Saorview Indoor Aerial - Missing channels

turninggreen

Hi All,

Hoping for some advice. I have a DVB T50 indoor aerial in the attic

https://www.harveynorman.ie/tvs-headphones/tv-and-audio-accessories/aerials-en/4ife-indoor-aerial-dvbt50.html

I get all the standard Saorview channels except RTE1 & Virgin 3. If I move the aerial slightly I will get RTE1/V3 but lose all the rest .

I am about 59KM from Mt Leinster Transmitter. I would like to try get all the channels. Ideally I don't want to start messing with roof aerials. Is there a better indoor aerial option to the one I have. I am limited on attic space height.

I tried this aerial but lost everything !!

https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/1078471/Trail/searchtext%3EAERIAL.htm


Thanks in advance.

winston_1

Nasty indoor aerial with no gain. The quoted 28dB is just an amplifier to make all the noise noisier. Amplifiers on indoor aerials are a waste of time, money, and electricity.

The Philex 8 element aerial (not 14, they have counted the reflector 6 times) should work better but it needs to be on the roof as the broadcasters recommend. You may not want to start messing about with roof aerials so call in an aerial installer, because that is what is required.

Thurston?

turninggreen wrote: »

... I tried this aerial but lost everything !!

https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/1078471/Trail/searchtext%3EAERIAL.htm.

Are you sure you had the cable connected properly?

exaisle

Do you have it correctly aligned for the polarisation of the mast? The elements should be parallel to the ground.

turninggreen wrote: »

Hi All,

Hoping for some advice. I have a DVB T50 indoor aerial in the attic

https://www.harveynorman.ie/tvs-headphones/tv-and-audio-accessories/aerials-en/4ife-indoor-aerial-dvbt50.html

I get all the standard Saorview channels except RTE1 & Virgin 3. If I move the aerial slightly I will get RTE1/V3 but lose all the rest .

I am about 59KM from Mt Leinster Transmitter. I would like to try get all the channels. Ideally I don't want to start messing with roof aerials. Is there a better indoor aerial option to the one I have. I am limited on attic space height.

I tried this aerial but lost everything !!

https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/1078471/Trail/searchtext%3EAERIAL.htm


Thanks in advance.

turninggreen

Hi All,

Thanks for responses. Yep cable correctly connected and aligned for the polarisation. My impression from your responses is that I should have got some sort of signal so going to give it another try with a different cable just in case. Thanks

NewClareman

turninggreen wrote: »

Hi All,

Thanks for responses. Yep cable correctly connected and aligned for the polarisation. My impression from your responses is that I should have got some sort of signal so going to give it another try with a different cable just in case. Thanks

So, a few things to consider....

1. If you can get some level of signal with the DVB T50, it is likely that an attic aerial will suffice.
(The amplifier can make up for signal loss, particularly with poor quality coax cable, so not a total waste of time.)

2. Are you sure you have identified the correct transmitter. When I checked the frequencies I was receiving, it turned out that I was getting a local relay, rather than the main transmitter. (If you don’t have a signal meter, many TVs and set top boxes have built in signal strength meters under their installation menu. These are more than sufficient for one off installations.)

3. Check your connections to the aerial, it is very easy to have a “whisker” from the copper braid short to the innner conductor.

4. If the aerial has to be outside, which undoubtedly gives a better signal, you can wall mount it, once it has an unobstructed view of the transmitter.

turninggreen

Thanks for all the replies. Here is where I am now. I got a different aerial (32 element) and now have picture perfect quality saorview on my test tv in the attic. Cable going from aerial to test tv about 10ft. I then disconnect the cable from test tv and connect to cable running down to the living room and I get no signal even after trying a retune on tv downstairs. Is this a distance thing now and do I need some sort of amplifier. I know the cable going downstairs is intact as I got picture from the small indoor aerial. Any thoughts on resolution? Thanks

The Cush

The signal probably isn't good enough for the 10ft cable, test it with an amp near the aerial to give the signal a bit of a boost down the cable

turninggreen

Hi Cush,

No the signal is perfect with the 10ft cable in the attic. It's when I connect to cable that goes down to the ground floor Tv (prob 20ft or more ) that I get no signal. Thanks for quick reply.

gar

Is there a chance the copper on the outside of the cable is touching the main central copper wire? If this happens the signal will ground and you will have nothing

turninggreen

Hi Gar, triple checked that, even put my glasses on to be sure - all ok.

The Cush

turninggreen wrote: »

No the signal is perfect with the 10ft cable in the attic. It's when I connect to cable that goes down to the ground floor Tv (prob 20ft or more ) that I get no signal.

With TV's own internal signal meter are you getting any indication of signal strength/quality at the end of the 20ft+ cable? Low signal strength would indicate a weak signal in which case I would test with with an amp in the attic.

Otherwise I would be looking for damage along the cable.

turninggreen

Hi Cush,

TV's own internal signal meter shows 0% signal. I would have thought with such a perfect picture in the attic on a 10ft cable from attic aerial to attic tv I would have got some signal downstairs even if the cable si double the size or am I wrong

I know the cable going downstairs is OK because I can switch back to the DVB T50 indoor aerial and get some stations downstairs and this indoor aerial also in attic and going through same cable.

Is it worth trying this ?

https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/5713543/Trail/searchtext%3EAERIAL.htm

Thanks

The Cush

turninggreen wrote: »

I know the cable going downstairs is OK because I can switch back to the DVB T50 indoor aerial and get some stations downstairs and this indoor aerial also in attic and going through same cable.

Is it worth trying this ?

https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/5713543/Trail/searchtext%3EAERIAL.htm

Yes, I'd try it. The signal appears to be borderline in the attic and not good enough down that length of cable. The T50 indoor aerial has a built-in amp and is giving the signal a boost down the cable.

Ideally the aerial should be mounted outside with no obstructions, like the roof tiles/slates reducing the received signal.

turninggreen

Hi All,

So got a booster today and I am now receiving 6 stations out of the 12 (including rte +1's in the 12 count from the test tv in attic) . The signal strength on the TV downstairs is now gone from 0% to 50% and the signal quality is 95%.

So is this the best I can expect without getting somebody to roof mounting the aerial or is there something else I can try.

Thanks

Kalyke

Is the TV region set to UK or Ireland?

turninggreen

Right eventually got all my stations - continuous slight movement of aerial direction and running up and down the stairs to check signal finally got all of them!!!!!

Think eventually will have to mount outside as suspect atmospheric conditions along the way may have an affect but will do for now, just about run out of patience.....

Thanks to all for your input.

The Cush

turninggreen wrote: »

Right eventually got all my stations - continuous slight movement of aerial direction and running up and down the stairs to check signal finally got all of them!!!!!

Think eventually will have to mount outside as suspect atmospheric conditions along the way may have an affect but will do for now, just about run out of patience.....

There are 2 frequencies that Saorview use to carry all the channels, an aerial has to be aligned to optimise the best signal from both frequencies, especially where the signal level is low like your setup in the attic. Roof slates/tiles will reduce your signal and other attic clutter like pipework can have an effect.

At 50% the signal is still borderline and would be best to mount it externally.