251 replies to this topic

[someuser]

I hope this can help some people with Indoor Antenna reception.

I have tried 6 different Indoor Antennas in my bedroom to try and get good reception.  To start with, all I could get was SBS, then I read this forum and re-positioned to get 10 as well.  I was happy for a while but started trying different Antennas.  I first tried a non-amplified Chinese brand antenna from the local electrics store and that was far better than all three rabbit ears based Amplified Antennas I tried from Dick Smith and Jaycar that only received SBS intermittently.  So I tried a couple more non-amplified versions and had similar results to the Chinese brand (not so great).

Now Dick Smith have a fairly new product and it's catalog number L4074

DSE Digital Antenna

I was fairly skeptical at first but now I get perfect reception on all channels.  So if you are having no luck with your indoor antenna, give this one a try as it's definitely the best one I've tried and it's really small so it doesn't take up your whole bedroom with long rabbit ears.  

One final thing - My set top box has built in hard drive and whenever I tried recorded something with the old antenna, reception would cease.  Now it's fine.

Edited by someuser, 25 November 2006 - 02:59 PM.

[mtv]

someuser

This may be relevant in your reception area (which you have not stated) but not for others.

It would greatly assist other members if you were to say where you are and where you are receiving signals from.

[someuser]

mtv, on Nov 25 2006, 06:15 PM, said:

someuser

This may be relevant in your reception area (which you have not stated) but not for others.

It would greatly assist other members if you were to say where you are and where you are receiving signals from.

My apologies, I'm located in Fulham, Adelaide and I'm not totally sure where my signals are from but I think Mt Lofty.  That is the direction I position my antenna to get the good signal.  I just thought it would be relavent to the fact that this antenna gave me the best indoor reception of all the indoor antennas I tried.  I know some areas won't get any reception at all but it was just to suggest people try this one.

BTW, this antenna is specially designed for Digital TV Reception so it makes sense that it was the best of the one's I tried.

[lesftv]

Different people will have different results with indoor antennas - some successful, some unsuccessful. The general rule-of-thumb with indoor antennas is that they are quite good for hanging the tea towels - and nothing more. Sorry to put a spanner in the works, kids.
lesf

[beeblebrox]

especially if they're just rabbit ears or glorified rabbit ears.... unless you have an antenna cut with the right elements for hte frequencies you're trying to rcv you might as well use a coat hanger...

[someuser]

lesftv, on Nov 27 2006, 05:10 PM, said:

Different people will have different results with indoor antennas - some successful, some unsuccessful. The general rule-of-thumb with indoor antennas is that they are quite good for hanging the tea towels - and nothing more. Sorry to put a spanner in the works, kids.
lesf

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying that this is better than an outdoor antenna.  I'm just saying if indoor is your only option (for many people like me it is), give that Dick Smith one a go because I was very sceptical about it and didn't expect it to perform.  The result I had was far beyond my expectations for an indoor antenna.  I'm not trying to do outdoor antenna installation people out of work, I'm trying to offer the poor people with no possibility of an outdoor antenna some hope.  

[thestereo]

Hi,

I am trying to find a decent Digital TV antenna,

I am looking at this one from DSE.
http://www.dse.com.a...duct/View/L4074

does anyone have any reviews on it?

If it isnt good, whats a good one and where can i get it from?

muchly appreciate the help

[mtv]

It's probably as good as any other indoor antenna.

One thing to be aware of though, this model has a built-in amplifier, which may not be required.

Try it, nothing to lose and DSE offer a refund if you are not satisfied.

Keep in mind, indoor antennas are inferior to an external antenna, specifically disigned and installed for the digital channels in your particular area (which you have not stated).

[thestereo]

sorry, i am in Newtown, Sydney


i just thought that because it's dtv...that simple rabbit ears would not be sufficient enough?

[trisreed]

Yes, this is what happened to me. Except, I'm in Innaloo of WA.

