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Indoor tv aerial query

  • 02-08-2024 1:16pm
    #1
    geotrig
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,819 ✭✭✭


    In-laws need a replacement aerial for tv upstairs and I've been landed with it just something cheap and cheerful Having never used any of these except the old bunny ears in the early 90s I'm clueless ,just wanted to know if this works here it's only for the rtes or whatever is picked up on aerial these days

    Thanks for any help

    https://amzn.eu/d/4m3PdrE



Comments

  • #2
    cml387
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,468 ✭✭✭cml387


    How close to the transmitter or booster, what's their location? Why do they need a replacement aerial? If they need a new aerial outside to receive TV then a "rabbit's ears" won't do.



  • #3
    winston_1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,688 ✭✭✭winston_1


    That bit of plastic you linked to on Amazon is one big lie and Amazon should be prosecuted. No aerial, even ones on tall masts, has a 250 mile range. The earths curvature gets in the way.

    The TV network is designed for outdoor aerials 10 metres above the ground. Anything else is hit and miss depending on location.

    If you must try indoors choose something that looks like an aerial not a bit of plastic.

    Look here ,

    https://www.aerialsandtv.com/knowledge/aerials/indoor-set-top-aerials



  • #4
    geotrig
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,819 ✭✭✭geotrig


    In Limerick city area, never had issues before with the old indoorone before but they broke that old aerial a while back so hadn't replaced it. Never had or don't need an outdoor aerial.



  • #5
    patspost
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 251 ✭✭patspost


    Your TV signal is probably from Woodcock Hill, so according to 2rn website you need a group K antenna.

    Something like this in the attic, assuming there is cable already to the attic.

    They Also have a rabbits ears, i wouldnt be too hopeful of it though.

    https://www.freetv.ie/grey-group-k-uhf-aerial/



  • #6
    The Cush
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,586 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    How far away is your nearest transmitter, enter your eircode here

    https://saorview.ie/en/check-coverage/

    Depending on distance a small indoor aerial could work in the attic



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  • #7
    winston_1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,688 ✭✭✭winston_1


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122456807#Comment_122456807

    So called rabbits ears are VHF aerials for FM and DAB radio. Completely unsuitable for UHF TV.



  • #8
    TAFKAlawhec
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 611 ✭✭✭TAFKAlawhec


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122456992#Comment_122456992

    They can be made to be resonant at TV broadcast UHF frequencies by shortening the telescopic elements to somewhere between 10-15cm each which will make a dipole antenna that is roughly half a wavelength across from tip to tip as long as the tips of each leg face away from each other (180 degrees). If the telescopic legs can't be made shorter than 15cm, then simply shorten them down as far as possible. The disadvantage of this is that you have no antenna gain (other than the 2.15db intrinsic gain of a dipole) but if you have a spare pair of 'wabbit ears lying around, it's a free crapshoot and you may get something, or else nothing. For horizontally polarised signals (like those broadcast from Woodcock Hill), raising the tips of each element slightly to create a squat "V" might help especially if the elements can't be made shorter than 15cm.

    As an alternative, you could use the telescopic elements fully extended to make a semi-rhombic antenna that'll have some additional gain, but will take up more physical space than a simple half wave dipole mentioned above.



  • #9
    Atlantic Dawn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 83,051 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    Picked up one of these from Tesco before for about €20, does the job grand...

    https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9338924?clickSR=slp:term:indoor%20tv%20aerial:1:21:1



  • #10
    sioda
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,504 ✭✭✭sioda


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122457453#Comment_122457453

    Used the exact same one in Corbally and Alandale over the years bit of fiddling at the start to get it positioned but worked a charm after that



  • #11
    geotrig
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,819 ✭✭✭geotrig


    Thanks chaps,Yeah it was something like that one for all that they had and worked grand



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  • #12
    beachhead
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,585 ✭✭✭beachhead


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058362571/indoor-tv-aerial-query

    Woodies used to sell indoor aerials to pick up Saorview channels only.Might still stock them



  • #13
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,801 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    I have built quite a few of these and all work very well, but I live in a strong signal area. It is very tolerant of position and does not react to people walking around, getting >90% signal and 100% quality.

    It is simple to make and cost next to nothing - just a silver coloured coat hanger and a co-ax cable to connect to the TV..

    [Just search for - Saorview aerial from coat hanger (zero cost).]

    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058315422/saorview-aerial-from-coat-hanger-zero-cost



  • #14
    dxhound2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,235 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122466260#Comment_122466260

    That little word "Solder", takes it out of the realms of Simple for me.



  • #15
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,801 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122466580#Comment_122466580

    It will work without solder. Just tighten the screws up tight with good connection. The solder just makes a good connection that extends its life. My first one lasted a decade without solder.

    Try it out - it is basically free if built from stuff you already have.



  • #16
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,801 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    I would be interested to hear of anyone making one of these aerials and how it performed.

    A modern TV will give signal strength and signal quality for RTE 1 and RTE 2 (these are on different muxes) which will give an excellent idea of its performance. It would be great if the distance to the transmitter was also indicated together with the two channel numbers.

    The aerial is either positioned horizontal or vertical to match the signal, but waving it around will tell you which will work best. I have been amazed at how well it works.



  • #17
    cute geoge
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,983 ✭✭✭cute geoge


    Instead of starting new tread ,hijacking this one with a similar problem

    I lost reception for rte/tv3 this week ,I checked aries and this distribution box in attic is showing red light instead of green. There is a separate aerial for both Rte and tv3 uhf/vhf coming into this box. What is the simple fix. Will replacing this box do the fix ?



  • #18
    The Cush
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,586 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    Aries?

    Is it a distribution box or a masthead amp?

    VHF aerial has been redundant since 2012. Should really be removed at this point.

    Where are the 2 aerials combined, on the mast or the attic?



  • #19
    cute geoge
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,983 ✭✭✭cute geoge


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122490589#Comment_122490589
    17233807449733851666205791138613.jpg

    This is the box with the 2 ariels combined uhf/vhf and it shows a red light which should be green .Both ariels are in the attic .



  • #20
    The Cush
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,586 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    Most likely the distribution amp is faulty.

    I would swap it out for a standard UHF distribution amp, VHF aerial no longer required.



  • #21
    koxir
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 ✭koxir


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122469044#Comment_122469044

    Nothing but respect for whoever came up with this idea. Zero cost near enough and the result is 100% quality.



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  • #22
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,801 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122528512#Comment_122528512

    Could you post a picture of the aerial, and how close you are to the mast and which channels are used.

    So Ch nn -[signal strength], [signal quality], Ch nn, [signal strength], [Signal strength], [signal strength]. Distance to mast. These are available on your smart TV normally. Polarisation might be important - horizontal or vertical.

    I would be pleased to see your result.

    As to who designed it, well I did.



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