Homer
Northwest Ohio
Senior Member
Joined: 11/23/2000
View Profile
 Offline
|
but but but, could could could,would would would,might might might, if if if. The truth of the matter is if you spend enough money, and like to watch infantile programming,you can probably do it. I was able to get excellent reception from several cities at my favorite campground before dtv, now I can get none, nada, in the same location with excellent equipment. Does the same set up work here at home, close to station transmitters, yep! Thank God for Direct TV.
|
lbrandt
Springfield, MO
Senior Member
Joined: 04/22/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
I agree that the Digital picture is much better than the analog picture it, but if you ever get out away from large metro areas, you are not going to have a signal that is consistent. You will have a signal in the morning and not have it in the evening or the other way around. Also you will have it for 5 minutes and loose it for 2 or 3 minutes. Nothing is wrong with my system, its just that I stay on the fringes instead of close to large cities.
DTV would be fine, infact much better than analog if only it had better coverage area.
As long as the DTV is limited the way it is on range, the Cable companies are the ones who win and those of us that like to get away from the cities and go to the fringes LOOSE.
Larry & Ann Brandt
FIND US HERE
1999 NRV Tradewinds 7371, W/300 CAT. if it ain't a CAT it must be a dog
01 PT Cruiser
Chipper & Sally Ann the dog's , Spookie & Patches the cat's.
MotoSat/F1/.74/117W/DW7000(6253)
300 Watts Solar
|
foosh1
Annapolis MD
Senior Member
Joined: 11/19/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
joanne0012 wrote:
Maybe that's true for big screens, but I'm disappointed with the little 19-inch Sharp I just got for the bedroom, and it's on cable TV. I can't tell the difference between the digital channels and the regular ones. The image isn't noticeably better than its predecessor (one of those little portables with the built-in VHS player), and the delays in responding to the remote control (channel change, on/off) are annoying.
Plus, the remote is inferior to its predecessor -- there's no single button for displaying captions or for returning to the previous channel. The more I think about it, the more likely I am to reclaim the old one from the basement playroom and save the new lightweight one for camping.
Joanne,
That's either your TV or cable system, not the format. It depends on the cable system you're hooked up to. Many park cable systems are still only on the old analog format. However, some provide both digital and analog channels, even without a converter box.
08 Winnebago Journey 39Z, Cummins ISB 350 & Allison 3000MH
US Gear Unified Braking System, Blue Ox tow equipment
98 Wrangler Toad
|
joanne0012
Boston, MA
Senior Member
Joined: 02/01/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
foosh1 wrote:...
Joanne,
That's either your TV or cable system, not the format. It depends on the cable system you're hooked up to. Many park cable systems are still only on the old analog format. However, some provide both digital and analog channels, even without a converter box.
This is Comcast cable in my home, in an urban area. Different numbers for the HD and regular channels, another annoyance that the single digits are the analog ones.
Joanne
1994 Lazy Daze 23.5' TK
|
foosh1
Annapolis MD
Senior Member
Joined: 11/19/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
lbrandt wrote:I agree that the Digital picture is much better than the analog picture it, but if you ever get out away from large metro areas, you are not going to have a signal that is consistent. You will have a signal in the morning and not have it in the evening or the other way around. Also you will have it for 5 minutes and loose it for 2 or 3 minutes. Nothing is wrong with my system, its just that I stay on the fringes instead of close to large cities.
DTV would be fine, infact much better than analog if only it had better coverage area.
As long as the DTV is limited the way it is on range, the Cable companies are the ones who win and those of us that like to get away from the cities and go to the fringes LOOSE.
Do you have an amplifier, and do you have it on when you tune channels in a new location? I've noticed when I turn it off and forget to turn it on, that's more common, and yes it does happen when you're in a fringe area.
However, DTV broadcast signals do have a larger coverage area if you have the proper antenna, and are actually stronger. The difference is in digital you either have a perfect picture or no picture. With analog, at the same distance, you might have a consistent "picture" (if you can call it that), but for me it's too fuzzy and degraded to watch.
In some sense, I see your point. I suppose what you're satisfied with plays a role here. If I can't have a near perfect picture, I don't care to watch.
I don't see how you think cable companies are winners because of air, analog-to-digital transformation. Cable companies are growing because they offer so many more choices than over-the-air. For many people, their DTV air signal is now watchable, whereas analog was not.
|
|
|
foosh1
Annapolis MD
Senior Member
Joined: 11/19/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
joanne0012 wrote:
This is Comcast cable in my home, in an urban area. Different numbers for the HD and regular channels, another annoyance that the single digits are the analog ones.
