Jack TV Antenna Vs Satellite

[Jerry_Roberts]

for those that have used both: which is better? the jack tv antennea would be a lot easier to use compared to the satellite dish, so if it gets enough channels then i won't even bother with the dish.

[SCVJeff]

There may not be 80 channels that you choose to watch, but they certainly are out there. Los Angeles is closer to 100

[1775]

I do not believe that there are 80 OTA channels out there to receive. I live in Metro NY and there are about 40 OTA channels that will be picked up on anyone's digital TV by antenna here. Some of those 40 are broadcast in the VHF band. Of those 40 channels less than half are in English and the rest are in various languages. The main networks here are broadcasting OTA in HD. I have a Winegard Sensar on my RV and I pick up all of the channels available here when I have used it on my driveway. I do not know about the Jack but here if you were to get poor VHF reception you would miss out on one national network and two other large local networks in this area.

[kab449]

gapeachy wrote:
if you take your direct tv or dish box dont you also have to have a satelite reciever?

Yes and you'll need to take a TV also.

[Bill_Satellite]

That box IS the receiver. You just need a satellite antenna to receive the programming.

[gapeachy]

if you take your direct tv or dish box dont you also have to have a satelite reciever?

[robsouth]

Comparing any OTA antenna and Cable/Satellite is as comparing go-karts to Indy 500 cars. No real comparison. Just a matter what you want to pay for.

[brobox]

It really depends on where you are going to travel. If you plan on going to out of the way and beautiful places such as Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, etc. the Jack will not receive jack as there are no OTA station.

[REWahoo]

Jerry Roberts wrote:
I've read that the Jack TV is a lot better than the Winegard. And some people are getting 80+ channes with the Jack antennea. I don't believe everything I read on the internet, so I was wondering if there is any truth about the Jack TV getting as many channels as satellite.

Absolutely no truth to what you've heard.

I recently replaced my batwing (Winegard) with a Jack and saw a slight improvement in OTA reception. The Jack is a bit less directionally sensitive and I am getting a slightly stronger signal, but I'm not getting any more stations than I was with the batwing.

[Tom_M1]

Bill.Winegard wrote:
Also, only the X.1 channels are HD. All others are SD.

This generally is true but there are exceptions, Minneapolis being one of them. Two stations are broadcasting two HD programs. Each of these stations are using two transmitters, each broadcasting on different RF channels. Each of these channels are then assigned the same main virtual channel through the magic of digital manipulation (PSIP). KSTP has a channel listing of 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, and 5.7. 5.1 and 5.2 are HD, the rest SD. To the viewer it appears like it is a single main channel.

[Peg_Leg]

Downtown LA I could probably get 100 channels, Middle of nowhere, Iowa (sorry Iowa) maybe 2.
So be happy, get both. I think the HD pic quality is better OTA.

[sclark]

I replaced my Winegard with Wingman with a Jack. It has been my experience that the Jack does a better job on the UHF channels. Winegard seemed to do better with the VHF. As mentioned above the network selections are far better on satellite. We tend to camp in the middle of nowhere which greatly reduces the number of over the air channels that can be received. We also carry a Direct TV Dish and tripod. Good luck.

[accsys]

You cannot get ESPN or any other sports package with a Jack Antenna - nuff said.:B

[Bill_Satellite]

Jerry Roberts wrote:
Thanks. However, I've used Directv in the past and currently have Dish Network as my cable provider. I should have added that, I've read that the Jack TV is a lot better than the Winegard. And some people are getting 80+ channes with the Jack antennea. I don't believe everything I read on the internet, so I was wondering if there is any truth about the Jack TV getting as many channels as satellite.

While there might be isolated cases where someone received that number of channels you need to understand that none of these channels are going to be things like CNN, The Food Network, History Channel, etc. Those are paid cable type channels and require some kind of subscribed service to receive.
Additionally, someone showing a large number of received channels is getting channel 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 and 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, etc. so may not actually provide what you would consider unique channels or even normal viewing channels. Also, only the X.1 channels are HD. All others are SD. ABC might be on 7.1 and a 24 hour loop of the weather will be on 7.2 and paid advertising on 7.3 or Spanish language programming on 7.4.
You are never going to find anything comparable to satellite or cable with an OTA antenna but if all you are interested in is the major Network programming the OTA antennas do an excellent job as long as you are close enough to the TV towers to receive them. I did receive over 50 channels in the LA, CA area. I watched the NBC news at 5:00 and then went back to satellite for the rest of the time.

[Jerry_Roberts]

yes, i used to take my directv and always got my local channels; however, we never really went far from home. the furtherest we have been was niagra falls in canada which is about 6 hours or so from our house.

[camperpaul]

On the UHF channels the Jack and Winegard are about equal.

The Winegard will work on the low VHF channels where the Jack works poorly if at all. Yes, there are a few stations still using low VHF channels.

The number of OTA channels you will receive is a function of your location. I am currently near Racine WI and I get all of the Chicago and Milwaukee channels using a Winegard with Wingman.

If you already have Dish Network at home, you can take it with you but if you travel too far from home, you will lose your 'local channels'.