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Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Over the Air HDTV Antennas

One of the essential components you will need for an HDTV system is an antenna. You will see many advertisements for HDTV antennas but be aware that in many cases the same antenna would work for any digital television system; the most important features of an antenna is that gain, F/B ratio and directivity. These are the specifications that are most important to ensure clear reception on both digital and analog broadcasts.

Making the decision to purchase an HDTV system is becoming increasingly more difficult to postpone as broadcasters prepare to make the transition to the analog signal broadcasting behind to deliver their programming in high definition resolution. Owners of analog television sets can convert them to be able to receive digital signals but the cathode ray tube technology have a hard time competing with the resolution of an plasma or LCD monitor.

Surprisingly, Over The Air (OTA) antennas provide reception quality equal to and in some cases better than satellite or cable.

The first step in purchasing an antenna for your HDTV system is to make sure that you have a built in tuner. Many digital television sets on the market are being sold under the labels of "HDTV-ready". These DTV sets are able to receive high-definition video from a satellite or cable receiver but are not able to receive the signals from over the air broadcasting because they do not have a tuner. On a DTV set without a tuner the OTA HDTV broadcasts cannot be decoded into visual images and sound.

To determine whether or not the DTV has a built-in tuner simply look to see if there is an RF antenna connector at the back of the television set. A DTV set with a built -in tuner must have a connector to plug in an off air high-definition antenna.

There are outdoor and indoor antennas you can use:

An outdoor directional antenna receives high-definition signals from a longer range and must be aimed in a particular direction. This type of antenna is ideal if the source of your broadcasting signal is in the same direction from your location.

An indoor directional antennas but the reception is not as stable as the outdoor models. An amplified indoor antenna may give you better reception but in most cases an outdoor HDTV antenna is your best option for reliable reception. Make sure the cables are connected properly and the antenna is aimed in the right direction.

Many times the reception problem with the antenna is that the directivity or gain is too low to pick up the signal. The antenna is the least expensive component for your HDTV system, but it plays a crucial role in its enjoyment. In most cases you will be able to purchase a good-quality antenna for under $100.

Consumers need to be aware of how the various components of the HDTV system work and what their capabilities need for the best performance. shopping for an HD TV system with factual information will prevent confusion and will make you resistant to the HDTV hype that surrounds this technology and electronics being manufactured for it. Make sure to discuss the features of the antenna for your HDTV system with a salesperson and compare the directivity and gain of the best models before you buy.

HDTV Antenna is one of the things you should look at when upgrading your television system, learn more about high Definition Television at http://hdtvmainhub.com

Remembering Yoga Positions

Mindfulness and Humor: Celebrating Belly Laugh Day

My friend Elaine Helle in Oregon thought it would be fun to give the whole world something to laugh about.

As a laughter yoga teacher--her personal tagline is "Laugh for the health of it!"--she knows the power of a good belly laugh. And so, she started Belly Laugh Day, which will be celebrated around the world on January 24th at 1:24 pm local time.

On this day, people everywhere will pause in the middle of a busy day to smile, throw their hands up into the air and laugh out loud.

This isn't just one of those holidays that somebody made up and nobody honors. This one actually has coordinated silliness scheduled in places all over the globe. People will gather--or stop where they are at work or school or home--and laugh hard and long at the appointed time. Laughers will send in stories, photos and videos of their Belly Laugh experience to share with others on Elaine's website.

I've always said that if you're not laughing, you're not learning. Can you get through an entire day without laughing? You shouldn't. You see, there's power--and wisdom--in lightening up. If hours go by without a guffaw or at least a giggle, you're not allowing yourself to see the silliness all around you.

Oh, I know there are days when it doesn't seem possible to laugh. After all, terrible things do happen. But on 99 percent of your days, you've got a dozen reasons to laugh.

And the other 1 percent? Trust me on this: those are the days during which you are MOST in need of laughter!

I've laughed at the bedside of someone who is dying. I've howled while holding hands with someone who has tried (unsuccessfully) to kill himself. I've giggled even when I felt I couldn't take another day of life in this world.

Thank goodness.

You see, that's the tipping point. When you can laugh while smack in the middle of a crappy day-- or a real tragedy--you know you're going to be okay. You've tapped into the secret of the Belly Laugh.

Elaine knows the secret, and she's not whispering it. Instead, she's shouting it from the virtual rooftops, engaging gigglers from the north Pole to Antarctica.

Let Belly Laugh Day on January 24th remind you of the value of seeing the silliness all around you. Open your eyes and find something to smile about every HOUR.

What, you can't spare five seconds every waking hour? Then you SERIOUSLY need to lighten up-- or, as I like to say, get En*Lightened.

Yes, laugh out loud on Belly Laugh Day, but don't stop there. Make it your personal mission to have a laugh every hour.

You'll be happier, healthier, and a whole lot more fun to be around.

Maya Talisman Frost has taught thousands of people how to pay attention. Through her company, Real-World mindfulness training, she offers playful, eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To read her free tips and tricks for practical awareness, visit http://www.Real-WorldMindfulness.com

Teacher Training Winter Yoga