OEM Winegard Antenna - Will it work or should I replace it?

[Madathlon]

I have been trying to find out if the OEM Winegard TV Antenna (roof mounted) will work on my HDTV or do I need to replace it.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

You can either upgrade the complete Wingard Antenna Head with a Sensar IV (http://www.winegard.com/sensar/index.php)

or
Just add the Wingman modification to your existing base unit (http://www.winegard.com/wingman/index.php)
 
Digital over the air (OTA) TV primarily uses UHF channels where in our younger years OTA TV was primarily based on VHF channels.  The Batwing addition is tuned for UHF performance where the base unit is primarily tuned for VHF performance.
You should really look into getting a smaller car to tow that does not require a trailer.  Weight of the car plus trailer will be a lot of stress on the rig not to mention reduced gas mileage
Dave

[ClydesdaleKevin]

You can replace just the head of the antenna with one designed for HDTV, which is way cheaper and way easier than replacing the whole thing.

[Madathlon]

On the Winegard, I wrote Winegard and thay only said they no longer support the one I have. But I know mine is the old screw lift unit. will the NEW head units bolt up to this unit?

And if so will the old Booster need changing also?

[pvoth1111]

mine bolted right up....5 minutes on the roof

[Madathlon]

Thanks, I will see about getting the new top unit.

[Oz]

Put this in the message search - > entire forum - > winegard booster

Not only will this bring up info on the booster, just read the other topic titles - good stuff.

[Stripe]

"Booster" huh??  Is that what the little switch turns on??? Was wondering what that little red light was for...

Hehe, sweet, my RV has a Booster!

[Madathlon]

Yes that little red light is the TV signal booster, BUT does it boost HDTV signals?

[Lefty]

BTW- The antenna used has absolutely nothing to do with whether a tv will show digital over the air tv signals or not... The digital tuner is made into the tv, and as long as your tv was manufactured after March 1,2007 it has one in it. Doesn't matter if it says HDTV, or not... Doesn't matter if it says "Digital Ready" or not... if the manufacturing date is after March 1,2007 it will have a digital tuner... as that is the last date any tv was manufactured for future sale in the U.S. that had an analog tuner in it by law. 

Any TV with a digital tuner will pickup and show digital tv signals if hooked up to a traditional tv antenna (if the signal is there in the first place).

I have my 65" flat screen hooked up to a 30+yr old rooftop tv antenna that was already mounted to the house.. It picks up local digital tv channels perfectly.

The advantage of the newer antennas that claim to be designed for digital tv signals is, they use an UHF booster to enhance the UHF signal. Since digital tv is usually UHF, this can increase range. However, some older tv antennas actually had better UHF performance unboosted than the new ones do with their booster. It's just one of those things that you just have to try the old one, and if you don't get a signal, try the new one.. you might get a signal after switching... you might not.

Some important things about digital tv signals... They are very much "line-of-sight" sensitive. They don't go thru buildings, hills, trees (especially Pine Trees), mountains, etc...
They have a limited range.. about 30-40 miles depending on the strength of the stations transmitter, and when you reach the outer limits of the range.. they quit. ... you don't get snow or fuzzy tv like the old days.. with digital, you either get a signal strong enough to view it, or it won't view at all.

Lastly, HDTV is not the same thing as digital tv. All TV's after March 1, 2007 will show a digital signal... but only an HDTV capable tv will show them in HD if it is available. Many stations now broadcast in HD...and you can watch them on any tv that can show a digital signal... but it will only be in HD if watching it on an HDTV. All TV's that have picture tubes in them (the old style TV's) are always non-HD. Most LCD,DLP, or LED TV's are usually HD, and all Plama TV's are always HD. You can watch digital tv on old style tube type TV's (like the original 13" color tv that came in our '88 Georgie Boy) if didn't come with a digital tuner, by simply installing a digital tuner box at Walmart (about $40).

[Madathlon]

Thank you Lefty, I know about the Tuner part but was very unsure about the antennas. This does answer so many questions I have had about the Winegard antenna on my roof, I do need to get a new head part because mine is bent but otherwise from what you said seems I do not need to change anything else on the RV for the TV.

Thanks again Lefty. 

[SoakedKarma]

Im_Still-Lefty is soooo correct.. 

1989 Winegard on my rig works wonderfully with forward 23" HDTV and rear 48" HDTV..  you will receive both HD 1080p or i and 720p signals as well as 480p SD on station sub channels..  Free HDTV, I have been watching it for several years.

Currently using Internet enabled 48" HDTV to access high speed AP connection for NetFlix, Vudu, CinemaNow, YouTube  applications and it connects to Winegard just fine for local broadcast HDTV as well..  You do need an external WiFi antenna to receive signals at 50 yards or more..  My setup is a 28 DB receiving dish and a 18 DB transmitting Yagi antenna connected to an old Linksys WRT54GS router running DD-WRT v24 firmware, connected to TV via ethernet cable..  Router configured as a repeater also extends computer WiFi connections..  Mast is PVC electrical conduit which fits perfectly inside 1 1/4" drain vent..  If it's free, It's for me..

Don't get me wrong NetFlix, Vudu, or CinemaNow are not Free but my connection for the most part is.. No buffering problems, i.e. pause, when connected to high speed AP.. While I have a Sharp internet enabled TV, Samsung seems to offer the most internet apps on their TV's..  The longer you wait the more options will be available..

[M & J]

I'm sure that setup works great. What model parabolic is that? For 2.4gHz the spacing in the reflector seems a bit large.

[Lefty]

I use my laptop on our TV to watch Internet TV/Movies. My laptop has an HDMI port built in... which simply hooks up to the TV's HDMI Input. Doing so turns the tv into an additional monitor for the laptop. I have a Pandora acct, as well as DirectTV Anywhere via our Dierct TV satellite service at home. With that, I can log in and watch anything on Direct TV over the internet that I could watch at home (If you get movie/sports at home, you get them online.. if you don't get them at home, you don't get them online either...).
Just mentioning it because it's a way to watch internet based movies/TV without buying a internet capable TV.

Most all laptops have some sort of port for hooking up an additional monitor. If you have an HDMI port, that is the best and gives true 1080 HD and digital sound. If you have an older laptop, you may have either an S-video output, or a VGA output. The S-video gives better picture than a VGA output, and most TV's have an S-video input on them... The VGA output might need an adapter to be able to hook up to the TV, but some TV's do have VGA input ports on them as well. Both the S-video and the VGA ports will also need an audio cable to supply sound, unlike HDMI which has the sound on the same cable. You can use the headphone output jack on the laptop, but usually will need a special "male-mini-port to female-RCA Y-adapter".. and then a set of RCA cables... to get stereo sound.

[Madathlon]

While this is all good info, It is a bit off subject. If I can get a internet signal I have a ROKU player for TV. But at times I may have to boondock and getting a local TV signal will be nice.

I needed this info because I was NOT sure about if the Old 1984 Ant would work at all.

But now I know thanks to the members here, and thanks guy

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

The long rear section of a Wingard is a simple dipole antenna tuned to for best reception on the VHF band.  While my original antenna is a logarithmic antenna the Wingard dipole section acts the same as the longer rods on mine:


VHF - The Wingard Wingman addition just converts the tuning of the basic Wingard dipole antenna to function like a logarithmic antenna like mine.  The shorter arm section of my older antenna was tuned for VHF operations that most digital channels now use.

Net result is antennas are antennas that are tuned for reception in a specific frequency range.  The current Wingard antennas are simply not as complicated of a design as my 70's era but ORIGINAL Braund antenna.  BTW, Braund is still in business under the name Barker Mfg.
Dave

[SoakedKarma]

I'm sure that setup works great. What model parabolic is that? For 2.4gHz the spacing in the reflector seems a bit large.

You would ask the hard question had to check on laptop I was using 2 years ago..
Premiertek ANT-GRID-24dBi Outdoor 2.4GHz 24 dBi  bought through Mwave..
I see I got the DB wrong it is just 24 not 28 dbi oh well works well enough for me.. 
One thing I have to say for Mwave is their free return policy.. first antenna arrived with a manufacturing defect, I received prepaid return shipping sticker and they sent replacement post-haste all at no charge..

@ DaveVA Your  yagi type antenna looks digital ready to me.. Had a long conversation with a fella looking at digital ready rabbit ears in a store years back to the consternation of sales staff.. We discussed trying a little aluminum foil with his current rabbit ears or upgrading to an old style outdoor VHF/UHF as yours..  Raising the altitude of antenna or obtaining a yagi with many elements for fringe reception...

Wish I knew more about radio like some Ham operators I have known, was studying for amateur license when Viet Nam got in the way.. §hit happens..

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

yagi type antenna looks digital ready to me

That has been part of my point.  We land lubbers have had digital ready antennas every since the UHF channels hit the scene 50 years ago.  Thats the original 1970's era antenna delivered with these rigs.  Even the wingman mechanical modification does nothing more than change the Wingard antenna from a dipole (tuned to VHF) to a yagi antenna tuned for better UHF reception.

Dave

[Stripe]

That's the same antenna on my '77, and it worked great for pulling in a LOT of stations.  Used it in conjunction with an android app called "TV Helper Free" and a Radio Shack Digital to Analog converter. The app has a compass and map function to help aim the antenna.