What type aerial for Mpg4

redman

Hi

I will be putting in new cables to feed the Sky HD box (already have sky+)
I have a sony hd with uilt in Mpeg4 decoder but the signal in using an indoor (powered) isn't great (I am in Dun Laoghaire area)

Thinking of putting up a small external aerial outside to be less unsightly and hopefully stronger signal inside.
Is there one that anyone on here would recommend , I am looking for something not too unsightly and would feed a coax in with the new additional coaxs for the sky HD

Cheers
Redman

watty

There is no such thing as an MPEG4 or Digital Aerial*.

You can use same type of coax.


If you get TV from Three Rock, then any type UHF wideband aerial on the Chimney will give all the analogue and Digital channels.



(*In fact all Digital transmissions are carried on analogue signals. Only morse code ever used a digital signal, though morse itself, is actually a quaternary code, not binary)

fat-tony

Woodies sell cheapo wideband aerials which would suffice if you have a reasonable view of Three Rock. The mounts are rubbish, though - mightn't survive too long outdoors. Try locating it in the attic first - you may get a reasonable signal.

redman

Granted that is true, so excuse my terminology but I presumed people would understand what I am seeking to achieve. Part of my reasoning for describing it as digital is I presumed you wouldn't need as big/ugly an aerial as you would for a traditional analogue signal.

I am look for something simple I can place on the side of the house.
Do you have a UHF wideband aerial that you would recommend and where does one pick one up around town?

watty wrote: »

There is no such thing as an MPEG4 or Digital Aerial*.

You can use same type of coax.


If you get TV from Three Rock, then any type UHF wideband aerial on the Chimney will give all the analogue and Digital channels.



(*In fact all Digital transmissions are carried on analogue signals. Only morse code ever used a digital signal, though morse itself, is actually a quaternary code, not binary)

redman

fat-tony wrote: »

Woodies sell cheapo wideband aerials which would suffice if you have a reasonable view of Three Rock. The mounts are rubbish, though - mightn't survive too long outdoors. Try locating it in the attic first - you may get a reasonable signal.

Thanks for that, I'll take a look at what they have-what sort of size are they & prices? It'll be easier for me to trail wires down the side of the house than put it in the attic, as long as I don't need to have it on the roof.

fat-tony

I think there is a kit for about €25 which includes 10m of cable (white - generic) and some connectors. The mount can be screwed into the fascia (where the gutters are).

redman

thanks fat tony

snaps

I wouldnt recommend screwing into facia boards etc. Only proper brackets into concrete really is the way to go. Even a small uhf aerial on a pole will create some load on the brackets during high wind.

If your house is new, there will be a high chance the house may have cables for tv aerials already in place in the attic?

A lot of sky installers will put up a dish and then use the feed from inside the attic down to the tv point.

If you do go the attic route, keep away from water tanks, pipes, cables etc. All create interfereance etc.

redman

Thanks snaps, I'll be putting onto concrete on the side

Its an old house so no nice internal cabling :rolleyes: but it is a nice simple route down outside by the sky dish and straight into the room with tv

watty

redman wrote: »

Part of my reasoning for describing it as digital is I presumed you wouldn't need as big/ugly an aerial as you would for a traditional analogue signal.

Pretty much only true on Three Rock.

Digital needs a better signal to work at all than analogue Fringe reception and only slightly not as strong an aerial as analogue that gives perfect analogue reception. Assuming the power is the same.

Overall most people will need better aerials than they have now and coverage will be poorer due to not enough TX sites. All more to do with different channels and power rather than Analogue vs Digital.

Antenna

watty wrote: »

Pretty much only true on Three Rock.

Also Spur Hill, where the RTE Digital test is being transmitted with much greater power than the analogue.

There is obviously a strategy to allow very basic aerials to work with DTT for a high percentage of people in the main cities.
It would also makes it easier for cable viewers in Dublin to defect to Boxer if no expensive outdoor aerial installation is required.

However viewers in most rural areas shouldn't be put under the illusision that they will have easy reception of DTT.

fat-tony

snaps wrote: »

I wouldnt recommend screwing into facia boards etc. Only proper brackets into concrete really is the way to go. Even a small uhf aerial on a pole will create some load on the brackets during high wind.

Normally I'd never recommend using the fascia, but the particular aerial in Woodies is small, cheap and flimsy with a pressed aluminium bracket which screws into the wall or chimney (or timber!). The aerial attaches to this via a light aluminium square tube and the adjustment for direction is with a notched plastic adjuster and a little wing-nut. The aerial will fall apart long before it does any damage to the fascia. It's really only suitable for attic mounting, but the instructions indicate it can be used outdoors. I've had one on the chimney since before Christmas - reckon it might last till mid-year and I'll be off to buy a proper group c/d.

Myxomatosis

redman wrote: »

Part of my reasoning for describing it as digital is I presumed you wouldn't need as big/ugly an aerial as you would for a traditional analogue signal.

I am look for something simple I can place on the side of the house.
Do you have a UHF wideband aerial that you would recommend and where does one pick one up around town?

If you don't want something big and ugly you could try something like this

Not sure how effective it would be however.

watty

It's rubbish waste of money.

watty

Don't mount ANYTHING on the Fascia

Many are held on by cobwebs and wishful thinking. Even the flimsiest aerial could pull off or pull off the whol Fascia in an ordinary storm.

podgeandrodge

I know I will be shot for saying this but...

My €2 indoor aerial from the 2euro shop is bringing me in crystal dtt signals (Terenure) via my Globalteq.

watty

Depends where you are in relation to mast peak signal. For years I lived in a location where even a small screwdriver plugged into the aerial socket gave perfect pictures.

It's nothing to to do with your aerial Podgeandrodge, but your signal.

ixtlan

Antenna wrote: »

Also Spur Hill, where the RTE Digital test is being transmitted with much greater power than the analogue.

There is obviously a strategy to allow very basic aerials to work with DTT for a high percentage of people in the main cities.
It would also makes it easier for cable viewers in Dublin to defect to Boxer if no expensive outdoor aerial installation is required.

However viewers in most rural areas shouldn't be put under the illusision that they will have easy reception of DTT.

I guess this is why my 48-element wideband UHF aerial in the attic is giving a perfect image on DTT while analogue is dreadful. I'm about 7 miles from Spur Hill. Hope they don't turn down the power too much!

Ix

Martin_F

yes - I had perfect reception during the trail on an 8 inch loop aerial just hanging behind the tv - hardly more than a coat hanger. analogue was just snow mind...

watty

Only what they should have done 30years ago for Analogue. TV coverage for RTE in this country was always a sick joke compared to State/PSB in most of Europe and UK.