I want to watch HD on my TV. Do I need to turn to a special channel?


Question:
I just got a tv with a built in HD tuner. I live in an apartment complex in LA that doesn't have cable. However, I can get DirecTV using the big dish on top of the building. That dish is not configured for HD. Beause neither cable or satellite is avialable to me, I bought an HD antenna from Circuity City. I was hoping that I can watch a few local HD channels (like KNBC, KABC, etc). The regular channel for KABC is channel 7. Do I have to tune into a different channel for its HD version? Right now, when I tune into regular channel 7, it looks like plain old (snowy) analog.

Answer:
I hope you didn't pay too much for this HD antenna. Antennas marketed as HD, are just that, marketing fluff.

The ones that get recommened usually run about $30 or less. In fact, Radio Shack has one that is high recommended. I wish I had this information infront of me and I also wish I had a site that would give you information about HD in the area.

Anyways, HD channels are totally different. Your TV should have a feature to scan for HD channels that you can pick up.

Though, I wouldn't hold out for too much. From my experience, HD right now is really hit or miss to pick up over the air. I have lived in three different places, all that should be in good line of sight of most of the towers. I always have to do what I call the HDTV dance, basically dancing around with the antenna to find the best place just to pick up one specific channel.

Good luck!
You have to turn to different channels to get HD programming. I'm not familiar with LA channels, but for me, the HD channels are like subchannels of that channel. So like if I want to watch channel 5 in HD, I'd have to tune to 5-1. Some channels have many different subchannels so I get 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, and so on.

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/address.asp...

Click on that link, enter your zip code. That'll tell you where you have to point your antenna for the best reception and give you a listing of ALL the channels in your area, HD and regular. That site should be all you need to answer your questions.
I have DirecTV hd but have to use an off air antenna which works fine. I live about 25 miles south of houston, tx and still get the channels okay. I did have to find a perfect spot to place my antenna though. As far as set up mine goes through a hddvr which finds the channels for me so I won't be much help here. Like another person said they do have entensions like 13-1. Here locally the normal channel is std, the next one is hd and some channels have an all day weather channel.
You need to run the "Auto-Program" on your TVs menu. Make sure when u run it that it also searches for "Digital" channels.
Once ur done with that and u flip through ur channells ul see decimals.
Such as 12.1 or 5.1 or 23.2
Those channels with the decimals in them are digital and when a program is broadcasted in HD u will recveive it in HD.

By the way best time to run that auto program would b in the evening so u can pick up everything available in your neighborhood.
More Questions & Answers...
  • Directv HD channels?
  • Cannot connect HD Xbox 360 to sound Help !?
  • Will a direct tv sat dish work with a dish network reciver?
  • How come I get HD shows even though I don't have a HD TV?
  • Can you receive high definition channels on analog cable?
  • Dish network, direct tv, or cable?
  • Playstation 3 on HD format?
  • Dish tv i have a lake house about 200 miles away from home?
  • The questions and answers post by the user, for information only, AnswersRoom.com does not guarantee the right
    Copyright © 2007 AnswersRoom.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

    Hot Topic