Attic ariel and setup advice needed for Terrestrial and DTT

MAJJ

Hi,

I currently have a One 4 All Ariel used to pick up DTT. Signal is excellent although drops out sometimes when we stand a certain point it the room. On my LCT TV, as expected, the picture for Terrestrial is poor but DTT excellent.

I would like to get a attic arial that I can use for DTT and also as DDT is a trial I need the ariel to pick up RTE1,RTE2,TV3,TG4.

I live in Ballinteer and have LOS to 3 Rock.

I have searched and read many post on the forum and I need advice and ideally links to products/suppliers for my requirements.

At a high level I think but please feel free to correct me!

I need a wideband Ariel?
I need cable?
I need a way to split out the different feeds?
I want to put a basic fm ariel/wire there also?

I need a feed to the TV and I need a feed for the HTPC/Computer, while doing this I would ideally like to plan for the future and have the ability to have two extra feeds. Fortunately I can easily run cables.

Sounding like I'm very needy from reading the above

I would appreciate if someone can please guide me. Thanks for your time.

Thanks,
majj

MAJJ

Hi Folks,

One more try - can anyone advise? Even if a supplier wants to PM me and I'll call them.

Thanks in advance,
majj

Charles Slane

From the "DTT Trials - How to get it" thread -

"An 18 element wideband UHF aerial - they have them in Maplins (other aerial providers are available)."

For more info see -

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054986157&page=2

MAJJ

Hi Charles Slane,

Thanks for that. That's a start for me. Read so many posts but can't believe that I didn't even see that thread!! I see it gives FM too - great. I will contact maplins and get their view on what else they want to sell me to achieve my aim.

Any advice on how best to split out the feeds?

Thanks,
majj

watty

Maplins generally have no good advice regarding aerials. They recommend the "one4all" rubbish.

MAJJ

Hi Watty, any suggestions as to where I met get the advice I need. Thanks, majj.

MAJJ

Where can I purchase these items?


I need a wideband Ariel?
I need cable?
I need a way to split out the different feeds?
I want to put a basic fm ariel/wire there also?

I would appreciate if someone can please guide me. Thanks for your time.

Thanks,
majj

maxg

Normally your one4all should be good enough for 3rock in Ballinteer.
Try to place the thing behind a window in direction to 3rock.

MAJJ

Hi Maxg, thanks for your response. Can't get the cable over to a window due to room layout. The one for all is perfect most of the time but stutters when opening/closing the door!! I can however very easily route all my cabling to the attic.

I just need to know what to buy!!

Thanks,
majj

yellabelly

I have VHF and UHF aerials combined in my loft into one of these splitter/amps obtained from Maplins.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=33969&doy=18m2
It does the job for both 3 Rock (~50kms), Clermont Cairn (~60kms) and VHF radio.

MAJJ

Hi yellabelly, thanks I will contact maplins and see what they advise. Cheers MAJJ

Sam Russell

I bought a Sony Bravia LCD TV and the had UPC/NTL disconnected. At first I tried the rabbit ears from the ancient 14inch portable, stuck next to the telly. Worked great on DTT but not so good on analogue. Then I made a little aerial from a wire coat hanger, along with an old balun. The broadcasts are on 610 mhz, horizontal polarization. So I cut each leg to about 6 inches and bent them out so it is about 12 inches long, a dipole. I then selotaped it to the top of the telly and turned it for best orientation. DTT is 100% signal, analogue is unwatchable. I think the length I have used is too long but it was only a guess. Cost was zero.

I think a folded dipole might be better, but 100% is good enough.

Hope this helps.

MAJJ

Hi Sam,

Thanks for that, I want to get something that will give me a fall back and quality analogue reception as I don't want to rely fully on the trial.

Nice low cost solution for DTT

Ta,
Majj

MAJJ

Hi Folks,

In Ballinteer, signal from 3 Rock.

Not really knowing what else to do or where else to go, I went to maplins and have bought the following :

Large roll of CT100 cable, 47 element wideband antenna, 4 way mast head amp, power unit for amp and f connectors.

