Non-motoring > Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: smokie Replies: 15
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 10:51 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - smokie
I had the Virgin box in the spare room removed a few months ago, when I wasn't working, to cut back.

It is very much a spare room, but we've acquired a Freeview telly which we want to use in it occasionally. I have no roof aerial, and Virgin want too much for a box that would only be used infrequently.

I have a cheap video sender which might have done the job, but can't get good reception using it.

Can anyone recommend a good indoor aerial?
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 10:58 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - Zero
No, no-one can be sure that an indoor aerial is going to work in your chosen location. Make sure you get a money back guarantee.
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 11:12 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - CGNorwich
Maplins have a 28 days return policy so worth trying one of theirs. If you can run an aerial from the loft space you stand a better chance of good reception. I have a loft aerial which cost £10 and give perfect receptions but this is a strong signal area.
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 14:04 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - smokie
Over the years I've taken out all the straggly aerials wires that used to run around the house and the roof aerials (yes, two) went when I had the chimney stack removed in preparation for the solar panels. I sometimes do regret things :-)

I'm 8 miles from Hemdean and 9 from Henley according to this page, so maybe my signal is OK (maybe not though!) www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?

Getting a Maplins or Argos is a good idea.

Being a Virgin customer, I just read about their TV Anywhere and am wondering if that will help.
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 10:59 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - Dog
This worked well with Freeview at our previous owse, but it was in a strong signal area:

www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9075689.htm
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 12:09 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - Jacks
My son uses this one in his flat in Brighton, gives a perfect (freeview digital) picture he says.

www.maplin.co.uk/one-for-all-high-gain-amplified-indoor-digital-aerial-115127

J
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 12:30 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - Old Navy
"Digital" and "Freeview" aerials do not exist except in marketing bull excrement.

You need a good terrestrial TV aerial either broadband (with black plastic plugs in the end of the tube) or matched to the groups transmitted in your area.

www.bbc.co.uk/reception/info/pdf/factsheet_tvaerials.pdf
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 18 Jan 13 at 12:35
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 12:36 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - Bromptonaut
>> "Digital" and "Freeview" aerials do not exist except in marketing bull excrement.
>>
>> You need a good terrestrial TV aerial.

Up to point Lord Copper.

While analogue TV was still going the term digital aerial was useful short hand for high gain/wideband as opposed to the earlier regime of aerials built for a specific channel group.
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 13:37 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - Slidingpillar
Yes and no. The term digital aerial was used for wideband ones, but since the use of the incorrect term had no quality implications as it was the wrong term, use of it generally indicated poor quality.

I don't think any indoor type aerials are, but for a fixed aerial the CAI (Confederation of Aerial Industries) benchmarking scheme is the one to watch for.
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 13:43 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - rtj70
When I first got a TV card for a PC years ago, and another for the Mac in 2009, they came with those tiny aerials with a magnet on the bottom (and a suction cup). This was pre-digital switchover for TV and they were rubbish. Something like this:

www.maplin.co.uk/mini-dvb-t-aerial-217745

At that point it didn't matter much because I had a VM box in the same room so could get programmes from that. I did try a few digital aerials from Maplin but no success - signal too weak for a portable style aerial even if boosted.

But when we moved I had to have a solution for the iMac and had an old, cheap portable type aerial and it worked fine. Again tried a few others that would have been more discrete but gave in.

Then found one of the tiny aerials I mention above.... and this is post digital switchover and it works fine via an amplifier (might without)! Full strength quality signal. So it goes to show you need an aerial that's right for the location.

And these two aerials do not work at all in a back bedroom though. Tried. So the signal is coming in through the front office/bedroom window.
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 13:58 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - Old Navy
Don't forget that the digital transmitter power was dramatically increased at switchover, some kit that did not work before may work now. I was able to remove the masthead amplifier on my loft aerial after switchover and had a stronger signal.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 18 Jan 13 at 14:00
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 14:05 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - Bigtee
Asda sell one it's £20.00 and works in medium to strong signal areas.

However not knowing where you live but if other antennas are on large poles above the chimney you may need height, if not id say you should be fine.

I tuned this one up in the bedroom with a cheap 1980's sit on the top of your telly type aerial and it worked fine, but for a more permant set up i have the asda one in the loft.
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 14:13 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - Focusless
Indoor TV aerial reviews/recommendations - don't know how up to date:
www.ricability-digitaltv.org.uk/pages/test-reports/indoor-aerials/recommendations.htm
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 16:04 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - rtj70
>> Don't forget that the digital transmitter power was dramatically increased at switchover,

Which is why I mentioned digital switchover. But some of the types of aerial I tried before switchover still didn't work well. This tiny thing does however. In my office it seems the aerial needs to be slightly in front of the window... so this being small works fine stuck to a corner. The others I tried could be concealed but were rubbish for signals and cost quite a bit more.
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 14:41 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - VxFan
>> When I first got a TV card for a PC years ago, and another for the Mac in 2009, they came with those tiny aerials with a magnet on the bottom.

When I bought my 7" digital TV for my office at work from Maplin, it came with something very similar to that. After a short amount of trial and error, I get a perfect picture on all digital channels with it.
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 18 Jan 13 at 14:42
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 Fri 18 Jan 13 16:02 
 Freeview indoor aerial recommendations anyone? - FocalPoint
Not sure how important it is, but it used to be recommended that the cable from an aerial receiving digital signals should have a continuous screening (usually a layer of foil) rather than the older design of copper mesh. Helps to prevent weakening of the signal over long runs?
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