Any antenna gurus?

[JBinFla 0]

So got my HDHR.Extend yesterday.  It was as simple to install as advertised, Emby detected it and signed up for schedulesdirect.com and all seemed to work.  What doesn't work, and I understand this isn't Emby's cause, is that four of my channels (CBS, NBC, FOX & PBS) are VHF-HI and those four channels have fluctuating symbol quality.  It goes to 100%, then 0%, then 100%, etc.  Understanding the other channels work fine and it's only the VHF-HI channels I'm guessing this means my antenna is wrong?  According to TVFOOL.com all of these transmitters are <30 miles away and all within 1° and 1 mile from each other.  I am using this antenna:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DNJZ58M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Can anyone help me out?  Any ideas?  Is it definitely my antenna?  And if so, how exactly do I pick an antenna?  I've seen so many websites but they all say they have the right antenna and these other ones don't work, I really don't want to trial and error it if possible.  Thanks.

[jasonmcroy 315]

My first guess is that you may actually have too strong of a signal. That is just as bad, if not worse than too weak of a signal. You could probably put a splitter on your cable line between the antenna and device and see if that helps. 

 

I am about 12 miles from my towers and use the Mohu Leaf 30 mile antenna on a 3rd floor of my home and I have to do this because the signal is too strong. That fixed it for me.

[mellomade 140]

Also you can try pointing the antenna slightly off axis to try to help. Just a small shift one way or the other would be enough.

 

If your strength is pinned at 100 and your symbol quality varies like that then as Jason suggested it is likely your signal is too strong. You are using quite a powerful antenna for your proximity to your towers.

[JBinFla 0]

On one channel, the Signal Strength is 91%, Signal Quality 78% and Symbol Quality jumps from 100%, down to 20%, and such.  Other channels report varying degrees less.  According to TVFOOL.com all the transmitters, including the UHF channels that I get clear, are between 167° and 168° from my house, and from 22.9-24.9 miles from my house.  So none are much further than the other. 

 

I tried rotating and couldn't get the symbol quality to stay up.  If I went 90° off axis it reported low (50%-60%) strength but both qualities were diminished (I also tried slightly off axis and really up until about 20° nothing changed).  Noting that these 4 are the only VHF-Hi I'm thinking there's something I'm missing maybe this antenna doesn't do VHF (it says it does).  Maybe I need some filter, is there anything in the home that can cause this?  WiFi?  I may run to Target and pick up a cheapie antenna just to see if I can get them.  The antenna I got says it's good for VHF tho.  I just don't get it and am really stuck.  I even moved the antenna, got a little better signal on some other channels but still the bouncing symbol quality on the VHF-Hi channels.

 

Also of note is that on all of the UHF channels even with near 100% on all indicators I get pixelating every 5-10 seconds while watching.  Just minor, but while I'm watching a channel a little area will go all pixelated then clear right up.  I can't help but to wonder if there's some kind of interference, if I have the wrong coax, etc.

 

Again, thanks for any help.  Google isn't being very helpful though I am using it to try and find resources.  Aside from buying 4 or 5 antennas I'm not sure what else to do.

 

- Joe

Edited October 5, 2016 by JBinFla

[JBinFla 0]

I would like to add an addendum.  So far the video test have been clicking on the "view" button in my HDHomerun config window.  That opened VLC media player.  I was just watching some video in Emby and did NOT have the glitch video.  I'm guessing that's a VLC thing.  Anyway, off to Target I go...

[jasonmcroy 315]

It looks like there is one thing you haven't tried. Try and put a splitter on the cable as it still sounds like you may be getting too strong a signal. On your tests, just so you know, the Symbol Quality is more important than the Signal Quality. I don't know the theory behind that but there is a thread about it on the HDHomerun Forums. 

 

Your Signal quality can be between 70-100% as long as your Symbol Quality is closer to 100% and you would be fine. Imagine your Antenna signal is a radio. If you turn it up too loud it over powers your speakers and will sound terrible. That could be essentially what is happening that your signal is coming in and overwhelming the tuner and you get a bad picture. It can make you think that your signal is not strong enough. 

