Ready to drop directv.....help please.

[michealmyers]

I've had it with paying the price. I'm ready to buy an antenna and go my own route, but I have a few questions.
I have 4 tv's currently that I'd like to serve, for that I know I'll need the antenna and a distribution amp.
1. I have a small pole (5ft) out back that the directv dish is on....can I just replace it with the HD Antenna and then use my existing wire?
2. I'll need a splitter of course.....but no idea what kind?

Ok assuming I can get the HD antenna serving all 4 tv's.....now what? Is there any kinda device that can serve 4 tv's or will I need some sort of boxee, roku, etc on each tv?

[tigerbangs]

tips-for-getting-good-antenna-advice-read-before-posting-t52.html
please-post-your-tvfool-com-results-when-posting-questions-t649.html

[michealmyers]

running 4 tv's only one is HD. I live in MS and the zip is 39047.

[tigerbangs]

Fortunately for you, the Jackson stations all lie in the same direction about 25 miles from your location, and are quite strong in your area. You should be able to see all of the major networks with the right antenna. Because WJTV (CBS) operates on channel 12, I suggest using a VHF-high-band plus UHF antenna like a Winegard HD-7694P. I do NOT recommend mounting the antenna on the J-pole in your yard, since terrestrial TV requites some altitude to maximize reception. Also, the pointed elements of a conventional antenna are potentially dangerous to humans and animals if they fall on them or become impaled by them. You are much better off mounting the antenna on your roof, using either a chimney mount, if you have a chimney, a side-wall mount, or a tripod mounted on your roof. The HD-7694P is fairly compact, and shouldn't be an eyesore when installed.

Aim the antenna with the UHF end pointed at 240 degrees, as measured by your compass, and connect the dish coax cable to the antenna connector. You will need to trace the coaxial cable back to where is it split to the various TV sets. At that point, you will need to replace the satellite diplexer with a distribution amplifier/splitter that will require A/C power available to it. If the diplexer/splitter is installed indoors, you can use a Channel Master CM3414 distribution amplifier/splitter, which will provide enough connectors and power to feed your 4 TV sets. If your splitter has to be mounted outdoors, then you will need an antenna-mounted preamplifier like a Winegard HDP-269, which has a power supply that lives indoors, but whose amplifier is installed on the antenna mast. You will then replace the satellite splitter/diplexer with a power-passive splitter like an Eagle Aspen P-1000-4AP-GX 4-Way Splitter (P-1000-4AP). Connect the antenna cable to the input of the splitter, and then connect the leads to the various TV sets to the output ports of the splitter.

Once back inside the house. remove the cable(s) from the satellite receivers and connect all but one of them directly to the TV set antenna connectors. On the one connect or that you do NOT connect: install the power injector for the preamplifier, then connect the output of the power injector to the antenna connector to the antenna connector of the TV set or digital converter. be sure to connect the power injector to the coax cable that is coming in from the splitter so that the power injector can send it's power back to the preamplifier and the TV set can see the signal from the splitter and the antenna.

If each of your TV sets already has a digital tuner or digital converter, then all you need to do is to power on the TV set, go into the menu on each TV and have the TV set scan for channels. If your TV sets are still analog TVs, then you will need to connect a digital converter between the antenna cable and the TV sets to see the new digital TV channels. All of your local TV stations should come in clearly with this formula.

http://www.winegard.com/kbase/upload/HD7694P.pdf

http://www.winegard.com/kbase/upload/WC ... DP-269.pdf

http://www.channelmaster.com/Distributi ... 4_s/95.htm

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc ... -Splitter-
(P10004AP)&c=Signal%20Splitters&sku=

http://manuals.solidsignal.com/AntInsta ... ampaign=CJ