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Winegard HD8200U Platinum HD VHF/UHF Antenna Reviews
Price:
$117.30
$189.95
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Availability: Usually shipped in 24 hours if sold by Amazon.com***Thank you Winegard! by Elliot Richman "Muss @ Nov 21, 2009
Metro NYC-Northern NJ, about 25 miles from midtown, antenna located in large attic: Adamantly anticable, antisatellite. Am I the last OTA out there? Anyway, I bought this antenna after being forced to re-antenna my house secondary to the government's enforced digital revolution. Wasn't too please to have to do this, needed to wire the house for 75-ohm cabling to two TVs on opposite ends of the house as well as replace an ancient (possibly Winegard) antenna that had been ridiculously wired and that was never completely satisfactory even in the analog era. TV reception in my home was never anything to brag about, pretty annoying but not a high priority. The digital changeover forced my hand. I have a Sharp Aquos HDTV with tuner and for about 6 months, since the changeover, was using the little indoor Winegard SS-3000 antenna. It picked up digital 2, 4, and 5 plus some useless UHFs I didn't care about, but it was erratic, lost pixels or picture when anyone walked near it. Etc. So I knew I had to do something.
I finally settled on the HD8200 because it is GINORMOUS (14-foot boom and 9-foot span!) and I figured if it didn't pull every station I ever wanted there was no hope for me. I hired a contractor/home-handyman to actually set it up and then do the wiring of the house, which involved dropping cable through ceilings, drilling walls, etc. So I didn't do any of the work myself. Antenna came from Amazon in Winegard box in decent shape in about 2 days from time of order. Took contractor about 2 hours to set up antenna (including stabilize my existing wobbly mast from prior antenna), then most of rest of day to do the cabling. So set-up was not a problem. No pieces apparently missing or damaged.
Bottom line: This antenna is SPECTACULAR! It pulls in, in all of their multiple digital forms, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13, plus more UHFs than I ever saw or heard of before. (Remember, for about 6 months, while I was using the little indoor Winegard SS-3000, Channels 7, 9, 11, and 13 just didn't exist any more for me.)The Winegard expert with whom I had had an e-mail conversation (another plus for Winegard, since they didn't break off conversation after the first reply the way some other on-line vendors do when their sales pitches don't elicit an immediate buy response) said this antenna was probably more than I need but since reception was always poor at my location I went for it. I am completely happy and have no regrets. I recommend this antenna without reservation.
Interesting sidelight: I ordered a distribution amplifier with the antenna to make sure the signal that made it through the roof and that was split to two TVs and driven along 50 or more feet of coax was still strong. The amplifier apparently didn't work (no light went on at least) so I took it out of the circuit and just tried the antenna without amplification. Worked as described above. No amplification necessary. (For neophytes with digital TVs: After you connect the antenna make sure you make the TV do a complete channel scan. It has to look for new stations, you can't just expect it to recognize the signal with the new antenna. It has to re-scan and acquire all available signals afresh.)
So don't hesitate to get this antenna if you want great reception and have a large enough attic! I am ecstatic!