Smart Antenna technology and DTV

[Anonymously Submitted]

what is a smart antenna and where can i find one. i live in davenport, ia.

[Shane]

I found the following through a Google Search:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Antennas

Just out of curiosity, what has you searching for information on Smart Antennas?

- Shane

[Richard]

I don't know of any antenna application pr product for DTV that directly applies. Never even heard of the concept until this post. Some of the elements of this concept are already incorporated in DTV receivers as RF signal analysis and processing which has already dramatically improved DTV reception problems. I have not heard of an antenna designed to work with a receiver. Needless to say such an antenna design would likely be proprietary for both receiver and antenna.

If you check the IEEE 802.11n link in the Wikipedia entry you'll find this has to do with PC networking rather than HDTV.

this wireless technology's potential 248 Mbit/s data rate will finally allow consumers to move beyond traditional wired ethernet LANs.

[eliwhitney]

HI -

It is an indoor or "set top" digital unit that has changed in it's ownership quite a lot over the past few years --- current offered as the Zenith name, which was bought by LG in S. Korea.

Unless you live in the shadow of or can "see" your broadcasting towers, I respectfully suggest that you look additionally.

Put a DB-2 or DB-4 or even Richard's suggested Channel Master # 4228 in the back of a closet facing those towers, etc., IF you can not / don't have an attic. Here are all, including your "Silver" ... www.solidsignal.com

http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?prod=ZHDTV1

http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display ... OD=ANC4228

http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?prod=AD-DB4
eli

[miller]

It is not related to a particular brand of antenna.

Check this article in Broadcast Engineering about Smart Antennas and the Digital TV transition:
http://broadcastengineering.com/hdtv/smart_antennas/

Since these new converter boxes are being advertised "with smart antennas", many folks will be wondering what they are, and why they need them in their box.

I don't know the answer, but from what I've read, it would appear that if you have a box that supports "smart antennas", and you have a "smart antenna" hooked up to it, it may provide you with better reception of digital stations that with a "standard" antenna.

The article above indicates that digital signals may be harder to tune than the current analog signals, and that antenna aiming becomes more tricky unless you utilize a "smart" antenna.

- Miller

[drsiddall]

Smart antennas for DTV are those that are electronically steered, rather than physically turned. CEA has a standard for controlling such antennas, CEA-909, so that different manufacturers' equipment will work together. Funai and Nxtwave (now part of ATI) led the field, and there are a number of DTV converter boxes with the approved connector to accomplish this. NTIA addressed this in their converter box rules, and allowed boxes the option of including a connector to control appropriate antennas. The RCA 800B is one of 5-6 CECBs that has the electronic steering capability and connector and also approval for NTIA's converter box program.

See: http://www.afterdawn.com/hardware/produ ... ca_dta800b
Smart antenna (Smart antenna)
A smart antenna system combines multiple standard antenna elements with a signal-processing capability to optimize the reception pattern automatically in response to the signal environment. In other words, smart antenna saves the trouble of manually adjusting the antenna for optimal reception.

The DTA5000 antenna is the one most available for TV reception to work with the DTV boxes. See:
http://www.summitsource.com/dx-antenna- ... -6320.html

Tests that I did several years ago with the DTA3500 (an earlier version with its own controller) were impressive. Note that this can work inside, such as an attic, but is weatherproofed and designed for outside mounting. I have a large antenna that physically rotates automatically based on the channel to which I tune through a programmable rotator, but I am thinking of replacing it with one of these electronically steerable arrays. The forward gain of the DTA5000 is less in the main beam of my large antenna, but it is more durable in the high wind / ice environment where I use it (2300 + feet high in the West Virginia mountains, outside of the Grade B countours for ALL stations!).

David Siddall

[eliwhitney]

Hi Again -

I apologize for the incorrect reference - here's a correct one by Channel Master --

http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display ... BO-ANC3000

Obviously got .. silver .. / smart ... mixed.

eli

[Richard]

miller and David, thank you for your posts!

Do you either of you know of any full featured DTV receiver using Smart Antenna technology?

I am quite shocked that it took this long for this Smart Antenna question to show up. Not one press release especially during CES 2008, a prime time to inform the industry! This is a fascinating approach for RF antenna reception and DTV and could not come at a better time.

After all these years of manufacturers advertising digital antenna, DTV antenna or HDTV antenna it has finally become true. We will be keeping an eye out for these new products.

This is a great moment to point out how inadequate Wikipedia can be regardless of the intelligent all knowing appearance it portrays. It should always be considered a back up to what you already know (which kind of begs the question of why use it). That said, I am surprised the DTV application is missing.

David, thought you might want to know that DTA5000 link says the product is no longer available. Researching this site further I did find one currently available.

Channel Master 3000A (green)
They are also using the phrase SMARTenna

Doing further quick research Channel Master appears to have the only current Smart Antenna out there. another site for purchasing...
www.SolidSignal.com

To top it off I just updated HDTV: What is it? (DTV)
viewtopic.php?t=3185

Checking the FAQ section I found nothing about this new technology, boxes or antennas. Let the consumer remain uninformed - us too for that matter!

Doing a search on the NTIA site, http://www.ntia.doc.gov/
, I found 177 entries and the top ones are dated for the late 90s

Doing a Google site search of NTIA I found

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/frnoti ... ule_2e.htm
See sections 39-47 and 94

A PDF titled DTV Convertor Box Coupon Program, Information Sheet for Manufacturers
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/dtvmanufacturers.pdf
See page 1 and 8

We welcome any further information on Smart Antenna products!

[miller]

Hi Richard,

I found this page while Googling:
http://www.ezdigitaltv.com/

There are several boxes listed there if you search this page for "Smart". I'm not sure how up to date this page is, but perhaps it will give you a start. It was the first Google results while searching for "smart antennas and the digital transition".

Did you read the Wikipedia entry? From the entry:

In 2008, the United States National Telecommunications and Information Administration began a major effort to persuade consumers to purchase digital television converter boxes. Through this effort, many people have been exposed to the concept of smart antennas for the first time. In the context of consumer electronics, a "smart antenna" is one that conforms to the EIA/CEA-909 Standard Interface, such as the model DTA-5000 marketed by Sylvania.

What more did you expect the article to have? I think you underestimate the value of wikipedia. I go there first for all my answers. If I need to verify anything, most of the well-written articles have plenty of references to reliable sources. A few clicks from there and I know everything I need to.

Missing information in Wikipedia is a different story, but that's why you (yes you) can edit the articles to provide the appropriate information. That is the beauty of Wikipedia.

Hey, that gives me an idea: You guys there at HDTV Magazine should start a Wiki. All of the content is licensed such that you can host it on your site, and make articles better where needed. You guys could be the most complete reference on the web for HD info.

Just a thought,

- Miller

[Richard]

Did you read the Wikipedia entry?

I thought I did but I am now embarrased...

Wiki has errors and that has been discussed amongst staff numerous times.

You guys there at HDTV Magazine should start a Wiki.

Are you a mole?

We are in the midst of such a discussion right now. We have our own glossary and two encyclopedias in HD Library that we discussed transferring to our own Wiki and that will be very time consuming on it's own. Going through their stuff on top of it is going to be a problem.