TV Antenna Question

[Superman]

I do not have 'cable,' but I do have a 55" flat screen Samsung TV and a Radio Shack antenna. The antenna has rabbit ears and a 9" loop thingie that looks like University of Oregon's logo. I can't find the (12V) power supply but if I find it, or can buy one, I wonder if it will work with this TV. I believe there needs to be a digital converter also, and I wonder if the TV likely has the digital converter circuit built in.

[Halm]

Just buy a Mohu. I have never had an indoor antenna that works so well.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Superman

I do not have 'cable,' but I do have a 55" flat screen Samsung TV and a Radio Shack antenna. The antenna has rabbit ears and a 9" loop thingie that looks like University of Oregon's logo. I can't find the (12V) power supply but if I find it, or can buy one, I wonder if it will work with this TV. I believe there needs to be a digital converter also, and I wonder if the TV likely has the digital converter circuit built in.

What you'll get really depends upon where you are in relation to the transmitting stations and what your area is like builds, trees, hills, volcanos, etc....

Originally Posted by Halm

Just buy a Mohu. I have never had an indoor antenna that works so well.

If that's a "leaf" style (basically looks like a sheet of paper), then they do work pretty good up to about 35-ish miles. Some stations will still come in at 50 and some might not come in at 15-20. Lots of other factors come into play. I've used a couple of different copies of the mohu leaf both at my place (the middle of Houston) and my mom's coast of FL, not close to any big cities. I get a ton of channels (60+, lots of Spanish and religious), but have one or two that don't come in as well as I'd like. My mom gets some, but not nearly as many because she's so far from everything. She's just lucky that she's in the really flat part of FL or she'd get almost none.

Originally Posted by NotaBRG

Chances are good that your 55" flat screen already has a digital tuner.

I'd hook up the antenna and see what you get. Even without the power amp I bet you pick up quite a few stations.

Yep, if your TV was made after 2007, then you should be good. I've got an old Samsung from 2007 and I bought an antenna and it works fine.

They also make outdoor digital antennas. I suspect with one of those, you probably would get a bunch more channels and all very clear. I'd love to put an outdoor up at my Mom's, but she's not allowed to have them where she lives.

[Halm]

Originally Posted by masraum

If that's a "leaf" style (basically looks like a sheet of paper), then they do work pretty good up to about 35-ish miles. Some stations will still come in at 50 and some might not come in at 15-20.

No, this is not a leaf model. It is the amplified "Curve" model and is designed for stations up to 50 miles away. I am on the fringe of 50 miles for my "local" stations and they come in solid and clear.

[flipper35]

The old style "analog" work just fine as well, it doesn't have to be "digital" as that is just a marketing gimmick.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by flipper35

The old style "analog" work just fine as well, it doesn't have to be "digital" as that is just a marketing gimmick.

There you have it, so your old rabbit ears should work just fine.

[flipper35]

Just so you don't think I am shooting road apples:

HDTV Antenna Fact or Fiction

FICTION Special HDTV antennas are necessary to receive the free over the air HDTV/Digital signal.

FACT HDTV/Digital signal is and will broadcast on the same channel frequencies (VHF and UHF) that traditional analog television has been broadcasting on for years. The frequency band will be narrower covering channels 2 through 51. See: Real vs. Virtual Channels. There's no such thing as a HDTV antenna.

[flipper35]

They were UHF until they dropped the analog signal and some went back to VHF which then became an issue for those UHF "digital" antennas.

[Superman]

I knew I could count on you guys. Thank you!