Replacing DirectTV satellite with digital antennae? (1 Viewer)

[kassius79]

Brand new to the forum. Look forward to getting some advice here.

So my contract with DirecTV is about to run out and I'm thinking about getting rid of satellite and switching to an internet TV service like Vue or Sling. I've done the trail with both and like either one.

The problem is, neither offer local channels in my area so that means I won't get local news, local Sunday football games, etc.

I been looking into digital HDTV antennas.

I noticed that my DirecTV satellite outside, which rests against the backside of my home and points south has a coaxial cable coming from it into my home. The cable splits off, brining a coaxial connect to a number of rooms in my house via a spliter, right?

So in theory, couldn't i just replace the DirecTV satellite with an amplified hdtv digital antenna such as the Sky HDTV Outdoor Antenna? I believe because it's multidirectional it would still work against the side of my house.

What confuses me is that on the back of my flatscreen there is cable/satillite input via coaxial connection. BUT my reciever with sorrund sound only allows for hdmi CABLE in and hdmi OUT to the TV. Currently my DirecTV reciever coverts the coaxial to HDMI so that it can connect to my Onkyo reciever. Do they make a box which converts any coaxial to HDMI allowing my reciever to accept a signal from the Sky Antenna?

That is my basic question.

Currently I have

 

[Osato]

Brand new to the forum. Look forward to getting some advice here.

So my contract with DirecTV is about to run out and I'm thinking about getting rid of satellite and switching to an internet TV service like Vue or Sling. I've done the trail with both and like either one.

The problem is, neither offer local channels in my area so that means I won't get local news, local Sunday football games, etc.

I been looking into digital HDTV antennas.

I noticed that my DirecTV satellite outside, which rests against the backside of my home and points south has a coaxial cable coming from it into my home. The cable splits off, brining a coaxial connect to a number of rooms in my house via a spliter, right?

So in theory, couldn't i just replace the DirecTV satellite with an amplified hdtv digital antenna such as the Sky HDTV Outdoor Antenna? I believe because it's multidirectional it would still work against the side of my house.

What confuses me is that on the back of my flatscreen there is cable/satillite input via coaxial connection. BUT my reciever with sorrund sound only allows for hdmi CABLE in and hdmi OUT to the TV. Currently my DirecTV reciever coverts the coaxial to HDMI so that it can connect to my Onkyo reciever. Do they make a box which converts any coaxial to HDMI allowing my reciever to accept a signal from the Sky Antenna?

That is my basic question.

Currently I have

I believe your setup should work. Just switch out your directtv dish with a proper over the air antenna. It doesn't necessarily need to be an HD antenna.

In fact, Some channels still broadcast HD channels in vhf signal. Most are uhf signal.
I'm in Atlanta area and tried several HD antenna options. The problem is many HD antennas will not pick up vhf signals. So I am getting a lot of channels but not NBC.

I just ordered a stacker antenna from the following company. I'll post with my results when installed.

http://dennysantennaservice.com/hd_stacker_tv_antenna-html.html

Hope this is helpful.
Here's another link that may help:

http://dennysantennaservice.com/do-it-yourself-tv-antenna-installer.html

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

First of all, there is no such thing as a “digital HDTV” antenna. I’m using the same antenna I’ve had in my attic for over 25 years. My son is using an old pair of “rabbit ears” for his antenna. IOW, the same antennas that worked for analog TV also works for digital, too.

You can hook an antenna to DirecTV’s coaxial feeds, but I’m not sure if their splitters will pass the signal. If they don’t - no problem, it’s easy enough to replace them with something that will.

I’d strongly suggest getting an outboard tuner. If you connect the antenna to your TV and send an audio cable from it back to your receiver, you will NOT get a 5.1 signal. Samsung makes a HDTV tuner; I’m sure there are others.

Even better, if you like DVRs you can get models from TIVO that use an antenna input and will let you get local stations. Sure, there’s a fee for the service, but it’s very reasonable. Typically these models will stream as well. We’ve been using one for a number of years and even with the subscription fee plus a few others from Netflix, Hulu, etc. we’re paying about a third of what we were with DirecTV.

BTW, watch out for DirecTV. Part of their business model is screwing over customers who try to leave with all sorts of unwarranted charges. If you have any unwatched shows on their DVRs, unplug the phone, antenna and internet cables before you notify them that you are cancelling the service, or they will blow out all the recorded shows.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Drtrcr22]

Having worked for a dish company before as an installer those aren't splitters those are actually switches. And yes you can put an antenna up you'll have to take out the switches. And replace with actual splitters cause the info being sent will clash. How the dish works is that there is a lmb at the end of the dish. The dish funnels counter clock wise and clock wise beams from you satellites bring it to your switches and this switches indicate what satellite of it's hd or sd and if it local or not so take those out replace with regular splitters. Most splitters today are of higher MHz. You could also use diplexers too but that can get pretty complicated.

 

[Drtrcr22]

Antenna gets better picture as well the signal is more compressed than that of a dish signal.

 

[Jason Charlton]

I’d strongly suggest getting an outboard tuner. If you connect the antenna to your TV and send an audio cable from it back to your receiver, you will NOT get a 5.1 signal.

Actually, I'm not certain this is the case.

My understanding has always been that the only way your TV will output 5.1 via its digital optical output is if you are feeding an input signal to the TVs built-in tuner - as you do when using an external antenna.

No other external source connected to the TV passes through the internal tuner, so they most definitely do not produce digital 5.1.

Most users that come to this forum are not using OTA antennas, so our typical recommendation is always "connect everything to your receiver and not the TV otherwise you lose 5.1...". The caveat of "...unless you're getting OTA direct and feeding that into your TV" often gets forgotten.

Worst case scenario, try without an outboard tuner and see what you're able to achieve. If you determine you need a tuner, you can get one at any time and add it to the signal chain.

Good luck. I've been strongly considering cutting the cord as well, but still have more research to do.

 

[Osato]

Actually, I'm not certain this is the case.

My understanding has always been that the only way your TV will output 5.1 via its digital optical output is if you are feeding an input signal to the TVs built-in tuner - as you do when using an external antenna.

No other external source connected to the TV passes through the internal tuner, so they most definitely do not produce digital 5.1.

Most users that come to this forum are not using OTA antennas, so our typical recommendation is always "connect everything to your receiver and not the TV otherwise you lose 5.1...". The caveat of "...unless you're getting OTA direct and feeding that into your TV" often gets forgotten.

Worst case scenario, try without an outboard tuner and see what you're able to achieve. If you determine you need a tuner, you can get one at any time and add it to the signal chain.

Good luck. I've been strongly considering cutting the cord as well, but still have more research to do.

Cut it!!!!

 

[dana martin]

i did and smiled as i walked into Cox Communications and handed them their stuff back no more $200, a month for the 4 or 5 channels that i was watching

 

[Osato]

i did and smiled as i walked into Cox Communications and handed them their stuff back no more $200, a month for the 4 or 5 channels that i was watching

Great!!

 

[dana martin]

well i original had DirecTV when i firs move in here, because i didnt want to deal with Cox, Norfolk is horrible, because Cox has a monopoly all the surrounding areas do have FiOs, but hell i grew up with an antenna on a hillside and only got ABC, NBC, and CBS, back when they were worth watching, and long before the cable boom of the 80's. looking for a couple of good over the air dvr's and i will be set, Amazon Prime/Netflix and my burgeoning collection of blu/DVD will finally be getting the play it deserves.

 

[Osato]

well i original had DirecTV when i firs move in here, because i didnt want to deal with Cox, Norfolk is horrible, because Cox has a monopoly all the surrounding areas do have FiOs, but hell i grew up with an antenna on a hillside and only got ABC, NBC, and CBS, back when they were worth watching, and long before the cable boom of the 80's. looking for a couple of good over the air dvr's and i will be set, Amazon Prime/Netflix and my burgeoning collection of blu/DVD will finally be getting the play it deserves.

As it should be.

 

[dana martin]

As it should be.

Question for you, do you have any experience with Channel Master DVR+, looking for something to record the one or two shows that my be on while I am at work, since I work the night shift