On Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:14:22 -0800 (PST), wrote:

On Nov 28, 8:47*pm, mm wrote:
My old amplified antenna in the attic has failed, and I don't think I
can fix it.

I would buy a new amplified antenna, but so far, the ones I see are
advertised iiuc like the digital age has not arrived. * *Maybe I
should wait until they are selling antennas that are really designed
for digital???

Two say, "Has FM trap so strong FM signals won't interfere with
channels 2 to 13. * But iiuc, there's either no or no special
likelihood that channels 2 to 13 are anywhere near the FM frequencies
anymore, right?

The outdoor non-amp antennas have lots of elements and look just like
they used to, but aren't those elements tuned to old VHF channels,
whose frequencies aren't in use anymore?

Or am I confused and what they are selling now is as good as it will
get any time soon?

(I don't have HD or large screen tvs and don't plan to get them. *

Right now, not counting the array of weather channels, I'm getting 10
stations in Baltimore and DC with just a 7 foot single strand of wire
stuck into the coax connector on back of the DVDR-with-hard-drive, and
that would be enough if there weren't at least 6 others I think I
could get just by having a better antenna.)

Thanks.

Go here to find out what is recommended for your area.

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx

I can tell you we live 35 miles from Mt Wilson (LA with line of sight)

I"m 35 miles from DC but I'm in a valley. I don't think I have line
of sight to DC, but I still get channel 7.1,2,3 now and got channel 9
for the first time yesterday.

and use a Winegard SquareShooter for the UHF atations as there are
still VHFs in LA 7, 9, 11 and 13. The UHF antenna only has 4.5dB gain,
over a dipole, no preamp AND split to 3 receivers. Signal strength is
more than sufficient with no breakup of the video.The VHF stations use
a Winegard all channel in the attic but with a UHF/VHF splitter
backwards to use only the VHF from the attic and UHF from the roof.
All the stations listed for 90274 work correctly.

Most installations do not require a preamp and it can overload and
make matters worse.

Even with digital, a preamp can cause overload??

I did have that before on some stations, so I had a switch next to the
tuner (the vcr) to disconnect the antenna and leave only a foot of
co-ax. Any station that would overload worked fine with only the
co-ax.

The exception would be an extremely long cable run
(150+ ft) with the preamp at the antenna, not downstream after the
cable losses. Good cable with good connectors properly installed will
last a long time.

G²