directions. Tablo was showing a full strength signal on all channels but I was suffering pixelation issues on a couple of channels. I adjusted the position pointing it the direction of the majority of the channels. I figured I might have to add a second antenna for the other direction but wound up not having to. I have no issues any more even from the channel in the opposite direction. I even have a couple of large trees in my line of sight.
A friend of mine has the same antenna with all towers in the same general direction from him at 30 miles. He has his antenna mounted outside at the peak of his roof. He gets all channels at full strength with no picture quality issues.
They make a Clearstream 4V as well. I can’t speak of other models but the Clearstream is certainly worth consideration. I tried an antenna that my father gave me (don’t know the model) that was both UHF/VHF but the Clearstream is considerably better.
I had the same issue with DB4 bowtie antenna.
I transferred it from the attic to 8 feet above roofline on top of the roof it made a huge difference, getting 10 more chanells…20 are 720 p
