DTT aerial and combo box setup

bigtom71

I have been following a lot of the the threads on DTT and the rest, but am unsure about a few things. I need to get an external aerial for the house (I live in Beaumont on the North side of Dublin which is about 100 feet above sea level, so offers a clear line most directions). I have a satellite dish giving me the UK freesat channels, but have been relying on the horrendous one-for-all rabbit’s ears for the terrestrial channels until now. Since we got a flatscreen TV, the Mrs. has been going mad over the reception of the terrestrial channels, as the indoor aerial does not work so well with an LCD screen.

I have a couple of questions:
1.) Could I put a High Gain Wideband Aerial onto the arm that holds the dish (mounted onto the chimney), as they will be aimed in different directions? Would this put a strain on the arm? It is a bungalow and is reasonably protected from high winds.
2.) Also, I plan on getting a combo box (one like the Edision Argus mini 2 in 1 IP, or something similarly priced) but some threaders recommend holding off for another while until the DTT is officially rolled out. Any thoughts on this?Currently, I have a Lidl STB for the freesat which suffices, but is not great to use. What would be the best combo box to get, given my price range?
3.) Finally, I want to connect the terrestrial aerial to my media center PC too and am wondering what would be the best and reasonably priced card to use to get Irish DTT?

Sponge Bob

Well you only really need to point to Kippure or 3Rock and will not need a chimney buster of a rig...an ( amped?) attic aerial will do most likely.

The chimney rigs are for picking up NI Freevew or Analogue....you have most on satellite already.

I would not invest in picking up NI Digital for another 2 years ( after the 'uncertainty' about the effects of the Drogheda and Navan transmitters subsides) . That for another few Freeview channels to top up the Freesat.

bigtom71

Thanks Spongebob. But I want to be able to pick up analogue terrestrial stations on the aerial too, given that TV3 haven't got up off their arse yet onto DTT, and also if I decide to wait on getting a combo box. Would an attic aerial do that for me and, if so, what should I get?

watty

get a proper outdoor aerial (not from Argos or One for all). Try it in the attic.

If it doesn't give perfect pictures then put it on chimney.

Something like this

or



You don't need high gain.

A distribution amplifier in the attic should be enough amplification. Four way or 8 Way.

Sam Russell

bigtom71 wrote: »

Thanks Spongebob. But I want to be able to pick up analogue terrestrial stations on the aerial too, given that TV3 haven't got up off their arse yet onto DTT, and also if I decide to wait on getting a combo box. Would an attic aerial do that for me and, if so, what should I get?

Get yourself a wide-band Log Periodic, rather than a wide-band yagi or grid, and point it at Three Rock or Kippure. It will get analogue and DTT, no bother. If it is outside, you will not need an amp. Use good grade cable.

You could use a splitter/combiner at both ends so you could share the sat down lead. Check out TVtrade.ie, or search ebay for the splitter/combiner. You need two, one each end.

I am surprise the rabbbit ears do not work for DTT.:(

watty

Yes, Log periodics are nice. But low gain unless big and expensive. Finding Good quality ones is hard.

To share Sat & TV on downlead you need a special splitter called a Diplexer. With Split at about 850Mhz to 950MHz.

Sam Russell

http://www.tvtrade.ie/amplifiers-and-diplexers/satellite-combiners.html

There are others available.

bigtom71

How about this from tvtrade.ie: http://www.tvtrade.ie/outdoor-uhf-tv-aerial-kit.html, with the 4-way distribution amplifier they have on offer: http://www.tvtrade.ie/proception-4-way-tv-amplifier.html, and then the combiners/splitters that Sam Russell recommended?

Also, what would be the best combo unit to get, or should I hold off on that for the time being?

Sam Russell

bigtom71 wrote: »

............. and then the combiners/splitters that Sam Russell recommended?

I am not recommending any particular unit from any supplier, I am suggesting a component that is available from many suppliers and only cited that particular one to identify it from similar products.

I have no commercial links with anyone.

Edit: That aerial is not a logperidic. You need a wideband aerial for Three Rock.

watty

Well, if the signal is strong enough just having a group A or Group B will do.

Sam Russell

watty wrote: »

Well, if the signal is strong enough just having a group A or Group B will do.

..... or a coat hanger, or rabbit ears.:)

bigtom71

No need to get jumpy Sam. I wasn't asking you to recommend that particular supplier, it was just handy for me to source them all on the one site.

