HVR-2250 with OTA Digital TV

[mbowling]

I am interested in dropping my cable service. I would like to watch TV using local OTA digital TV plus the PlayOn SageTV plugin.

I haven't tried this, but I understand that my HVR-2250 tuner can receive OTA digital TV signals. Does anyone have experience using the HVR-2250 to receive OTA TV? Does it work ok?

SageTV currently changes channels on my cable TV box using a USB-UIRT. If I make the change from Cable TV to OTA TV how does SageTV change the channels on the HVR-2250?

Thank you.

[vikingisson]

I don't have the 2250 but use the older 1600 for OTA, same idea though. Coming from an STB and goofy channel changing setup I think you'll be happy if the content is ok for you. OTA is your best quality HD for sure. Channel changing is faster too, it just works without any nonsense.

Spend the time to get your antenna proper, you want a strong and stable signal. I'm near Toronto ON and have great reception on the locals plus Buffalo NY. OTA content is as silly as it has ever been but that's why we have sage. For me I do fine with a basic 8 bay antenna, each 4 bay half pivots so I'm actually using a 4 bay pointed at each city (almost 90 degrees apart). Perfect reception on about 20 channels. But wow, some of the content especially from the states is just jaw dropping stupid. But looks great in HD.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by mbowling

Does anyone have experience using the HVR-2250 to receive OTA TV? Does it work ok?

I've used a 2250 for OTA ATSC for almost a year now. (I also have the AverTVHD Duet dual ATSC tuner card) The 2250 is an excellant card. Never had a single problem with it.

If I make the change from Cable TV to OTA TV how does SageTV change the channels on the HVR-2250?

SageTV communicates directly with the tuners on the card to initiate a channel change so no external blasters etc are needed.

[wado1971]

Originally Posted by mbowling

I am interested in dropping my cable service. I would like to watch TV using local OTA digital TV plus the PlayOn SageTV plugin.

I highly suggest cutting the cable tie - you won't miss it with networks + the hulu/netflix thing. Not to mention the saving can go directly into new gadgets! I simply still use the cable input into a 2250 and get the network channels. Not sure if it's OTA or clear QAM but it works and I'm not complaining seeing as how my OTA reception was sketchy with an antenna.

[KarylFStein]

As was mentioned, proper alignment of the antenna really helped my reception even though it was labeled as a "multi-directional" model. I *think* it was this one I have now, (http://www.antennasdirect.com/DB2_Indoor_antenna.html), but can't remember what it looks like since I mounted it a few years ago and haven't looked at it since. I bought that because my first "set-top" model didn't work well at all and I wanted to try a larger antenna without paying too much if it still didn't work.

Anyway, I put the new one in the attic near a window. Although noticably better, the signal strength still wasn't great and I'd still get garbled TV sometimes.

Finally I found some web site showing where the signals were being broadcast, (can't find where that was, sorry), figured out the general direction they were from my house and repositioned the antenna maybe 100 degrees from it's original location. It wasn't a very scientific placement, and the stations wern't being broadcast from the exact same place, but since then reception has been flawless.

My capture device used to be a HDHomerun, but now I'm using a couple 1800s. No amplifiers or anything and works well with Sage with no additional hardware or software needed other than the standard Hauppauge drivers.

[vikingisson]

Mine is a similar design but is larger more like this one: http://www.antennasdirect.com/DB8_HD_Antenna.html

Funny, I only paid C$50 and it allows me to point each side in a different direction. Supposedly multi directional but turned out to be directional perhaps because of distance. Huge difference when taken the time to tweak it. Just a few degrees of tweak found the best spot. I live on the top floor of a 7 story apartment. I bought a $10 galvanized pole that allowed me to poke it barely over the top of the roof and directly at the far off transmitters that are about 80 degrees offset from my position.

Get a DB4 or DB8 antenna outside as high as possible. RG6 cable with good connectors and you'll giggle at the HD quality. The highly directionals are good if the transmitters are clustered together. Mine are spread over 3 cities so the flex DB8 works for me.

I haven't had cable for a long time and enjoy the saved money. Combined with a handful of free sat channels (lucky that my balcony points SW), OTA, and online content I have what I need. Now if I can get stable guide data for the Canadian channels it would be perfect....... "Winter in Yellowstone" in full HD from PBS was beautiful. I'm not much into sports but Hockey Night in Canada in HD made me a convert.

