HD Cardinal games over the air

[Slacker]

I am thinking about making a switch to DirecTV.

For 49 bucks they will add an HD Off-Air Antenna.

How is the HD quality for off-air?

I really don't want to get the shaft on local HD channels compared to cable local HD.

 

[Ryanwb]

My OTA antenna was $20.00 and the reception is crystal clear

 

[RedForeman]

Just go to Radio shack and get one for $10-$15.

 

[azmike74]

I am under the impression that if you have an HD tv (not just HD ready) you can just buy an antenna and plug into your tv. Maybe you can save some money if you have the right tv and don't want Directv.

 

[Lloydian]

The HD antenna DirecTV sells is one that sits on your dish and may or may not be the best value to you. If an indoor antenna works for you, and for many people they do, cheap will get a great picture. If the convenience of telling the DirecTV installer to take care of everything is worthwhile, then spend the extra $30.

In the end, your picture quality for the two should be the same.

 

[Slacker]

Not really worried about the money, I was more worried about the OTA quality which if "crystal clear" would be great.

Thank you for the replies.

 

[Big Deal]

OTA is awesome. No compression, straight feed. Gold Bar.

 

[Herdman]

sound may be different

The picture is phenominal with HD off air; but you may notice differences in the sound (primarily volume) between your HD off air and your direct tv. I also notice a delay which is kinda freaky if you have the tv going in two different rooms. Next to Lasik it was one of the best buys of my life.

 

[Chaz]

As long as you have line of sight to the broadcast towers you are golden.

The great thing about digital signals is they either work or they don't.

There is no fuzzy picture. You get a clear picture or black nothing.

 

[Ryanwb]

The great thing about digital signals is they either work or they don't.

Sounds like the Cardinals run blocking

 

[Scott MS]

How is the HD quality for off-air?

The best quality available. No compression, transmitted directly to your home in native 8VSB.

 

[EndZone]

I bought the off air ant from Radio Shack and it works fine, just make sure you get the 5 LNB dish...because soon DTV will be beaming in your local HD channels with no off air ant.

 

[CardShark]

I bought the off air ant from Radio Shack and it works fine, just make sure you get the 5 LNB dish...because soon DTV will be beaming in your local HD channels with no off air ant.

DirecTV does have the local channels in HD if they are national affiliates. I suggest having an independent antenna though, just in case your satellite goes down.

Hopefully the Cards will realize that channel 15 sucks when it comes to broadcasting in HD and tell them to get it right or lose the preseason games.

 

[azsouthendzone]

Directv has local channels in HD over the dish if you get the new system that has mpeg 4.

 

[vince56]

The picture is phenominal with HD off air; but you may notice differences in the sound (primarily volume) between your HD off air and your direct tv. I also notice a delay which is kinda freaky if you have the tv going in two different rooms. Next to Lasik it was one of the best buys of my life.

Dead on accurate. Also, where you are in town is a big deal too. I live 3 miles from the big TV antennas on south mountain, so I get every local channel's HD broadcast crystal clear. However, a friend of mine that lives around 40th street & greenway only gets about 3-4 local channels in HD, and we're talking like the rinky-dink little channels like UPN & channel 3, which don't really have a HD broadcast, even though they have a dedicated HD/Digital channel.

 

[Scott MS]

Dead on accurate. Also, where you are in town is a big deal too. I live 3 miles from the big TV antennas on south mountain, so I get every local channel's HD broadcast crystal clear. However, a friend of mine that lives around 40th street & greenway only gets about 3-4 local channels in HD, and we're talking like the rinky-dink little channels like UPN & channel 3, which don't really have a HD broadcast, even though they have a dedicated HD/Digital channel.

Depends on your antenna. I live in Cave Creek and have a Channel Master 4248 mounted in my attic and I get every channel at 92% or above. If you live further out, you will need a higher gain antenna. The little ones you put on the dish or top of the TV don't have enough gain fo locations further out.

The 4248 is a UHF only model, which is the spectrum where the HD channels are (ch 13-69?)

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[long_season]

Depends on your antenna. I live in Cave Creek and have a Channel Master 4248 mounted in my attic and I get every channel at 92% or above.

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx

an excellent resource for anyone considering Over The Air HD - which is the best source of HD content. No compression scheme is used, unlike Dish / Directv (w/ MPEG4)- still looking into what cox offers but haven't heard anything good about thier content when compared to OTA HD.