Mobile DTV Reception

Are you ready for the switch? After February 17, 2009 high power tv stations in the US will no longer broadcast analog signals. If you currently receive television on an older tv using rabbit ears or a rooftop antenna, and not through a cable or satellite provider, you will need to purchase a new tv with an ATSC tuner or an inexpensive digital converter box if you wish to continue receiving the free over-the-air transmissions after the transition next February.

Unfortunately, due to the nature of the digital signals as they propagate to your location, what was once considered acceptable reception typically results in jumpy, choppy reception with a digital tuner, manifesting itself as blockiness and pixelated video and frequent audio dropouts. Millions of people who use rabbit ears to watch tv in the suburbs are going to be disappointed if they happen to live on the wrong side of the cities providing their tv broadcasts. They are going to find out that they will need to invest in a large antenna in their attic or on their rooftop, and then somehow run wiring from that antenna to the each of the sets that need it.

Many of the people who can least afford to invest in these upgrades (those who live in cheap housing far from the city and can't afford pay tv) are the ones who are going to need to spend the most. This short video shows what digital tv reception looks like in my car, which is a perfect example of using rabbit ears about 20 miles line-of-sight from the transmitter complex serving the Philadelphia metropolitan area. What was once "snowy" but acceptable reception now looks like this.

I encourage everyone who knows they will be making the switch on at least one tv do it now and preview what their reception will look like after the transition. This will tell you well ahead of time whether or not you need to take additional steps to ensure continuous reception of your free tv stations after the transition next February. Save yourself the frustration and do it now, people!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• digital
• tv
• reception
• dtv
• transition

[CCRider100]

"Unfortunately, due to the nature of the digital signals as they propagate to your location, what was once considered acceptable reception typically results in jumpy, choppy reception with a digital tuner"

Typically? Before the digital conversions (both US and Canada), I received 8 watchable analog channels (3 excellent, 3 decent, and 2 poor), now I receive 25 digital channels (17 in HD) including 11 Seattle channels 114 miles away. Only 4 channels have any jumpy or loss of reception.

[easternpa2]

@CCRider100 Thank you for commenting. Do you have a yagi or some other rooftop type antenna giving you that amazing reception? My video gave an idea of what to expect from basic rabbit ears, as installed in a car, three years ago. If I could have mounted a yagi with a 5 foot boom and a 3 foot mast on the roof of my SUV and pointed it at the towers back then, I would have. In all seriousness, I'm happy that they improved the situation, but it wasn't always bunnies and rainbows.

[jason24568]

Just wait for ATSC-M

[easternpa2]

@jason24568 Thanks, Jason. Keep in mind this video was shot 28 miles from the tower and I was parked in my driveway. Horrible. Traded in the car so I have nothing to test ATM :( Will keep an eye out though. Thanks again.

[easternpa2]

Hey, thanks for the comment. No, I was parked in my driveway. Granted, I'm obviously not going to get the same reception as I would if I had a 3 foot yagi pointing at the tower, but this "new reality" is just terrible.

For a while, it seemed my own the was only voice I could hear discussing how millions of people are going to lose their tv service after the switch -- and many of them went out and picked up a converter box. I even wrote to my congressman.

[jason24568]

@easternpa2 Did you put the converter box on your car?

[jason24568]

@easternpa2 Yeah, someone tested on laptops on cars and they got a great reception.

[jkeelsnc]

Indeed ATSC does not work well on the move.  OFDM/DVB from europe works somewhat better. However, the tuners will get better and soon there will be a mobile standard added to the ATSC system.

[hottschott]

It sounds like you were in motion, were you? If so, how fast? Receptions should be night and day from moving to a stand still. Right now, there is no standard for mobile ATSC Digital signal over the air so it will be choppy and pixelated. Check out LGs videos from CES 2009, they are pioneers in this field.