Reply #11: I'm a TV guy [View All]

I work at a broadcast TV station so I get to answer these questions all the time. :)

No, DTV isn't all it was cracked up to be but it is workable for a reasonably small initial outlay for equipment.

First, the 1987 tv will work fine with a convertor box. They can be had for as little as $30 or so but for a little more you can get a better box if you look around.I reccomend the Zenith/Insignia (same box with different brand names) or the Dish Pal DTV convertor box. If possible, stay away from the Apex, Magnavox and RCA boxes, it's been my experience that they are just really crappy.

Your antenna selection will depend on several factors, primarily distance from stations, terrain and whether you live in an apartment or a stand alone home where you can put up an outdoor antenna of you want. A key factor in aiming the antenna is finding the physical location of the transmitter. The TV station's studio location may or may not be where their transmitter is located, as they may be beaming signal from the studio to a remote transmitter via STL or fiber link etc. Many cities have an "antenna farm" where all or most of the transmitter towers are grouped in a common area.

Anyway, the above factors will determine whether you can get away with a set of indoor "rabbit ears" or whether an attic or outdoor antenna is the way to go. A booster amp can also be very helpful bumping the signal up to where it's pulling all the stations in nice and stable. I'm about 35 or so miles from the antenna farm where I live and I wound up using an old long range VHF/UHF antenna thet was made probably in the late 70s about 20 ft up on a pole and a 10db booster amp I bought at Lowes for $20 and I'm getting 22 channels 5x5.

Please let me know if I can help and I'll be glad to assist you any way I can

:hi: