I'm located in central Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.First/second floor of the house where i would not be allowed to put antenna outside of balcony, on the roof (maybe up on a tree if i'm lucky).Pretty green, parky area with many trees that would surely block a signal.
Would like to hear needed equipment, reception suggestions for my area.I'm hoping for as many as possible of Toronto/Buffalo ones with PC card that i'm buying (Down to reasonable amount of those).
Mostly want to ask how are signal strenghts here, etc because so far wasn't very lucky with rabbit ears Zenith antenna and not good picture on most of those analog channels.
You're welcome to suggest!

I live in northern Etobicoke and am able to pick up all of the available Toronto and Buffalo stations with a Radio Shack (The Source CC) 15-1880 indoor amplified antenna. From what I've researched, this antenna seems to be the best indoor antenna for receiving HDTV signals. Some channels are tougher to get than others but hopefully when everybody starts sending out a full strenth signal there wont be any problems.

As for not getting a good picture on the analog channels with your Zenith antenna, unless it is amplified you probably wouldn't get a good picture with it. You will also find that the HDTV signals are easier to receive from a distance compared to the analog ones.

Thanx OTA AOK.I think that Etobicoke has it easier with being much closer to CN Tower and that's why i should have more problems with no direct view of it nor Buffalo.It is amplified antenna with adjuster of strenght and if digital versions are close to analog signal levels then i'm about to get under 20% on most with this antenna.Will look up at Radio Shack now.

Hi OTA AOK. Do you experience many drop outs or other reception problems with the indoor antenna, or is it similar to cable TV, always available TV?

Hi Weblurker, There are some stations that I can get all time but others that the signal is fine one day and then mysteriously seems to just drop off for a day or sometimes for just a few hours. I really think this is just due to the stations themselves lowering their signal strength for maintenance or whatever. NBC used to be like that all the time but now it is quite reliable (although from other posts in here I gather that was a common problem for others as well).

As for other factors affecting the signals reception, I live fairly close to Islington/401 where they are doing a lot of construction right now and I'm not sure but I think that is causing some disruption. I also notice that the weaker signals are disrupted when planes fly overhead and living close to the airport doesn't help any. I can only hope that when everbody goes full strengh with their signals that it will be "similar to cable tv".

To DJG, I'm actually not that much closer to the CN tower than Mississauga. I'm in northern Etobicoke, north of the 401 and west of Islington. Also most of the HD signals I receive from Buffalo I am unable to receive in their analog form, so you may be pleasantly surprised.

What's OTH? Over the hare pronounced with a cockney accent?

Thanks OTA AOK. Do you remember which stations give you trouble? I would guess that you can reliably receive all the CN Tower stations. Do you have problems with WGRZ and WKBW. IIRC, those are the two southernmost Buffalo transmitters.

Hi Weblurker, I actually get WKBW great and as of about a month ago, I get WGRZ great as well (it used to be the worst). The one station that I really have trouble pulling in is FOX WUTV. I can almost always get it but I have to move my antenna closer to the window and get it angled just right and even then the picture sometimes breaks up and pixelates, usually when planes fly overhead. I also have to usually angle the antenna in a slightly diferent direction in order to strengthen the Toronto1 and CityTV signals whereas the other Toronto stations I get fine when I have it angled best for Buffalo.

I hope all this info is helping somebody out there.

Thanks OTA AOK.

OTA AOK, very interesting.You're not getting Fox 29 or WB 49, etc in analog at all?Those are very weak here but, prolly, can still tell what they are showing.How about analog stations from Toronto?
How is strenght of digital versions?Can you view absolutely every digital station around including Grand Island, etc?
Sorry for so many questions at once, lol!

Hi DJG, when I said that I don't get most of the Buffalo stations in analog form what I meant specifically was that there are some I don't get at all like NBC, CBS and ABC and others like FOX, PBS, UPN and WB that I can get but not very well. With the HDTV tuner I am able to get them all (including Grand Island) much easier and in crystal clear HD (except for WB whose signal is very weak). As for Toronto, I am able to get all of the available analog and HD stations very well.

OTA AOK, i just bought PCI card and 32db antenna.Results are vary with even ~20% signal drop troughout day and not getting WB at all too.It's worst channel to pick up and we'll see if anybody's getting it in a topic i'm about to start.