Tried rabbit ears ( nothing ), DSE Digital Antenna ( SBS only ), and the included mini rod antenna ( SBS only ). Must be something to do with the UHF/VHF bands.

[beeblebrox]

trisreed, on Dec 1 2006, 08:13 PM, said:

Tried rabbit ears ( nothing ), DSE Digital Antenna ( SBS only ), and the included mini rod antenna ( SBS only ). Must be something to do with the UHF/VHF bands.

More to do with the fact that rabbit ears are next to useless unless you're in a very high signal area, with no impedements like metal roof double brick walls, big trees, etc..etc

[DJY]

Is there any truth to a message I've heard from a few people...
that you can put an external / outdoor antenna inside your ceiling (in your roof) rather than on top of my tiled roof - to achieve the same results when viewing digital television?

I have a new house - that even just plugging my television into a wall socket (or rabbit eears) get all channels - but occasionally experience problems with one Channel (Southern Cross aka Ch 10).

I'm in Canberra - and I can see Black Mountain tower from my house- which is the source.  Friends also in Canberra have said  Ch10 was terrible, and if I can save some money and install an antenna myself inside my roof - rather than pay someone to come and install one on my roof - that would be handy.

Appreciate everyone's knowledge / comments.

[trisreed]

Aah...
Have metal roof, double brick walls, big trees outside, near Hamersly AM tower, etc etc...

[someuser]

thestereo, on Nov 30 2006, 02:13 PM, said:

Hi,

I am trying to find a decent Digital TV antenna,

I am looking at this one from DSE.
http://www.dse.com.a...duct/View/L4074

does anyone have any reviews on it?

If it isnt good, whats a good one and where can i get it from?

muchly appreciate the help

If you read my post #26 above, the antenna you refer to was the best indoor one for me after trying several.  Make sure you plug it in correctly and set it up near a window.

[mtv]

DJY, on Dec 1 2006, 11:24 AM, said:

Is there any truth to a message I've heard from a few people...
that you can put an external / outdoor antenna inside your ceiling (in your roof) rather than on top of my tiled roof - to achieve the same results when viewing digital television?

I have a new house - that even just plugging my television into a wall socket (or rabbit eears) get all channels - but occasionally experience problems with one Channel (Southern Cross aka Ch 10).

I'm in Canberra - and I can see Black Mountain tower from my house- which is the source.  Friends also in Canberra have said  Ch10 was terrible, and if I can save some money and install an antenna myself inside my roof - rather than pay someone to come and install one on my roof - that would be handy.

Appreciate everyone's knowledge / comments.

Providing there is no metallic insulation, if you have sufficient signal strength and QUALITY, for you it may work. Without measuring signals first, it's a gamble doing it yourself.

[M'bozo]

Antenna in roof space here.

Like the man says though, you gotta know what you're doing.

[inm8]

I use these $2 aerials I bought from this shop called Chickenfeed (like the reject shop I guess) which all my tuners and they work really well. I wasn't expecting them to work well at all, but the sad thing is that they work better then the aerial on the roof, which was installed by a friend. Guess I should call someone in to do the job properly, but these cheap indoor aerials are doing a damn good job in the meantime.

[$aba]

is this a good one http://www.dse.com.a...duct/View/L4074

[Fading]

$aba, on Dec 14 2006, 09:12 PM, said:

is this a good one http://www.dse.com.a...duct/View/L4074

I have that antenna and it's working well for me...so far so good. If you do buy it, you have 2 weeks to try it out.

[Fading]

Damn...can't edit my last post.

$aba, someuser(yes that his furum name) is also happy with the L4074. Go back to the first page and read his entire post as this one has been edited.

someuser, on Nov 25 2006, 02:55 PM, said:

I was fairly skeptical at first but now I get perfect reception on all channels.  So if you are having no luck with your indoor antenna, give this one a try as it's definitely the best one I've tried and it's really small so it doesn't take up your whole bedroom with long rabbit ears.

