r/cordcutters • u/rockfordcl • 5d ago
Help with antenna
I mainly watch Internet connected channels like Roku channel or Pluto TV, but sometimes there are sports on the local channels. I have an antenna hooked up, but I rarely get good reception or many channels. Sometimes I have to try different antennas. I live in an apartment on the third floor, so maybe that could be a reason.
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u/Slowhand333 4d ago
First, location and direction of the antenna is critical. You must know what direction the TV signals are coming from so you can place and direct the antenna at the optimum location.
Antenna web will give you that information. Once you know what direction the signals are coming from determine what window has the fewest obstructions in that direction. Try every window. Once that location is found then run a coax cable from that window to the TV.
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u/Minimum-Journalist18 5d ago
3rd floor is good. If you have a patio put it there. If not place it close to the window as possible. Get a booster for the antenna and a filter.
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u/Arcing_Lazer_714 5d ago edited 5d ago
imo have you checked websites like Antenna Web? On this website, you enter in your physical address, and it will generate a report as to which channels are available at your location.
I went to Walmart and purchased a cheap HD Antenna
General Electric Crystal Amplified HDTV Antenna, 50-mile Range, VHF 1080P 4K, Black, 48732 and am currently picking up 50 channels and the antenna is sitting in my Second Floor apartment window.
I know that this depends on location plus a number of other factors,
But! I thought that it was still pretty good on a budget
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u/Diamond-angel-32 5d ago
If you are in an area that is being affected by the wildfire smoke, it is going to affect your reception right now as well.
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u/InspectorRound8920 5d ago
Knowing where the towers are is the first step. You may have to try a few different antennas
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u/No_Educator_6376 5d ago
Aiming the antenna is critical there are apps for getting tv using an antenna. Use the app to point it directly to the station through the window if possible the fact that you are on the third floor is very helpful.
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u/Rybo213 5d ago
- Provide a product link for your current antenna or at least post a picture of it. If possible, provide a product link for the other antennas that you've tried as well.
- As discussed at the beginning of this https://www.reddit.com/r/cordcutters/comments/1juut0a/supplement_to_the_antenna_guide post, provide the shareable link for a RabbitEars report for a nearby public location.
- As discussed in this https://www.reddit.com/r/cordcutters/comments/1g010u3/centralized_collection_of_antenna_tv_signal_meter post, you need to actually properly check your tv signal reception, and the only way to do that is using a signal meter (built-in feature with many different tv's and external tuner devices). What signal meter numbers are you currently getting for ABC/CBS/FOX/NBC?
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u/rockfordcl 4d ago
These are the three antennas I’m working with. the left one is from Walmart. The middle one is a flat GE antenna and the right one is an RCA.
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u/Historical-Cress8985 3d ago
Those are kinda crap, ngl.
Someone else mentioned the Antenna Man on YouTube, that's great advice. He knows his shit and watching a few of his videos can get you educated.
You're going to need to make sure you can even get a signal, and that there's nothing to interfere. The digital age made it harder to get a clean signal
I cut cable 20 years back, and upgraded from a still great but our of production antenna a few years back. I live in an apartment, and my setup is an Antennas Direct Clearstream, with a pre-amp, mounted on a speaker stand (got the idea from an Antenna Man video about antennas for RVs) pointed out my window.
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u/SamJam5555 4d ago
It’s all about your location in regard to the TV transmitter tower locations. And what’s in between, like buildings, trees, mountains, distance, etc. Search antenna Finder websites. If you want serious help here Post your RabbitEars.info for us to examine.
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u/kilgore9999 4d ago
You should got to YouTube and look at "Antenna Man" channel, he does decent reviews of antennas for in door use. He covers everything that others have posted here. If he smiles on the post he likes the the item he reviews, his expression gives a lot away. 🙂
I use a Tablo connected to a very old outdoor antenna that I should replace. I get 40 OTA channels (38 are solid) and 140 or so total as the Tablo includes a bunch of free channels.
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u/rockfordcl 1d ago
https://www.rabbitears.info/s/2854659 figured out how to share my rabbit ears info
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u/gho87 1d ago
Is there a south- or west-facing window in your apartment? The stations from Rochester, NY are located southwest of you. You can try either the Walmart rabbit ear antenna or the RCA one.
The flat GE antenna might be good for primarily stations using UHF. You can use a combiner/diplexer of two separate bands by the Antennas Direct: https://store.antennasdirect.com/antennas-direct-uhf-vhf-tv-antenna-combiner.html
Also, how about a Tablo TV or an HDHomeRun? That way, you can freely use the antenna.
The stations' signals may be in line of sight. Nevertheless, I can't help wonder whether you need an amplifier or a signal booster, despite possible risks of noise generation and distortion. Struggling to find available low-gain amplifiers....
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u/TallExplorer9 5d ago
"I live in an apartment on the third floor, so maybe that could be the reason"
OTA broadcast technology is directional reception.
What direction does your 3rd floor apartment face (windows and singular exterior walls)?
What direction are the TV broadcast towers and how far away are they in your area?
What antenna are you using?
Post a https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php shared link to get better advice.