WMC reception vs TV reception

[jfpesant]

I noticed that when my antenna is connected directly to the TV , I get a broader reception - mostly for American stations - than when my antenna is connected to my HTPC (with an Hauppauge tuner and WMC).

See here :

HTPC reception :
+ canadian stations 2.1 - 6.1 - 10.1 - 12.1 - 15.1 - 15.2 - 17.1 - 29.1 - 62.1

TV reception :
+ all the stations mentioned above
+ american stations 5.1 - 5.2 - 5.3 - 33.1 - 33.2 - 33.3 - 33.4
+ canadian station 47.1

Is this normal ? *Please note that I live in Montreal (H2P1Y5)*

Julien

[jfpesant]

Well, someone at Digitalhome.ca (here : http://goo.gl/1ozvwK) was kind enough to help me a little through this.

Here's what he had to say :

Yes, that's not unusual for a TV tuner to do better with marginal signals. The difference can be not only sensitivity, but also the ability to handle multipath reflections, and resist overload from strong local signals.

If this looks like your tvfool report, you have some very strong local channels that can interfere with the reception of weak signals, especially when they are in the same direction.

If you ground the coax with a grounding block that is connected to the house electrical system ground, it will help to keep the strong local signals from entering directly into your equipment enclosures.

And if my estimate of your location is correct, you have some very strong local FM transmitters that will interfere with TV reception; an FM filter is needed.

[Ken H]

I noticed that when my antenna is connected directly to the TV , I get a broader reception - mostly for American stations - than when my antenna is connected to my HTPC (with an Hauppauge tuner and WMC).

Is this normal ? *Please note that I live in Montreal (H2P1Y5)*

It's not normal but it can happen. Doesn't matter where you live. Digital TV reception results can be different with different tuners. Better designed tuners get better reception. Newer designed tuners get better reception.

If I had to bet, I'd say you might have an LG HDTV. In 1999, LG bought Zenith, who had just invented the over-the-air reception part of the ATSC standards for Digital TV. In general LG HDTV's can get marginal stations that other HDTV's or DTV tuners may not get, all other things being equal.