Digital TV likes clear signal path

December 31, 2008 By Steve Alexander

Question: If I buy a new digital TV, can I just plug it in and use it, as I do the old TV now? My son insists that it has to be hooked to an antenna, but the old televisions worked fine without one.

Answer: Whether you'll need an antenna depends largely on the terrain and other buildings in your area. Digital TV signals can be a bit more difficult to receive than analog signals because they are more sensitive to barriers such as hills, trees and buildings.

To learn more about HDTV antennas (and avoid getting scammed by claims that you need a "special" antenna), see http://www.hdtvant … a-guide.php, which offers tips such as: "There is no such thing as an HDTV antenna. Your antenna has no idea whether your signal is high definition or not."

Q: I cut out an article you wrote some time ago regarding free anti-spyware and firewall software but when I tried to download using the Web sites you listed, I was told the file couldn't be found. Are they still available and, if so, how do I access them? I'm a novice, but want to download this since the free McAfee software on my new Dell computer has expired.

A: For the free Spybot anti-spyware program, go to http://www.download.com, find Spybot Search & Destroy in the list of most popular downloads, and click on the link, which takes you to the Spybot download page.

For the free ZoneAlarm firewall, go to http://www.zoneala … oftware.htm, and choose the basic firewall at the far right. However, neither program will protect you against viruses the way your expired McAfee software did - which means you should get new anti-virus software right away. There's a comparison chart of 17 anti-virus programs at: anti-virus-software-review.topten reviews.com.

Q: I recently updated the latest version of Norton Antivirus on my Windows XP PC, but since then, my computer has been freezing. I often have to reboot several times to get it to work properly. Why is this happening?

A: I suspect your Windows XP computer lacks enough memory to handle Norton AntiVirus 2009. Symantec, makers of the software, says the PC "must meet minimum Windows Vista operating system requirements."

That means a minimum of a 1 gigahertz processor and 512 megabytes of RAM memory - and for optimal performance you need 1 gigabyte of RAM (the amount required for the widely used Windows Vista Home Premium).

___

© 2008, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Visit the Star Tribune Web edition on the World Wide Web at http://www.startribune.com
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

1.3 /5 (3 votes)  

Filter


Move the slider to adjust rank threshold, so that you can hide some of the comments.


Display comments: newest first

hlahore
Jan 02, 2009

Rank: not rated yet
Only partially true. Many HDTV will be on UHF, for which you will need to have a clear line of sight to the transmitter and a UHF antenna if you are more than about 7 miles away from it.

by the way - the link in the article does not work until you remove the comma or period at the end of the URL
Rank 1.3 /5 (3 votes)
Relevant PhysicsForums posts
  • How to calculate total compressibility in liquid porous solid system
    created3 hours ago
  • Need help reading 3-D
    created22 hours ago
  • A way to send and receive wireless data
    createdFeb 11, 2012
  • Calling function with no input argument
    createdFeb 10, 2012
  • Force free body diagram problem on gym equipment
    createdFeb 10, 2012
  • Empirical data regarding shower heads and water
    createdFeb 10, 2012
  • More from Physics Forums - General Engineering

More news stories

Google might launch Drive for cloud storage soon

(PhysOrg.com) -- Google's next big move, according to the Wall Street Journal, is a cloud storage service called Drive. Hardly first to the plate, Google is simply catching up to introducing its cloud reposi ...

Technology / Internet

created 11 hours ago | popularity 4.8 / 5 (5) | comments 4 | with audio podcast report

Iran blocks email, restricts net access: reports

Iran has further restricted access to the Internet and blocked popular email services for the past few days, in a move a top lawmaker said could "cost the regime dearly," media reports said on Sunday.

Technology / Internet

created 4 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 3

Love a click away in Indonesia's Twitter Republic

He was a geeky kid from Yogyakarta, she a glamorous city girl in Jakarta. In a country with one of the world's most vibrant social networking scenes they fell in love on Twitter.

Technology / Internet

created 12 hours ago | popularity 4 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Walney offshore wind farm is world's biggest (for now)

(PhysOrg.com) -- The Walney wind farm on the Irish Sea--characterized by high tides, waves and windy weather--officially opened this week. The farm is treated in the press as a very big deal as the Walney ...

Technology / Energy & Green Tech

created Feb 11, 2012 | popularity 4 / 5 (11) | comments 41 | with audio podcast weblog

Navy to begin tests on electromagnetic railgun prototype launcher

The Office of Naval Research (ONR)'s Electromagnetic (EM) Railgun program will take an important step forward in the coming weeks when the first industry railgun prototype launcher is tested at a facility ...

Technology / Engineering

created Feb 06, 2012 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (17) | comments 94 | with audio podcast


Overeating may double risk of memory loss

New research suggests that consuming between 2,100 and 6,000 calories per day may double the risk of memory loss, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), among people age 70 and older. The study was released today and will be ...

Scientists discover molecular secrets of 2,000-year-old Chinese herbal remedy

For roughly two thousand years, Chinese herbalists have treated Malaria using a root extract, commonly known as Chang Shan, from a type of hydrangea that grows in Tibet and Nepal. More recent studies suggest that halofuginone, ...

New method to examine batteries -- MRI from the inside

There is an ever-increasing need for advanced batteries for portable electronics, such as phones, cameras, and music players, but also to power electric vehicles and to facilitate the distribution and storage of energy derived ...

Lab study raises questions over nano-particle impact

Tests involving chickens have raised questions about the impact on health from engineered nano-particles, the ultra-fine grains commonly used in drugs and processed foods, scientists said on Sunday.

Injured boomers beware: Know when to see doctor

(AP) -- It happened to nurse Jane Byron years after an in-line skating fall, business owner Haralee Weintraub while doing "men's" push-ups, and avid cyclist Gene Wilberg while lifting a heavy box.

A mitosis mystery solved: How chromosomes align perfectly in a dividing cell

Although the process of mitotic cell division has been studied intensely for more than 50 years, Whitehead Institute researchers have only now solved the mystery of how cells correctly align their chromosomes during symmetric ...