Please help a noob. Antenna issues/tuner card selection (1 Viewer)

[wetzel402]

Hi everyone,

I just recently canceled cable and installed a TV antenna and would now like to add an HTPC.

First off my antenna problems. I first received the antenna (RCA ANT751) and just tested it out by hooking it up to one TV and setting the antenna on a chair. It picked up 26 frequencies flawlessly. I installed it permanently in my attic space with a 25' drop of RG6 quad shield to my coax junction in my home. It then connects to a splitter that I am using backwards to combine my cable internet and antenna signals. From there it ties into an amplifier and then from the amp to the TV's. The problem is now I have lost some channels and one channel has intermittent problems and sometimes completely goes out. Anyone have some ideas there?

My second problem is choosing a TV tuner card. I would like one that has a RF remote because I need the range capability over an IR.

Thanks!

 

[mm1352000]

Hi there

First off my antenna problems. I first received the antenna (RCA ANT751) and just tested it out by hooking it up to one TV and setting the antenna on a chair. It picked up 26 frequencies flawlessly. I installed it permanently in my attic space with a 25' drop of RG6 quad shield to my coax junction in my home. It then connects to a splitter that I am using backwards to combine my cable internet and antenna signals. From there it ties into an amplifier and then from the amp to the TV's. The problem is now I have lost some channels and one channel has intermittent problems and sometimes completely goes out. Anyone have some ideas there?

The first thing I recommend that you try is ensuring that the aerial is focussed. Most aerials have to be pointed in a certain direction, so try turning it one way or the other with someone down below to see if the issue resolves itself.

After that, I suggest you test this logically with one change at a time using a process of elimination to find the issue. Potential causes of problems:

1. New location of aerial.
2. Splitter compromises signal quality.
3. Cable internet interferes with the TV signal.
4. Amplifier over-amplifies the signal to distortion.
(5. New cabling???)

Since you know the antenna worked on the chair with a direct connection the process for testing would be:

1. Does it work in the attic with a direct connection?
2. Does it work in the attic with the splitter (but no cable internet or amp)?
3. Does it work in the attic with the splitter and the amp (but no cable internet)?
4. If 3 fails, does it work in the attic with the amp (but no cable internet or splitter)?
5. Does it work in the attic with the splitter and cable internet (but no amp)?

If the signal is too weak then you may want to consider moving the amp to be connected before the splitter...

My second problem is choosing a TV tuner card. I would like one that has a RF remote because I need the range capability over an IR.

No comment except to say that if you need an RF remote then you're unlikely to get one with a tuner. I don't know of any tuners with remotes that aren't IR. I strongly advise you not to restrict your tuner choice when you can buy an RF remote separately...

 

[wetzel402]

I will trouble shoot and see what I come up with I will post again in the near future

 

[wetzel402]

I've done some trouble shooting and here are my results.

I set up a TV at my coax junction point in my basement and connected my antenna drop directly to it. It functioned as it did when the antenna was on the chair. I then tried moving it to the living room and lost all but the closest broadcast channels. I added my amp and got some extra channels but they go out from time to time and the closest channels sometimes freeze. This would lead me to believe that I need more amplification to get the further channels and an equalizer to prevent the closest channels from being over amplified. Does this sound correct?

Thanks!

 

[wetzel402]

I have now finish my antenna installation and have zero issues.

My next problem I am going to encounter I think is getting my HTPC to all TVs in the house. Current thoughts are a VGA to svideo cable, a mini jack to RCA audio cable and an RF modulator at my coax junction point.

Thoughts please?

Thanks!