I currently have the ariel pointed in the same direction as my neighbours external arial. For the moment I have it sitting on the insulation and some wood.

I have the cable probably appprox 40 - 50 feet - directly running from antenna to the TV. I assume the amp is for a weak or split signal?

I have retuned my LCD TV and am getting little or no analogue signal, haven't tried digital yet and want to focus on the analogue first.

Can anyone advise where I may be going wrong. Please don't say - I went wrong by going to Maplins!!

I suspect my issues are possible the positioning of the antenna on the attic floor or the length of cable but would love some advice.

Thanks in advance for your time,
Majj

Galway

That stuff maplins sells isnt that cheap, cheaper to order from Uk specialist aerial companies esp with current sterling rate. SLX products aren' the best either - triax, antiference, televés and johansson amps etc are far better.

MAJJ

I know it's not cheap I'm after buying a load of it!

All I want to do is get it to work

Booms

Obviously, you've checked that cable connections are okay, and the coax isn't shorted?
You should have shedloads of signal in Ballinteer. Is your attic covered in metalic insulation that goes up the walls to the apex? That can really reduce your signal strength.
Try taking your aerial down to your tv room, where the one-for-all works okay, and when you've got an okay signal there, (and analogue is tuned in okay) then try it in the attic again.

maxg

@MAJJ
How much gain are delivered from the amp.
Its possible to over amplify a signal and a too strong signal is as bad as a too weak signal.
Try it without the amp.

MAJJ

Booms - nice simple idea. Thank you - will give that go and reply later.

maxg - not using the amp just yet - straight run from antenna to TV.

Thank you both for you advice and I hope to try later

cdixon

Hey ,
Let me know how you get on. I'm trying to do something similar.
I have an ariel in the attic for RTE1, 2 and TV3 but reception is not good (unwatchable on RTE2 for some reason ?) Not sure what type of Ariel I have see photo below) Do you need 2 types of Ariel to get RTE and TV3 ?
How do you tune for DTT ?

Ciarán

alo2007

Hi,
the aerial should point at 3 rock, however it needs to be horizontally and not vertically aligned. Turn it 90 degrees but keep it pointing at 3 rock and should be ok

Gadgie

cdixon wrote: »

Hey ,
Let me know how you get on. I'm trying to do something similar.
I have an ariel in the attic for RTE1, 2 and TV3 but reception is not good (unwatchable on RTE2 for some reason ?) Not sure what type of Ariel I have see photo below) Do you need 2 types of Ariel to get RTE and TV3 ?
How do you tune for DTT ?

Ciarán

You were given the answer to your reception problem here.

DTT requires set top box or TV with integrated tuner.

cdixon

Sorry Missed the first post. Thanks, will try that.

BowWow

alo2007 wrote: »

Hi,
the aerial should point at 3 rock, however it needs to be horizontally and not vertically aligned. Turn it 90 degrees but keep it pointing at 3 rock and should be ok

The aerial looks horizontal and on the floor to me, I think the way the picture was taken/uploaded makes it just look vertical

cdixon

Yes you are right. I took it with the camera vertical to fit it in. So it is correct then. I think it is pointing ssw so that would be Kippure. Should it point at 3 Rock ? 2 different posts say 2 different things.

I thought that 'Ghosting' in the picture meant that signal was too strong. Is this correct ?
I have connected the cable directly from Ariel to TV, do those wall plates contain terminating resistors to stop reflections in the cable or something ?
I'm still confused though because RTE1 and TV3 are ok but RTE2 is terrible ?
I'm fairly sure that I should get perfect pictures with this ariel so am convinced I'm doing something wrong.

maxg

A red coloured group A aerial doesn't help much for DTT from 3rock and there is no DTT at Kippure till now. Beside that a group A aerial is also the wrong one for the 2 analogue UHF channels from Kippure.
If a big enough wideband aerial is working for 3rock in your area you have to check by yourself. It looks like you get currently 3 analogue channels in the group A range from 3rock and the reception is not so good.

cdixon

Ok Thanks. (I'm pointing at Kippure) but I will look for another ariel.
Thanks all.