HELP on buying an Aerial

[skips]

Hi,
I am about to moving into a new house in Portishead nr Bristol, i'd like to put in a loft aerial and have seen this....

http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st...clickfrom=name

Anyone have any thoughts? my plan is to have this to supply a freeview box and standard terrestrial. I'll be getting a dist. amp to supply all 8 outlets in the house.

Any further advise hugely welcomed. i thought that the small size of this aerial is perfect for loft installation, but question the effectivness.

Thanks in advance


Skips.

[richardys]

You would be better off buying an aerial that has been approved by the CAI for digital.

http://www.cai.org.uk/asp/bmaerials.asp#

Personally I've used and liked the following:

Blake DMX 10
Triax Unix 52
Televes DAT 45
Televes DAT 75

[Nick_UK]

Loft installations are not very good unless you are close to the transmitter. You can lose up to 40% of the signal, depending on what your roof is made out of (slate is worst).

[skips]

great thanks guys,

just a sweeping comment..
is it true the bigger better the aerial (say the DAT 75 that was recomended) the better the signal?

I realise that loft instalation isn't ideal, however i think it is worth a go before i get someone willing to get up a set of ladders for me, if i get the highest gain aerial i can, might this help, or will it just boost a poor signal. from what i can work out i am not too far from a 500kW transmitter and close to a 7w relay, so the signal should't be too bad?? (i am far from an expert on these things).

any further thoughts.

many thanks again for you time and advise

Skips

[Nick_UK]

Your problem will be with Freeview, not terrestrial. 500kW will be the terrestrial output power, Freeview uses a fraction of that. Do tests using the Freeview box before putting your ladders away.

[skips]

thanks, i won't be too hasty with the packing away of my ladder!
Just to make totally certain, can i, or can i not buy an "over spec'd" aerial. i'd like to get good pictures, be it in the loft or out, so i am preapred to pay a little for the aerial, what i want to be sure of, is ,IF i am in a strong signal aerial, a good aerial won't be too good??

thanks again for your help and advice

skips

[hog]

hi
it wont do you any harm to get an over specced one , worst case it needs go outside and you have to much signal this can be cut down using an attenuator, if your going to pay an installer to fit outside (if you cant get it to work in the loft yourself) then he should be able to fit one...