Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

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  • The GIGGAS
    Timbers - Jags - Hokies
    • Mar 2003
    • 28474

    #1

    Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

    I live in an area which DirecTV seems to not care about us for HD Locals. However, I think I can get an antenna to get over-the-air HD locals so I can see football and stuff in HD.

    Does anyone else have this situation? What antenna is your suggestion?

    I have the DirecTV HD receiver, in case that matters.
    Rose City 'Til I Die
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  • Shortdogg2K
    Banned
    • Jul 2007
    • 46

    #2
    Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

    I use OTA HD for my local channel Sports and Prime Time programming. Check the link I listed below and it should help you. I think this is why when purchasing an HDTV a built in tuner is VERY important vs an HD Ready tv. I purchased an RCA indoor HDTV antenna for 16.99 from walmart that di the trick. Your local radio shack,best buy,walmart or even amazon.com should suffice. Good luck.

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    • MC Fatigue
      Banned
      • Feb 2006
      • 4150

      #3
      Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

      I'm a tad confused...

      HD over air signals? I thought it was a special signal you had to pay for from your cable company. So how does this work, exactly?

      Also, I thought over the air signals are being taken away in February or around there. Doesn't that make this useless?

      I don't really understand any of this HD stuff, or what's happening to the TV reception, so I could be totally wrong. I just hear all this stuff about having to buy a box because you can't just get signals over the air anymore.

      Comment

      • ndeezlo
        Fum police
        • Jul 2002
        • 3272

        #4
        Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

        Analog is going away, High Def is digital and is the only thing that will be sent over the air.
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        • MC Fatigue
          Banned
          • Feb 2006
          • 4150

          #5
          Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

          Oh, sweet... So I can actually get local HD channels without paying a monthly fee?

          The website posted says there are a few channels, but it might be something worth looking at

          edit: question - so when I click on "show digital" signals on that site, then those digital signals are in HD? So if I get an HD antenna and hook it up to my tv, then I could watch the FOX and NBC games in HD, as opposed to the regular digital signal I get from my charter box (digital cable, not HD cable).
          Last edited by MC Fatigue; 12-21-2008, 04:24 PM.

          Comment

          • mgoblue
            Go Wings!
            • Jul 2002
            • 25477

            #6
            Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

            Originally posted by Timmay
            Oh, sweet... So I can actually get local HD channels without paying a monthly fee?

            The website posted says there are a few channels, but it might be something worth looking at
            You can get local channels in HD over the air, but you obviously won't get ESPN or anything more than Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS and maybe a few other locals (CW, etc).
            Nintendo Switch Friend Code: SW-7009-7102-8818

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            • aukevin
              War Eagle, Go Braves!
              • Dec 2002
              • 14700

              #7
              Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

              I have a OTA antenna because DirecTV doesn't offer HD locals in my area. The antenna works great and it plugs into a AM21 box provided by DirecTV that puts the HD locals in my guide so I can DVR them. The antenna I have is a DB4 which has about a 55 mile range. The NBC, ABC, FOX, and CBS towers are just 6 miles from my house, but The CW tower is 45 miles away. The antenna picks them all up just fine.

              Here's the antenna I have: http://www.antennasdirect.com/DB4_HDTV_antenna.html
              I have it mounted in my attic pointed out a dormer window.

              Atlanta Braves
              - Auburn Tigers - Nashville Predators

              Comment

              • fishepa
                I'm Ron F'n Swanson!
                • Feb 2003
                • 18989

                #8
                Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

                As mgo said, you just hook up an external antenna to your TV to get local OTA HD channels. It's free, but just a pain to get an antenna.

                Comment

                • MC Fatigue
                  Banned
                  • Feb 2006
                  • 4150

                  #9
                  Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

                  Originally posted by mgoblue
                  You can get local channels in HD over the air, but you obviously won't get ESPN or anything more than Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS and maybe a few other locals (CW, etc).
                  Sweet. I don't really care about much more than that. I just think it would be cool to be able to watch our NFL games in HD.