[mellomade 140]

https://www.silicondust.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4474

[mellomade 140]

Also - make sure you have the latest firmware for the device from here:

 

https://www.silicondust.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=119&t=20613

 

You can update to this even if you are not part of the DVR beta - the program will be fully functional you just won't have access to the DVR functionality.

[snake98 10]

I have the same problem with one station.  I purchases a second hdhomerun, and a second antenna.  I pointed the antenna directly at that station.  The resolved the problem for 99.99% of the time.  I can watch it bounce on the first antenna like crazy, but the second bounces just a little.  That was the only solution that worked for me.  Also how far are you from the transmitter, use http://tvfool.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29  tvfool to find out.

[JBinFla 0]

Thank you Snake98.  I was using TV fool to help get me setup.  All the stations I'm interested in are 173° or 174° and between 22.9 and 24.9 miles from my house.  I live in Florida so no real hills between here an there, it's pretty flat.  I tried a set of rabbit ears and that didn't fix it (actually didn't get ANY symbol quality out of those on these channels).  So I'm pretty sure it's not too much signal.  I'm glad to hear a new antenna fixed your problem as that means I may have luck buying a new antenna.  Now, if only I could figure out which kind of antenna to buy   They all look good to me so I don't want to buy something that won't work.

 

Anyone have any ideas on antennas?  I've googled a bunch and seems everyone with an opinion is selling one.  That makes me skeptical.  Tomshardware.com whom I trust did a review but they were all indoor small deals and I think I need a more robust solution.

[jasonmcroy 315]

I use a Mohu 30 (they have # ratings for the number of miles it's supposed to cover- 30 is 30 miles, 50 for 50 miles etc.). They are pretty inexpensive and can be put in a window as well.

 

However, have you actually tried the suggestion above about adding a splitter or something to ensure it's not getting too much signal? I haven't seen you post that you tried that is the only reason I ask. 

[snake98 10]

Thank you Snake98.  I was using TV fool to help get me setup.  All the stations I'm interested in are 173° or 174° and between 22.9 and 24.9 miles from my house.  I live in Florida so no real hills between here an there, it's pretty flat.  I tried a set of rabbit ears and that didn't fix it (actually didn't get ANY symbol quality out of those on these channels).  So I'm pretty sure it's not too much signal.  I'm glad to hear a new antenna fixed your problem as that means I may have luck buying a new antenna.  Now, if only I could figure out which kind of antenna to buy   They all look good to me so I don't want to buy something that won't work.

 

Anyone have any ideas on antennas?  I've googled a bunch and seems everyone with an opinion is selling one.  That makes me skeptical.  Tomshardware.com whom I trust did a review but they were all indoor small deals and I think I need a more robust solution.

 

 

I bought clearstream 2v from amazon/ebay.  You can get them used for 1/2 price.  I ended up just putting that antenna in the attic and it worked great.  I think my problem was multi path issues.  so putting it in the attic weekend the signal of the multi path bounce, but the main signal could get through when directly pointed at it.  I think my station that was giving me issues was about 25 mile away also, where the station 40+ were fine.  Don't try to combind antenna's, get a second hdhr4.  Save your self hours of frustrations. :-)  Also don't put an amplifier on that one, run it directly into the hdhr4.

[JBinFla 0]

I use a Mohu 30 (they have # ratings for the number of miles it's supposed to cover- 30 is 30 miles, 50 for 50 miles etc.). They are pretty inexpensive and can be put in a window as well.

 

However, have you actually tried the suggestion above about adding a splitter or something to ensure it's not getting too much signal? I haven't seen you post that you tried that is the only reason I ask. 

 

Not yet, ordered it on Amazon and should be here today.

[JBinFla 0]

Splitter didn't work.  However, I got up in the attic today and ran a 50' cable to the antenna and it worked.

 

To sum up for anyone searching down the road.  Having the Symbol Quality go from 100%, to 0% (or 10%, something low) and back every second I thought might be some kind of problem (especially since signal strength and signal quality were high).  Turns out it was just a bad signal and moving to the attic I was able to get everything.