Neil,

If I remember right, the TV would find all the channels, but I think the TV's "memory" would only remember the ones where it actually gets a signal.  Because of the switch to digital over the air, you will see the 2.1 type of display.  Here in OKC, we practically live under the TV brodcast towers and channel 9 has two or three extra designators, even though only one will actually give us a signal.

The only other factor that might be a problem is how far you are from the towers.  In OKC, the towers are almost all within about a mile of each other.  However, other cities may have theirs scattered about and some thus may be out of range of some of those others.

Terry

Yep.  Now you just have to do that every time you move to a new city.

Terry

We’ve had a few threads on this topic but I’ll try to give as short, but complete an answer as possible that may be of help.  What I am going to say is not conjecture; I did this “TV” thing for a living for over 45 years.  (I started really young.)

All of the following pertains to “digital” TV with an over-the-air, outside antenna like has been used for “TV” since the late 1940’s.

Any TV antenna will receive “digital” / HD television stations. There is no such thing as a “digital” TV antenna in spite of marketing hype.  However, for a lot of technical reasons and the best results the typical RV antenna needs a small amplifier and needs UHF capability.  The typical Winegard RV antenna, with the small Wingman add (for ~$30) works extremely well.  I’ve received stations 80 miles away.  “It depends” on a lot of factors as to range.  (BTW, being right under a TV tower is the worst place for reception.  TV engineers spend a lot of money to send the TV signal “out,” not “down.”

In the analog days TV stations were on channels, like 2 – 4 – 34, some for 50 years and were known by those channel numbers locally.  When the engineering groups worked on the new digital channels (I did in Washington, DC) it was decided to try and retain those numbers so people in the local community would know them by their old channel names.  For extremely valid laws of physics reasons almost all stations had to change their actual channel assignments – I.e. “Channel 3” couldn’t actually stay on channel 3.  One TV station I built had to move to the UHF band and use channel 23.  However, a method was devised to allow the this TV station to “tune” channel 23, by inputting channel “3” on the remote control.  (It’s called PSIP by the technical name.)  All TV stations work this way now.

Digital TV stations can actually broadcast more than one program on a single TV channel.  That is where the “3-1, 3-2, 3-3” channel numbers come from.  3-2, for example is “channel 3,” but the number 2 program.  Hence you input a channel by using the dash and a number.  I.e. 3-2

(Some TV’s if you just input “3” without the dash will take you to the first program.  I.e. 3-1.  Some won’t.  Just depends on the TV.)

In order for the TV to “download” the information from all TV stations they can receive such that the TV “knows” what channel numbers work in an area you have to “scan.”  Anytime you move location, or sometimes pan the antenna in a different direction, you have to tell the TV to scan for channels.  If the TV can receive a channel it will then put that channel number in the list of available channels to be received.  (The new TV’s are more like a computer than a TV in reality.)

Knowing which way to point the antenna is a bit more difficult.  However, most all newer TV have a meter display, accessed from the setup menu, that will help you peak the antenna for the best signals AFTER you scan.  However, once the TV has a good lock on the station further peaking won’t improve the picture quality.  It’s like a cell phone, you pretty much either get the station or you don’t.  Digital is just that way.

There are a couple of sites where you can find TV stations and where to point your antenna from your exact location.

This one is probably the best for most people:

http://transition.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/

This one is a little more technical but also has Canadian stations – many of which are still analog: 

http://www.rabbitears.info/search.php

Like all things new, once you get the hang of this you will find digital works very well and you will be surprised a the number of free, over-the-air channels available, many in HD.

If you have more specific questions I’d be happy to try and answer them.

Bill

GENECOP wrote:

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Bill you mentioned pointing the antennae, for local TV I have a round disc like antennae, it is about 18-20" in diameter, I can't point it or change direction, so am I just left with the stations I can receive? Is there any way to improve reception?

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Gene, I am sorry to say yes there is a way, replace the “round” antenna.

Those are omnidirectional and for TV, while they may sort of work, they are not good for TV.

Reasons: First, they have no directivity (receive from mostly one direction) and therefore are terrible at reducing the reception of “ghosts” – signal reflections – which are the greatest impairment to reception of a digital TV signal.  Second, they are “wasting” receiving capability by “looking” where there are no usable signals.  I have no idea if this makes sense.  It’s kind of like the difference between a candle and a flash light.  Think of a cupping your hand behind your ear to direct sound to the ear from a specific place.  Your hand creates “directivity” or to use another technical term “gain.”

I also don’t know if your round antenna has a pre-amp, sometimes mis-termed a “booster.”  A pre-amp, properly installed, will make up for the loss in the coax cable to the TV set among other things.  If yours is a Winegard and you have a wall plate with an on-off switch it probably has a pre-amp.

If it was me and I wanted to have the best practical reception I would install a Winegard Sensor III (RV-3095) or Sensor IV (RVW-395), your choice.  One is manual up / down / turn – the other is powered.  Knowing your rig I would probably go with the Sensor IV for various convenience, not technical, reasons.  You should get the Wingman UHF add-on antenna.  This little add-on antenna increases gain and directivity for UHF stations enough to be worth ~$20-30.  I’ve seen them in this price range and they just mount right on the main antenna.  Unlike in the past, most TV stations are now UHF, hence the add-on.

This link has PDF of the manuals including installation.  The fact you already have an antenna on the roof should make this easier as you have a cabling already in place.

http://www.winegard.com/wingman/index.php

Sorry for the long posts, but I think it is better to explain why as to a recommendation like this.

Hope that helps – questions?

Bill 

GENECOP wrote:

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Thanks for the info....looks like I have found my next project......

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Gene:

Just making sure so you don’t have any problems:   IF your round antenna has a pre-amp, probably on the wall fixture where the switch is, make sure you remove it.  You don’t want the new antenna amp “feeding” the old one or vice versa.  One pre-amp is all you want and the closer to the antenna the better.

Bill