Brad Newton

Are digital signals affected by weather?

Trying to decide if it would be worth the expense to purchase a stb. My present tv is not hd ready, but I would like to receive the locals being broadcast in digital, since some of the analog signals aren't the best. Any ideas, suggestions?

May God Guide and Guard the USA!

John S

Weather can cause drop outs for sure....

I hooked up one setup with an Old GE that was not HD ready, but could recieve 480p via the component video in.

The owners are very happy with their Comcast HD, but had to lie, and say their TV was HDTV ready.

But the installer, while he started on 1080i, and moved down til he got a picture, did not say a word about it.

ChuckSolo

My Dad's Direct TV system will drop out and pixelate during heavy rain or on very hot days.

imported_Brian L

Brad, you are talking an OTA digital receiver for local digital broadcasts, right? Have you gone to www.antennaweb.org to see what you will need?

While I suspect weather could have an effect, I have yet to have a weather related issue here in Albuquerque. I use an Sammy 151 OTA box and an attic antenna. All the broadcast antennas are on a mountain at about 10,500 feet, which tends to get socked in with snow and such while we plebes down at about 6,000 feet are spared.

Lots of variables to be sure though, and if you do not have good line of sight to the towers, I suspect storms between you and them could cause signal degradation.

And as you know, with digital OTA, its all or nothing, although if you are in a fringe area and borderline on signal, you will probably see drops outs, pixelation, and all sorts of neat looking picture anomalies!

BGL

John S

Hey Brain.... Think I have any shot at all, getting your OTA feeds near Thoreau bewteen Grants and Gallup. I am going to start relocating there in about a year. In the Zuni Mtns. (OTA HDTV in this most remote area is probably wishful thinking on my part)

I can get UHF and VHF stations from Sandia Peak intermittently and not very good at that.

Jason*H

Yes they can drop but I would have to disagree about the very hot weather causing signal drop. I live in Phoenix Az and with the sun baking on my dish and LNBs it has to get above 120+ on a daily basis and i've never witnessed signal drop from that.

imported_Brian L

John,

I am afraid your hosed, dude!

Then again, how are translators effected by the digital TV mandate? Perhaps there is some hope? Surely there has to be something in the law that covers stations that use translators in rural areas.

BGL

John S

LMAO, thanks Brian...

I thought as much, do you know how powerful the various HDTV transmitters are comming off Sandia Peak? Are they standrd high power 1 megawatt?

I forgot about translators... Hmm may be some hope yet! lol

imported_Brian L

Not sure on that John, but if you post here http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ht=Albuquerque I bet someone will know.

BGL

John S

Thanks for the additional info Brian L