Freeview Terrestrial USB for laptop ?

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NZCrusader

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Topic # 86992 16-Jul-2011 20:34

I have seen ones that require a coax cable to be plugged in & ones that dont.

Are the ones that dont require a coax any good ?
Are there ones that have coax input as an optional , but have antennas built in ?

We have a good sight to sugarloaf.
I dont have alot of experience or knowledge in this area.

Also what brands are the best ?
Any recommendations ?

Thanks in advance.

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codyc1515

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Reply # 494125 16-Jul-2011 20:45

I have a USB Pinnacle NanoStick PCTV 73e nd it works very well.

sbiddle

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Reply # 494212 17-Jul-2011 09:01

I've never seen one with a built in aerial, and even if there was would expect it to be useless.

Whether something will work well for you indoors isn't something people could answer as there are so many variables around TV reception. If you have good line of sight coverage and are sitting near a window you will probably get OK reception with a USB stick and small mag mount antenna that many of the USB sticks ship with.

If you want a true portable solution for your laptop buy a network tuner and use 802.11n around the house for streaming. It's a far better solution.

richms

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Reply # 494255 17-Jul-2011 11:28

Most of them have a MCX connector for the antenna input. Its not the most robust of plugs etc so prone to breakage, but still a hell of a lot better than the ones that have a crap PAL connector on them which is a sure to break socket.

There are adapters available on ebay or trademe to take a F or a PAL plug to a MCX plug if you do need to plug a decent antenna in.

Indoor stick antennas are the worst of the indoor ones, but seem to do ok for digital in good signal areas.

Richard rich.ms

NZCrusader

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Reply # 494319 17-Jul-2011 16:20

sbiddle: I've never seen one with a built in aerial, and even if there was would expect it to be useless.

Whether something will work well for you indoors isn't something people could answer as there are so many variables around TV reception. If you have good line of sight coverage and are sitting near a window you will probably get OK reception with a USB stick and small mag mount antenna that many of the USB sticks ship with.

If you want a true portable solution for your laptop buy a network tuner and use 802.11n around the house for streaming. It's a far better solution.

Cool, so what is a good quality network tuner ?

I currently have a TP Link wireless N router for the room.

So does the network freeview tuner have its own wireless N, or does it plug into the wireless router & use that ?

Cheers.

EDIT: Also what would I use to stream it onto the gfs laptop & how would that be set up ? VLC / WMP ?

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nigelj

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Reply # 494324 17-Jul-2011 16:43

NZCrusader: Cool, so what is a good quality network tuner ?

I currently have a TP Link wireless N router for the room.

So does the network freeview tuner have its own wireless N, or does it plug into the wireless router & use that ?

Cheers.

EDIT: Also what would I use to stream it onto the gfs laptop & how would that be set up ? VLC / WMP ?

I highly recommend the Silicon Dust HDHomeRun (http://www.hdhomerun.co.nz/) unfortunately when I checked the other day (I was about to suggest it for another person), the NZ reseller had sold out, but give them an email and see if they have an ETA.

mrbig

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Reply # 494544 18-Jul-2011 10:56

codyc1515: I have a USB Pinnacle NanoStick PCTV 73e nd it works very well.

i have one of those too there great

but i do no use it anymore i use a tv card now