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d4m1r
join:2011-08-25

d4m1r

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OTA TV Adapter?

Hey guys, just hoping to get some help with over the air TV stuff...So I recently purchased a decent indoor antenna that works MUCH better than I expected (higher quality that Rogers cable and it's free!) so I am looking to cut our basic cable. The only problem is, the antenna doesn't work on all our TVs.

It works amazing on our new Samsung 50" smart TV but does NOT work at all on our older (2002/2003) CRT TVs. I am going to assume this is because they can only accept analogue and not digital channels? I also understand all analog channels have stopped broadcasting over the air? Now my question is, can I use the digital antenna with some kind of digital to analog converter/adapter to get the same channels on my older CRT TV? How much do they normally cost and where can I buy em?
bt
join:2009-02-26
canada

bt

Member

You want something like this:

»www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/ ··· 1885en02

(Not specifically recommending that one, it's just the first one I found)

alienzzz
join:2011-02-17

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Check also on ebay, they sell from the US for a lot less ($25-40). I get 25 channels over the air in my area.
CanadianGuy
join:2012-05-28
Nepean, ON

CanadianGuy

Member

said by alienzzz :
Check also on ebay, they sell from the US for a lot less ($25-40). I get 25 channels over the air in my area.
What antenna are you using?

El Quintron
Cancel Culture Ambassador
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join:2008-04-28
Tronna

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I have one of these for my CRT:

»www.channelmaster.com/CM ··· /121.htm

Puts my CRT on par with my flatscreens...

d4m1r
join:2011-08-25

d4m1r

Member

In Ottawa (Kanata), I can only get 12 and they are all from Camp Fortune. I can't get any from the tower in Manotick. On top of that, half of them are French which I don't understand Still, OTA is awesome in terms of cost and quality! No more Rogers $30+tax basic cable for me...

Specifically, I get CBC, CHOH, Global, CTV1, and TVO. Mind you, this is all with a $50 indoor antenna. I bet I could get more with a decent roof antenna but I am too lazy to install it and run the cable down to the 1st floor
schnauz
join:2007-12-10
Nepean, ON

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If you post your TVfool results (tvfool.com, go to signal analysis and put in your coordinates), I'd be curious to see what you can get with a rooftop antenna. I'm in Barrhaven with a CM4228 on my roof, I get all the locals plus Fox, CBS, and PBS from South Colton as well as PBS Plattsburgh. Haven't had any need for cable TV in years

xsbell
join:2008-12-22
Canada

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Also look at getting a decent preamp, and maybe a distribution amp too if you're going to split to more than one TV.

I would recommend the Winegard AP-8275. I had previously bought a CM-7777 but returned it the next day, it's no where near as good as the Winegard.

d4m1r
join:2011-08-25

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said by schnauz:

If you post your TVfool results (tvfool.com, go to signal analysis and put in your coordinates), I'd be curious to see what you can get with a rooftop antenna. I'm in Barrhaven with a CM4228 on my roof, I get all the locals plus Fox, CBS, and PBS from South Colton as well as PBS Plattsburgh. Haven't had any need for cable TV in years

It says I should be able to get all those and even that roof antenna is cheap, but the problem is install + running a cable back down to the 1st floor. That will require a long cable + drilling in multiple places...

alienzzz
join:2011-02-17

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said by CanadianGuy:

said by alienzzz :
Check also on ebay, they sell from the US for a lot less ($25-40). I get 25 channels over the air in my area.
What antenna are you using?

CM4228HD on my balcony, which is also facing the wrong way (north instead of south... but it works for all the US channels regardless).

Actually I can pick up the same channels with an indoor antenna as well, but that requires constant turning for each channel, which is annoying. Outdoor works better.

sbrook
Mod
join:2001-12-14
Ottawa

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If you had Rogers cable just connect your antenna and maybe preamplifier to feed into your internal cables instead of the Rogers feed.

A preamplifier in some areas can cause overload or pixellation on some channels. Beware.

For example in Ottawa many channels have enough ooomph without a pre-amp, but Global may need one.

d4m1r
join:2011-08-25

d4m1r

Member

said by sbrook:

If you had Rogers cable just connect your antenna and maybe preamplifier to feed into your internal cables instead of the Rogers feed.

A preamplifier in some areas can cause overload or pixellation on some channels. Beware.

For example in Ottawa many channels have enough ooomph without a pre-amp, but Global may need one.

Yah that's what I was thinking...That would basically mean I connect the antenna to somewhere in the basement and it would feed all our existing coax outlets right?

sbrook
Mod
join:2001-12-14
Ottawa

sbrook

Mod

Look for the cable that goes out through the basement wall from a splitter ... that's Rogers cable. Usually it goes through the upper corner of a window frame.

Disconnect it, and connect your antenna feed there.
pwrsurge
join:2009-04-15
Canada

pwrsurge

Member

said by sbrook:

Look for the cable that goes out through the basement wall from a splitter ... that's Rogers cable. Usually it goes through the upper corner of a window frame.

Disconnect it, and connect your antenna feed there.

Careful, the OP may have cable internet or Rogers home phone and doing this might cut off his services if there's only one line coming in.

sbrook
Mod
join:2001-12-14
Ottawa

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good point ... if there's cable internet, there's probably a 2 way splitter. One output will go tot he cable modem, the other to the TVs. Disconnect that one going to TVs ... if that connects to another splitter, feed in in place of the cable between the splitters otherwise connect with a barrel connector into the cable to the TVs.

