FORT SMITH, Ark. -
After the big switch to digital TV, many people in our area were left in the dark; now, some are looking to the internet for a low-cost solution to a high-tech problem.
Several videos on YouTube.com show you how to make a simple, omni-directional antenna, using coat hangers and a few other materials. The whole project is estimated to cost around five dollars.
"It's interesting becauseĀ when I was 25 and we were playing with the channels with a coat hanger," said Tommy Gomez, the president of Monty's TV and Electronics in Fort Smith, "so I've been there done that and didn't realize we're back to where it was before."
Several of the videos use a double-v design that is supposed to pick up signals from all directions; commenters on one video say they got reliable signals up to 55 miles away from their local transmitter.
5NEWS engineers that watched the video said that the design looked like it would work, with a few caveats. They suggested that placing it outside would give a better signal, and said you would still need a converter box or a DTV-ready television to translate the signal. Other commenters on YouTube suggested adding a reflector behind the antenna, to reinforce any signal you receive.
Gomez also said because of the nature of digital signals, this may not work for everybody.
"Analog you could bounce the signal off a hill or a wall or whatever, but since we went to the digital transition it's a directional signal, so you'd need a better antenna to get a better, stronger signal."
To see for yourself, go to YouTube.com and search for "Homemade DTV Antenna". You can also go to the DTV section of our website to find more digital television solutions for your home.
Several videos on YouTube.com show you how to make a simple, omni-directional antenna, using coat hangers and a few other materials. The whole project is estimated to cost around five dollars.
"It's interesting becauseĀ when I was 25 and we were playing with the channels with a coat hanger," said Tommy Gomez, the president of Monty's TV and Electronics in Fort Smith, "so I've been there done that and didn't realize we're back to where it was before."
Several of the videos use a double-v design that is supposed to pick up signals from all directions; commenters on one video say they got reliable signals up to 55 miles away from their local transmitter.
5NEWS engineers that watched the video said that the design looked like it would work, with a few caveats. They suggested that placing it outside would give a better signal, and said you would still need a converter box or a DTV-ready television to translate the signal. Other commenters on YouTube suggested adding a reflector behind the antenna, to reinforce any signal you receive.
Gomez also said because of the nature of digital signals, this may not work for everybody.
"Analog you could bounce the signal off a hill or a wall or whatever, but since we went to the digital transition it's a directional signal, so you'd need a better antenna to get a better, stronger signal."
To see for yourself, go to YouTube.com and search for "Homemade DTV Antenna". You can also go to the DTV section of our website to find more digital television solutions for your home.
