Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Recovering from Media addiction: Does anyone know why I can't get Public TV without cable?

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread		 This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU
 
patrice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 08:10 AM
Original message
Recovering from Media addiction: Does anyone know why I can't get Public TV without cable?
In my second month without cable TV. I decided that just not watching was not enough; I needed to stop supporting them with my money too.

It's okay, living without cable TV. It would be easier with Public TV, but somehow, though I remember being able to pick it up before I had cable installed over ten years ago, I can't get the local public TV on my HDTV. Does anyone know what gives with this?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
RUMMYisFROSTED Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 08:11 AM
Response to Original message
1. Digital converter?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
patrice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 08:19 AM
Response to Reply #1
4. Isn't the converter thingee inside my new HDTV?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
BolivarianHero Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 08:12 AM
Response to Original message
2. Internet streams?
I dunno. I don't watch much TV. I prefer the net.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
patrice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 08:22 AM
Response to Reply #2
6. That's the way I'm going to have to go to get Jon Stewart for instance.
This new TV can take a connection from my computer.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
hlthe2b Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 08:17 AM
Response to Original message
3. Sounds like you have an analog tv... pre-digital conversion
Edited on Mon Aug-03-09 08:20 AM by hlthe2b
All signals went digital in June. You'll need a converter box and at least a reasonable antenna. You can do it fairly cheaply... I haven't had cable for years and ditched all but my LCD monitor with its built in (analog) tv tuner. So, I had to buy the box as well.

You'll find the info you need here:

http://www.dtv.gov/
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
patrice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 08:20 AM
Response to Reply #3
5. Brand new HDTV, with one of those little booster antennas.
Maybe I need an antenna outside?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
hlthe2b Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 09:45 AM
Response to Reply #5
16. Probably so... Are you picking up other channels without difficulty?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
patrice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 09:30 PM
Response to Reply #16
20. No problem with most of the other channels, though there are 2 others, plus PBS, that I'm
not getting.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
WePurrsevere Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 08:29 AM
Response to Original message
7. You may just need an antenae.
If you have an outdoor one that would be great... actually might work better.

From what I understand if you have received it before you should be able to get it with your HDTV w/o a converter box since HDTV is digital.

Digital TV has a great picture but there are drawbacks to it... my DH can "magically" make the signal disappear by standing in front of the door. :eyes:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
patrice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 08:35 AM
Response to Reply #7
8. Sounds like I should try moving the little booster antenna around first and then
look for a more powerful outdoor antenna if it ends up that this one has to be in the middle of, say, the kitchen floor in order to be able to receive "Public" TV.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
peekaloo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 08:38 AM
Response to Reply #8
10. rescan your tee vee, too.
believe it or not a lot of stations are still jacking with the digital conversion process. :eyes:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
patrice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 09:11 AM
Response to Reply #10
11. I have done that a couple of times and this is true.
Each time I do that, I have to go back and delete all of the "money changers in the temple" a.k.a. religious stations.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
WePurrsevere Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 05:48 PM
Response to Reply #8
17. Definitely try the booster antenna first..
I admittedly don't know much about electronics and didn't realize the signal could be blocked like that until DH (my resident techie) showed me his trick.

We're certainly going to go the antenna route. We watch mostly PBS and Canadian stuff up here and the signal could use some help. :)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Statistical Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 08:38 AM
Response to Original message
9. Try here...
Edited on Mon Aug-03-09 08:40 AM by Statistical
http://www.tvfool.com

Click on "check your address for free".
When you get the results click on "Current Only Digital".

Find out how far your local PBS station is (dist miles), what frequency it is at (channel real), and how strong the signal is hitting your location (NM & Pwr).

With that I can give you a good idea of how large of an antenna you will need.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
patrice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 09:11 AM
Response to Reply #9
12. Thanks very much for this. I will return and do it later.
:hi:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
patrice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 09:27 PM
Response to Reply #9
19. It says that the PBS station is
22.6 miles away;
19.1 frequency/channel
39.9 NM & Pwr.

It also says I should be able to get it with an indoor set-top antenna, which hasn't made any difference thus far.

There's something I don't understand about that: do I move the indoor antenna around and then re-scan or manually program channels (3 of them it appears, including PBS, that I'm supposed to be able to receive, but don't) to see if moving the antenna worked?

Or do I re-scan or manually program the channels (again) and then move the indoor antenna around until I start picking up the additional channels?

Would a different indoor antenna make any difference?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LiberalFighter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 09:26 AM
Response to Original message
13. If your talking about PBS you should be able to get it.
Try using your menu and have it search for the digital channels.

If your talking about the public access channel(s) then you won't get those stations over the air (most likely) because they don't have a signal that goes over the air. Public access channels were never available before the switchover and it was a requirement of cable franchises by the city to provide to their customers.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Lex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 09:30 AM
Response to Original message
14. I get my local PBS on my cable-less TV.
Maybe your PBS station has a weak signal or you need a stronger antennae for your digital tv?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
guitar man Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 09:39 AM
Response to Original message
15. Antenna
Edited on Mon Aug-03-09 09:40 AM by guitar man
It is becoming apparent that in some areas the DTV signal just doesn't cut through like the analog signals did. I had to put a big antenna up in the air to clear nearby obstructions and add a 10db booster amp to get a good stable DTV signal from all the local stations. The antenna was left by the previous owners and is probably 25 years old. I used 2 10 foot sections of emt conduit for the pole, 1 1/2" and 1 1/4", overlapped by about a foot and cross drilled, and added a 10db booster amp. I have all my local digital stations 5x5 now and it didn't cost a lot to do.

Here's a pic of my rig.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
WePurrsevere Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-03-09 05:51 PM
Response to Reply #15
18. Sounds like you did what I think my DH wants to do with the
old antenna left here. Knowing that it worked for someone else makes me feel much more hopeful that this might help us get better reception out here in the boonies. :)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
guitar man Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-04-09 08:35 AM
Response to Reply #18
21. If you get it up high
...over nearby obstructions there's a good chance you'll get decent reception. I got a 10db booster amp at Lowe's for $20 to compensate for line loss since I have about 70ft of cable run from the antenna to the house. Just remember, if you have an antenna that looks like mine, the "pointy end" points away from the stations you are trying to receive.

pls feel free to PM anytime if you have any questions :hi:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Wed May 01st 2024, 01:41 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC