New house no aerial - need freeview!

lee171181

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Hi I have just moved into a new house (a new build) & it has no aerial installed. There are tv points in every room & all the cables just go up into the loft.

We’ve ordered sky but that’s going to be a few weeks due to waiting for the broadband etc so my question is what should I buy now to be able to get freeview hd in all 4 rooms that I can setup quickly & easily and that isn’t too expensive?

I’ve been looking at the rgtech monarch 50 indoor aerial but could I put that in the loft with some kind of splitter to use it with all the TVs, or will these indoor aerials only work with one tv at a time? I can’t really mount a traditional aerial on the roof easily so really need an indoor option that will serve all the TVs?

I am around 8 miles from the nearest transmitter for freeview.

Thanks
 
The last person who asked about these and trying to do the same thing in similar circumstances sent it back and got a log IIRC.
You would be much better off spending a little more on a log periodic aerial to mount in the loft. Like any of THESE (apart from the indoor ones).
As you are fairly close to the Tx, you may get away with a passive 4 way splitter, but may need a low gain powered distribution amp.
I have the Labgear compact and it works a treat.
 
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So the labgear compact would work ok mounted in the loft? & still receive the hd channels?

Can you recommend a half decent distribution amp that’s not 2 expensive?
 
LOCATION???? It's key to the likely result of an aerial in a loft. 8 miles from a 1W relay is a long distance... from a 200kW main transmitter a different story... but intervening terrain can block and attenuate signals significantly.

What does the reception predictor tool give you (tick detailed view)? Digital UK - Coverage checker

Another tool to estimate signal levels is wolfbane.net (change aerial height to 8m in loft, and subtract at least 6dB for roof tile losses... 3-storey houses use the 10m default height.

Loft and indoor aerial installations for TV, FM and DAB is worth reading and Justin (owner) recommends the Proception range of distribution amplifiers because they are properly screened. Some others are less well constructed.

Also note that if the aerial has to point through the party walls of a terrace of houses, you can find TV signals are effectively completely blocked in the loft.
 
The answers above are pretty comprehensive.
 
Ask your neighbours what aerial they have got
Often not a lot of use... more often than not, the poorest quality aerials are installed by those with little or no knowledge of the subject (or by 'pro' installers maximising their profit). On new build estates especially, as money is often very tight for those just moved in, and installs are done on the cheap.
 
Do you have line of sight to a transmitter? .. can you see it? If so a loft aerial will do the business. Mount it at a high point in the attic and preferably have sight of a TV when you are locating it. The aerials are directional , but with a large acceptance angle look and see the angle and direction of your neighbors. . If there is aluminium foil or water tanks in the attics, then you need to be above the foil and the transmitter side of the water tank. Any distribution amp will work fine.. get to Maplins while you can!.
 
I would concentrate on getting the best signal by connecting an aerial to just one cable first and check that all is working as expected before introducing any splitter/booster, or perhaps get a small tv in the loft and check things with the aerial directly connected to it first in order to get things set-up as best as is possible. Try and avoid roof trusses and any water tanks. Be prepared to try the aerial at more than one location within the roof space, as sometimes a change in relative position can make a big difference to the results.

You need to know what your nearest transmitter is and the direction in which to point the aerial. Check the roofs of houses near you to get an idea if you're not sure.

A log periodic aerial is probably going to be your friend, but there are, as I recall, two types -- passive, and those with a built-in masthead amplifer. Use decent quality cable to make your connections. My guess is that the aerial cables already in situ will be builder's basic cheapo stuff, but do at least make sure that you use decent cable terminations where necessary.

I used a loft aerial at my last place to feed a bedroom tv and with a little patience during set-up it worked a treat. It is certainly doable, but you will need to do some basic research first, as been previously suggested.

Do take sensible precautions when working in an environment where loft insulation is present. A face mask is a must, as is wearing long-sleeved clothing. I've used those surgical type rubber gloves to protect my hands, as they still allow a good degree of manual dexterity.

Have fun!

Clem
 

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