An HDTV (High Definition Televsion) is not an HDTV if you are unable to access any HDTV stations from it. A recent configuration consisted of an analog suscriber cable connection connected directly to the HDTV, and where an analog suscriber cable connection is connected directly to an HTPC (Home Theatre PC). The HTPC is connected to the same HDTV. With this setup, analog television may be watched either through the HDTV analog cable connection or through the HTPC directly connected to the HDTV and digital television is aviable through the builtin HD tuner of the HDTV.

The HTPC uses the WinTV-HVR-1600 MC model 1101 which is a dual format TV receiver for your PC. Additional specifications are available by Hauppauge. The card has served well with the analog cable connection, however, is unable to receive any digital broadcast signals.

In either case, none of the HD channels are accessible. After a little research, it was concluded to buy the Philips (MANT510) Indoor amplified antenna VHF /UHF /FM /HDTV digital with 50db amplification.

Several reviews had indicated that this little antenna would be the answer to the problem. The real concern was to add this antenna to the HTPC so that the digital broadcasts may be recorded. With little effort, this was connected and to our suprise digital stations were available.

However, at a cost. This may be an incorrect statement, however, it seemed that their was more CPU overhead causing additional delay when changing stations. The second variable, as with the typical digital distortion on any HDTV with poor reception, such is the case in this configuration. After a few minutes of watching television an obvious and interment regular pattern of digital and audio distortion became the norm. This was of varying degree pending on the HD channel selected. It became obvious that this configuration would not be a viable solution for recording television broadcasts in HD.

All is not lost, or is it. The Philips indoor amplified antenna was then connected directly to the incoming analog cable connection and then connected directly to the HDTV. The result, no noticable change in the incoming HD television reception. In fact, the existing analog cable was noticably impacted in a most negative way. There was noticable static, a bit of that analog blur and most likely the result of the inferior cable wire that accompanies this product or by the antenna’s on disign. In either case, the antenna has been boxed up and returned.