[DVDM]

When I bought my digital STB 6 months ago I lived in a modern style unit in Kensington, with a wall socket for the aerial. I had perfect reception on all channels. (SBS/ABC/ABC2/7/9/10)
Then last month I moved to an older style unit 300 meters down the road, but with a wall socket for the aerial. Recption wasn't that good. It fluctuates. At night things are usually better then in the mornings (this morning none of the channels were watchable).  Channel 7 is the best and most consistent, ABC & SBS have it's good moments, but are unwatchable most of the time. Analog reception from that aerial is non-existent on SBS and ABC, while 7, 9 & 10 are watchable (but very noisy picture) when digital reception is letting me down.

From the living room I have a pretty wide view, I can see the Bondi Junction high rise to the left, and Randwick high rise on the right. That big radio tower at Bondi Junction is just behind a building acros the street, but visible from the kitchen window. I figured with these fairly unobstructed views, I should try my luck with indoor aerials.

I bought a set of rabbit ears this morning, but whatever I tried, I could not get a SINGLE station locked in.

Then I tried the DSE L4074.

Again, no luck at all. Not one single station.

This antenna came with a signal amplifier, so I tried to use that with the wall socket: Channel 7, 10, & ABC are now near perfect. SBS is not perfect, but very watchable.
But here's the funny bit: Channel 9 is gone, and is now replaced by WIN/ WIN Illawarra. I also receive PRIME Wollongong & SC10 Wollongong, channels I did not receive at all previously.

At least I now know to get an amplifier instead of an antenna to improve reception, but it's mildly puzzeling that I receive channels (perfectly as well) that come from far far away, while I'm about 2 Km's away from Kings Cross.

Anyone have an explanation for this? Are there different types of signal amplifiers for different frequencies? Should/Can I manually try to find missing channel 9?

[alanh]

DVDM,
If the antenna is pointed at Willoughby then I would say there is an antenna fault or there is a gap in the cabling somewhere. If this is the case the highest channels can jump the gap if the signal is strong enough.

The signals from the Illawarra transmitters may be stronger than those from Kings Cross. There are no TV transmitters at Bondi Junction
If you wish to get Sydney programs then I would suggest you do the following;

Read Get the Best Reception, Sydney and read the links.

Use the coverage area maps for the Kings Cross transmitters to see if you are in their coverage area. If not replace your exising antenna with a Band 3 & Band 4 antenna pointed towards Willoughby and Gore Hill. Fix the cabling.

Possibly for explanations
Read Get the Best Reception, Illawarra and read the links.

AlanH

[James Patre]

I tried the DSE digital special and couldn't quite get it to work.

If I put it up high next to the window, it picks up all FTA channels. However because it's now far from the set top tuner, I used an extra coax and an extender plug (female-female).

It seems to only work if I wrap my hand around the extender connection. Is this because there's interference in that part or is it using my body as an extra antenna?

I fiddled around with it and it stopped working even when I wrap my hand. I tried aluminium foil (I'm new to all this) -- no luck. I tried other coax cables around the house. Some luck, it seems to work sometimes when I life the coax cable higher. Interference? Or is it just wriggling the cables and therefore the connection points (bad plugs?)

Sometimes I also get a 'Antenna Power Overload' message on the set top. I use the set top to power the DSE antenna. I tried a few times without power, doesn't seem to make a difference.

Any thoughts? Currently I'm tending towards bad coax cable.

[alanh]

James Patre.

I suggest you read the first paragraph in Antenna Design Basics + Amplification, Terms and comparison of types. That is your overload question answered.

You definately have a cable problem. A short is causing the message and an open circuit shield the hand holding improvement.

AlanH

[des]

I got the DSE L4074 and it doesnt seem to do nothing doesnt even pick up any analouge! I dont know why it just isnt doing anything at all!.