Poor Analogue but Excellent Digital signal with new aerial

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StarBlazer

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Topic # 89434 2-Sep-2011 08:42

Due to a massive cut back in spending I bought a DSE UHF aerial kit yesterday. I got the aerial into roughly the place it would be mounted but found that on analogue TV1 was almost none existent, TV2 and TV3 had ghosting however Prime and Maori were almost perfect.

So I moved the aerial to my LCD TV with Freeview built in. It found 17 channels all with good signal and no interference and no artifacts.

I know the analogue signal is going off next year but I wanted to revive my two older TVs and give the kids the chance to watch normal TV whilst the wife and I hog the big tele and the MySkyHDi for the rugby over the next couple of months.

Before I start thinking about getting someone in and spending $250-$300 to install an aerial are they likely to be able to get a better picture or have they already turned down the power on the analogue signals - particularly considering the strength of the digital signals. The spending freeze also prohibits the possibility of buying set top boxes (maybe in next years budget).

I'm in Waterloo, Lower Hutt and have geographical line of sight to Mt Kaukau although physical line of sight is blocked by two trees around 100mtrs away.

Procrastination eventually pays off.

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Reply # 515496 2-Sep-2011 09:01

TV1, TV2 and TV3 are all VHF. A UHF aerial isn't going to deliver good performance on these channels, however Prime and MTS are both analogue on UHF which is why they're good.

wellygary

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Reply # 515501 2-Sep-2011 09:07

There is no "turn down the power" conspiracy,

Just that TV1,2 are on VHF from Kaukau, ( and probably 3 too)

Hence the poor reception via a UHF aerial ( Maori and Prime are on UHF)

Jaxson

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Reply # 515517 2-Sep-2011 09:36

Long term you'd be better to spend the money on new freeview capable gear.
Unless you can get a VHF aerial cheap/free from someone else who now doesn't need it.

StarBlazer

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Reply # 515531 2-Sep-2011 10:00

Thank you all for your quick replies. Wow I feel such a noob. I did mention to the guy at DSE it was for normal TV - perhaps I should have been more specific.

So by the sounds of things - the aerial is great for digital or I will have to just live with the poor signal for analogue.

So I guess going off topic, can anyone recommend a very cheap simple receiver - don't want PVR or multimedia just a very simple receiver that has either RF or composite outputs (for my two older TVs).

I've looked on TradeMe but what I have seen are overkill for my needs and outside my price bracket. Anything in the $50-$100 area?

Cheers

Procrastination eventually pays off.

B1GGLZ

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Reply # 515563 2-Sep-2011 10:43

StarBlazer: Thank you all for your quick replies. Wow I feel such a noob. I did mention to the guy at DSE it was for normal TV - perhaps I should have been more specific.

So by the sounds of things - the aerial is great for digital or I will have to just live with the poor signal for analogue.

So I guess going off topic, can anyone recommend a very cheap simple receiver - don't want PVR or multimedia just a very simple receiver that has either RF or composite outputs (for my two older TVs).

I've looked on TradeMe but what I have seen are overkill for my needs and outside my price bracket. Anything in the $50-$100 area?

Cheers

Yes

Yes

Why not get a coax splitter, a Freeview STB, and run its output to the other two TVs via composite/audio? Then the kids will be able to watch Freeview Digital albeit SD not HD.
JB HiFi has them at $167 and you can probably haggle a discount.

What aerial (presumably VHF) were you using for Analogue? If it is VHF and in good condition it will still work on the other TVs.

Ragnor

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Reply # 515582 2-Sep-2011 10:55

StarBlazer:

So I guess going off topic, can anyone recommend a very cheap simple receiver - don't want PVR or multimedia just a very simple receiver that has either RF or composite outputs (for my two older TVs).

I've looked on TradeMe but what I have seen are overkill for my needs and outside my price bracket. Anything in the $50-$100 area?

Cheers

Here's one from the Freeview shop for ~$150, has pretty much every output option (coax, composite, cvbs etc etc)

http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/sommet-shdnz3-digital-terrestrial-receiver-freeview-p-630.html

They have the manual pdf linked on the page too, pg5 for a diagram on the outputs.

You might be able to find one cheaper than this from JB, Harvery Norman though.

StarBlazer

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Reply # 515583 2-Sep-2011 10:56

B1GGLZ: Why not get a coax splitter, a Freeview STB, and run its output to the other two TVs via composite/audio? Then the kids will be able to watch Freeview Digital albeit SD not HD.
JB HiFi has them at $167 and you can probably haggle a discount.

What aerial (presumably VHF) were you using for Analogue? If it is VHF and in good condition it will still work on the other TVs.

