TV & Fish house

[CC Hurl]

Hi, I was just wondering if I could get some feed back on what some of you use for TV's and what works best for reception. I have cable at home and no dish. Is there a way a guy can get some chanels out there with out a dish. I was looking at fishhouse supplies and see they have some sort of dish antena but does a guy need dish service to even use one of those. Not looking for a ton of chanels but some would be nice. Football chanels for sure. Would be nice to hear what is out there and what some options are. I hope there is a way to get some chanels without getting a contract with a dish service. Not afraid to spend a little for needed excessories just can't afford the dish service. Thanks for your time,

CC HURL

[LightningBG]

Without a dish, and a contract, you wont be able to pick up satellite.

Your options are a newer digital tv and an antenna.

Or an older analog tv, a converter box, and an antenna.

Then hope that you can pick up a signal from where ever your located.

[CC Hurl]

Thanks for the reply. Would a new digital TV and a good antenna give me at least some chanels to watch. I suppose it all depends on the reception with the antenna but just wondering if it's even worth it. Anyone recomend one antenna over the other or had better luck with a certain TV.

I would consider a new TV and a good antenna if a guy could get a dozen or so chanels and would be a bonus if some were local chanels with sports.

I am guessing the dish is a little spendy to just use it when in the fish house. Not sure what there fee's are but it may come to that. Thanks again for your time.

CC HURL

[LightningBG]

Another thing to consider when putting in a fish house is...

Are you gonna run these items off of 12v or are you converting to 110/120?

[CC Hurl]

My plan was to run it off 110. I have a honda 2000 wt generator. I do have 12v also but only 110 plugins. Thanks for bringing that up. This is all new to me as i have never had a nice house before.

[fishfearme]

Where is your house at? There are still analog signals you can get in outstate MN.

[LightningBG]

Fish house supply has an antenna that runs $52. Folds up into a tube like thing. Otherwise, the new digital antennas are pretty compact (unlike the old school ones you see on regular houses). Either of those should work, but you're not really going to be able to tell if you have a decent signal without going out there and trying it. One idea would be to talk to others on the lake that look like they have some sort of antenna. Maybe borrow a small digital tv (19in or whatever) from a friend and buy an antenna. Then if it doesn't work, you're only out the $50 for an antenna.

[delcecchi]

Where is your house at? There are still analog signals you can get in outstate MN.

I don't believe this is true. Although it says on the website "full power tv stations" so maybe some repeaters are still analog. I could find nothing that says this is true.

[Swimmer]

After converting an old analog tv with a digital box in a basement bedroom and a "powered" antenea, I was really disapointed in the reception vs. the old analog signal. Only get about half the channels I used to get. That being said, as I see it, you have to either 1) ask people on the lake what they are using and what reception they have with antenna, or 2) get rid of cable and sign up for a good promo deal from Direct or Dish.

[delcecchi]

Government website purporting to show coverage. Enter your location and see what it says.

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/

[Freewheeler]

CC Hurl, What LightningBG said holds true, at least up North. The tube ant from Fish House Supply will work with UHF signals from Low Power Repeaters providing you have a Newer Digital Tv. At least up North on the big pond anyway. Regular old analog Antennas don't cut it anymore up here since there big change over. Wish I could say how it is down your ways but would only be guessing. They are a pretty good antenna for the money and they travel well if you have a wheelhouse or move it a lot. Tvs will run you $150. and up so you'd only be into it for a little over $200. 12volt coverters, boxes, kinda sounds like a lot of extra stuff to pack with, so you'd be set with your Honda generator and 110 outlets. Good luck.