Which Digital Aerial, How To Choose etc?

I live just outside Slough (well, somone has to ;-) and I've been told by a couple of fairly local CAI approved installers that the digital signals where I live should be pretty good.

I'm proably going to replace the aerial on the chimney stack, but how can I choose which one to replace it with, I'd like to avoid paying £70 or more just for labour to have one fitted.

ordering from CPC www.cpc.co.uk , part number - AP00833 for example.

I was thinking of getting a wideband unit to make sure I get the most versatility.
Does the state of the mast make a difference?

Would a high gain be a better bet than a medium gain, will it make much difference as I seem to recall that too much gain on analogue can be just as bad as too little.

Also, will all digital aerials be compatible with analogue signals as we still have analogue on the main TV.

Thanks
Skiddins

 

Why not try and loan a box from a friend, you may find that you don't need to upgrade.
We had Ondigital which kept getting car interference but these new boxes are much better on the same aerial.
Ged

 

I defiately agree with ged get a box first to find out even if you need an upgrade, and yes analogue will still come down any aerial.

 

hi,
just had a two friends,one in langley the other in iver.
we installed a high gain antiferrance xg8 wired with raydex ct100 and ct125.
i believe this the way for you to go!

 

Does anyone know if you can use sky digital coax as aerial wire because it seems a shame too waste it.

cheers Dave.

 

If Skiddins is so set on Freeview why suggest an aerial upgrade before the STB? Isn't this like putting the cart before the horse?
Loan or buy the box, it sounds like you intend to anyway, then take it from there.

 

Guys, I already have a Pace Twin, the signal is OK, typically 50-55% but I do get dropout which can be very annoying.
I am using a portable aerial at the moment.
Our analogue system downstairs coincidently is getting worse, and the aerial and cable etc on the chimney stack dates from before we had the house, 1980, and it certainly wasn't new then.

So basically, the aerial WILL be upgraded whatever happens.

The reason I ask about the gain etc, is will a high gain aerial also increase the chances of picking up interference.

All the aerials around hear seem to point at Crystal Palace, 32km away, which I believe the most powerfull transmitter there is.

I have noticed that the image I get has very slight ghosting, really only noticable when you get closer to the TV, just around people etc. Is this normal or should I get a superb picture. I am using decent cables with everthing, not the rubish you get with the systems.

Skiddins

 

Sorry, for what probably seem like obvious questions....

So would the absolute ideal be an aerial with high gain, high front/back? (I have no idea what that is!), and wide band so I can pick up channels 21-69.

I notice that my Pace Twin has it's RF modulator set to channel 69, do you know what the effect of changing this channel would be?

I have noticed the section 'UHF Channel Allocation for Analogue and Digital' on the DTT site. SHould I change my RF modulator to one of the digital channels given?

Sorry everyone, but the more I look into this the more confused I become.

Skiddins