Need help with car tv antenna

[TuBulKane]

I have recently installed an indash 7in touchscreen double din aftermarket radio in my 04 X. It has a tv in it. I put the antenna on the inside of my windshield at the bottom where the dash meets the windshield. I believe its a boosted antenna. It plugs into the antenna port on the back of the radio. It also has a power and a ground wire. And has a little black box with a red light on it and two antennas come out of it. They have little sticky tape spots on it to mount to the window. Its working somewhat. Of course I dont get good recption when driving. And it does ok when parked. Im curious if maybe its not in a good spot. Its kind of under where the windshield wipers lay on the windshield. I really dont want to put it outside unless its a magnetic mount because of the car wash. I dont know if it would do any better in the back at the top of the rear window. And it the rear defrost will effect it. And I was also curious what else is out there that you guys are using that is working better. Ive heard some talk about digital tuners and stuff like that but Im not up to speed on any of this stuff. Any advice would help tremendously.

Thanks,
Tommy

 

[jluv]

All you can do is play around with placements and see if one works better for you than another. Don't expect too much.

I've had a decent amount of experience with TV tuners, including one using a telescoping metal antenna similar to one on old school in-home TVs, mounted in the back window, and another (Alpine) that used two V-shaped antennas mounted in the top corners of my windshield. Both worked okay at best, and I hated having that stuff in my windshield. It was just tacky looking. I discovered the same results as you. TV sucks while driving, and is decent on some channels while parked. You can literally move around and park at different angles to get better reception on certain channels. Think of how you used to have to move rabbit ears around in the home to get the best picture. Same deal, only now you have to move the whole car. I finally decided it worked so terribly that I chose to do without it and yanked the installs. In talking to the shop where I buy stuff, they have had the exact same results with any unit they've sold. It's just the way it is.

I'm waiting for the satellite TV setups (TracVision) to get smaller and cheaper, and will probably go that route. Good luck to you.

 

[TuBulKane]

Thanks

Yeah sounds like thats what it is. Like they say It is what it is. I was just hoping that someone knew about something I didnt. I am really having some trouble with this unit. nothing but the radio really wants to work. Or I just dont know how to use it. I think Im going to take it to a audio shop and see what they can do for me. Hopefully they wont rape me too bad. LOL!!!
Thanks for your advise.

Thanks,
Tommy

 

[jluv]

Yeah sounds like thats what it is. Like they say It is what it is. I was just hoping that someone knew about something I didnt. I am really having some trouble with this unit. nothing but the radio really wants to work. Or I just dont know how to use it. I think Im going to take it to a audio shop and see what they can do for me. Hopefully they wont rape me too bad. LOL!!!
Thanks for your advise.

Thanks,
Tommy

That's no good. What brand of head unit is it?

 

[Tbars4]

...Curious here...Is it digital??? ...Next month it wont' be able to reeive unless it is digital..

 

[jluv]

...Curious here...Is it HD ??? ...Next month it wont' be able to reeive unless it is HD..

Digital, not HD.

 

[TuBulKane]

My unit

Im not sure what name brand it is. It doesnt say. I bought it off of ebay. A HUGE!!!! mistake. They told me that it would work after the switch. With that said I would assume it is digital. But you know what happens when you assume. So they probably lied to me. I cant return it cause I altered the Mounting brackets. Hopefully if It doesnt work after the switch I can just get a digital tuner for it. Right? The book that came with it said that if the unit was fouled the just hit the reset button to return to the factory settings. Did that and ......Nothing. Im trying to communicate with them but the company is in Hong Kong. Theyre trying to help me but its not working out very good. I have to talk to them through my girlfriend cause she bought for me for Xmas and they wont have anything to do with me cause I didnt buy it from them. Pretty stupid I know. Im not sure about the HD. In the description it says it has a CPU samsung s3c2440a 400mhz. That is chinese to me. Anyone know what that means? Thanks guys.

Tommy