Carroll Gardens - Feedback on HDTV Reception & Equipment

  Looking for your comments on using an indoor HDTV antenna vs. a roof mounted exterior type to receive the full array of available local VHF and UHF HDTV signals in Brooklyn.   We live in a brownstone in Carroll Gardens and just joined this Forum so I thought I’d ask our brownstone living peers.   We welcome all comments on those using any of the following types of antenna (see a, b & c below) in their brownstone.  Specifically, we are looking for feedback on the number of channels you receive with your antenna, what channels you miss the most if you were a previous cable provider user, where you are located in Brooklyn, where the antenna is in your space (e.g. garden floor, wall mounted, etc…) and what, if any, drawbacks you want to point out.   We do have a newer type digital flat panel TV so we don’t need a converter to receive the signals.  a)  Any type of Roof mounted antenna – model if known?  directional?  how high (floors) is it mounted? b)  Leaf Brand Indoor HDTV antenna or Leaf Plus Indoor HDTV antenna – thoughts? c)  Wall mounted indoor HDTV antenna – model?  where purchased?  Those living in highrise buildings with line-of-sight to Manhattan and NJ will likely get more channels than those of us in row home brownstones, so that data may not be relevant.   We finally were pushed to the edge by a $200+ Time Warner Cable bill and decided to cut the cord and dependence on over priced cable TV.  Your feedback will help us make the best choice in getting started!

mhsdwb_brooklyn

in DIY 12 years and 10 months ago

3

180

Please log in, in order to post replies!

3 replies

BenGazi | 12 years and 10 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5024 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4820 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "19191"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(7) "BenGazi"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$Bi1Z8XNzMN8Ba0ZriMEcTNpYEirSoy/"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(12) "ben-gazi-2-2"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(22) "tommyperfect@yahoo.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(50) "http://bstoner.wpengine.com/forums/users/ben-gazi/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-17 21:35:49"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(8) "Ben Gazi"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(19191)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Radio Shack Outdoor antenna old -school type. You will pull in quite a bit as most signals eminate fro Empire State antennas. No need for mucho expensive HD antenna (outdoor)

snowman2 | 12 years and 10 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5023 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#5022 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "14869"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(8) "snowman2"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(4) "jfss"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(18) "j_marali@yahoo.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(23) "/forums/users/snowman2/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 13:35:01"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(20) "avQfeZT53sOUsEBETk2c"
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(4) "jfss"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(14869)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

In CG with cheap ($25) digital antenna from J&R on the parlor floor I get 2, 4(all), 5.2, 7, 9 and some higher stations.  On the 3rd floor with old broken rabbit ears I get 2, 7, 11(all), 13(all) and some higher ones.  I get 4(all) if I fool with the antenna enough; I don’t bother.  I tried replacing the broken rabbit ears with the digital antenna and got fewer stations.  Both TVs are new digital.  I’m happy.

ILuvDeadNimbys | 12 years and 10 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5021 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#5025 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "15541"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(14) "ILuvDeadNimbys"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(14) "iluvdeadnimbys"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(19) "cannedand@gmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(37) "/forums/users/cookiecutterbrownstone/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:01:36"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(14) "ILuvDeadNimbys"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(15541)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

We bought this flat indoor antenna on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0027FGW3K/ref=oh_o03_s00_i00_details We don’t watch that much TV, and when we do it’s not like we watch all the channels from cable and fios. We live in Downtown Brooklyn in one of the high-rises but we are not on a high floor and the other tall buildings mask the signal, but we are still able to receive plenty. The NYC-Metro area has a lot of foreign channels (i.e. a lot of spanish, korean, and chineses channels), and the major networks have either a 720p or 1080i channel. Check out the TV Guide listing for your area to see all the available channels. Just insert your zip code and select Antenna to see what is avaialbe. http://www.tvguide.com/listings/setup/localizeus.aspx?RedirectUrl=/Listings/