Indoor aerial *DICK SMITH CLOSING DOWN*

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › Indoor aerial *DICK SMITH CLOSING DOWN*

lannykaster

64 posts

Master Geek

#195345 16-Apr-2016 21:16

Hey guys
I was wondering, even with 90% off, are these indoor UHF digital antennas any good???

I have a TV that needs a Freeview box on it to get television channels. There's no aerial socket anywhere in the room, so I've never had it going except for games and DVDs.

But when I asked the guy behind the counter what his opinion on these were, he kinda laughed and said "yeeeeeeah, the majority of people used to bring them back"

90% off $49.98 is about $4.99 and even at THAT price, I was weary of taking the risk :(

-----------------------------------------------------------------
You know how to skweeze me,
WHOA OH!
You know how to pleeze me,
WHOA OH!
You're making it easy,
WHOA OH!
And i thought you might like to know;
how to skweeze me,
WHOA OH!....

1 | 2

3009 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 379

ID Verified

Trusted

#1534137 16-Apr-2016 21:25

Heh. I got one for $10 for family friend. Haven't tried it at her house yet but I suspect it won't work. Tried it in Wanganui and no go.

I even suspect the plug pack power supply actually does nothing.. Wouldn't be surprised if there is no circuit inside. May open my unit tomorrow and have a look.

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

As per the usual std disclaimer.. "All thoughts typed here are my own."

Sam91

620 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 183

#1534139 16-Apr-2016 21:32

We have one from Dick Smith and it works perfectly. In saying that, we're in Browns Bay on top of a hill with direct line of sight to the Pinehill tower.

ZollyMonsta

3009 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 379

ID Verified

Trusted

#1534144 16-Apr-2016 21:42

Plugged it in here in Lower Hutt and no signal whatsoever. Definitely circuitry inside, but what it's doing is anybody's guess.l

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

As per the usual std disclaimer.. "All thoughts typed here are my own."

mattwnz

20515 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4795

#1534147 16-Apr-2016 21:53

I didn't buy one of the DSE ones, but did buy an unpowered small one that looks a bit like a plane, and it works well with a tivo. A pity DSE has turned off their website, because then you could read peoples reviews to see if it actually works or not. I guess if it doesn't you could return it as being faulty? IN the old days, they used to let you return stuff no questions asked, but that changed several years ago, and could be one reason people stopped using them too.

lannykaster

64 posts

Master Geek

#1534149 16-Apr-2016 22:04

No returns at all, the guy told me. I mean it IS only $5 but I don't see why they'd sell stuff in the first place that's 'cheap and nasty' and pretty much not going to work?

mattwnz

20515 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4795

#1534150 16-Apr-2016 22:07

lannykaster: No returns at all, the guy told me. I mean it IS only $5 but I don't see why they'd sell stuff in the first place that's 'cheap and nasty' and pretty much not going to work?

They do have to refund if it is faulty/doesn't work (they do have to follow the FTA, SGA, and CGA), it does say that on their website too. But for $5 it isn't worth it unless you were going back to the store later anyway..

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

lannykaster

64 posts

Master Geek

#1534153 16-Apr-2016 22:13

Lol. The guys are in receivership and they're closing down! Hahaha you'd have to be pretty tight fisted to demand your fiver back from a failing company :o

richms

29098 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10208

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1534193 17-Apr-2016 03:08

lannykaster: No returns at all, the guy told me. I mean it IS only $5 but I don't see why they'd sell stuff in the first place that's 'cheap and nasty' and pretty much not going to work?

THat has been pretty much their whole business model. Except for the cheap part.

Richard rich.ms

Dingbatt

6804 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3694

Lifetime subscriber

#1534240 17-Apr-2016 10:04

Having just bought 6 hdmi cables and an iPad cover for the grand total of $35 I have no expectation of returning anything even if faulty.
It is, after all the price of a cup of coffee for the item you describe.

Edit : I would never have paid $40 for one of their cables, but at 4 bucks..........

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

lannykaster

64 posts

Master Geek

#1534261 17-Apr-2016 10:10

That's what I couldn't believe either! Some of their bog standard RCA cables were priced at $35-50 (!) No wonder they're going bankrupt :(

Behodar

11094 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6071

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1534289 17-Apr-2016 10:18

lannykaster: Hahaha you'd have to be pretty tight fisted to demand your fiver back from a failing company :o

You just described one of my coworkers to a T!

Bought a $12 electricity travel adapter, got it home, realised that he already had one, and then took the new one back. He actually managed to convince them to refund it!

Dell

Shop now for Dell laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

skewt

752 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 215

#1534290 17-Apr-2016 10:20

They had outdoor antennas for $20, down from $100

alasta

6888 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3362

Trusted

Subscriber

#1534325 17-Apr-2016 11:53

Generally indoor antennae don't work - if they did then people wouldn't go to the cost and hassle of installing an outdoor antenna.

Having said that you may get lucky if you are able to place it in a window with perfect LOS to the transmitter.

richms

29098 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10208

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1534327 17-Apr-2016 11:58

They didn't work for analog where you had to have no multipathing or it was a ghosty mess. Digital is really forgiving for that so they can work fine for it. I'm ages from waitatua and 100mm of bared coax center gets me perfect reception on all muxes.

Richard rich.ms

loceff13

1089 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 340

#1534341 17-Apr-2016 12:41

lannykaster: Lol. The guys are in receivership and they're closing down! Hahaha you'd have to be pretty tight fisted to demand your fiver back from a failing company :o

New DSE will be providing a support phone number to handle warranty etc for goods sold after the receivership(even the 90% off stuff).

1 | 2