Quality of TV picture through an aerial

IIMII

In Navan, I notice lots of these areas on housetops, and just from reading through the forum I take it that these are being used to pick up the Irish Channels.



I also came across this http://astraltv.ie/rte_aerial_31.html whilst trying to find answers to my questions.

What I'd like to find out is whetherpicture quality using an aerial such as this would be as good as the picture from Sky? I have a large TV (and aside from the risk of just being unlucky in terms of location whjen it comes to the signal), with the right gear, could this do as good a job as sky? And by I way of a second question if it was, is there away of integrating freesat (or a UK free satalitte card on a sky box) with this signal to have just one interface for both aerial and satalitte signals.

Apologies if this has been covered already - I didn't come across any threads that awswered these signals. Thanks.

Mike 1972

Top aerial is for UK channels
Bottom is for Irish channels

HappyHarry

Hi IIMII,

I'll have a go at answering this but I'm fairly new to all of this too, so don't take it as gospel.

It seems you want to drop the subscription and keep a decent selection of channels. As you already have a Sky dish and box you are in a good position already.

Quality of Irish stations via an aerial
The quality of signal is as you suggested a function of your location, however Irish Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) is on the way. There are engineering tests ongoing at the moment but the launch date is unclear. I think it was supposed to be Sept but that has been pushed out to ?? Anyway, DTT gives a very good picture no more snow effect on your picture, I guess it's as good as Sky (same say they prefer the picture to Sky) even without 'perfect' signal, the joy of digital! DTT also comes with a Electronic Program Guide for 7 days, and enhanced teletext.

To recieve Irish DTT you will need a suitable UHF aerial pointing to the right mast and a TV or Set Top Box capable of MPEG4 decoding. MHEG5 capability is required to get the advanced teletext.

At the moment I can only recieve Irish DTT. It's great when it works, but as it is an engineering test they turn channels on and off as they wish. Last week it was just 5 testcards, then one by one the channels came back. Not a big deal for me but be aware that you might have to put up with that for many months if you jump soon.


Single Interface
By a single interface I guess you mean you don't want to have to switch from one STB to another everytime you want to change to or from an Irish channel and have seperate EPGs on each box. You can get a combo set top box that can recieve FTA using your old Sky dish & DTT using your aerial e.g. Mvision HD200 Combo. There are other threads on this in the forum.

There is lots more info if you dig through the forum, good advice is not to invest too heavily in Irish DTT just yet, the specifications are well nailed down, but the launch is being held up by BCI as they want to launch a Pay offering over DTT at the same time as the 'free' stations.

watty

With a good aerial / signal, analogue is in theory better than Digital. In practice it is not Widescreen. DTT will be similar to RTE on Sky, which is higher quality than analogue or Digital on Cable and higher quality than many channels on Sky.

Analogue RTE is higher quality than many digital channels, that use lower bit rate to save money. It's higher quality than MMDS or Cable, in Analogue or Digital, provided you have a good enough outdoor aerial system.

IIMII

Thanks Happy Harry

HappyHarry wrote: »

It seems you want to drop the subscription and keep a decent selection of channels. As you already have a Sky dish and box you are in a good position already.

Spot on

HappyHarry wrote: »

I think it was supposed to be Sept but that has been pushed out to ??

Is that pushed back to the never-never or just a few months?

HappyHarry wrote: »

To recieve Irish DTT you will need a suitable UHF aerial pointing to the right mast and a TV or Set Top Box capable of MPEG4 decoding. MHEG5 capability is required to get the advanced teletext.

Yea, I have a 40" Samsung 1080p (would have to check model) which is a couple of years old and probably doesn't have the MPEG4 built in

HappyHarry wrote: »

By a single interface I guess you mean you don't want to have to switch from one STB to another everytime you want to change to or from an Irish channel and have seperate EPGs on each box. You can get a combo set top box that can recieve FTA using your old Sky dish & DTT using your aerial e.g. Mvision HD200 Combo. There are other threads on this in the forum.

I'll hunt those threads out - this is what I had been considering but just wanted to check the options, or at least educate myself on them initially

HappyHarry wrote: »

good advice is not to invest too heavily in Irish DTT just yet

How much could I safely invest in at this point? I take it the aerial equipment is safe from being superceeded but would the Mvision HD200 Combo be chancy?

watty wrote: »

In practice it is not Widescreen

I take it the picture would appear like re-runs of old matches from the 1990's and earlier that are shown every now and again?

watty wrote: »

Analogue RTE is higher quality than many digital channels, that use lower bit rate to save money. It's higher quality than MMDS or Cable, in Analogue or Digital, provided you have a good enough outdoor aerial system.