                  Now I need to figure out how to tell if the TV has everything it needs.

                  it says in my manual on a sheet that was added in as extra "because your TV has an integrated HD digital tuner, a separate HD tuner it not needed; however..." and goes on to say I need an HD signal.

                  So if I get an HD antenna, then it will pick up whatever local HD programs are broadcast?

                  I'm just confused as to the difference between digital and HD. I have digital cable, but it's not HD. But deez said HD is digital - so is he refering to that the signal is the same, and if I have an HD antenna it'll pick up the digital signal in HD?
                  Last edited by MC Fatigue; 12-21-2008, 04:40 PM.

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                  • The GIGGAS
                    Timbers - Jags - Hokies
                    • Mar 2003
                    • 28474

                    #10
                    Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

                    Originally posted by aukevin
                    I have a OTA antenna because DirecTV doesn't offer HD locals in my area. The antenna works great and it plugs into a AM21 box provided by DirecTV that puts the HD locals in my guide so I can DVR them. The antenna I have is a DB4 which has about a 55 mile range. The NBC, ABC, FOX, and CBS towers are just 6 miles from my house, but The CW tower is 45 miles away. The antenna picks them all up just fine.

                    Here's the antenna I have: http://www.antennasdirect.com/DB4_HDTV_antenna.html
                    I have it mounted in my attic pointed out a dormer window.
                    What is an AM21 box?
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                    • aukevin
                      War Eagle, Go Braves!
                      • Dec 2002
                      • 14700

                      #11
                      Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

                      Originally posted by The GIGGAS
                      What is an AM21 box?
                      It is a box provided by DirecTV that your OTA antenna plugs into, then it connects to your DirecTV receiver. That way the channel listings for the channels coming over the OTA antenna show up on your DirecTV receiver's guide. I got two of them for fre from DirecTV.


                      Atlanta Braves
                      - Auburn Tigers - Nashville Predators

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                      • The GIGGAS
                        Timbers - Jags - Hokies
                        • Mar 2003
                        • 28474

                        #12
                        Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

                        How'd you get it for free, if you don't mind me asking?
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                        • aukevin
                          War Eagle, Go Braves!
                          • Dec 2002
                          • 14700

                          #13
                          Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

                          Originally posted by The GIGGAS
                          How'd you get it for free, if you don't mind me asking?
                          I just asked for it when I started my service with them. I first asked if they would give me a HR20 DVR because it accepts a OTA antenna but they couldn't get me one of those, only the newer HR21s. So I told them that their service was pointless to me unless I could DVR the major networks in HD. So I told them I would start service with them if they gave me two of those AM21s or two HR20 boxes, they gave me the two AM21 boxes.

                          Atlanta Braves
                          - Auburn Tigers - Nashville Predators

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                          • The GIGGAS
                            Timbers - Jags - Hokies
                            • Mar 2003
                            • 28474

                            #14
                            Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

                            Originally posted by aukevin
                            I just asked for it when I started my service with them. I first asked if they would give me a HR20 DVR because it accepts a OTA antenna but they couldn't get me one of those, only the newer HR21s. So I told them that their service was pointless to me unless I could DVR the major networks in HD. So I told them I would start service with them if they gave me two of those AM21s or two HR20 boxes, they gave me the two AM21 boxes.
                            Damn, I don't think I can swing getting it for free.
                            Rose City 'Til I Die
                            Duuuuuuuvvvvaaaaaaaal
                            Hokie Hokie Hokie Hy

                            Member: OS Uni Snob Assoc.
                            OS OT Post Champ '11

                            Twitter: @TheGIGGAS_OS
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                            • aukevin
                              War Eagle, Go Braves!
                              • Dec 2002
                              • 14700

                              #15
                              Re: Over-The-Air HD Locals with DirecTV?

                              Originally posted by The GIGGAS
                              Damn, I don't think I can swing getting it for free.
                              Couldn't hurt to ask a few times, that's for sure. It's a $50 box, so maybe they'll do it to keep you happy.

                              Atlanta Braves
                              - Auburn Tigers - Nashville Predators

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