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help with my TV...dumb question lol


Steve Butters

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ok so, i have this TV

http://www.insigniaproducts.com/products/televisions/NS-51P680A12.html#specsTab

i just moved and dont have cable yet. ive never not had cable lol.

what do i need to do to pick up broadcast tv? i was reading that most new tv should have a digital tuner built in, but i dont see any specs saying if mine does.

if it does, i read that i just need to plug in an antenna and ill be good to go....what kind of antenna do i need?

something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/Tivax-DT-01-Amplified-Digital-Antenna/dp/B001FB568E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1330729746&sr=8-2

is that an ok price for one?

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ok so, i have this TV

http://www.insigniaproducts.com/products/televisions/NS-51P680A12.html#specsTab

i just moved and dont have cable yet. ive never not had cable lol.

what do i need to do to pick up broadcast tv? i was reading that most new tv should have a digital tuner built in, but i dont see any specs saying if mine does.

if it does, i read that i just need to plug in an antenna and ill be good to go....what kind of antenna do i need?

something like this?

Amazon.com: Tivax DT-01 Amplified Indoor Digital TV Antenna (Black): Electronics

is that an ok price for one?

That will do the trick if your set has a tuner. I cannot get the user guide to download to verify. You can get them at Meijers, Wal-mart, etc.

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That will do the trick if your set has a tuner. I cannot get the user guide to download to verify. You can get them at Meijers, Wal-mart, etc.

ok thanks, i will swing by meijer later and see how much they are.

i will download the user manual and look in it and see if it mentions it, thanks...didnt think of that lol, just looked at the spec list

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Depends on where you live if that will work or not. Here is a website that tells you where the stations are around you and how far away you are from them. Supposedly you should get all the stations about 20 miles from your house with just a plain antenna, amplified preferred. I get all the major locals except CBS off a cheap $10 non amplified antenna and I live exactly 18-20 miles away from all the stations. I even tried 3 powered antenna all of different design and size and all powered, but the non powered cheapo gets more channels than any of the other ones. You just kinda have to try them out and see what works. I think my next step is a $50 outdoor antenna, that should do the trick.

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Btw. There is NO

SUCH THING as an HDTV antenna. Marketing at its best.

NoBama 2012

And why is that? If you are referring to the fact that old rabbit ear antenna can pick up VHF HD channels then yes, you are right, but they also have UHF now which is not picked up on those.

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I got one of those boxes they gave out for free a while back. live in the sticks and get about 13-20 channels. The antenna is old school dog ears. Connected with coax.

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how can i tell for sure? (thats why i made the thread lol....idk if i need a converter or not)

the manual only mentions hooking up a cable box or outside antenna

Really only one way to know for sure. Hook an antenna up to it, select Antenna in the

setup and see what happens. If it don't work then you need a convertor...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Magnavox-Digital-to-Analog-TV-Converter-Box/8283870

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3955576&CatId=4039

I got one of those boxes they gave out for free a while back. live in the sticks and get about 13-20 channels. The antenna is old school dog ears. Connected with coax.

^^ I'm amazed at the amount of channels you can get with this setup. My grandmother had one on her tv at the retirement

home she lived in and she got a bunch of stations. My parents are using the same setup in their new condo until they get cable.

Edited by SWing'R
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And why is that? If you are referring to the fact that old rabbit ear antenna can pick up VHF HD channels then yes, you are right, but they also have UHF now which is not picked up on those.

Um, pretty sure UHF is nothing new. (sarcasm)

NoBama 2012

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...every TV made after may of 2006 or something like that has a digital antenna. You can plug in whatever you want....we used paperclips at HH Gregg and got every channel broadcast. I use a RCA flat amplified antenna because I had some problems getting channel 6 in my apartment at the time.

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...every TV made after may of 2006 or something like that has a digital antenna. You can plug in whatever you want....we used paperclips at HH Gregg and got every channel broadcast. I use a RCA flat amplified antenna because I had some problems getting channel 6 in my apartment at the time.

Was that an "HDTV compatible" paper clip? Did it say so on the box?

NoBama 2012

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It's kinda cool. With the digital you don't have fuzzy channels. It's either clear or it doesn't work. I'd turn off my directv if it wasn't for kids and disney channel. My antenna is the old school antennas like a telescopic car antenna.

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There have not seen a box with "HDTV compatible" or "HDTV antenna" on it...people are dumb in masses and even when it says HDTV on the box people still ask you if it will work and then doubt what you say. I dont miss those days for sure.

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...every TV made after may of 2006 or something like that has a digital antenna. You can plug in whatever you want....we used paperclips at HH Gregg and got every channel broadcast. I use a RCA flat amplified antenna because I had some problems getting channel 6 in my apartment at the time.

You mean a digital processor or something like that. Antenna is a antenna. Paper clip a.k.a. antenna works for VHF. They make a powered digital antenna box that is a normal antenna with the digital processor in it. Vs. the gubment passed out those free digital processor things for the tv's without digital capability and you could use your same antenna. The box just went in between. Then there is a amplified antenna that can be thrown in the mix.

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