Getting HD TV channels

[-NothingShocking-]

Right now I just have regular cable. My parents don't have an HDTV so they don't want to pay extra for HD. I'm getting my own apartment around New Years so that's not a big deal. I hear you can get standard channels for free. I notice I get around 5-6 of them through my regular cable. Often they are very choppy, and at other times they are coming in perfectly clear.

Someone told me I can buy some sort of antenna device to get more channels and to get better reception. Can someone point me in the correct direction and maybe link me to something I can buy for this? It would be much appreciated.

[arush5268d]

You can get the regular network broadcast channels with a HDTV antenna if you are near a major city / city that broadcasts HDTV.

[crackinhedz]

What kind of TV do you have?

[Clark Kent]

Use the following website:

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

Give it your address and it will tell you what channels(both standard and high definition) you can reasonably get from an antenna.

[antennaguy]

Originally Posted by -NothingShocking-

Right now I just have regular cable. My parents don't have an HDTV so they don't want to pay extra for HD. I'm getting my own apartment around New Years so that's not a big deal. I hear you can get standard channels for free. I notice I get around 5-6 of them through my regular cable. Often they are very choppy, and at other times they are coming in perfectly clear.

Someone told me I can buy some sort of antenna device to get more channels and to get better reception. Can someone point me in the correct direction and maybe link me to something I can buy for this? It would be much appreciated.

Go to antennasdirect.com. They just released their newest and best line of ClearStream antennas, specifically designed for digital reception. Don't let anyone tell you that all antennas are the same. There not.

While it’s correct that antennas can’t tell the difference between analog and digital signals, there are definitely certain models such as the ClearStream which have higher DTV batting averages than others. Not all antennas are equally suited for DTV. A percentage of viewers will require something a little more tailored for DTV reception.

With one of these newer and smaller OTA antennas, with greatly improved performance, power and aesthetics, viewers may also be able to receive out-of-town channels, carrying blacked out sports programs, several additional sub-channels or network broadcasts not originally available with analogue. And for those with an HDTV, almost completely uncompressed HD broadcasts.

OTA viewers can go to antennapoint.com to see quickly what stations are available to them, the distance, UHF or VHF and compass heading, to help in choosing and aiming their antenna model they select. And if you decide to buy a ClearStream antenna, Antennas Direct will completely refund your purchase price, no questions asked, if it doesn’t do the job for you.

[-NothingShocking-]

I got one earlier today at Best Buy for $30. The site says I have a bunch of channels 25 miles away. I hooked up the antenna, but it only picks up 5 regular channels that are mostly static.

What do I have to do to set this up right? There are no instructions with it.

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by -NothingShocking-

I got one earlier today at Best Buy for $30. The site says I have a bunch of channels 25 miles away. I hooked up the antenna, but it only picks up 5 regular channels that are mostly static.

What do I have to do to set this up right? There are no instructions with it.

chances are you'll have to move the antenna around your room until you find an HD channel. Keep trying, im sure you'll find one...just need a clean signal.

[-NothingShocking-]

Ok, I'll give it a try tommorow. Tired now and don't feel like moving things all around :P (the power cord is so small)

Thanks for the advice.