You might get a better signal once they do the switch-over in February. For now (at least in my area) they are broadcasting the digital signals UHF. I have contacted one of the engineers at the CBS affiliate in Des Moines, and his email explains a lot. This was written this past summer: It's actually not an issue with signal strength, but rather many stations are using *different* channels at this time for broadcasting digital, than they will be after 2/17/09. For instance, we are presently broadcasting our digital signal on UHF channel 31, because our VHF channel 8 is still tied up being an analog transmitter until next February. A digital receiver will already call our digital channels by their "virtual" names of "8-1" and "8-2", once the receiver initially discovers the signal on channel 31. But, our signal won't be on "real" channel 8 until next February. Channels 5, 11, and 13 in Des Moines are doing similarly with temporary UHF channels, and plans to move their digital signals down onto their traditional VHF channels next February. Other stations are going to stay on their present digital UHF channels, and are effectively already done with the digital transistion, except they still haven't shut off their analog transmitters. But even though our UHF channel is temporary, we are still broadcasting it at full strength. It's legally maxed-out at a level that is intended to replicate the coverage area of analog channel 8. BUT, receiving our digital signal just as well as analog depends on having home UHF reception that's just as good as VHF reception. Admittedly, for many homes, this is not the case. Some people have VHF-only TV antennas. Sometimes, the little "UHF loop" on their indoor rabbit ears don't pick up as well as the longer VHF aerials. In my opinion, the best kind of antenna is still the good-old-fashioned rooftop-style VHF/UHF antenna. But, even if you have one of those, old antenna wire or old signal splitters may be preventing the higher-frequency UHF channels from carrying down to the TV set as well as the VHF signals do. And, finally, UHF sometimes doesn't do as good of a job of holding up over long distances and penetrating natural or man-made obstructions as VHF signals do. Therefore, even though we are transmitting digital at "full power", there are a number of reasons that some viewers may not receive the digital as well as analog, most of them related to poor UHF reception. Some people may experience improved digital reception after 2/17/09, if they haven't already taken steps to improve UHF reception by that time.

Well, it's not wood. It actually sandstone-Marcella Ozark Mountain Gold. It is from a local quarry here in NE AR. There was a very active discussion about the pros/cons of using this several months ago(Think it fell off already). We absolutely love the look and (I) will just have to be diligent. This sample is tame looking. My slab in front of the fireplace was set yesterday. BEAUTIFUL! I need to go out and take a pic to post.

I would place the two chairs a little closer together semi facing the FP as well as facing each other. The little round table placed on the left side of the chair (if your sitting in the chair) and a smaller square table on the left of the other chair (if tour sitting on the chair) Place a couple of your favorite books that you like to read on these tables. I have a small little table next to my chair in my family room with my favorite books and it, (it also serves as a landing place for my tea cup) In the right corner a small writing desk and chair placed ca-ti corner so that you can glance out the window. On the big wall on the left, two tall large bookcases. I say bookcase because it's so much neater looking than book shelves. Also a small square-ish table in front of the chairs for games, etc. The side-boad, would you consider painting it darker? Perhaps you can place it on the wall between the two bookcases. It looks like you have a couple of small tables in there to use as props, to see if you like my table suggestions. Love the chairs, they are so rich looking as well as the little round table, that's why I see dark furniture, and bookcases in there. Joann

I would add drywall so that the fireplace is recessed. Not 2 levels of drywall. It will not look weird. Sorry but your existing recessed shelf is a bit odd looking as it is. You don't need to put the dvd player and and dish network box close to the TV. They can go anywhere in the room (anywhere in the house actually). There's a little receiver that you plug into the TV, and the other end is a transmitter that gets plugged into the dvd player and and dish network box. It transmits the signal wirelessly to the receiver you've plugged into the TV. Not complicated or expensive. Just be sure that the transmitter has enough plugs for all the things that currently plug into your TV, and if you have HDMI be sure that it is a HDMI transmitter too. We live in a wireless world now! I think the TV should be hung as low as possible. I would not worry about the light switch. There are brackets made to hold TVs on the wall. If you want the TV to disappear a bit more, paint the wall a dark colour, maybe one of the dark colours of the fireplace. Paint the light switch cover and plug covers too.