Philips PHDTV1 Silver Sensor UHF/HDTV Digital Indoor TV Antenna
by Philips Accessories
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Our Price: $279.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Philips PHDTV1 Silver Sensor UHF/HDTV Digital Indoor TV Antenna
Customer Review: Philips PHDTV1 HDTV-UHF is AWESOME
Summary: 5 Stars
I have basic cable and recently purchased a LCD HDTV. I wanted to watch HDTV but did not want to pay the additional cost to upgrade my cable plan to receive HDTV channels.
I tried the Philips Antenna based on reviews I read on AMAZON.
I first went to antennaweb.org and entered my address to find out the channels I might be able to receive. The web site indicated there are 7 HDTV channels in my area. I am picking up 9 HDTV channels. I pick up 6 of the 7 HDTV channels listed by the web site, plus a weather channel and 2 public TV stations that are "subsets" of their primary station. I do not receive the major NBC station because it is on VHF, but I can pick it up with this antenna as analog.
I have the antenna indoors on top of my entertainment center, not near a window, about 20 miles from the TV towers. There are no buildings in my immediate area that are taller than 4 stories (webantenna asks this question when you query the available channels). I located a direction that allows me to pick up ALL of these channels without moving the antenna.
The only item you should really be concerned with before you buy this is whether not having access to VHF channels are critical to your decision. I only have one HDTV channel that is on VHF and I can live with that.
To pick up the other channels my cable company offers that are not available through the antenna, I plan to pick up an A-B switch that allows me to plug in the Cable on the A and the antenna on the B. There is a third connection that connects to the TV. You then click the A switch for cable, and B for HDTV. I will also have to use the TV controller to switch between "air" (for HDTV) and "cable" (for cable).
A great way to receive HDTV for free and still have access to your other cable channels...with only minimal work on your part!!!
Customer Review: Pulls in More Channels on Digital Convertor Box for Analog TV
Summary: 5 Stars
Coupled with a Zenith converter box, this compact antenna pulled in 42 over-the-air channels on a Panasonic analog TV-VCR combination set, and produced strong, clear signals with excellent picture quality. Expensive rabbit ears (with an extra double loop) pulled in 37 channels, and produced fluctuating signals that resulted in frequent picture breakups and frozen screens that would not clear until the converter box was unplugged and plugged in again.
Since installing the Philips antenna, there have been occasional picture breakups, but no frozen screens. The breakups probably can't be avoided, because my home is surrounded by hills.
This antenna is lightweight, but not "flimsy", as some reviewers have reported. The antenna has sturdy "teeth" (not paper-thin metal flaps that the reviews led me to expect). Once installed, the antenna can be easily rotated 180 degrees in the stand to operate in either a vertical or horizontal position, thus increasing options for capturing maximum signal strength.
The plastic stand might be considered "flimsy", because the stalk feels a bit fragile, and the weighted base isn't very heavy, so that it is easy to dislodge the stand and antenna from the top of a TV set. However, unless you, your children, or your pets frequently knock the stand off onto the floor, the antenna should function well for years to come.
Customer Review: Silver Sensor great buy for the money
Summary: 5 Stars
Having a need for portable DTV 8VSB reception I looked around for reasonably priced UHF only set top antennas. I read a few reviews and Blogs claiming the Philips Silver Sensor antenna was highly recommended. I bought two from Amazon dot com, best choice I could have made.
I coupled the Philips Silver Sensor to my Zenith DTT900 ATSC converter box and was amazed at the reception. It does a better job than most set tops at rejecting off axis signals, in other words it is MORE DIRECTIONAL than the run of the mill UHF LOOP type set top antennas.
The antenna is not built heavy duty but is reasonable for most applications. It is a log-periodic directional wide band Yagi.
Being light and easy to assemble and disassemble it is great for trips such as vacations. It comes boxed as three pieces, the antenna, the base and mounting strut. There is a 75 ohm coaxial cable fitted with F connectors included for connection to your set.
A real plus to this antenna is the fact that the antenna itself has an F connector on the back end of the antenna and not a permanently connected cable. You can use the cable that came with it or choose a low loss longer cable for portable DXing.
I recommend this antenna to anyone needing UHF only local DTV reception, it does a great job.
Customer Review: digital antenna - it works!
Summary: 5 Stars
I got the antenna last night and I was skeptical that it would work after I opened the box. It doesn't plug into the wall? that perplexed me - because I was replacing an RCA analog antenna that did.
I re-ran the set up program to scan channels - and comparing the analog to digital - these are the results
RCA analog = 17 analog channels - only 6 that worked well
PHILIPS digital = 13 analog channels (more than half work well) - and 16 digital channels
Most of the digital channels were mirrors of the analog channels - but in 1080i definition - clear as they come. And those few extra added were icing on the cake.
I will need to explore how the antenna works still - because I noted that most of the digital are showing in full screen, while the analog are showing wide screen. I'd prefer them all to run as wide screen. I'm wondering if there's a setting on the tv that I need to change to, for this - or if it is the channel signal.
I also was hoping that the antenna would have an HDMI connection - but, it's a regular optical connection. Still - I'm impressed with the output and am glad I tried a digital antenna and am NOT paying a monthly cable charge for access to basic TV (all the major networks + a little more).
Customer Review: Wow. Can't say enough.
Summary: 5 Stars
First let me say that this antenna may NOT be the answer to everyone's prayers. But I will say that for a sub twenty buck antenna, it works phenomenally well. I'm lucky enough to live where the HD broadcasting towers are all in one direction, about 20 miles away. I first bought a Radio Shack antenna (DA-5200) and a Philips (MANT940) thinking more cash means more reception. I did not mount them outside as intended but made makeshift stands to test them. They are both amplified antennas and although they received signals OK, there was still plenty of digital pixelation on different channels, especially sports.
My friend then gave me an RCA (ANT1251) he wasn't using and it also did OK, but not great on sports.
After reading the very positive reviews for this antenna, I bought it.
To put it plain and simple, it smokes all 3 of the previously mentioned antennas and only from sitting on a cabinet near my TV with no amplification. If you want a very good, basic HD OTA antenna, then this is a great start. I have no pixelation watching hockey and football in HD.
I still plan on installing the other one(s) outside on a mast to see if I can get even better signal, but now I don't feel pressured to have to go through all that work right away.