What's your trick on getting local channel on board?

[Alex F]

I have the regular Glomax antenna and I'm not expecting much, but at least local channels. The reception is really poor, but Spanish channels are getting through much better :lol:.

How do you guys get your local channels without going in to paying extra for sat services?

Thanks,
Alex.

 

[NoWakey]

Think digital.
After wrestling with the same problems as you we installed a new Sansung unit with digital tuner and are enjoying all our local, plus several out of market stations all in 1080i HD. maybe this isn't th answer your looking for, but it has been a wonderful addition to our boat.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[fc3]

Forget it. Too much high topography between us and the transmitters in NYC and Sillydelphia.

Best regards,
Frank C

 

[JVM225]

Samsung Unit?

 

[Four Suns]

Think digital.
After wrestling with the same problems as you we installed a new Sansung unit with digital tuner and are enjoying all our local, plus several out of market stations all in 1080i HD. maybe this isn't th answer your looking for, but it has been a wonderful addition to our boat.

Cheers,

Jim

If you have a Samsung TV on your boat that is displaying 1080i HD resolution and not scaling it down to a lower resolution, I will wear a dress at the CSR BIH event.

People are right that you should have better luck receiving local channels on a digital receiver since those channels are broadcast on the UHF spectrum and the Glomex antenna does OK with that. The geometry of the Glomex does not do well for VHF (ok... it just sucks). This conversion to DTV mandated by the government actually helps out the boating community as far as local channels.

 

[Converse48]

I actually re-connected the Glomex for local DTV. My dish gets the local Philly channels. The picture from the Glomex is pretty damn clear and the permanent radar sweep from the local DC station is very handy. 1080i? Not so sure, but the picture looks pretty damn good!

 

[Four Suns]

I actually re-connected the Glomex for local DTV. My dish gets the local Philly channels. The picture from the Glomex is pretty damn clear and the permanent radar sweep from the local DC station is very handy. 1080i? Not so sure, but the picture looks pretty damn good!

720p looks very good... but that's the thing.. People say "it looks good so it must be 1080i.. THE BEST!"... And the manufacturers stamp "displays 1080i" on the box.. and none of the small displays have resolution to support 1080i (or p) and so they scale it. They lie to you... and you believe them. ;-)

This discussion has been good because I've found a few more 720p possibilites in the 15" area... and I would be happy with that.

 

[NoWakey]

If you have a Samsung TV on your boat that is displaying 1080i HD resolution and not scaling it down to a lower resolution, I will wear a dress at the CSR BIH event.

Damn, that would have been a Kodak moment!
But, I stand corrected, the specs are indeed 720p on the 19" Samsung.
One additional idea than panned out well with our setup was adding an FM RF modulator. This device connects to the analog audio outputs on the TV and transmits the audio signal via FM and can be received on your boat stereo system. Beats the heck out listening to the transistor radio speakers that come in all the small TV's.
Good luck on your quest for better on board entertainment.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Hampton]

Have you turned the antenna on? There's a switch in our 340 in the top of the forward galley cabinet on the port side. Off for cable tv, on and up for antenna. Don't forget the obvious. Maybe too obvious?

 

[Alex F]

Have you turned the antenna on? There's a switch in our 340 in the top of the forward galley cabinet on the port side. Off for cable tv, on and up for antenna. Don't forget the obvious. Maybe too obvious?

Thanks John,
I had no idea about the switch. I guess, I'll look for basic stuff first, like the switch. The only improvement I was able to make was reattaching the end connector before I mounted the antenna back on the arch.

I'll check the TVs specs hoping that digital will be an option as well.

Can you guys explain the general setup? What's the relation between Glomex wiring and the cable outlet in the stern locker to the whole cabling setup? If I connect an external antenna in the stern locker do I need to switch/disconnect anything or is this just an additional source of signal that will be picked up automatically?

Thanks,
Alex.

 

[ANYTIME]

I'll check the TVs specs hoping that digital will be an option as well.

No need to check the specs on an Analog TV...

The Digital Converter Box will do the trick. Just disconnect the antenna input from the Glomex unit in your cabin and plug it into your Digital Converter. Then, plug the output of the Digital Converter into the Glomex antenna input.

You can buy a Digital Converter Box at Radio Shack or Walmart. With the Government issued "coupon" which looks more like a credit card, you can get $40 off the selling price of each converter, for up to 2 of them.

Google "Digital TV Coupon" and you will find the website to get the coupons.

Good luck!!

 

[KayKook]

Damn, that would have been a Kodak moment!

One additional idea than panned out well with our setup was adding an FM RF modulator. This device connects to the analog audio outputs on the TV and transmits the audio signal via FM and can be received on your boat stereo system. Beats the heck out listening to the transistor radio speakers that come in all the small TV's.

Jim

That would be an improvement over the quarter sized speakers in the Tv for sure. Or, a hard wired conection via a 1/8" mini plug from the TV headphone jack or audio out (RCA and 1/8" mini) connected to your iPod jack (if you have one) on your head unit , will improve the sound quality dramatically through your stereo system.

 

[mrsrobinson]

I have the regular Glomax antenna and I'm not expecting much, but at least local channels. The reception is really poor, but Spanish channels are getting through much better :lol:.

How do you guys get your local channels without going in to paying extra for sat services?

Thanks,
Alex.

We keep a pair of rabbit ears on the boat, always good for picking up the local channels.

 

[Alex F]

Thanks guys, this is very usefull info. I just googled on the digital converters and sure enough found detailes on the conversion to take place on Feb 18 2009. So, in either case I do need the converter. I just ordered the cupons.

mrsrobinson,
Are you saying that regular $10-$20 rabbit ears in the cabin work much better than $200 Glomex antenna mounted all the way on the arch (the highest point of the boat)?

Thx,
Alex.

 

[mrsrobinson]

Thanks guys, this is very usefull info. I just googled on the digital converters and sure enough found detailes on the conversion to take place on Feb 18 2009. So, in either case I do need the converter. I just ordered the cupons.

mrsrobinson,
Are you saying that regular $10-$20 rabbit ears in the cabin work much better than $200 Glomex antenna mounted all the way on the arch (the highest point of the boat)?

Thx,
Alex.

We have some kind of dome spaceship looking TV antenna on our radar arch...came with the boat, from the factory I assume. We get little to no reception with it. I picked up a pair of electric rabbit ears from Radio Shack, plugged it in to the back of the TV and now we get all the local channels.

 

[Alex F]

Wow, that's a bummer for Glomex. It sounds like a good trick only for now, but based on the info for digital signal you'll need to get the digital converter box as well, or of course new TVs that will get digital signal. I'll try the box for $20 after the cupon since I see no reason to change my TVs.

Alex.

 

[Alex F]

Have you turned the antenna on? There's a switch in our 340 in the top of the forward galley cabinet on the port side. Off for cable tv, on and up for antenna. Don't forget the obvious. Maybe too obvious?

John, I found that switch and it was turned on. I just turned it al the way to max power. The strangest part was that we got better reception during thunderstorms :huh:. Go figure.

Alex.

 

[Hampton]

Did that make it better (turning it up)? It does for us. Signals frequently bounce off cloud formations. We can only get Ft Walton Beach radio stations when it is solid overcast skies.

 

[Alex F]

I think it might of help a little. But of course the quality of the picture is not good enough. I don't want to mess up our eyes.

We're currently looking in to having Direct TV dish at the slip and have 6 months service.

Alex.

 

[RiverRat]

I just installed my digital converter box over the weekend. Crystal clear picture on all the local channels... Could not get 3 out of the 6 local channels before, now I get them plus a few extra to boot.