The main TV in the lounge has Freeview built in, it is also the TV that is hooked up to MySky.

The two older TVs are CRT and I really only have composite or RF inputs.

I used to hook the TCL cable to the aerial inputs of these (tut tut slapped wrist) but they disabled the analogue feed through the cable so from that point the older TVs have only been used for PS2 and DVDs. I currently do not have any aerial installed - only a satellite dish - and for $49 the DSE kit seemed like a good cost effective option to pickup analogue TV - even if only for a short while. $167 is more than I have to play with at the moment.

Procrastination eventually pays off.

StarBlazer

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Reply # 515590 2-Sep-2011 11:04

Ragnor: Here's one from the Freeview shop for ~$150, has pretty much every output option (coax, composite, cvbs etc etc)

http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/sommet-shdnz3-digital-terrestrial-receiver-freeview-p-630.html

They have the manual pdf linked on the page too, pg5 for a diagram on the outputs.

You might be able to find one cheaper than this from JB, Harvery Norman though.

Impressive model and good price compared to what is in the stores, but functionally it's overkill and it's outside my budget. These are only CRT TVs but still have plenty of life in them! I guess this is the dilema facing the rest of the population over the next year or so.

I could get 1 decoder and split the RF output to the two TVs but then I have the remote control issue so I would then have to get an extender etc etc.

Procrastination eventually pays off.

Jaxson

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Reply # 515592 2-Sep-2011 11:07

StarBlazer: I currently do not have any aerial installed - only a satellite dish

I didn't realise this. You can get cheap satellite receivers, much cheaper really. This might be a better way to go for now as freeview satellite is SD only which is fine on an old TV.

StarBlazer

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Reply # 515595 2-Sep-2011 11:09

Jaxson:
StarBlazer: I currently do not have any aerial installed - only a satellite dish

I didn't realise this. You can get cheap satellite receivers, much cheaper really. This might be a better way to go for now as freeview satellite is SD only which is fine on an old TV.

Do I need another dish or can I split the two Sky cables to two other decoders?

Procrastination eventually pays off.

Jaxson

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Reply # 515598 2-Sep-2011 11:17

StarBlazer: Do I need another dish or can I split the two Sky cables to two other decoders?

Sky and freeivew both come from the same satellite, in the same Horizontal alignment.

You can simply split the signal several ways and every receiver can view any channel at any time, in 'crystal clear digital'.

Do you currently have SKY?

You cut the cable at some point (usually inside to keep it all dry), put a splitter in there and run new cable from this point to your other TV's.
http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/satellite-terrestrial-splitter-p-493.html

Receiver wise, this one can record to USB drive:
http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/ultraplus-700hdmi-digital-satellite-receiver-p-633.html

and this one is just cheaper, with no record ability:
http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/satlink-2800-digital-satellite-receiver-p-2.html

B1GGLZ

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Reply # 515607 2-Sep-2011 11:28

StarBlazer:

The main TV in the lounge has Freeview built in, it is also the TV that is hooked up to MySky.

The two older TVs are CRT and I really only have composite or RF inputs.

As you have a Freeview main TV and Sky you don't really need to buy anything. Just run composite video and audio out from Sky to the other TVs. That way at least the Kids can watch whatever channel they want (but only one) while you are watching Freeview.

B1GGLZ

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Reply # 515612 2-Sep-2011 11:33

StarBlazer:

I could get 1 decoder and split the RF output to the two TVs but then I have the remote control issue so I would then have to get an extender etc etc.

Wouldn't work.
Terrestrial decoders don't have an rf out, only UHF antenna feedthrough and your old TVs don't have digital tuners. You have to use HDMI, component or composite out from the STB to the TVs.

StarBlazer

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Reply # 515634 2-Sep-2011 12:10

B1GGLZ: As you have a Freeview main TV and Sky you don't really need to buy anything. Just run composite video and audio out from Sky to the other TVs. That way at least the Kids can watch whatever channel they want (but only one) while you are watching Freeview.

Problem is I will be watching the Rugby on the main TV using Sky - kids will have terrestrial only.

Wouldn't work.
Terrestrial decoders don't have an rf out, only UHF antenna feedthrough and your old TVs don't have digital tuners. You have to use HDMI, component or composite out from the STB to the TVs.

Good advice thanks - never thought to check that!

Might have to look at splitting the SKY as per JAXSON's notes. I see that the Sat decoder has only one dish input - why does Sky have /use two cables?

Procrastination eventually pays off.

cyril7

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Reply # 515648 2-Sep-2011 12:36

Hi, a MySky actually has 4 LNB inputs, however only one is required even if there are two currently connected.

Cyril

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