As above, what would be a decent quality aerial to invest in?

Thanks guys

watty

I take it the picture would appear like re-runs of old matches from the 1990's and earlier that are shown every now and again?

NO. I have perfect quality from Analogue. But it's 4:3 not 16:9. i.e. not Widescreen.

I think the Mvision HD200 Combo is not a good solution. Wait.

There is NO launch date for the service!

The aerial you need depends on your location. Seek a reputable & Expert local installer.

Test transmissions will operate for varying durations and are subject to regular variations and prolonged interruptions. The test transmissions will cease in the majority of areas once testing is complete.

Permanent transmissions will not commence until the service is formally launched by the broadcasters.

Under no circumstances should the test transmissions be considered an operational service.

Currently there are no approved STBs or iDTVs available for the Irish market. Approved equipment will be available in advance of the launch of the service.
Please note that the vast majority of UK "Freeview" boxes and iDTVs will not work on the Irish DTT service when it is launched.

DTT is not available at the moment and the actual launch date or dates is a matter for RTÉ, in respect of the public service multiplex, and the BCI, in respect of the three commercial multiplexes.

RTÉNL is currently undertaking live tests from a number of sites but these are subject to interruption from time-to-time and will cease once testing is complete and cannot be considered to be a “live” service.

Please note that no STB's (set top boxes) or iDTV's (Integrated Digital Televisions) have been approved for the Irish market as yet.

http://rtenl.ie/dtt.htm

IIMII

watty wrote: »

NO. I have perfect quality from Analogue. But it's 4:3 not 16:9. i.e. not Widescreen.

Thats what I meant, complicating it. Some of the old matches appear as 4:3 as that was how they were filmed. Is it worth getting the analogue option rigged up whilst waiting for the DTT initiative to arrive? ie, get an aerial up etc? At the risk of sounding like a complete numpty, does the aerial connect straight into the TV via cable? There is no additional equipment required?

Edit: just realised I'd be screwed without a Sky+ type set-up on the analogue - most of the TV I watch is recorded

Further edit: the TV in question is an LCD Samsung LE40N8 - it seems to have a reciever of sorts built in but I can't find reference to MPEG2 or 4

watty

You could die before DTT arrives. Yes get an aerial.
usually it just is Aerial + cable.

I have an analogue DVD recorder (€99 in Dunnes). At HQ setting nearly as good as Sky+. Also I need a mast amplifier, but with it I have perfect pictures.

IIMII

watty wrote: »

You could die before DTT arrives.

I was afraid that might be the case. I'd love to get rid of Sky (telephone line hassle with them etc), and I think I'll do that..

watty wrote: »

I have an analogue DVD recorder (€99 in Dunnes). At HQ setting nearly as good as Sky+. Also I need a mast amplifier, but with it I have perfect pictures.

Judging by the number of aerials, the signal is ok in my area. As a matter of interest, one of the aerials has a little grey box attached on the pole - would that be an amplifier?

IIMII

Trying to educate myself a bit more on this - I came across this on Saor TV.com
http://www.saortv.com/shop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=33
My TV does have a CI slot though I don't if it is configured for MPEG-4 or MPEG-2. Would I be able to pick up a test DTT signal with this in Navan?

watty

I've tested those adaptors professionally. If your TV does not do MPEG4 you are far better with setbox than one of those. I've explained elsewhere why.

If your TV does MPEG4, you don't need one.

I think smccarrick uses one or something similar-he posts here.

As regards analogue versus digital.
In my opinion,I love and prefer analogue especially when it has a slight grain on it.
Beautifull quality and beautifull colours.

However,I find thats only on a CRT.

With plasma or Lcd,your analogue has to be absolutely crystal or otherwise it just has a washed out appearance.
LCD and plasma cannot cope with any grain in my experience.

Currently as posted elsewhere on this board we have twin aerials pointed to presely + a VHF towards Mt Leinster and a grid for TV3/TG4 Mt Leinster.

The VHF RTE 1 and 2 is perfect on both CRT and LCD as is TV3 and TG4.
8 times out of 10 so are the UK channels from presely.
However when there is some grain on the UK channels,they annoy me on lcd but are beautifull on the crt.

Sky HD is a different kettle of fish.
To be fair on the Lcd,it is better than crt.
Visually stunning.
Up to that I'd have described a good analogue picture on a crt as visually stunning...but it's the detail on HD that outweighs that

watty

WS HD CRTs are like hens teeth. But Very nice

If you want HD, then LCOS/DLP/LCD projector or LCD TV is best bet. The current decent model LCDs are much superior to even 3 years ago.

I'm spoilt as I was "brought up" on underscanned RGB studio Broadcast Monitors with direct feeds.