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TV Tuners
TV Tuners
Christmas 2019, our kids bought us a new Vizio smart TV. They were really excited about getting that for us. We had a smaller Vizio which met our needs. We only watch OTA programming. The situation is that the new TV picks up only half of the stations we watch. Can anyone recommend a good stand-alone tuner we can buy to pull in all of the local OTA stations? Thanks.
Re: TV Tuners
Could never understand why they're called smart TVs. What's smart about a TV with no tuner? Do they still make good, old fashioned dumb TVs?
Re: TV Tuners
They might but I'm sure they are few and far between. We have an antenna on the roof with a rotor and the number of stations picked up with the smart TV is quite limited probably because the older TV had more sensitive tuners. It's like years ago when they started adding 8-track and cassette players to all-in-one stereo units. They cheapened the radios in them. TT, I know you do DXing; did the same thing happen to AM/FM radios years ago?
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Calvert DeForest
- Posts: 788
- Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2004 5:14 pm
- Location: The corner of US-16 and M-78
Re: TV Tuners
Is your antenna indoor or outdoor? A directional outdoor ariel with rotor control is the best way to go, especially given the finicky nature of digital. The next best option is an indoor atenna mounted in the highest spot possible, like a second floor or attic. If those options aren't available, mounting the antenna close to a window will reduce obstruction and may improve performance.bugzapper wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 12:39 pm Christmas 2019, our kids bought us a new Vizio smart TV. They were really excited about getting that for us. We had a smaller Vizio which met our needs. We only watch OTA programming. The situation is that the new TV picks up only half of the stations we watch. Can anyone recommend a good stand-alone tuner we can buy to pull in all of the local OTA stations? Thanks.
Not having used an external tuner in recent years, I'm not clue to which brands work better than others. Most HD tuners run in the $40-80 range with different features. A lot of them now have SD cart slots for DVR function. Handy feature if you want to record stuff OTA to watch later.
Shortwave is the ORIGINAL satellite radio.
Re: TV Tuners
I suppose. Whenever I buy a new unit, The tuner is more important to me than the audio quality. As a result of working more than twenty years in a very noisy, industrial environment, my ears are no longer capable of appreciating high fidelity. My sensitivity drops right off at the higher end of the hearing range.bugzapper wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:58 pm They might but I'm sure they are few and far between. We have an antenna on the roof with a rotor and the number of stations picked up with the smart TV is quite limited probably because the older TV had more sensitive tuners. It's like years ago when they started adding 8-track and cassette players to all-in-one stereo units. They cheapened the radios in them. TT, I know you do DXing; did the same thing happen to AM/FM radios years ago?
I have hearing aids to compensate for the drop off, but listening to music with hearing aids is like listening to a tinny, five dollar radio.
Re: TV Tuners
Thanks, everyone for the feedback.
MW, I did have a light-duty amp inside near the TV. I removed it and things got much better. I did a rescan. Several of the stations "fade" in and out and, with my antenna pointer ENE, I get some sort of signal from all stations except 3.1-3.3, 35.1-35.6 and 52.1-52.6 that did not come in at all. Then I put on my ham radio hat and replaced a 6-foot coax jumper which I think was causing an issue that connected directly to the TV. Between all of this, I have much better reception.
Calvert, I have a rotor that may be on its last legs. When I point it in the general direction of most of the towers, ENE, it puts the 35 group at 90 degrees to the others. Even when I direct the antenna north toward Allendale, I cannot always pull them in.
TT, I know what you mean about listening to music through hearing aids. I had to get some a while ago. I was able to get one that are customized for different ranges. I used to think I could hear the music better by turning up the volume, as I did as a teenager. I did finally adjust to it.
Thanks again to all of you for your suggestions.
MW, I did have a light-duty amp inside near the TV. I removed it and things got much better. I did a rescan. Several of the stations "fade" in and out and, with my antenna pointer ENE, I get some sort of signal from all stations except 3.1-3.3, 35.1-35.6 and 52.1-52.6 that did not come in at all. Then I put on my ham radio hat and replaced a 6-foot coax jumper which I think was causing an issue that connected directly to the TV. Between all of this, I have much better reception.
Calvert, I have a rotor that may be on its last legs. When I point it in the general direction of most of the towers, ENE, it puts the 35 group at 90 degrees to the others. Even when I direct the antenna north toward Allendale, I cannot always pull them in.
TT, I know what you mean about listening to music through hearing aids. I had to get some a while ago. I was able to get one that are customized for different ranges. I used to think I could hear the music better by turning up the volume, as I did as a teenager. I did finally adjust to it.
Thanks again to all of you for your suggestions.
Re: TV Tuners
Bugzapper: The TV is fine. You just need a better antenna.