[tophcfa]

Tom from Villages audio video installed an antenna with a signal booster in our attic about seven years ago and we get a lot of free broadcast channels from Orlando, including 3 of the 4 major networks. All we have for television is what our antenna brings in and the DVD’s that we watch. Over the years we collected a substantial library of movies on DVD’s from estate sales, usually for 50 cents apiece. About once a year I run the channel search function in the set up menu on the TV to recalibrate the tuner to optimize the broadcast signals it receives. Once, a lightning strike close to the house blew out the signal amplifier but it was an easy fix. I took out the old one and found an exact match on Amazon and swapped it out. I keep another new signal booster handy in case that happens again. Our Villages home is north of 466 and we get a bunch of channels from Orlando, so I would guess the newer homes being built south of 44 (and closer to Orlando) would have no problem picking up lots of free broadcast channels with a properly installed antenna and signal booster.

[Battlebasset]

I posted in a now closed thread about mounting an antenna in the attic and getting 50+ channels. Wanted to follow up to say I believe the heat in the attic fried my preamp, so I have lost all reception.

Going to try again once the weather cools down with one that does not have the preamp built into the antenna. I will put the amp a bit downstream so I can mount it in the (relatively) cooler garage. Hoping I can still get the networks and stronger stations out of Orlando.

FYI, I live in McClure.

[MikeVillages]

Originally Posted by Sunshine500

Has anyone be able to get decent Orlando TV antenna reception from Marion county in The Villages?

I don't see a reply. Has anyone contacted you or have you installed one? You can send me a PM if you prefer to.

[gego3650]

Originally Posted by mbene

How is your reception? What channels do you get? Where did you mount your antenna, on the roof, in the attic? Where are you located, south, middle or north in the Villages?

Bj"s had them on sale for a antenna that looks like a figure 8. Get around 70 stations but only about 40 in English. Picture is very good and it is mounted at gutter so not very high at all.

[Ritagoyer]

[QUOTE=Bilyclub;2116584]

Originally Posted by Happytalk

It's a DB4E in the attic. They used to be under $100 with a mast. Pointed SE towards the Orlando transmitters which are about 60 miles away. Get 2, 6, 9, and 35 which are the networks with just over 60 channels total. Located between 466A and 44A, North of Brownwood.
https://www.amazon.com/Antennas-Dire.../dp/B0074H3IU6

We have a smart home in ST. Catherines, can you hook the antenna up to the smart panel and how would you do that.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by La lamy

I paid $375 a few months ago for my antenna installation. Very fickle. The Villages is in a difficult place for reception generally, so get the best antenna you can and good luck!

LOL. I bought one from Best Buy for 12 dollars. I didn't get any channels, but I saved a lot of money.

[TrapX]

The speculation about what can be restricted can be settled by reading the FCC rules. In summary, TV cannot stop you from putting up an antenna where it gets a good signal. It specifically allows TV antennas. Declares things like deed restrictions are invalid. Please read and learn.
Over-the-Air Reception Devices Rule | Federal Communications Commission
h-t-t-p-s://w-w-w.fcc.g-o-v/media/over-air-reception-devices-rule (take out the dashes if link above gets hidden)

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

LOL. I bought one from Best Buy for 12 dollars. I didn't get any channels, but I saved a lot of money.

[Bilyclub]

[QUOTE=Ritagoyer;2137112]

Originally Posted by Bilyclub

We have a smart home in ST. Catherines, can you hook the antenna up to the smart panel and how would you do that.

Depends if the house is wired with RG6 Coax Cable. You can use the CAT5 or 6, but it gets complicated. I ran a RG6 line from the antenna to the box in the garage with all the cables. I don't know how TV is wiring the new houses.

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by jrref

Right you the Villages can't stop you from putting up an antenna but they can restrict where it is placed on the house and how it's installed. For example if i mount a Dish or TV antenna on a mast on the center post of my front window of my designer home, no good. Common sense rules here. Just look around your area and see how others installed theirs then to play it safe put in an ARC form, get approval and install your antenna. Besides astetics it has to be installed correctly and safely so a storm doesn't knock it down and potentially cause damage or hurt someone.

In NY a couple of years ago, some apartment buildings were able to ban dish antennas installed on apartment balconys because in high winds some came down and hurt people walking below. As long as the apartment building was able to provide comparable service either through multiple cable companies and or a central Dish system mounted on the roof, there was little people could do.

Also today, you can stream almost everything via the internet with a smart TV and or a media player like a Firestick or AppleTV for example eliminating the expense of cable TV, cable boxes, antenna installs and maintenance. But you have a choice now which is better than the way it used to be.

Guy a few blocks away has one. Looks like the leaning tower of Pisa.

[Snowbirdtobe]

A quick and cheap test is to get a cheap flat panel antenna from Amazon and put it in a window facing southeast. I tried it and get NBC and CBS from Orlando. It gave me confidence to get an antenna company to put in an outdoor antenna. You can find an amplified indoor window mounted antenna from amazon for under $20. Don't be temped by the claims of more distance for more expensive antennas. This is only a cheap test to see if you can get anything. Before you stick the antenna use some blue tape to test position and direction.

[Bilyclub]

A cheap flat panel and $20 cheap antenna cost more than a good antenna. There are webpages and apps that predict what kind of reception, if any you will get.

[TrapX]

Originally Posted by Snowbirdtobe

A quick and cheap test is to get a cheap flat panel antenna from Amazon and put it in a window facing southeast.

Many glass coatings are conductive, and are RF blocking. That test might not be accurate. Putting the antenna on the outside of that type of window will also not work well either.

[MikeVillages]

As a side note:
According to the fcc website, Orlando has Next Gen TV ATFC(3.0).

You will need a Next Gen receiver to get them.

Apparently it is easier to get Next Gen stations over long distance. I'm new here & don't have my antenna yet.

These are the Next Gen stations they list.

WESH NBC
WKMG CBS
WFTV ABC
WKIF CW
WFCF PBS
WRDQ
WOFL FOX
WRDW FOX Plus

[MorTech]

ATSC 3.0 is the newest standard.

Deployments - ATSC : NextGen TV

The homes south of 466A have foil heat barrier roofs...Attic antennas probably won't work.