[MikeNoun]

Thought I would bring this topic up again.

Comcast recently changed their transmission, and now they embed a signal in ALL their channels, preventing you from recording anything onto a DVD, even PBS and regular broadcast channels like ABC, etc. So now all the programs I like to save to DVD, such as NASCAR races, F1 races, or other TV shows, that I have my DVR record, cannot be transferred to a DVD. Very frustrating! Just a couple 3-4 hour races in HD will use up most of the DVR drive, and then I'm screwed.

So I'm wondering what's involved with getting an indoor HDTV antenna, and ditching Comcast entirely.

For the record, we're within 30 miles of Chicago.

Question : Our house has one cable coming into a box in the basement, then a massive splitter that has all rooms wired for cable. We use 3 TV's in 3 rooms, one of them a plasma HD, the other 2 just regular sets. Comcast put a booster device on the input cable because our digital signal kept breaking up, and since then, no problems.

Can I get an indoor antenna, like the Leaf model, and connect it to the cable coming onto the house, then allow it to split to the other rooms like it does now, or do I need multiple indoor antennas, one for each TV?

Thanks in advance!

[coilster]

u should be able to connect to the input of where comcast has it input at which would be the splitter input. May need to reprogram the tv set for local channels by switching from cable to outside antenna in the setup menu.

[Stuart]

You can go to http://www.antennaweb.org, plug in your zip code and see what TV stations are in your area and what kind of antenna is recommended. I plugged in Bollingbrook and there are eight stations you should be able to recieve with a basic antenna, and a bunch more that may require better antennas.

For the record an antenna is an antenna - it doesn't care if the signal is HD or not. I'd get a cheap antenna from Radio Shack or wherever and give it a try. As mentioned you'll have to set your TV sets to recieve broadcast and if they're newer digital TVs you'll probably have to rescan for channels.

[6t7gto]

http://www.tvantennaplans.com/

works fine for me.

[tripower]

Mike I'm in Orland Park and probably around the same distance away from the transmitters. We have an old 80's vintage analog antenna in the attic and it works just fine for both UHF and VHF local HD channels with no boosters and one 4 way splitter. I use it for two TV's that we do not have UVerse recievers for. I did try an indoor HD antenna a few year ago but only got about 70% of the locals. Since then, seems all the networks have bosted their signal. I would try the indoor antenna, you may be suprised with good results.

[BruceWilkie]

Hmmm I seldom record anything... but I wonder if you could go A/V out of your tv to an old VCR then out of the VCR with the cable out to your DVD cable in? Just a thought, it might not work.

BTW an old set of "rabbit ears" with an adjustable gain pulled in a whole bunch of stations with great clarity on my daughters little HD set vs the old analog tv with digital convertor it replaced. Old set only got about 3 stations clearly and others were lousy. The hd tv even found clear channels we didnt know were there before. I hate cable companies but put up with Comcast. U-verse isnt bad option but channels I watch were in a pkg higher cost than my comcast/xfinity. Tried both Dish and DirectTV but too many interuptions especially during storms. Dish pricing,service, selection was better than Direct.