[MattHelm]

All,
Be VERY careful getting an UHF only antenna. There are still a few channels in the VHF band in some markets. Example, in Indianapolis, both channel 8 and 13 are on channels 8 and 13. A UHF only antenna will NOT receive them (or not very well)!

Please visit http://www.tvfool.com/ before cutting the cable, and see what you need! (a full blown tower, rotor, amp and antenna install can cost $$$)

[ChaOConnor]

I just installed the DB8 in my attic and used tvfool.com to help me point it in the right direction. Dropped the coax line down to my basement where my HDHomerun is, and I'm enjoying HD OTA right now. I don't get as many channels as I could b/c I'm using the antenna in my attic and not outside, but it's more than enough for me! I love the option of always having some free OTA goodness!

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by ChaOConnor

I just installed the DB8 in my attic and used tvfool.com to help me point it in the right direction. Dropped the coax line down to my basement where my HDHomerun is, and I'm enjoying HD OTA right now. I don't get as many channels as I could b/c I'm using the antenna in my attic and not outside, but it's more than enough for me! I love the option of always having some free OTA goodness!

Great. BTW, how far are you from the towers? Ask, as a friend needs a new antenna, and I'm unsure if he needs an amp or not.

[mbowling]

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

I've used a 2250 for OTA ATSC for almost a year now. (I also have the AverTVHD Duet dual ATSC tuner card) The 2250 is an excellant card. Never had a single problem with it.

SageTV communicates directly with the tuners on the card to initiate a channel change so no external blasters etc are needed.

Thanks for the information Helen. I'll be disconnecting the cable TV and connecting my HVR-2250 to an antenna in the near future.

Originally Posted by MattHelm

All,
Be VERY careful getting an UHF only antenna. There are still a few channels in the VHF band in some markets. Example, in Indianapolis, both channel 8 and 13 are on channels 8 and 13. A UHF only antenna will NOT receive them (or not very well)!

Thanks for the antenna info Matt. I was going to buy the UHF DB2 antenna before I read your post. I checked tvfool and realized that the local CBS station is channel 7 and the PBS station is channel 11. I decided to go with this VHF/UHF combo antenna http://www.amazon.com/Channel-Master...2902098&sr=8-1

[vikingisson]

You will like the OTA quality and faster channel changing. Can't help you with the content itself, but cable content sucks just as bad so might as well go with free.

You did verify that those VHF are digital? oh wait, you don't have any analog OTA anymore. I was thinking Canada, the last developed country with analog.... I think....

If you have a strong enough signal then you can also use the VHF for FM broadcast. I hear there is digital FM down south. again, we're stuck with Marconi up here. (we have the internet on computers now!) (but still don't get stable guide data).

[mbowling]

Originally Posted by vikingisson

If you have a strong enough signal then you can also use the VHF for FM broadcast.

I've learned something else. I didn't know the VHF part of the antenna can be used for FM reception. I'll give it a try. I live about three miles from the TV and radio transmitters so I should get good reception from both. Thanks for the info!

[ChaOConnor]

Originally Posted by MattHelm

Great. BTW, how far are you from the towers? Ask, as a friend needs a new antenna, and I'm unsure if he needs an amp or not.

Matt, I am 19 miles away from the antennas I'm picking up a clera signal on. Not sure if an amp will help though, as I understand it, the pre-amp you'd install on the antenna only amplifies what you're already getting, it doesn't boost the signal coming in. A pre-amp is most helpful for long cable runs, etc.

Maybe someone else can correct me if I'm wrong. If I am wrong, then i'll gladly purchase a pre-amp because there were a ton more channels I disabled that didn't have "green" reception, best I could get was a "yellow" on the 7MC & HDHomerun setup screens.

[vikingisson]

You might check your antenna, 19 miles should be plenty close enough. Perhaps not all channels are from the same location? I'm picking up >90% for channels much farther away. I use a flexible DB8 setup outside. My sources are from 3 different directions so pointing was critical.

True, an amp won't help if the signal isn't already there. Best to have the amp as close to the antenna as possible (outside on the antenna itself is best). Those cheapos stuck behind the tv after a long run won't help.

Yes, FM is right in the middle of the lower VHF spectrum (between channel 6 & 7 if I remember correctly?). You loose 3.5db to split it but if you have good signal then no problem. That's where an indoor distro amp is useful but signal needs to be good already. I get 20+ digital tv channels plus tons of FM.