Philips PHDTV1 Silver Sensor UHF/HDTV Digital Indoor TV Antenna
by Philips Accessories
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List Price: Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Philips PHDTV1 Silver Sensor UHF/HDTV Digital Indoor TV Antenna
Customer Review: Pulls in More Channels on Digital Convertor Box for Analog TV
Summary: 5 Stars
Coupled with a Zenith converter box, this compact antenna pulled in 42 over-the-air channels on a Panasonic analog TV-VCR combination set, and produced strong, clear signals with excellent picture quality. Expensive rabbit ears (with an extra double loop) pulled in 37 channels, and produced fluctuating signals that resulted in frequent picture breakups and frozen screens that would not clear until the converter box was unplugged and plugged in again.
Since installing the Philips antenna, there have been occasional picture breakups, but no frozen screens. The breakups probably can't be avoided, because my home is surrounded by hills.
This antenna is lightweight, but not "flimsy", as some reviewers have reported. The antenna has sturdy "teeth" (not paper-thin metal flaps that the reviews led me to expect). Once installed, the antenna can be easily rotated 180 degrees in the stand to operate in either a vertical or horizontal position, thus increasing options for capturing maximum signal strength.
The plastic stand might be considered "flimsy", because the stalk feels a bit fragile, and the weighted base isn't very heavy, so that it is easy to dislodge the stand and antenna from the top of a TV set. However, unless you, your children, or your pets frequently knock the stand off onto the floor, the antenna should function well for years to come.
Customer Review: No victory for "V" stations? Well...
Summary: 3 Stars
As stated in its listing, this is a UHF antenna, and it captures those digital stations fairly well. HOWEVER, ASK YOUR LOCAL STATIONS which channel their DTV will be on -- for example, our channel 5 is actually broadcasting DTV on channel 35. If any of your local stations are staying on the VHF band (as is my local ABC affiliate), this item WON'T bring them in.
I'm in a small urban area, and live between 10 and 40 miles from various TV transmitters. This antenna also picked up the analog stations (review dated 12/9/08).
Us old folks remember the "antenna only" days -- but for youngsters, realize that WHERE the antenna is located, and in WHICH DIRECTION it's pointed, has an impact on your reception. This antenna caught fewer channels in my southwest living room than it does in my southeast office. Also, HEIGHT matters; often, the higher it sits, the better reception. Try it on all your TVs to decide which location is best.
However, if you have a VHF DTV station in your area, DON'T pick this unit. I own a 1990s RCA "powered" rabbit ears, which has VHF and UHF antennas, and I think it does a better job than this Philips.
ONE YEAR LATER: in the past few months, the antenna HAS been pulling in VHF stations. Who knew? However, remember how close I live to the transmitters; your results may vary.
Customer Review: Silver Sensor great buy for the money
Summary: 5 Stars
Having a need for portable DTV 8VSB reception I looked around for reasonably priced UHF only set top antennas. I read a few reviews and Blogs claiming the Philips Silver Sensor antenna was highly recommended. I bought two from Amazon dot com, best choice I could have made.
I coupled the Philips Silver Sensor to my Zenith DTT900 ATSC converter box and was amazed at the reception. It does a better job than most set tops at rejecting off axis signals, in other words it is MORE DIRECTIONAL than the run of the mill UHF LOOP type set top antennas.
The antenna is not built heavy duty but is reasonable for most applications. It is a log-periodic directional wide band Yagi.
Being light and easy to assemble and disassemble it is great for trips such as vacations. It comes boxed as three pieces, the antenna, the base and mounting strut. There is a 75 ohm coaxial cable fitted with F connectors included for connection to your set.
A real plus to this antenna is the fact that the antenna itself has an F connector on the back end of the antenna and not a permanently connected cable. You can use the cable that came with it or choose a low loss longer cable for portable DXing.
I recommend this antenna to anyone needing UHF only local DTV reception, it does a great job.
Customer Review: digital antenna - it works!
Summary: 5 Stars
I got the antenna last night and I was skeptical that it would work after I opened the box. It doesn't plug into the wall? that perplexed me - because I was replacing an RCA analog antenna that did.
I re-ran the set up program to scan channels - and comparing the analog to digital - these are the results
RCA analog = 17 analog channels - only 6 that worked well
PHILIPS digital = 13 analog channels (more than half work well) - and 16 digital channels
Most of the digital channels were mirrors of the analog channels - but in 1080i definition - clear as they come. And those few extra added were icing on the cake.
I will need to explore how the antenna works still - because I noted that most of the digital are showing in full screen, while the analog are showing wide screen. I'd prefer them all to run as wide screen. I'm wondering if there's a setting on the tv that I need to change to, for this - or if it is the channel signal.
I also was hoping that the antenna would have an HDMI connection - but, it's a regular optical connection. Still - I'm impressed with the output and am glad I tried a digital antenna and am NOT paying a monthly cable charge for access to basic TV (all the major networks + a little more).
Customer Review: Wow. Can't say enough.
Summary: 5 Stars
First let me say that this antenna may NOT be the answer to everyone's prayers. But I will say that for a sub twenty buck antenna, it works phenomenally well. I'm lucky enough to live where the HD broadcasting towers are all in one direction, about 20 miles away. I first bought a Radio Shack antenna (DA-5200) and a Philips (MANT940) thinking more cash means more reception. I did not mount them outside as intended but made makeshift stands to test them. They are both amplified antennas and although they received signals OK, there was still plenty of digital pixelation on different channels, especially sports.
My friend then gave me an RCA (ANT1251) he wasn't using and it also did OK, but not great on sports.
After reading the very positive reviews for this antenna, I bought it.
To put it plain and simple, it smokes all 3 of the previously mentioned antennas and only from sitting on a cabinet near my TV with no amplification. If you want a very good, basic HD OTA antenna, then this is a great start. I have no pixelation watching hockey and football in HD.
I still plan on installing the other one(s) outside on a mast to see if I can get even better signal, but now I don't feel pressured to have to go through all that work right away.