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Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary The Triangle Area
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Old 09-15-2016, 10:26 AM
 
307 posts, read 670,776 times
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Is there a company in the Triangle that can install an antenna in the attic to receive over-the-air TV? Since the coax has to be run a distance, the installation will require an amplifier. To get the proper signal levels, the company would need a signal strength meter to measure the actual signals delivered to the TVs.

Installing an antenna outside or satellite is not an option because of our HOA.

I bought a $40 amplified antenna from Target, but it's mediocre at best. WUNC comes in like gangbusters, but WRAL regularly loses sync. Strangely enough, I was able to pick up a station in High Point better than I was able to pick up WRAL.

AT&T and Time Warner are out of control. It's time to consider alternatives.
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Old 09-15-2016, 10:50 AM
 
Location: Raleigh, NC
464 posts, read 1,040,123 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mcp6453 View Post
Installing an antenna outside or satellite is not an option because of our HOA. .

Regarding your quoted text above The Telecommunications Act of 1996 makes that restriction illegal.


The specific portion is below:

Satellite Television Antennas: The Act required the FCC to issue regulations to prohibit local governments, community associations, landlords, and so forth, from restricting a viewer's ability to receive video programming services through devices designed for over-the-air reception of television broadcast signals, multichannel multipoint distribution service, or direct broadcast satellite services. Although the FCC has issued its rules, the prohibition does not extend, however, to commonly-owned property such as condominium balconies.


As long as you have exclusive access to where you want to put the dish they cannot stop you.
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Old 09-15-2016, 11:19 AM
 
2,425 posts, read 3,513,593 times
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Here is a YouTube guy who tells you how to make your own great antenna for cheap money.

https://youtu.be/jnN3bBY6_ko

DIY TV Antennas 4 bays, 2 bays, Kits and more
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Old 09-15-2016, 11:30 AM
 
Location: Apex NC, the Peak of Good Loving.
1,694 posts, read 2,568,549 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mcp6453 View Post
... the installation will require an amplifier.
Does your attic already have a 110v electric outlet? If not, you need an electrician.
Quote:
To get the proper signal levels, the company would need a signal strength meter to measure the actual signals delivered to the TVs.
Maybe your television has a built-in signal strength meter. Mine does. It was a great help in positioning the in-attic antenna to optimize signal strength.

.
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Old 09-15-2016, 11:33 AM
 
3,050 posts, read 4,977,306 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by danielbmartin View Post
Does your attic already have a 110v electric outlet? If not, you need an electrician.Maybe your television has a built-in signal strength meter. Mine does. It was a great help in positioning the in-attic antenna to optimize signal strength.

.

How did you run your Coax from the attic to the ground floor? Or was your house pre-wired?
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Old 09-15-2016, 12:01 PM
 
Location: Apex NC, the Peak of Good Loving.
1,694 posts, read 2,568,549 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaucyAussie View Post
How did you run your Coax from the attic to the ground floor? Or was your house pre-wired?
My house was not pre-wired. Fortunately the path from the antenna to the television was fairly short and uncomplicated. With help from an electrician's Fish Tape I was able to run the co-ax inside the wall.
50 Ft. Fish Tape

The architecture of each house presents its own challenge for running the co-ax. One way which works for many houses is to drill a small hole in the soffit, close to the outside surface of the exterior sheathing. Run the coax straight down far enough to get it into the crawl space. From that point it is usually simple to route the co-ax to the television. The co-ax is exposed to view so choose the back of the house where it is less obvious.

Some houses (especially multi-story structures) use a heat pump for HVAC with a ground-mounted compressor unit and an attic-mounted air handler. Two Freon lines connect those units (supply and return). For the sake of appearance the installers often conceal these lines inside a dummy rain gutter downspout. If your house has one of these you could add the co-ax to the downspout.

.
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Old 09-15-2016, 12:33 PM
 
1,188 posts, read 2,534,074 times
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You probably want to find an electrician that is able to do low-voltage work.
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Old 09-15-2016, 02:37 PM
 
1,214 posts, read 1,533,582 times
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Maybe try a different indoor amplified antenna? Even with buying one that's $100-$150, it could still work for what you need and would probably be cheaper than hiring an electrician. Or adding a signal booster.
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Old 09-15-2016, 04:17 PM
 
Location: Oxxford Hunt, Cary NC
4,477 posts, read 11,581,213 times
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Here is one recommendation, albeit from more than a few years ago:

//www.city-data.com/forum/12944963-post11.html

I'll be looking into getting an antenna installed later this year and will at least get a quote from A1 Installer.

Oh and for all the people who have or are planning to chime in with various indoor antenna recommendations, please be aware that some of us really can't go that route and it doesn't add answer the OP's question.
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Old 09-15-2016, 04:59 PM
 
Location: NC
11,188 posts, read 8,223,079 times
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OP: I just posted about an antenna I got at BJ's for $79 that works WAY better than my amplified Mohu (Which worked pretty good). I'm travelling now, so I can't get all the info. My post is in a recent cord-cutting thread.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SaucyAussie View Post
How did you run your Coax from the attic to the ground floor? Or was your house pre-wired?
I zip-tied mine to a joist (or rafter, or whatever it's called) in the attic. I drilled a hole in the board that covers the "attic-hole" (no drop down steps in mine) and ran the cable through that. It drops into my laundry room, so I don't mind doing this. I ran it 18" to the wall, then along the trip behind the door-jam with some tacking nails. From there, along the base-boards with more tacking nails. I am fortunate that only about 6" is visible outside the laundry room. The rest runs behind furniture and out of the way.
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