Andy, you need an ATRAC tuner box. Samsung has made a stand-alone one. I can't remember the model #. Most of us have a DirecTV box that also includes an ATRAC tuner, I do. JVC's next D-VHS deck, the alleged model #5000, is supposed to include the needed OTA tuner. Supposedly, it will be available this summer. I might buy one for the on-board tuner myself...? It may very well be pricey? It'll mean easy 1080i recording off of OTA signals, I presume. You could maybe buy a used HD DirecTV unit to avoid their year long hook and just use it for OTA.
If the digital tower is in the same spot as the analog tower, it sounds very promising for you. As a general rule, in most cities, if you can pick-up analog, the digital will come in too.....unless they've moved the towers.
Here, in Pixley, the big four networks and PBS, I think too, all have their antennas on the same tower. The UPN affiliate is on a high mountain about 50 miles north. I get the analog badly but no digital so far. I think they're just begoinning to experiment??? Anyway, my city is proably typical, or a bit above...?
You should pickup the latest issue, May, of Sound & Vision. It has an HDTV theme going on. It has all the broadcasters listed. Somebody may give you some links that do same but there's alot of info in this issue. You sound like you need a broad overview. Best wishes!
