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Q We can't get a digital TV signal over the air. We already tried a digital converter box, then a new indoor HDTV antenna, then a new digital TV. We get analog broadcasts from local stations, but not the digital ones. Do we need a stronger antenna on the roof or in the attic?
RITA DOUCET, MINNEAPOLIS
A It sounds as if you may have an antenna problem -- or an antenna location problem.
For advice on the type of antenna you need, check out www. antennaweb.org, which is run by the Consumer Electronics Association and the National Association of Broadcasters. I typed in your address, and the website suggested you should need only the smallest of digital TV antennas. But some experts say antenna placement is a big issue because digital TV reception is more sensitive to barriers such as hills, trees and buildings than is analog TV. Analog signals subjected to those barriers degrade gradually, producing snow or shadows on the screen (ghosting). Digital signals produce a good picture until the signal gets too weak; then the picture is lost altogether.
Moving the antenna to a higher location in a room, or near a north-facing window (toward the broadcast antennas in Shoreview) may help. An antenna sometimes works better in the attic. For more information, see www.fcc.gov/cgb/ consumerfacts/dtvantennas.pdf.
Q I use the Outlook 2007 e-mail program, and for several months I have been unable to delete large files in my inbox. I get an error message that says "the folder is full." I am also unable to delete files in the deleted files folder and the sent files folder. I get an error code that says "the message interface has returned an unknown error." This began to happen after I started using my iPhone. Could the iPhone have anything to do with it?
KAREN BEGHLY, CIRCLE PINES
A It's possible. To properly synchronize your iPhone with Outlook 2007, you need to activate Outlook's "iTunes Outlook Add-in."
In Outlook 2007, click on Tools and then Trust Center. Under categories, click Add-ins. Under the heading "Inactive Application Add- ins," look for the iTunes add-in. In the manage box, click COM add-ins, then click Go. In the COM Add- Ins dialog box, choose, iTunes Outlook Add-in, then click OK.
Other adjustments that may help include making sure your PC has the latest iTunes software, resetting your synchronization history in iTunes and disabling third-party add-ins used by Outlook 2007. For details, see support.apple.com/kb/HT1692.
E-mail your technology questions to steve.j. alexander@gmail.com or write Tech Q&A, 425 Portland Av. S., Minneapolis, MN 55488-0002. Include full name, city and telephone number.
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