vhf antenna for digital tv

[Gunfleet]

there's a gizmo on sale which claims to receive digi tv pictures via the vhf antenna

http://www.echopilot.com/products/echopilot_dvb_tv/echopilot_dvb_tv.aspx

Anyone tried one? How many things can your average vhf antenna do?

 

[curve]

That look's interesting. Would love to hear how the pictures compare to those with an indoor digital ariel which we are using?

 

[andy01842]

Intresting as tv is UHF and with a VHF antenna it got to be a compromise. IMHO you can`t beat the correct antenna for the band you want!

 

[Spyro]

[ QUOTE ]
That look's interesting. Would love to hear how the pictures compare to those with an indoor digital ariel which we are using?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you get a picture it will be as good as any other. with digital reception you either get a picture or you don't. Not like analogue where the picture quality gradually deteriorate until you get nothing,

 

[wotayottie]

[ QUOTE ]
Intresting as tv is UHF and with a VHF antenna it got to be a compromise. IMHO you can`t beat the correct antenna for the band you want!

[/ QUOTE ]

Quite right - but in the end I dont suppose there is much practical difference between a weaker signal amplified by the magic box and a stronger signal received on a correct length aerial.

having said which I would like to fit a masthead active aerial for wifi and also one for digi tv next winter when the mast is down. Anyone know who makes them?

 

[wotayottie]

having just had a quick google, a couple of sites are interesting

http://www.wirelesspro.co.uk/department/omnidirectional_antennas/

http://uk.wifi-link.com/product.php?acti...p;product_id=16

 

[mikejames]

Seeing as digital TV is harder to receive than analogue (transmitted at 10% of the power of analogue) as well as having the 'sudden collapse' behaviour I would take any claim as being dubious.

Apart from the cheap VHF coax fitted to the boats VHF aerial losing most of the signal before it gets to the splitter .

And unfortunately you dont want omni aerials when the going gets tough as the ghosting of analogue TV becomes complete loss of digital TV.

In my garage in Hamble for instance I can get the five analogue channels from Rowridge using a bit of wire stuck in a TV. With a Freeview box it sort of gets BBC2 using a somewhat better bit of wire.

So I say expect disappointment unless you are in a very good reception area.

 

[Searush]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
That look's interesting. Would love to hear how the pictures compare to those with an indoor digital ariel which we are using?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you get a picture it will be as good as any other. with digital reception you either get a picture or you don't. Not like analogue where the picture quality gradually deteriorate until you get nothing,

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, OK, up to a point. Digital signals pixilate, freeze, lose colour or posterise as signal fades. Then it vanishes. Where I live we get 60-63% signal strength on BBC which works well & 40-47% on ITV channels which is VERY marginal.

 

[freebird1]

My 5 inch long stubby digital tv aerial is mounted on the push pit rail. I either get a signal or I don't. I have a hoop aerial on some co-ax to dig out for these occasions - to get analogue tv while we still can.

 

[William_H]

The antenna could not be very good for AIS reception as it clearly is horizontally polarised being low and flat while AIS transmission is vertically polarised. This incorrect polarisation must give a significant signal loss on AIS.
Likewise Kadeena with his presumably vertically polarised stub antenna on the pushpit for TV. It may work a lot better if it is mounted horizontally and side on to the signal source. Unless you are in area of vertically polarised TV transmission.
olewill