HDTV Coat Hanger Antenna ( Babblin5) Review

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Tips Tutorials Gadgets Experiments 3labrats Tv Hdtv Antenna Episodes 1 Season
3labrats
  • By: 3labrats
  • Subscribers: 3
  • Updated: 29-Jan-08
  • Videos: 1
  • International Basic English
  • Comments: 28
  • Views: 18,942
  • Added: 26-Jan-08

3labrats, we test out how to videos on metacafe from babblin5 and others. To prove wether they are real or not. This is of babblin5's coat hanger HDTV antenna. Wich by the way came out 1000% true.

  1. Categories: How To, Science & Tech
  2. Related Link: Detailed Instructions On This And Other Videos
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Comments on

HDTV Coat Hanger Antenna ( Babblin5) Review

27 Comments | Add Comment
  • question

    would solid copper wire work? instead of coat hangers?

    By gsrguy1 1202093005 Reply Spam [+1] Moderate Up Moderate Down
    • Even Better

      Yes, if you can get a gauge of solid wire stiff enough to support it's own weight, it will not only work, it will work better! The less resistance a wire exihbits, the better it will work, as an antenna actually caries very very small voltages induced into it from EM radiation. IE the radio signal you are trying to recieve. Thus the lowere the wire resistance, the larger the voltage that reaches the reciever

      By fentanyl3 1203809396 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
    • uhhhh....

      I have no clue.
      As I said in the video this is a very easy to build project. So if you would like go ahead and try it out. I would but I just dont have any solid copper wire laying around the house. Plus I would just go with the coat hangers. They are free from the dry cleaner. And like 99cents for 20 at the dollar store. So just for simplicity stick with the coat hangers.

      By 3labrats 1202177634 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • um

    isnt the music Turkcell?

    By tr-derin 1201955107 Reply Spam [+1] Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • question

    does this work on regular TV without HD? i m lookin for somethin that can get me clear channels on regular tV. i made this but it doesnt seem to help at all.

    By LittleStewie 1201673571 Reply Spam [+1] Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • cool

    is this a repeat from another videos?

    By flippen out 1201314550 Reply Spam [+1] Moderate Up Moderate Down
    • NO

      This is pretty much mythbusters on metacafe. we test out videos from popular producers on metacafe. To prove them true or false.
      This one is on babblin5's coat hanger hdtv antenna.
      So we show how easy it is to build.
      We show the results in the end.
      And show in the end if they are real.
      in this case,
      100% real.
      Better than expected, results.
      So we have proven that video real. :)

      By 3labrats 1201378403 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
    • o

      ok i get it

      By flippen out 1201379767 Reply Spam [+1] Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • What about aluminum wire?

    I have hundreds of feet of heavy gauge aluminum wire, will that work just as good as copper?

    By Clydesdale_ 1249228148 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • works better than radio shack but...

    works better than the antenna i bought at radio shack, however my local pbs affiliate on channel 19 does not come in at all. i could get this channel with some munipulation of my rabbit ears but no luck with this antenna. does anyone know why this would happen

    By 1967kwalker 1226359454 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • touching

    The "whiskers" must make good contact with the screws and the connector. Sand off coating. Where the 2 connectors cross, at both locations, make sure they DO NOT touch.

    By bobby dee 1214881877 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • short

    are the wires sapposed to touch were they cross? or does it not matter?

    By bobcunk 1207709052 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
    • Yes,

      They are supposed to touch, where they cross. It matters a lot. Make sure where they make contact it is solid. Keep it as secure as possible. ( if needed use zip ties to restrain the coat hangers to the board so that they stick together better.

      ssry 4 responding so late

      By 3labrats 1209091877 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
    • 1

      ok i had felt inbetwean so they wouldnt touch. i thougt it would short out the transformer thing. but it still gets great reseption. wht do they have to touch?

      By bobcunk 1209094984 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
    • Can you

      Please rephrase your questions I dont think I understand them completely.

      If possible post a quick video of the project so far or a couple pictures and I may be able to help you out even more.

      p.s. Remember the reason I make these videos is to help people out. So dont be afraid to ask questions if you are not sure of something.

      By 3labrats 1209188265 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
    • sorry

      sorry the spelling was a bit off and i was in a hurry. the question was why is it important that the coat hangers touch echother were they cross. wont that short it out?

      By bobcunk 1209232388 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • confused

    are the longer wires supposed to be cleaned off where they cross, they were not in the original video by Bablin5, and could someone tell me how to test the antenna with an ohm meter after it is assembled, i.e. across which locations the wires should be conducting? If the wires are crossed, there is a short across the terminals of the matching transformer, negating any signal going into the transformer, or am I completly wrong...

    By tiger345 1207111112 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
    • I am not a expert.

      But as far as I know you are completely wrong. I do know that there is a very, very, very low amount of electricty that passes through the waves from the stations antenna to yours. That is way to little to make a short ( if it is even possible a short would occur).

      Like I said in the video, We decided to clean off all of the coat hanger. As far as I know You must clear of the sections where they cross.

      If you have any more questions about the video please dont hesitate to ask. I will do the best to help make this work for you.

      By 3labrats 1209092220 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
    • .

      i think he meant that since the matching transformer has two wires wouldnt you not want to cross them. or is it that your only using a uhf singnal it doenst matter?

      By bobcunk 1209875550 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Distance from the tower

    Do you know how far away are you from the tower or the color code of your zone? If you in the red or the blue zone, then I would definitely try your method. You can find out the color code at antennaweb.org website.

    By T20 1204238936 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • distance from the tower

    Do you know how far away are you from the tower or the color code of your area? You can find it out at antennaweb.org If you are in the red, or blue zone, and still able to receive HD signal, then I will try the build too.

    By T20 1204238786 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
    • O.K.

      I just checked that out for you.
      I recieved 1 Channel (HD) in the green zone.
      All RED Zone (HD) channels and all non HD.
      2 BLUE Zone HD Channels and all regular.

      Goodluck.

      By 3labrats 1209092745 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • works

    I tried it last night with random coat hangers from my closet and I get every digital channel except for one. Confirmed in my book.

    By WeRDisturbed 1202749327 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Here's a tip...

    For a better looking antenna, make use of the corner bends in the hangers for the V shaped pieces. Just clip to size at 7 inches each side. Its' easy to tighten up the existing bends if needed with a pair of pliers. The only real unbending needed is for the 2 long hanger pieces. Also, if you have Dremel or a grinder, it makes for much faster removal of the coating around the hanger wires. Have fun making this, it works very well. I just made one and it is in my attic bringing in local HD channels to Media Center PC.

    By chuck827 1202438854 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
    • Awesome

      Thanks for the tips.
      It is really awesome to know that somebody actually went and tried this out.
      I have one request. Do you mind shooting a quick video of it and posting it?
      The reson I made this is to prove it is real.
      So if you could post a video of yours it would be awesome thnx.

      By 3labrats 1202547911 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Make sure

    -To watch this video all the way through.

    -Also expect another even more detailed video of this project, coming soon.

    By 3labrats 1201908286 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
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