I now *almost* get your point about log periodic, as opposed to other types (not being ready knowledge for us feeble-minded types).

I will keep on googling.

Sam Russell

bigtom71 wrote: »

I now *almost* get your point about log periodic, as opposed to other types (not being ready knowledge for us feeble-minded types).

Log-periodic is naturally wide band, whereas Yagi is naturally narrow band.

Briefly, a dipole is a tuned element. The reflector is longer than the tuned element and reflects the frequency wave back from where it came, while shorter elements are called directors, and they do not reflect the wave, but direct it. So a Yagi has one reflector at the back of the dipole, and a load of directors in front. The more directors, the greater the gain. The dipole is the only active element.

On the other hand, a log periodic is fed from the front end, and the rods get longer as the wave goes back. So for higher frequencies (shorter wave lenghth) it will reflect sooner when the elements get longer than the wave length. For lower frequencies, the wave gets further down the boom before it meets a reflector. It is not tuned in the way a yagi is.

If you need a wide band it is the best behaved of the various designs. The grid is another alternative. It still needs a balun.

bigtom71

Thanks Sam. I have ordered a log periodic from a supplier I found by chance just down the road from me. He affirmed everything you said about them.

On combo boxes, I have come across two that are reasonably priced: the Edision Argus mini 2in1 IP and the Ferguson Ariva HD. Any thoughts on which is better?

cluttrell

2.) Also, I plan on getting a combo box (one like the Edision Argus mini 2 in 1 IP, or something similarly priced) but some threaders recommend holding off for another while until the DTT is officially rolled out. Any thoughts on this?Currently, I have a Lidl STB for the freesat which suffices, but is not great to use. What would be the best combo box to get, given my price range?

Did you make a decision on this? I'm in the same predicament as yourself - have been looking into the Edision Argus Mini 2 in 1 and want to go ahead with it but am also wondering if it makes sense to hold off until November as other threads suggest. I've heard Tesco and Dunnes have both placed large orders for Digital Set top Boxes with the upcoming launch but I'm not sure if they'll be combi boxes. I don't think we'll do much better than the Edision for price and functionality from what I've read?

The other question I had is I want to display the output of the Edision in another room - I already have a straight through coax cable ready and was thinking of purchasing a Triax TriLink (http://www.tvtrade.ie/triax-trilink-kit.html) for this - they're a little expensive though. Anyone any thoughts?

Finally, I've looked around but the best i can seem to do from an Irish reseller is €169 inc. vat + delivery for the Edision 2 in 1. Can anyone recommend a reseller or does it make sense to look to German resellers for it?

Thx

bigtom71

Hi Cluttrell,

No, I haven't decided this one yet, although both models seem much the same (and the same price too). €169 is what I came up with too.

cluttrell

I'm going to have to sleep on it I think... There's only two things putting me off really

1) Only now and next EPG for satellite. Not sure why this is or if other boxes have the full 7 days.

2) There doesn't seem to be anything like series link allowing you to record a full series. Sky or my windows media centre PC can do it, I don't want to go with sky and the media centre does't have a DVB-S card and I can't add one - it'll only do DVB-T

sesswhat

cluttrell wrote: »

Sky or my windows media centre PC can do it, I don't want to go with sky and the media centre does't have a DVB-S card and I can't add one - it'll only do DVB-T

Can you add an external USB one?

See this thread.

cluttrell

Cheers, I followed that thread and have asked Eoin for feedback on how he got on.

I can see two further problems with going down the route of adding a DVD-S2 USB device, and thats assuming it all works well.

1) It's not easy to get the Media Center EPG to add channels, it seems to decide them by whatever location you're in so it will just do the RTE terrestrial channels. I had this problem with South Coast (SCTV) in Carrigaline, Co. Cork which had RTE + BBC/ITV/Channel 4

2) I won't be able to display this in the second room.

shinobi

bigtom71 wrote: »

2.) Also, I plan on getting a combo box (one like the Edision Argus mini 2 in 1 IP, or something similarly priced) but some threaders recommend holding off for another while until the DTT is officially rolled out. Any thoughts on this?Currently, I have a Lidl STB for the freesat which suffices, but is not great to use. What would be the best combo box to get, given my price range?

I think the Edision Argus mini 2 in 1 is a good choice.
OK if DTT does go to Saorsat, the Argus supports DiSEqC switching, so you can switch between 2 separate LNB's for Saorsat/Freesat. Worst case is a redundant DTT tuner but it appears to be a pretty good box for the price.