Indoor antennas for Freeview|HD

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › Indoor antennas for Freeview|HD

ahmad

1937 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 53
Inactive user

Topic # 173159 13-May-2015 14:31

Does anyone have experience with indoor antennas for Freeview HD?

Or are they not worth the hassle - pay for an outdoor antenna to be connected instead?

lxsw20

2231 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 695

Subscriber

Reply # 1304552 13-May-2015 14:35

Depends on how good your signal is. I've had Freeview HD from a set of bunny ears with a uhf loop in the past, had line of sight to Mt Cargill here in Dunedin..

Sideface

4807 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3410

Lifetime subscriber

Reply # 1304556 13-May-2015 14:50

They're ugly and they usually don't work.

Sideface

lxsw20

2231 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 695

Subscriber

Reply # 1304558 13-May-2015 14:53

More something like this, not pretty but can be hidden behind the TV.

http://www.jaycar.co.nz/Sight-%26-Sound---Home/TV-Accessories/Antennas/Slim-Digital-TV-Indoor-Antenna-with-Amplifier/p/LT3206

Sideface

4807 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3410

Lifetime subscriber

Reply # 1304562 13-May-2015 15:01

lxsw20: More something like this, not pretty but can be hidden behind the TV.

http://www.jaycar.co.nz/Sight-%26-Sound---Home/TV-Accessories/Antennas/Slim-Digital-TV-Indoor-Antenna-with-Amplifier/p/LT3206

"not pretty" is an understatement (WAF = -10) - and it probably won't cope with HD unless you live next door to the transmitter.

Sideface

lxsw20

2231 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 695

Subscriber

Reply # 1304566 13-May-2015 15:07

Hence you hide it behind the TV, and it was working a good 6km away from the transmitter line of sight.

B1GGLZ

1945 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 131

Reply # 1304605 13-May-2015 15:31

One person supports this post

lxsw20: More something like this, not pretty but can be hidden behind the TV.

http://www.jaycar.co.nz/Sight-%26-Sound---Home/TV-Accessories/Antennas/Slim-Digital-TV-Indoor-Antenna-with-Amplifier/p/LT3206

But it's double the price of a complete UHF outdoor antenna pack available from DSE today only.
http://www.dicksmith.co.nz/antennas/dick-smith-hd-uhf-outdoor-antenna-pack-dsnz-l4735

Bee

593 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 109

Reply # 1304618 13-May-2015 15:56

We have been watching freeview on an indoor UHF aerial for many years now. Yes it is powered and yes it is hidden behind the lcd...

Pretty much always good signal on all channels... no worries...
We have more occurrences of "rain fade" on sky than problems with freeview.

lxsw20

2231 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 695

Subscriber

Reply # 1304622 13-May-2015 16:00

B1GGLZ:
lxsw20: More something like this, not pretty but can be hidden behind the TV.

http://www.jaycar.co.nz/Sight-%26-Sound---Home/TV-Accessories/Antennas/Slim-Digital-TV-Indoor-Antenna-with-Amplifier/p/LT3206

But it's double the price of a complete UHF outdoor antenna pack available from DSE today only.
http://www.dicksmith.co.nz/antennas/dick-smith-hd-uhf-outdoor-antenna-pack-dsnz-l4735

Plus cable, plus wall face plate, plus your time, plus any tools you require but don't own. I'm not saying it's not a good solution but if you don't own the place or don't have the skills to install that your self then an indoor can work fine in the right situation.

mdooher

Hmm, what to write...
1010 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 522

Trusted

Subscriber

Reply # 1304633 13-May-2015 16:30

lxsw20:
B1GGLZ:
lxsw20: More something like this, not pretty but can be hidden behind the TV.

http://www.jaycar.co.nz/Sight-%26-Sound---Home/TV-Accessories/Antennas/Slim-Digital-TV-Indoor-Antenna-with-Amplifier/p/LT3206

But it's double the price of a complete UHF outdoor antenna pack available from DSE today only.
http://www.dicksmith.co.nz/antennas/dick-smith-hd-uhf-outdoor-antenna-pack-dsnz-l4735

Plus cable, plus wall face plate, plus your time, plus any tools you require but don't own. I'm not saying it's not a good solution but if you don't own the place or don't have the skills to install that your self then an indoor can work fine in the right situation.

Nah just pretend to be a sky installer and attach the outdoor to antenna to the window frame or barge board if you can be bothered. Run the coax through the sealant below the window sill straight into the back of the TV. Only tools required are a crescent and a long screwdriver..... yum

Matthew

JimmyH

2616 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1286

Reply # 1305354 14-May-2015 18:33

It can work well, but you need a pretty good signal.

I have a roof antenna connected to the downstairs telly, but needed something for the bedroom set.

I tried a couple of amplified ones with only marginal success. Eventually I got a One-For-All from the Warehouse, amplified with 51db of gain (much more than the alternatives), which I tried on a whim because they told me I could return it if it didn't work. It works a treat. Cost was circa $100 from memory.

Reggimus

27 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 3

Reply # 1305584 15-May-2015 09:00

These are an outdoor panel, but can also work indoors if setup correctly (http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/active-flat-panel-indoor-aerial-freeview-p-77.html) if you wanted to CYA.

khull

1245 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 137

Reply # 1305613 15-May-2015 09:45

I am also interested in indoor antennas living 10-12k from the tower, am quite unsure which ones will work indoors

robjg63

2892 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 608

Reply # 1305624 15-May-2015 10:00

Digital is different to analogue in that it will either work or not work.
There is no in between - unlike analogue which just started to get steadily more fuzzy.
So you may find an inside aerial works fine today, but tomorrow - when something is moved in front of it - or it rains - it may not work.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler