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Question

Hooking up an external HDTV antenna to an existing coax netw

Nov 2, 2013 1:28PM PDT

The house I am living in has an existing coax network from a Dish TV hook up, would it be possible to buy an external HDTV antenna and hook it up to where the Dish was and be able to run the HDTV OTA signals through out the house? We have an existing HDTV indoor antenna but it frequently drops or cuts out if you walk by it. Would an external antenna solve this and allow it to work thru out the house to other TVs? If so is there a brand that works best? Also would it matter where it was hooked up. The Dish Antenna is easily accessible but if it has to go on the top of the house, yikes! Or am I just better off in either calling Dish or cable?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Checkout
Nov 2, 2013 9:31PM PDT

OTA antennas usually provide some reference to the "distance covered" even for HDTV types. A true ext. antenna will work provided the connections remain free of any outside interference. The signal will pass, but will start to drop or attenuate as distance from source, etc to final connection increase plus actual connections. So, you may want an signal booster attached to help. Just google away for typical HDTV devices, etc. that help in these areas. Your old Dish cabling is typical RG-58(or similar) is OK for OTA use. All the old rules of TV antennas still apply as you noticed drop-out when walking by antenna, so if you ordinate it better for that CH. it will improve though effect other CHs, etc. One website that is on OTA info is htp://www.antennasdirect.com and any other you find that sell antennas, just gleam the info from them to enlighten you.

tada ------Willy Happy

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Nice answer but,
Nov 2, 2013 10:59PM PDT

remember that there is, technical, no such thing as an HDTV antenna.

Many manufactures add the letters HD to jack up the price.

An antenna that will receive HD TV signals is just a regular antenna that is capable of receiving higher frequency transmissions, usually in the UHF band, than the antennas that we in use from many years prior to the move to digital. (in the VHF band)

UHF antennas are generally much smaller, and directional, than their VHF counterparts.

I use a Square "Bow Tie" antenna that is about 8 inches square.

Willy's answers still apply

P

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Addenum with link
Nov 5, 2013 1:53AM PST

Here is a decent source of information and provides what you may best need.

http://antennaweb.org/Address.aspx

Enter your zip and proceed, it couldn't be simpler. enjoy -----Willy Happy