Installing an HDTV Antenna System

The salesperson may not tell you this, but you cannot just bring home your HDTV and use your old antenna system. You will need to install an HDTV antenna to get a clear reception. The antenna you use for your HDTV is quite critical. A highly directional antenna with fringe area reception makes the best HDTV antenna.

Most people buy an HDTV and are completely flummoxed there after. A common query asked is, - How do I install an HDTV antenna?

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Here are some things to remember when installing your antenna:

The objective with HDTV antennas is to pick up the signal directly from the transmitting tower without picking up signals that are bouncing off buildings, electrical towers and wires. This is where fringe area antennas come handy. They are designed to reject signals coming from any direction other than straight ahead.

An important thing to keep in mind is to avoid using an antenna mounted amplifier in urban areas. These antennas will amplify everything and make good and clear reception really difficult. With High definition televisions it is best to mount your antenna away from all reflective things and any other antennas in the area. Also try to mount the antenna as high as possible to avoid second hand signals.

If you want to pick signals from multiple stations check the location of the stations. If the stations are more than 30 degrees apart you may need to invest in an antenna rotator for your antenna. Also, it is important to check the distance of your home from the radio station. If you live less than 5 miles from the station, you might want to invest in a 10 or 20 db attenuator to reduce the signal. This will prevent your HDTV set from being overloaded and give you a clear signal.

Another important thing to look out for is strong signals from FM and TV stations. This is one of the most common causes of poor reception on HDTV. An FM trap or FM filter then becomes necessary. The thing to keep in mind is that the antenna will catch signals from all kinds of stations and bring in the whole broadcast spectrum. This can overload the receiver of the HDTV. Too many signals or too high a signal is just as bad as too low a signal.

In the case that you live in the back of the beyond, are at least 30 miles away from any kind of radio station and are using the antenna to feed only one HDTV station, then you need to use an antenna mounted amplifier with a deep fringe antenna. Also to increase the life of your antennas seal all outdoor connections with coax seal or RTV. Humidity in the atmosphere can cause your connections to corrode and kill your reception.

Thus there are several things to keep in mind when installing the antenna on your HDTV set. It is best to go in for the best antenna available on the market so that you can enjoy all the benefits of having the best in digital technology and home theatre systems.

Installing an HDTV Antenna System

Best Value HDTV - Quick Tips When Researching, Buying Or Installing a Plasma HDTV

Plasma technology has existed since the 60's, believe it or not!

Originally plasma TV displays were available only for commercial or business use.

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They were at first unavailable in stores, and then early consumer sets were extremely expensive for homeowners.

They were in the ,000 range early on.

Totally unaffordable then... But the picture on those sets seemed absolutely magical.

Prices for plasma TV's are currently in free fall, but naturally, some budget models are built for performance and value.

If You're buying a plasma TV, it's important you find out how can you pick a model with the size and features you can afford.

You don't want a set that will be out of date too soon, you want to enjoy your purchase, and be pleased with it.

You don't want to feel like you were sold a lemon.

Though I have nothing against lemons, if I want lemonade..

But , let's try to get champagne, instead.

With prices starting around ,000 for the least expensive models, Plasma TV sets around 42" and 50" are currently the price value leaders in flat panel sets.

So a Plasma HDTV is within reach of most budgets.

There are some details to think about before you buy...

1: Consider where your new baby will go when you get it home...

In bright rooms, the display of plasma TV panels can be ruined by external light. By this, I mean you will note that some plasma screens have a shiny surface. Some sets have an anti reflective filter that cuts that problem down, as well. If the front of the screen is shiny, meaning it has no AR coating, this can produce annoying reflections, especially in brightly lit rooms. Also, some sets are monitors only; they don't include speakers or a tuner for any type of analog (old style) or digital (new style) TV signal. Most new High definition sets should have a built in digital and analog tuner and may have high quality, if small, speakers. Check this by listening to the set in question... Turn up the volume! There is no clunky converter box with these sets, which is perfect for a wall-mounted plasma TV. Like conventional televisions, you can also choose to mount plasma TV's on a desktop stand. Make sure you protect you children and pets with an anti tip cable to the wall behind, because flat panels can overbalance easily, especially if a dog or child goes behind or in front of the set and pushes it far enough...
2: Or on your wall.

However, a plasma TV is a heavy unit to trust to bolts in drywall or sheetrock. Weighing in at 50 pounds or more, plasma TV's need adequate support and lots of ventilation because of the heat they generate. Naturally, you may want to check with a building pro if you are mounting one on your wall. Even placing the set on a table or A/V stand can be problematic. I have seen one go through the toughened glass of a unit that was rated much higher than the weight of the plasma that was placed on it. This did not happen until some months later. Go figure.
3: Picture quality varies considerably between different makes and models of plasma TV's, so be sure to read reviews before you go and lay down your hard earned.

Naturally, HD pictures look better the smaller or finer grained the pixels are, and the larger the screen, the more this applies. As an example, if you were to look at some cheaper Plasma sets, the screen looks quite coarse because the pixels are large. Kind of like a Newspaper picture, pictures are dotty or pixelly up close. (Use a magnifying glass on a color newspaper to see this effect) Sometimes visible to the naked eye as the "Screen Door effect" This is where the picture looks like the view through a screen door. For information about Solarization, a related problem which is a common problem in cheaper flat panel sets, click the link below.. The high pixel count of a High Definition plasma display provides fine detail for outstanding HD TV reproduction. The widescreen or 16:9 aspect ratio lets you enjoy DVD movies with a big theatre feel. Look for 720p or 1080p in the specifications and Don't buy HD ready TV sets.. 720p is great for sports and car racing shows because of the refresh rate... 1080p is better for quality and all round performance But a HDTV with 1080p and 120hz refresh or better has the technology to beat both of them...
4: How does a plasma display panel work?

In a plasma TV, the individual pixels or picture elements are filled with an inert gas such as neon or xenon. The effect is like a bunch of incredibly tiny red, green and blue flourescent lights, which through a trick of the eye, can produce a really beautiful picture. Of course, your regular TV does a similar thing, with an electron beam... But Cathode Ray Tubes can't be made as large or as thin as plasma, and probably never will be... And though there are great strides in that direction, for example SED, they won't be available anytime soon.. And, though plasma manufacturers have improved consumption requirements they consume a bit more power than your current old school set. It is wise to study reviews of the models you want, to learn the facts about specific models of Plasma HDTV before you consider making a purchase.
5: And don't forget ask about manufacturers warranty, and call your insurance company to insure your new Plasma HDTV in case it is stolen or accidentally broken.

Best Value HDTV - Quick Tips When Researching, Buying Or Installing a Plasma HDTV