Aerials

[BertiWooster]

This link was posted on another thread

http://www.amazon.co..../dp/B00387D7NE/ref=sr

Could someone please kindly clarify -

Do the devices allow you to plug your existing roof aerial into them - and then allow you to run cables from them into different television sets ?

[hc4361]

Yes.

[BertiWooster]

Would the digital reception be likely to increase from an ordinary room aerial, if you connected it to one of these devices ?

[redman41]

Set Top Aerials ( Room Aerials) will work in the same way but for best reception you will need a Roof Top Aerial. You need to have a very strong signal for Set Top Aerials to be effective.

[Buenchico]

The nearer the device is placed to the aerial the better but it will probably still yield good results if it's placed at the end of an existing downlead. The 13dB gain figure should be sufficient to compensate for the signal losses suffered by splitting the signal into four outputs, plus adding a small extra 'boost' to the signal along each cable.

Chris

[Buenchico]

Oh, hang on a moment. I was reading your 'room aerial' reference (based upon your earlier post) as meaning the downlead into your living room from your external aerial.

If, as Redman41 has read it, you're referring to an indoor aerial, you'll almost certainly need to use separate aerials (preferably with built-in amplifiers) for each TV. Even then, it would be necessary to be fairly close to the transmitter to start with.

[AlBags]

Do yourself a favour and get a good brand .. Triax .. Labgear .. eBay has those at same price.
Keep any amp near to the antenna if possible.

[BertiWooster]

Thank you all for responding guys - much appreciated

Just to clarify your post Chris .

I've got a tv set in each bedroom connected to indoor aerials with built in amplifier.

Are you saying that i would need to plug one of these devices to each indoor aerial , in each bedroom , in order to get a decent picture ?

[Buenchico]

Now I'm getting confused, Berti!

If you've already got an indoor aerial (with a built-in amplifier) connected to each TV, my questions have to be:
1. Are those TVs digital?
and
2. Are you currently getting decent reception?
(If the answers are both 'Yes' I'm not sure why you're asking the question!)

If I assume that your TVs are analogue, with good reception from the existing aerials then you stand quite a good chance of getting decent Freeview reception from those aerials once the digital switchover is complete. (In those areas which haven't yet gone totally digital the Freeview transmitters are currently operating on reduced power, so as not to cause interference to the analogue signals).

However, if you existing aerials (with amplifiers) aren't really up to the job it's unlikely that adding another amplifier would do the job. While an amplifier obviously boosts the signal strength it also introduces 'noise' into the cable. Adding another amplifier boosts that noise, as well as the signal, so you might find that reception is actually worse (rather than better). Having written that, I ought to state that I've actually got two amplifiers between my aerial and my Freeview box, so it can sometimes work. (If you wanted to try it, buy a cheapish one-way amplifier, for about £9 from Asda. If it works with one TV, simply buy another one for the other set).

If I've remembered your earlier post correctly, you've got an external aerial with a downlead to your living room. Ideally you should split that as close to your aerial as possible, using something like this:
http://www.aerialshac...-amplifier-p-473.html

Chris

[BertiWooster]

Thanks for percevering with me Chirs .

I'll clarify the situation .

I've got two televisions with built in freeview
I have got a roof aerial which goes into the living room - I get excellent pictures on the digital channels when either of these tv's if connected to the roof aerial .

However these tv's are normally used in two different bedrooms , where the aerial i'm using is this one - which has a built - in amplifier

http://www.argos.co.u...EINDOOR+TV+AERIAL.htm

The pictures i'm getting using this aerial is hit and miss - sometimes it picks up some channels and i get a good picture - other times it doesn't pick up the same channels - or the picture keeps breaking up .

So what i'm trying to ascertain is - will using a device like the ones in the link in my question above - connected to my existing indoor aerial - likely to improve the reception ?

Would your answer be the penultimate paragraph of your post of 19:19 hrs ?

[Buenchico]

Hi Berti:

My inclination is to forget about using your indoor aerial and to find a way to use your outdoor aerial. Ideally you need to split the cable as close to the aerial as possible, as in my previous post, but (if you can find a suitable route for the cables, preferably as short as possible) you could put this on the end of the cable in your living room
http://www.maplin.co....gle&U=223502&T=Module
and then run cables upstairs to each of the two bedrooms.

Chris

[BertiWooster]

Thanks Chris