[mythtv-users] Indoor Antenna with PChdtv 5500

[Yan Seiner]

Robert Tsai wrote:
> Can you plug in two OTA antennas into a single capture card? Is that
> just using a splitter in the "reverse" direction?
>
> I currently have two antennae (the $20 circle-in-a-triangle one from
> Radio Shack), each going into its own capture card, so there are some
> stations that only have one capture card available. It would be nice
> to get all stations on both cards (e.g., "reverse split", then "split"
> to both capture cards).
>   
That is not "officially supported" but it can be made to work.  I am 
doing that and I get OK results.

Half the stations in my area happen to be in one direction and the other 
half in a direction 90 deg. from the first.

I got two directional antennas, and set them up on a mast.  The antennas 
must be at least 4' apart vertically; preferrably 8' apart.

Use good quality cable and splitters.  Make sure the cable runs from 
each antenna to the first splitter are the exact same length.  Get is as 
close as you can.

You will lose a lot of signal strength with this setup.  How much 
depends on how close you can get the two antennas electrically.  You 
want the same antenna, the same cable type and lenght, you get the idea.

Both my antennas are very similar, and I have an amplifier after the 
first splitter.  I get pretty good results; only 1 channel comes in much 
worse than on a single antenna.

That's about all there is to it.  You can google for more; most people 
will tell you it won't work, but with a bit of fiddling you can get it 
to work.