Getting Great Local HD Programming with your HR20

[Digital_Guy]

The HR20 does not have the best OTA HD tuner. But there are easy and cheap things you can do.

First look at what is possible.

Antennaweb.org says that 60 miles southwest of Chicago, I will at most be able to get 1 HD channel. Even in Chicago, antennaweb thinks you can only get 12 HD channels.

HDTV Magazine HD Local Channel Listing and Map correctly lists the 28 HD channels that I can now get.

The best source I know of for all of the amps, splitters, and antennas is Solid Signal. Their prices are great and they ship almost instantly.

The HR20 could only lock in a few channels on the old antenna and at best with 50% signal.

I upgraded to a decent antenna for about $70, Channel Master 3020. That helped a lot. 16 channels were now at 50% or higher signal. (If you call Solid Signal, they will match up the right antenna for your situation.)

Next I tried a basic distribution amp. A splitter can cut your signal in half or worse. A distribution amp does not really amplify that much but at least it is not worse. The distribution amp helped, but on the SD, you could see that it was also amplifying the noise. I needed the amplifier right at the antenna.

I tried a Radio Shack Pre-Amp for $50. It made little difference.

Then I finally got a $65 Channel Master 7777 from Solid Signal. WOW! That worked. Channels that the HR20 was not even able to lock on before are coming in. I now get 27 OTA channels at 70%-100%. The SD OTA is unbelievable as well.

Is the HR20 OTA Tuner great? NO. But there is a lot that you can do even if you are way out on the fringe. Wait until you see all of the PBS channels you may be able to get...