Cutting the cable Bill - help needed

[EWC88 24]

If I were over 50 miles from Roxbury (the location of Philadelphia broadcaster's antennas) I would go for the DB8e and I'd get a pre-amp (such as Channel Master Titan 7777).

But I would first try a homemade "bowtie" antenna (http://buildadtvantenna.blogspot.com/2009/07/exact-step-by-step-homemade-dtv-antenna.html) placed in the attic if possible.

I have pretty good results with this setup and a decent pre-amp and I am almost 50 miles out!

It is a very low investment and will tell you if you really need a fancy store-bought antenna, and how much antenna to buy if you do.

 

I would not mount my home built antenna outside (it would not last long in the weather); However, a friend of mine made a weatherproof model using PVC instead of 2x4s and it works well.

Antennas in Philadelphia or Roxybury?

 

From my address to Philadelphia is only 30 miles

[leahcim 680]

Antennas in Philadelphia or Roxybury?

 

From my address to Philadelphia is only 30 miles

Sorry, I meant Roxborough https://billypenn.com/2015/10/05/those-giant-antennas-in-roxborough-the-secret-home-of-philadelphia-broadcasting-on-tv-and-radio/

 

If you enter your address at thise site http://www.antennaweb.org/Address it will give you distance and vector to each station.  The Philadelphia stations are about 46 miles from my location.

[leahcim 680]

Antennaweb will also give you advice for antenna selection and tell you what channels you are likely to pull in.

[EWC88 24]

Looks like I'm 32 miles away for a couple channels it says at 360 degrees.

 

So you would run antenna to pre amp, then to the tvs? Is it ok to run it to multiple tvs? Sorry for dumb question just making sure.

[leahcim 680]

Looks like I'm 32 miles away for a couple channels it says at 360 degrees.

So you would run antenna to pre amp, then to the tvs? Is it ok to run it to multiple tvs? Sorry for dumb question just making sure.

You can run it to multiple tv's, but each splitter will diminish your power.

May not be a problem at your distance if you're using a decent antenna. You may not even need the preamp.

When I set up mine I had reception with the antenna only, but it was weak and inconsistent. I got the preamp and reception improved significantly.

If you do have problems splitting to too many sets you could get a distribution amp which basically splits the signal into several feeds while maintaining the original power level to each feed.

[EWC88 24]

Awesome! Thanks for input!

[BullzeyeNJ 104]

I've been using Playstation Vue for the past 3 months and I like it. I have the middle of the road package which is $45 a month. I can use it for up to 5 devices at once that have the Vue application installed. It has its own DVR so I can watch shows when I want to watch them.

[Rob0115 1,105]

PSVue looks better than directv now. Lots more app support, more channels, 5 streams, it's more than directv now but that's limited to two streams, cloud DVR, can't login outside of home, pretty good guide would be better if it were TiVo like. Something to consider.

[Howard 538]

I am thinking of going the PS Vue route after trying SlingTV and Direct TV Now.  Neither of these have all the network stations while PS VUE does.  That is important for me since an OTA won't work where I live due to mountains in the way of the signals.  

 

For those interested, while the DTVN offer is over, you can still get "free" devices by signing up for SlingTV.  You can sign up for one month of their minimum $20 package and get a free Roku streaming stick or sign up for three months and buy a $149 AppleTV for only $89 - both good values just to get the devices.

 

I have found that there are many of what they call Private Channels that can be loaded onto the Roku which will give you a lot of free TV.  Check out XTV and Channel Pair as too really good ones.  USTV Now is not a bad app either.  Their free package gives you the major networks (2,4,5,7,9,11,13)

[Rob0115 1,105]

I did the three month DTV now and received an apple tv in days.  So while I don't like the service I got the device at a discount.  DTV Now has issues with not having the networks, some are on, all the platforms and the interface sucks.

 

Vue has a decent interface, 5 streams instead of two, a cloud DVR, integrated voice search, and a much better formatted guide (kind of looks like the old TV guide print interface).  Sony is a better tech company than DTV and ATT so I expect that the interface will  evolve more quickly.  What I like about both is they have large recognition two the individual provider streaming apps, like HBO now, etc.  

 

However, in my quick experience and using the wife test Vue is much better than DTV now.  

[Rob0115 1,105]

One odd thing, I wanted to watch some of the Mnuchin testimony from my office and logged in to the PS Vue account and it worked.  I'm not sure why I thought it was limited to your home zip code.  Perhaps that's just for connected devices and not computers?