Digital?

[Thunder]

I gave up cable. I'm absolutely positive that my TV has digital tuner already built in, so I don't need to buy a digital tuner box....right? Well, I finally found the option to set up the local digital channels, but when I set it to scan for them...nothing. I've set it to scan several times and it found no such channels available locally. It scans for analog and digital channels. Still... There is nothing. I have no luck finding the local digital channels online. For example, going on kfor.com, they only provided the channel 4.2 for their 24/7 Weather Plus. Well, I punched in that channel...nothing. Just how in the world am I going to be able to pick up these free channels?!

[Martin]

nope, you need a digital tuner box to receive digital cable channels from cox. either that or a cable card... but i doubt your tv has a cable card slot.

-M

[Lord Helmet]

Even if your TV has the digital tuner, you'll most likely need an antenna. Many times a cheap set of rabbit ears will do. That's what I use on my hdtv as a backup to satellite when storms roll in.

[woodyrr]

One problem that I have is that when scanning the TV wants to default to the "cable" input. The TV has to be set to scan "antenna". It is not really obvious which it is set for or how to change it. Anyway, it is something else to check. Good luck.

[hipsterdoofus]

Yeah I'd recommend some good rabbit ears should work - you can also build an attic antenna from a 2x4 and some wire coat hangers :-)

[smooth]

Yeah I'd recommend some good rabbit ears should work - you can also build an attic antenna from a 2x4 and some wire coat hangers :-)

You will need DIGITAL "rabbit ears," AND the digital tuner if your television is not an LCD, LED, Plasma or DLP (recently manufactured). I have never heard of a "cable card" or "cable card slot."

[OKCisOK4me]

You will need DIGITAL "rabbit ears," AND the digital tuner if your television is not an LCD, LED, Plasma or DLP (recently manufactured). I have never heard of a "cable card" or "cable card slot."

The cable card allows you to have the digital cable and high def channels without having the box with the digital clock on it from Cox. But I wouldn't recommend that if you are paying for cable and your TV has that option. I did that when I first got Cox and the thing had issues all the time, so I finally went with the box. But the reason they give the option is for people that don't want to pay for the digital receiver box which is something like $15 extra a month. The card was a lease deal for something like a $1.40 if I remember correctly.

[Thunder]

Okay, I need the digital rabbit ears. I'll get that. Do I need the converter box? It's a DLP.

I wasn't talking about cable. I'm talking about the 13 free channels locally.

[Martin]

my bad. i thought thunder was talking about digital cable not over-the-air dtv.

if the tv has a digital tuner, then a digital antenna is all that's needed.

thunder, what's the make and model number on that tv? maybe we can pull up the manual and tell you for sure.

-M

[Thunder]

Well, when I was moving, I found the receipt paper on the tv with the model number. Now, I can't find it. I know I put it in the last box, but it is gone. It's a 50" Philip DLP.

[Martin]

the model number will also be on the tv itself... probably somewhere on the back.

if that's not easily accessible, if you bought it new, tell us when you bought it... that'll help nail it down.

-M

[OKCMallen]

I had a decent digital antenna and couldn't pick up all of the digital channels at 50th and Western. The power on the signals is ****e.

[gmwise]

KOCO is hell to stabilized on it

[OKCisOK4me]

Any regular old bunny eared antennas that have the coax cable twist turn plug into the back of your TV will work just fine. Just look for the "over-the-air" markings on boxes. Best Buy has an antenna that works fine for $19.99.

If you live in your own house, vs. an apartment or a condo, you can buy antennas for much more that are outdoor antennas and can be amplified as well. Those run $50 and up. This will definitely help with the reception. I have a friend who lives in Edmond, and he has trouble receiving CBS and OETAs with his indoor antenna that he sets up on top of his entertainment center. Other than that he receives every other station. I told him it may be that his TV is ground level, whereas I live in an upstairs condo so there's less interference at my level.

[drumsncode]

I think placement of the antenna can make a big difference as some people have pointed out. I have mine sitting up very high.

Look for a signal strength display/meter in your menu system of your TV. If you're lucky, it will have one to help you adjust the antenna. The RCA converter box I have has one.

Normal rabbit ears with do perfectly, assuming you have a decent signal available.

My mother lives at 31st and May, and she gets all the signals with over 60% strength, which is more than enough.

I live way out around Coffee Creek and Penn on very flat land, and I get signal strength over 50% with proper antenna adjustment. And actually, I have two devices getting digital signals. One gets them through some very old rabbit ears, and the other device grabs the signal with a very cheap old bow-tie shaped antenna.

If you continue to have trouble let us know. Everyone should have the fun of receiving free digital TV!!

[Charlie40]

There is NO such thing as a Digital antenna, Any regular outdoor mounted UHF/VHF combo antenna will give you the best reception possible.

[smooth]

There is NO such thing as a Digital antenna, Any regular outdoor mounted UHF/VHF combo antenna will give you the best reception possible.

Yes there is. Go into Best Buy or Conns and see for yourself.

[Charlie40]

Yes there is. Go into Best Buy or Conns and see for yourself.

An antenna is an antenna, they just put Digital on them to charge more to the uninformed public.

[SoonerDave]

Yes there is. Go into Best Buy or Conns and see for yourself.

Boy, now THAT's some serious, conclusive proof!!! They sell it at Best Buy!!

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A "DIGITAL" ANTENNA, except in the minds of the marketing folks who know that slapping the world "DIGITAL" on an 89-cent antenna convinces people to pay $39.95 for it.

All an antenna does is pick up signals. Period. It doesn't say "ooh, THIS signal is DIGITAL. Yum!!" The *content* of the signal may be digital *information*, which is decoded by the receiving device (in this case, a digital tuner) but the signal itself is just that - a signal.

Most of the over-the-air TV stations broadcast their signals over the UHF spectrum, and as a result the old "loop" antennas tend to work better than the rabbit ears. That said, I think Channel 5 still broadcasts its signal in an attenutated fashion over a VHF channel, and as a result their signal can be very tricky to pick up - particularly in far SW Oklahoma City. Its been a while since I checked that, and I had heard that KOCO was trying to get a clearance or waiver to boost their signal, so that issue may have changed since then.

[Charlie40]

Current OKC stations broadcasting on VHF include Channel 5, Channel 9 and Channel 13. All other Major OKC stations are broadcasting in UHF.

[SoonerDave]

Current OKC stations broadcasting on VHF include Channel 5, Channel 9 and Channel 13. All other Major OKC stations are broadcasting in UHF.

Charlie, I thought KOCO was the only one airing their digital broadcast over VHF...??

[windowphobe]

After analog was shut off, KWTV and KETA both reclaimed their old VHF channels.

The Digital TV Transition: List of Stations Transitioning

[SoonerDave]

After analog was shut off, KWTV and KETA both reclaimed their old VHF channels.

The Digital TV Transition: List of Stations Transitioning

OOOOkay, gotcha...

[Lord Helmet]

You will need DIGITAL "rabbit ears," AND the digital tuner if your television is not an LCD, LED, Plasma or DLP (recently manufactured). I have never heard of a "cable card" or "cable card slot."

I'm using plain Jane rabbit ears. Nothing special about them. They just screw into the coax outlet on my TV. Nothing about them would make them "digital"

Cost me like $12.

[Charlie40]

I'm using plain Jane rabbit ears. Nothing special about them. They just screw into the coax outlet on my TV. Nothing about them would make them "digital"

Cost me like $12.

Exactly there is no such thing as a digital antenna. it is all hype