Freeview Box
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I'd be surprised if a Freeview box would work with a portable aerial. We upgraded our roof aerial ready for Freeview, but perhaps that's because the reception is poor in my area. Not sure why I'm replying to this actually. There is bound to be somebody more knowledgeable than me! 
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Pig Cat said:I'd be surprised if a Freeview box would work with a portable aerial. We upgraded our roof aerial ready for Freeview, but perhaps that's because the reception is poor in my area. Not sure why I'm replying to this actually. There is bound to be somebody more knowledgeable than me!
I bought this portable aerial yesterday and spent a good hour trying to tune to a channel,completely forgot about the fact that analogue no longer exists :lol:
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Depends on how good your reception is - my parents live close to one of the bigger transmitters in the country and actually get a better Freeview picture without an aerial...
Generally speaking though an external (or high-mounted loft) aerial give the best results.
Have a look at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe</a><!-- m -->? and see what it predicts for you. If it says "extreme fringe" then a portable aerial isn't going to do it.
Generally speaking though an external (or high-mounted loft) aerial give the best results.
Have a look at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe</a><!-- m -->? and see what it predicts for you. If it says "extreme fringe" then a portable aerial isn't going to do it.
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I've had some success with an amplified indoor portable aerial before, might be worth looking into one of them.
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Yellow Jim said:
<runs away>
Cheap amplified indoor aerials are just great if you never want to see a whole programme... in analogue when there was a signal dropout or noise from the amp, you got some irritating sparklies, maybe some ghosting or a bit of snow.. in digital you get pixellation and blackscreens instead. Even if the signal is ok, when the power supply gives up the ghost, it will add lots of noise to the signal.
Fit a proper aerial and avoid an amplifier if you can - better to increase the size of the aerial than add an amp because if the aerial is too small and the signal is low, all you achieve with the amp is increased signal, the noise increased by the same factor plus the noise that the amplifier adds on top.
The only situation where an amplifier will improve matters markedly is to counteract cabling losses - or in a situation where there's a lot of local noise fit a 12dB amp at the head end and a 12dB attenuator at the set end so the local noise impact is lessened.
Where we live the local "professional" "aerial monkey" fits an external aerial that's too small on an alloy pole, and adds an amp - ripping off those who seek his services - I fitted the right specced aerial for the job inside the loft (had to assemble it in the loft because it wouldn't fit through the hatch :lol: ) - no amp required and I'll not be replacing it every 5-10 years (nor will I be crapping about the pole bending when it gets too windy)
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Obviously you know a lot more about it than me HM. All I know is that when I was living away during the week a few years back (just a single room in a rented house so I couldn't fit a proper aerial), I couldn't get a signal with a standard portable aerial but with one of the amplified ones I had very few issues. Must have got lucky I suppose. Still does a decent job in the spare room here when it's called upon.
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James_uk said:
Aerial height = height above the ground. So if it's next to your telly on the ground floor 2 metres, if you're 10 floors up in a tower block 25m is more realistic.
and pick the "local" button so it's only looking at transmitters in your local area
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OK - it says you need either an Extra hi-gain aerial or Amplified extra hi-gain (that's assuming it's mounted outside on your roof).
The latter is around the size of a single bedstead.
Your best bet is probably FreeSat on that basis.
The latter is around the size of a single bedstead.
Your best bet is probably FreeSat on that basis.
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James_uk said:
If you're doing it by GABI* - I would guess that you can get a dish fitted for the same or less than the required aerial then have access to a very similar bouquet of channels as on Freeview, but mostly with better bit rate (ie. better picture) and more resilience to interference. Make sure that the aerial installer is installing something fit for purpose - that means the right sized aerial for the job, not 'what he has on his van' and uses at least CT100 cable for the downlead.
If you're doing it DIY, avoid the DIY sheds for the aerial - somewhere like (I can't believe I'm typing this) CPC has a wide range at reasonable cost. Televes or Triax are the manufacturers to go for (IMO). Installing a dish can be done DIY, but it's a lot more fiddly than a UHF aerial.
* GABI - Get a bloke in.