Anyone recommend a indoor aerial

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I agree that using an existing installation is better than adding an extra one but indoor antennas should not be rejected without proper consideration.

I have an indoor antenna in the loft linked to a 4-way distribution amplifier that successfully feeds my PVRs, DVD Recorders and TVs. This is a new installation so all the cable is good quality, the connections are firm and I am not too far from the Transmitter. Plus, the loft is higher than the surrounding houses so there is a clear line of sight to the Transmitter.

First, you must assess the signal strength you could receive from the available transmitters. See UK digital TV reception predictor Does this recommend an amplified or high-gain antenna; if so an internal antenna is likely to be a problem.

So, for an indoor antenna:

1. Do you have a clear line of sight to your nearest transmitter? Yes - Good.
2. Is the Indoor antenna placed near the outside wall? Yes - Good.
3. Do you have an amplifier for your existing outside antenna? Yes - Not good.
4. Do you have a high-gain antenna? Yes -Not good.
5. Is the usual transmitter far away? Yes - Not good.

Finally, the outcome of the amplification of digital signals cannot be directly compared to that of the old analogue signals. With analogue TV signals the picture used to go "snowy". With digital TV signals there is a "cliff-edge" effect whereby the digital information can correct for some reduced signal effects but then gives up and the picture freezes and then disappears.

winston2010 is correct to say that you cannot amplify what is not there but digital processing can extract correct information where old analogue processors could not.

Martin
 
2. Is the Indoor antenna placed near the outside wall? Yes - Good.

I would just add that most modern houses have a metal foil layer in the wall as part of the thermal insulation. The result can be a passable imitation of a screened room as far as radio waves are concerned!

In practice this means that an in-room aerial probably needs to point through a window in the direction of the transmitter.

Alan
 
I would just add that most modern houses have a metal foil layer in the wall as part of the thermal insulation. The result can be a passable imitation of a screened room as far as radio waves are concerned!

In practice this means that an in-room aerial probably needs to point through a window in the direction of the transmitter.

Alan

Low energy double glazing has a heat reflective metallic coating on the glass.
 
But, if you must, no guarantees however:

Telecam TCE2000 LTE Indoor Aerial TV Antenna: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Don't, whatever you do, go for an amplified one. You can't amplify what is not there
winston2010's cavaet should be heeded!

Literally for yonks (pre-digital CRT days!) I've used a Maxview Truvision 9421037 iss 3 indoor aerial, mostly in conjunction with a signal booster**. The closest current match on the web appears to be the Maxview Truvision C3010M. Reception-wise, depending on the weather, I'd rate it as giving 7 to 9 out of ten, hence why I thought I'd try the Telecam after the apparent glowing reviews and Which? BestBuy it seems to get. Afterall, surely it couldn't be any worse than an aerial more than 15 years older! Sadly, the Telecam might as well have been an old coat hanger or bin-liner or whatever. No amount of positioning or orientating made a difference. The BBC channels which have otherwise always been strong-signalled were as good as non-existent. Perhaps I was too naïve to think technology would have moved forward in 15+ years to give a better outcome!

**Unless all the different signal boosters I've been using over the years have been acting as aerials in their own right, they have consistently massivley improved the reception, so not sure how this fits in with the idea they don't work.
 
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