TwiztedZero
Nine Zero Burp Nine Six
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join:2011-03-31
Toronto, ON

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Nods, yep go with a Channel Master 4221(or CM4228) and a Channel Master Titan 7777 pre-amp if neccessary; though its not always required, as mentioned above by sbrook. Take into account the legnth of the RG6 coax run from the antenna too.

I'm not too sure how good OTA reception might be in the Ottawa valley or what channels you'll be able to pick up with it. You might hit up TVFool for that info.

Your flat screen HDTV really ought to allready have an inbuilt ATSC tv tuner so you really don't need an adaptor for that.

•Unless of course your television is one of the older CRT models or earlier flat screens, from that bygone era. Then yes you might need an ATSC converter box.

Your laptop or PC on the other hand, *might* require a sepparate ATSC tuner. I use a AVerTV Hybrid Volar MAX on my CM4221 antenna. Or some other sort of ATSC tuner cards, plenty of info on those online.

IIgs
Premium Member
join:2002-10-05
Montreal, QC

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Thought I'd add my 2 cents, as I cut the cord on cable 11 years ago and have experience on just about every aspect of antennas and OTA signals (analog and digital).

- First off, with very few exceptions, analog broadcasting is no more. There are low powered stations in the US, and a few stragglers on the Canadian side (CJOH-8 in Ottawa for example) but for the most part, not worth the bother and likely to vanish shortly.

- To watch a digital signal with an antenna, your TV set requires an ATSC tuner. Any TV manufactured from 2007 onwards will have an ATSC tuner built-in. That should include CRT's. Check the date on back of your set (earlier sets MAY have one, but it's not guaranteed). A DVD recorder built after that date will have an ATSC tuner as well, and can hook into your antenna incidentally.

- A digital to analog converter box let's older TV's watch digital broadcasts. I've seen them at Futureshop, Bestbuy, Canadian Tire, Walmart and surplus electronic stores. They're fine for 4:3 CRT's that display standard definition, but I'd recommend a higher end one that supports HD if you're hooking one up to an older 16:9 flat-panel TV.

I prefer a converter that does s-video output (better color and sharper image), but most only do composite or RF. They range in price from $30 to $75. I'm using an Access HD-1030 I picked up at Futureshop a couple of years back, got it for around $30 with price matching. I also have a Hauppauge ATSC tuner (PCI-card) in my PC, let's me watch digital HD on the computer and even record OTA channels, like a PVR.

- With sub-channels included, I currently pick up 21 stations free in Montreal (e.g. CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, PBS, CW, CBC, CTV, Global, CityTV, MeTV). I'm using the same indoor RCA antenna I bought 11 years ago for watching analog OTA, works great!

- An amplified (powered) antenna works far better for picking up stations, especially US channels. Another options is trying a signal booster, powered or non-powered. I've not experimented with one yet but they're essentially a tiny bit that plugs in between your coax cabling, kind of like an extension cord.

- Tuning in digital channels is FAR more tricky and less forgiving than analog. Literally moving a dipole or loop a few millimeters can make or break a signal. I've had better luck with the old fashioned rabbit ears than those new "pizza box" indoor antennas when it comes to tweaking. It can take a while to find the sweet spot in the room for the antenna. If your TV or tuner has a signal meter, use it (I love the diagnostic tool on my Sony Bravia 55").

sbrook
Mod
join:2001-12-14
Ottawa

sbrook

Mod

The reason for the sensitivity is because the human eye and brain combination are a lot more forgiving of bit errors than an electronic circuit.

Fr exmpl yu cn rd ths wth vry ltl dfclty and even with gross errors you can read things like this 5ive 2wo.

This is why you can see a spam message that includes popular spammed medication with gross misspellings of it in the subject line, yet a spam filter misses it.

The signal for each pixel has to be either perfect or within the correctable bit error rate for every group of pixels which is why we see the pixellated boxes when the signal goes bad.

El Quintron
Cancel Culture Ambassador
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join:2008-04-28
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@OP have you considered an HDHomerun? You feed your OTA signal from your antenna and you can get the signal on your PC, enter a nearby US Zip code and you can even get a TV Guide...

»www.silicondust.com/

I have the first version that came out years ago and I think it's great, especially if you already have a good HTPC setup and don't see the need to get a TV on top of it.

EQ
Goldielover
join:2008-02-29
Toronto, ON

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I like the Channel Master set top boxes. I also have an AccessHD one, but those have a reputation for getting a bit hot and burning out. I'm currently using an Antennas Direct Clearstream 2V, which picks up VHF as well as UHF channels. Not that there's too many VHF channels around, but CHCH in Hamilton is still VHF, and it is one I particularly want due to the all day news. The Clearstream 2V is small enough to use as an indoor antenna without totally taking over your living room, although it was designed as an outdoor antenna. Mine is used indoors during the winter, but goes out on the balcony in the summer. I get 28 channels with it. I use a Winegard 269 pre-amp. I find it firms up some of the less powerful distant channels a bit, and handles signal overload from the more powerful closer channels better than many of them do. I used to use the unamplified Terk HDTVi, which is a very decent indoor antenna, but the Clearstream 2V gets better results.