Boosters In Argos

JBoyle4eva

Does anyone know if the Boosters for TV's(I can't remember what page) in the Argos actually improve your TV reception? I'm thinking of getting one for my UTV & C4, because the reception's bad on those channels!

byte

Hmm, you'll need to elaborate a bit. If it's a plug-in booster, I'd imagine any gain in picture quality may be marginal (if any).

SRB

You'd be better off with a dedicated Mast Head Amp for those channels. That kind of Booster is generally wideband and most are UHF/VHF thus tend to pull in anything out there, and can end up making your picture worse

lawhec

For Analogue reception they may be of a little improvement but you must remember that it will amplify any noise along with the wanted signal. Amplifiers are always best postitioned as close to the aerial as possible (hence the masthead amp already mentioned).

I do have a one output Labgear booster bought from Argos that I use to help improve my Bedroom DTT reception but a different rule applies there - they're very useful in the case where the noise floor is OK but the actual signal is a little bit weak, and the downlead to it from a loft aerial is only a few metres.

JBoyle4eva

So, what I'm hereing is that it'll improve sound but it won't really improve picture? I'm a total airhead whe it comes to this, so could someone make it clearer for me?

Noise in broadcasting is a fancy term for picture interference/static.
So what he's saying is that it might increase the signal strength, but it might also increase the interference/noise thereby cancelling out the benefit.

JBoyle4eva

So I shouldn't buy a booster then. But does anyone know anything I can buy that will improve the reception on my terrestrial antenna?

A better aerial, perhaps.
If what you have is a grid type aerial you can get one grouped instead for the tx you are pointed to.

JBoyle4eva

Well, my nearest mast is Glenamaddy, Co. Galway. But, there's tree and forestry blocking the signal for BBC, C4 etc, so my parents got an aeriel that's nearly 30 feet high just to get a faint signal from Glanamaddy, but it's awflu. Anyone know another mast around the area that I could get my aeriel pointed towards?

Oh you are using a deflector ie a privately run transmitter rebroadcasting NI channels.

What are the channel numbers ie uhf frequencies.
You could get two of the correct grouped aerials for them and put them up as a twin aerial with mast head amplifiers and that would improve it for you.
Ask a local installer for details.

byte

If the aerial is 30ft high, I would have assumed that a masthead amp would've been used. A twin aerial setup as described above should improve a bit. You'll only gain an extra 3dB though. Double up (4) to gain an extra 3dB! That would be extreme!

Was pictures ever any good? Sounds like the trees are blocking a lot of signal, especially considering deflectors are usually low power affairs.

watty

The boosters / amps in argos are no use for weak signals. They are useful for driving TV splitters, long cables and multiple TVs etc.

best option is a better aerial

Higher aerial (bigger pole).

The mast head amp should be lowest noise (high gain is not much use, except for very long cable feed) you can get and no closer than 1.5m / 4ft to aerial and no further than 2m/6ft away.

Improve signal and reduce interference pickup by using satellite grade (copper foil and braid) cable such as CT100.

If the mast amp boost the signal too much, an attenuator fitted at the TV end works better than one at the mast end, as any noise / interference picked up on cable will be reduced too.

JBoyle4eva

Originally posted by byte
[B Was pictures ever any good? Sounds like the trees are blocking a lot of signal, especially considering deflectors are usually low power affairs. [/B]

Yes, picture can be good from time to time, but mostly when the weather is cold(ie. a frosty night) where there is no interference at all! What does this mean? Also, I think my mum was saying that are aerial is so huge because it's oicking up the Enniskillen mast for the english channels. But I couldn't be 100% on that.

Mike 1972

If the aerial is vertical its definitely recieving a deflector signal

If its Horizontal its probably recieving "Enniskillen" (Brougher Mountain Co Tyrone) directly

JBoyle4eva

It's HORIZONTAL!!!

Galway

rip where exactly are u?im nr corofin tuam co galway. As far as I know Glenamaddy deflector is at Creggs and is vertically polarised group c/d. There are other deflectors u mite be able to pick up too if i know ur location. In roscommon Enniskillen can be picked up direct using horizontally polarised yagi aerials (not grid ones) hwihc have very little gain

JBoyle4eva

I'm in the village of Newbridge, It's between Ballygar and Mountbellew! Do you neeed any other info?

Galway

u might be able to get a signal the deflector systems from balla (mayo) or kiltimagh or even loughrea. if u want i can take a look at ur ste up sometime and advise u. u need an efficient aerial system first and masthead pre ampthe set back boosters are only for 2nd sets.