In that case, if you can't tell the difference, it's your TV. Is it HDTV, and if so what resolution?
|
DutchmenSport
Between Anderson, Pendleton, & Lapel, Indiana
Senior Member
Joined: 10/10/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
I differ with the opinion that reception is better in larger metropolitan areas over more rural areas a distance away. I now live in the middle of nowhere (see my profile) and we actually get VERY good television reception in the trailer with the standard bat wing system originally installed. Actually, we get over 35 channels from all directions around us. Turn the antenna a little and it's amazing what else comes in.
We have a house in Carmel, Indiana too. Although zoning is the reason we moved away from there, we do sometimes take the trailer back for a night or two, when we have work to do on the house. Now Carmel is 25 miles CLOSER to Indianapolis (and on the North side of Indianapolis), and I get 2 channels, and then it's got massive pixil problems.
For what it's worth, out here in "nowhere land Indiana" we don't have failing pixel problems at all, same trailer, same television, same set-up! Figure that one out?
DutchmenSport
2005 Chevy Silverado 3500 Dually Duramax 6.6L V8 Turbo
Century Truck Cap Commercial /Toolboxes
Northeast Outfitters Canoe
2006 Keystone Springdale Model 263DBL
Weight 4985, Carrying Capacity 2575, Hitch 560, Length 30'
Width 8', Height 10' 6"
|
hershey
Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/04/2003
View Profile
 Online
|
The change to digital TV is probably the biggest selling aid to the cable companies and satellite TV. Tried the converters, bought a new digital TV and just gave up and just use the satellite for our TV viewing.
hershey - albuquerque, nm
Someday Finally Got Here
My wife does all the driving - I just get to hold the steering wheel.
Superman was an illegal alien.
Expedition - Suzuki Grand Viagra
NASCAR 14 - 99 - 5
|
foosh1
Annapolis MD
Senior Member
Joined: 11/19/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
DutchmenSport wrote:I differ with the opinion that reception is better in larger metropolitan areas over more rural areas a distance away. I now live in the middle of nowhere (see my profile) and we actually get VERY good television reception in the trailer with the standard bat wing system originally installed. Actually, we get over 35 channels from all directions around us. Turn the antenna a little and it's amazing what else comes in.
We have a house in Carmel, Indiana too. Although zoning is the reason we moved away from there, we do sometimes take the trailer back for a night or two, when we have work to do on the house. Now Carmel is 25 miles CLOSER to Indianapolis (and on the North side of Indianapolis), and I get 2 channels, and then it's got massive pixil problems.
For what it's worth, out here in "nowhere land Indiana" we don't have failing pixel problems at all, same trailer, same television, same set-up! Figure that one out?
You also raise a good point. Reception is a function of your line-of-sight, and your current location. Buildings, dense forest, hills and mountains can block the signal, if you're right next to that obstacle. If you're some distance away from the obstacle, you have a clear line-of-sight. In the same way, heavy rain, a mountain, or dense forest can block your digital satellite signal, if your dish is trying to aim through the obstacle.
If you have flat ground between you and the transmitter, you can pull in a signal from 50 miles or more, whereas you can't pull in the same signal from 25 miles away, because there is an obstacle between you and the transmitter antenna.
Still, all things being equal, DTV signals are receivable further than analog. Your personal experience is going to be entirely dependent upon your location and the local topography.
* This post was
edited 12/05/09 12:26pm by foosh1 *
|
jgallego
Deer Park, Texas
Full Member
Joined: 07/31/2006
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
On my dishnetwork I can get the local in the 8000 numbers when out of my local area. While in the Houston area I can simply enter the channel like 13 to get the local.
Jaime
lbrandt wrote:foosh1 wrote:As for Direct TV, you can get network signals for your motorhome, by mailing in an RV application to Direct TV, along with a copy of your RV registration. While you won't get locals (you don't get them when you're traveling anyway), you will get the network signal from the local stations in either NYC or LA (ABC, CBS, CW, and Fox) depending upon where you are.
I have had those stations thru Dish Network, and I can tell you they are CRAP. at least from Dish Network are. They are nothing like the regular network feed that you would receive if you actually lived in one of those areas.
The only winners in this are the CABLE Networks.
2009 Heartland Big Country 3355
5500 Onan Gold, Ultra Fab Leveling System, Dual Air
TV 2007 Chevrolet 2500HD Crewcab
Duramax/Allison, Prodigy, Firestone Ride Rite
|
|
|
|
