[mythtv-users] OT: OTA HD

[Brian Wood]

On Monday 22 December 2008 15:36:48 Travis Tabbal wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 22, 2008 at 2:43 PM, A JM <vbtalent at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I don't want to hijack the OPs thread so I'll be glad to start a new
> > thread.
> >
> > Although my cable company is currently broadcasting the locals I'm having
> > a problem picking them up, weak signal, etc.? I do have an external
> > antenna in my attic as was suggested earlier  but its getting no use
> > since I only have a single input on my TV...
> >
> > What is that kind of combiner called? is there some kind of problem with
> > multiple local frequencies on the same cable, etc?
>
> I had not considered the interference issue before I posted about setups
> like this. You might be able to use a diplexer, those are used in
> satelite/OTA installs. I have no idea how they would behave with CATV
> setups though. You really should ask a CATV tech before connecting things
> like this up for the reasons posted already. You don't want to broadcast
> the CATV signal out your antenna. The FCC will be very annoyed with you if
> you do that.
>

Not nearly as annoyed as the FAA would be.

> Honestly, if you are paying for cable and can't get OTA channels to work
> properly, call your cable company. They are taking your money for something
> you aren't getting. A coax A-B switch is another idea, though you would
> probably want something you can automate as we are in the Myth list after
> all and you likely won't be sitting there to switch it for every recording.
>

The "HD" channels from cable (at least my system) are visibly degraded from 
what the raw off-air signals are, no doubt due to compression by the cable 
operator.

Most people probably wouldn't notice the difference, but the folks on this 
list most likely would.

-- 
beww
beww at beww.org