Antennas Direct DB8 Multidirectional HDTV Antenna
by Antennas Direct
List Price:
Our Price: $36.99
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Category: CE
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Customers in the UK,
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: Antennas DirectModel: DB8
Color: Chrome
Product features:
- Range: Up to 70 miles or more
- Impedance 300/75 ohm
- Works up to 70 miles or more from transmitters
- Very flexible aiming characteristics
- Weatherproof construction
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- 2-Year Replacement Service Plan - Covers Electronic Items $100.00-$199.99
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Antennas Direct DB8 Multidirectional HDTV Antenna
Customer Review: Eliminate the monthly bill AND get better HDTV with this and a few other extras!
Summary: 5 Stars
Surprise! On our HD television, our picture is far better with this antenna than it was with either cable or satellite! We found out that's because the cable and satellite companies compress the HD signal to broadcast it, and using a good antenna we can get the full original quality. Overall, we're as thrilled with this after using it for 9 months as we were when we first bought it.
Although there's a pole pictured on the box, this antenna did not come with any pole at all, even a short one. By the time we had this installed and functioning, we'd spent about $65 beyond the antenna itself (details below). We finally gave in and spent an additional $37 for a signal booster (amplifier), because we live in a relatively remote, mountainous area, and couldn't reliably pick up the signal from NBC's ridiculously weak local tower. Even without the amplifier, our antenna--mounted on a 20' pole--brought in all our other local channels (ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS) beautifully, and NBC occasionally. If NBC's broadcast signal weren't an order of magnitude weaker than all the others, we'd have been fine without the amplifier.
VERY HELPFUL: We used [...] to find out exactly where to point our antenna from our house. It gives compass readings to two decimal places, with distances to the various towers near the entered address, and a list of available channels.
What we bought in addition to the antenna itself:
* 25 feet of high-definition optimized coax cable to connect the antenna to the house: $17.88 at Wal-Mart, in the electronics section. (25 feet of regular coax cable would have been $8.88 and might have worked fine; we decided to spend the extra to help be sure we get a good, clear picture on our television.) We were able to install our antenna on a pole right next to where the cable comes in the house; someone else might need more cable than we did.
* A compass to orient the antenna properly. An ordinary compass was $4.88. My son wanted a digital compass with some other tricks for camping anyway, so he paid the difference and we got the $17.88 compass that also tells altitude, barometric pressure, temperature, and probably even bedtime stories. It was in Wal-Mart's camping section.
* Two 1 3/8" by 10-foot 18 gauge top rails, sold with the chain link fence pieces at Lowe's for $9.44 each, to use as a pole. (Lowe's part number: 85193) We started with just one, but 10' was not tall enough to get a clear signal in our neighborhood. They're designed to connect together, with a narrowed end fitting inside the wide end of the next pole. Since they're also not designed to go vertically as an antenna pole, however, we added some inexpensive reinforcement: two ?" x 2" galvanized bolts with locking washers and nuts, also galvanized so they don't rust. The bolts (part number incorrect on my receipt) were 30? each, the nuts (67340) were 13? each, and the washers (61814) were 16? each. (Then, when it turned out that Lowe's accidentally gave me the wrong size nut, I ran up to my local hardware store, where a replacement nut was only 9?. Going back to Lowe's would have cost more in gas than it was worth.)
* Three 2-hole rigid straps to secure the pole to the side of our shed for stability. The bottom is set a few inches into the ground, but bracing it on the shed is what's really holding it in place. We got 1" diameter straps, which fit snugly on the pole, rather than larger ones--despite the stated diameter of the pole. I'm glad we tested these in the store to check the fit. Each was 62?. (Lowe's part number: 54771)
* Four 6 mm lock washers (810350.5), $1.83 for a bag of four (Lowe's part number: 59378), and non-rusting nuts (M6 x 1.00 mm, Lowe's part number: 52910), $2.98 for a bag of four. The wingnuts that are provided to tighten the brackets down on the antenna, holding it on the pole, seemed too likely to work themselves loose over time in wind and weather. If they come loose, the antenna comes crashing down off the pole. For an extra $5 we could feel more certain that won't happen.
* A bag of 20 eight-inch cable ties, $1.99 at the local hardware store, for securing the cable along the pole so it didn't flap around in the wind, and for running it neatly over to the house. We only needed 7 of these, but they come in a bag of 20.
* YOU MAY NOT NEED: Motorola 484095-001-00 Signal Booster - Cable + 15db Broadband Drop Amplifier, now $31.97 (on Dec. 25, 2009) from Amazon, and a 3-foot length of coax cable, less than $5 at Wal-Mart. We got ours used on eBay for $37 with a length of coax cable and adapter to reach and connect to the nearest power outlet. If we'd bought it new, we'd have had to add enough coax cable to reach from the amplifier to the nearest power outlet--the 6-foot included cable is unlikely to be long enough--but not the 3' cable we did buy separately. The amplifier should be mounted as close to the antenna as possible; we tried every conceivable configuration and found this was indeed best. We mounted it directly on the pole near the top, protected inside an inverted 3-liter soda bottle duct-taped in place. This protection is lo-tech but very effective and almost free. (TigerDirect has a more detailed product description but currently a slightly higher price. Look there for the details.)
So, here's the summary of our additional expenses, total $101.47 in March 2009:
25 ft. Cable: $17.88
Fancy compass: $17.88
2 Poles: $18.88
2 Galvanized hex bolts, 1/4" x 2": $0.60
2 Galvanized locking washers: $0.32
2 Galvanized nuts: $0.26
Three 2-hole rigid straps $1.86
Four 6 mm lock washers $1.83
Four M6 x 1.00 mm nuts $2.98
Cable ties $1.99
Signal Booster $37.00
We've been using this for nine months now, and have more than made up for our initial investment. With this antenna, the internet, and our public library, we don't have time to watch even a fraction of the television available to us for free!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Description of Antennas Direct DB8 Multidirectional HDTV Antenna
Intended for people at great distances from the transmitters, the DB8 is our most powerful multi-directional HD antenna. In fact, its 15.8 dB gain make it one of the most powerful multi-directional antennas available. The bow tie design of the DB8 uses triangular elements instead of rods to greatly increase the bandwidth allowing it to cover the entire UHF band. Additionally, the mesh reflector of the bowtie is more efficient than a rod reflector, is lower in weight, and provides less wind resistance for greater performance and durability. This DB8 is the ideal antenna for use in locations that can pull long range signals from various directions and offers an attractive alternative to using a directional antenna mounted on a rotator.Digital Cameras & Photo Categories
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