TV

[Micky]

Apart from a 50 foot pole on top of the mast, has anyone got any hints/tips on getting a good picture in a poor signal area in Ipswich.
Got an Omni directional aerial with amp, but reception is rubbish.

 

[BrendanS]

If you've got a freeview box at home, try taking it to the boat. Digital reception can make poor quality signal look a lot better, but if the reception is too bad you'll get freezes - so probably best to try first before buying a box for the boat

 

[Lakesailor]

Do what we did. Sky have a package for free-to-air broadcasts with a decoder card which is a one-off payment of £20.00.
FreeSat Package
Came the next day. Installed it myself. Great
We can actually see our TV transmitter but the reception is rubbish even with a bells-and-whistle aerial. The staeliite reception is great and we can get channel5 now which we couldn't before.

I take it you mean at home, not on your boat?

 

[mikewilkes]

Brendan with your knowledge of laptops etc is it possible to connect a pentium 4 dell to a sat system?
There was one thing I found (Haufagge?) but being thick could not really understand it. Dont really want to buy a tv for the boat cos its not a big boat and my fat arse would probably knock the dam thing off the chart table.

 

[hlb]

From the threads on the subject we've had before. It's crap as what you get. Digi maybe!!

 

[BrendanS]

Yes. You'll need something like a hauppauge tv tuner (you don't actually need a tuner, but it's the bit that converts the signal to something the laptop can display, and not sure you can get tv in without the tuner). Once you've got that, then you just connect an aerial or a sat system same as for a normal tv.

Display quality on most laptops ain't brilliant though.

 

[mikewilkes]

thanks Brendan.

 

[BlueChip]

Problem with using a notebook PC as a tv is that with most notebooks the viewing angle is quite narrow and is really only suitable for one person sitting directly in front to view.
I had used a hauppage usb tuner which worked ok, but earlier this year bought one of these tv's on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=32826&item=5774309684&rd=1

I have been really impressed with it, I mounted it on one of the pull down cupboard doors and its been quite a success

 

[mikewilkes]

I will look at that on Wenesday when I get home. The company do not allow access to e-bay so I will have to wait. Thanks.

 

[Vara]

Over the last couple of years as a slave of TV ,University challenge,The Bill,Fred Dibnah et al.
I ditched the omni aerial for a small Yagi(thats the spiky one like the one on most roofs)bought from B&Q marketed as a loft aerial,and when ready to watch TV wander around the deck responding to cues from below as to when the picture is acceptable,when consensus is reached said aerial is then secured with bits of string.
Before doing this clues are gathered as to what direction to point the thing by observing the nearest house with bins.
A bit Heath-Robinson but it works.
Height helps in some situations but clear line of sight is also important.
Freeview box makes life easier as it has signal meter on display(well mine has)
The trouble with omnis permanently mounted is that it's all or nothing and the positioning of an aerial is inch critical.

 

[BrendanS]

Just had a thought. It will depend on the satellite set up you have or plan to get. If the satellite kit has option to feed through normal 'aerial' type lead, then no probs. If it has a scart lead as only option, you may have a problem, as I don't know of any commonly available tv tuners for pc's that have Scart in (though some have scart out which is no use for you)

The other option is to get a complete satellite tv tuner like this
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/pages/products/data_dec3000-s.html

then just add satellite dish. It even has a slot for pay per view card. You need a free USB port on the laptop

 

[Micky]

Hi Lakesailor.
Talking about reception on my boat, not at home.

 

[Lakesailor]

Realised that after the fact. Makes aiming the dish a bit tricky.

 

[blueglass]

seems to me evrywhere is bad tv reception on a boat. Have just ripped out bells and whistle aerial etc that came with my new (used) boat. They look like you are a caravan type and you can't watch it anyway.
Now have TV and video recorder combo and watch vids - "reception" is crystal!