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indoor or outdoor aerial for digital TV in Skerries?

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  • 11-02-2013 4:05am
    #1
    Duck Soup
    Registered Users Posts: 3,996 ✭✭✭


    With the shutting down of the analogue signal, my dad, who's in his 80s, ceased to be able to get his always-watched 6 o'clock news on RTE. He refuses point blank to get a box for his old TV, which is small but has a great picture.

    So I'm thinking of getting him a new TV, with built-in Saorview, and a wider screen. If I roll up with it, he'll take it off my hands, but I doubt if he'll even allow a TV engineer in to put up an external aerial. Everything is seen through the prism of 1930s Ireland, when he was growing up. Anything above the gas fire on of an evening in the winter is sinful extravagance.

    So what I'm wondering is can I get an indoor aerial that can receive good digital reception in the Skerries area? The old rabbit's ears were surprisingly good for an analogue signal - clear as a bell on RTE 1 and 2 - so would a good indoor aerial get him back his 6.01 news?

    Obviously, I'd be particularly interested to hear from anyone in the general Rush/Skerries/Balbriggan area who's tried/is using an indoor aerial.


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    #2
    The Hill Billy
    Registered Users Posts: 22,775 ✭✭✭✭The Hill Billy


    Have a chat with Brian Dowling in BD Electrical. He should be able to tell you what is possible.


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    #3
    Kumsheen
    Registered Users Posts: 314 ✭✭Kumsheen


    Why don't you try the question in the cable and digital forum in the Tech forum on this site? I found it very helpful to read what people say about the various options available.


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    #4
    Duck Soup
    Registered Users Posts: 3,996 ✭✭✭Duck Soup


    Kumsheen wrote: »
    Why don't you try the question in the cable and digital forum in the Tech forum on this site? I found it very helpful to read what people say about the various options available.

    Thanks, I had a read in the Digital TV forum before posting the original post here. There seemed to be people who got a perfectly fine picture with an indoor antenna in Dublin city and those who tried it there and got 'snow'. It sounded to me like the stories of mobile phone coverage - fine in one spot, inexplicably weak up the road.

    I asked the question in this forum because, at least with the analogue signal (I'm presuming they use the same masts) Skerries was a borderline case for an indoor aerial. My dad would get RTE 1 and RTE 2 okay, TV3 was ropey. It would be interesting to know if anyone in the Skerries area has tried the indoor set-up for digital.
    The Hill Billy wrote: »
    Have a chat with Brian Dowling in BD Electrical. He should be able to tell you what is possible.

    I've been out of Skerries for a while. Is BD Electrial at the V of Strand Street and Church Street, where the old Dowlings grocery shop used to be? What I might do is take a punt on a standard indoor aerial when I buy the TV, probably in DID or Power City, and give it a go anyway (one of the more entertaining browsing digressions I came across looking into this was a youTube video of a guy in Kildare demonstrating himself getting a perfectly fine digital picture using a wire coat hanger out of the back of his telly).

    If the indoor thing doesn't work, then does Brian/BD Electrical do external aerial installation? My dad might be okay with one of the Dowlings doing it as he and my mum knew from way back Mrs. Dowling (presumably Brian's mother or grandmother) who originally had the grocery shop and florists. I'd tell my dad it cost €20 and a bag of chips and that no confirmation money was harmed in the making of this TV signal.


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    #5
    RobFowl
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 11,667 Mod ✭✭✭✭RobFowl


    Balrothery needs an outdoor ariel. With an indoor one I got nothing but once commencting it to the outdoor one got a reasonable signal.


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    #6
    The Hill Billy
    Registered Users Posts: 22,775 ✭✭✭✭The Hill Billy


    You have been out of Skerries for some time! :D
    Yes, BD is in the V where the Dad's shop used to be.

    Welcome back.


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    #7
    sgarvan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,606 ✭✭✭sgarvan


    I live in Balbriggan and placed this aerial in my attic on Sunday. (http://www.satworld.ie/product-info.php?Philex_48_Element_Saorview_Ready_Aerial-pid558.html)

    I get all the Saorview stations and the spillover freeview stations from the Kilkeel mast in North Ireland (http://www.ukfree.tv/shutdowndetail.php?tx=IJ281180) with perfect reception.

    The TV show signal strength and quality. The quality is 100% on all stations. The signal is 100% on all Saorview stations and about 50%-60% on the NI stations.


    EDIT: There is a chap in work who lives in Lucan and has this aerial (http://www.did.ie/4life-amplified-indoor-aerial-dvb-t50) and it picks up Saorview stations


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    #8
    Duck Soup
    Registered Users Posts: 3,996 ✭✭✭Duck Soup


    Thanks everyone for your help! Sgarvan, I'll probably buy the TV in DID, so I'll pick up the indoor aerial and give it a try.


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    #9
    iba
    Registered Users Posts: 2,628 ✭✭✭iba


    Duck Soup wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for your help! Sgarvan, I'll probably buy the TV in DID, so I'll pick up the indoor aerial and give it a try.

    Im using this aerial in my attic in Dublin 15 - works grand:

    http://sat-planet.ie/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=aerial&product_id=156

    I had previously used Rabbit ears bought for a tenner in Lidl and they also worked perfectly.


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