Tv in mancave needs aerial

[Sealine South]

Hi all.

I have a 50" Samsung in the mancave (converted, detached garage) that I don't want to run cables from the house to (sky manly) and don't want t pay for multiroom as not used enough. I would like to get freeview on it. Can anyone suggest an aerial?

Thanks

[FlossyThePig]

Is this a serious question?

If it is my response is it depends on where you are and what signal strength is available.

[Sealine South]

Yes, its a serious question. I have no idea of signal strength. I am in Southampton and don't mind mounting the aerial on the outside and putting the cable through the wall.

We aren't all genius' at this sort of thing.

Thanks

[Frenchda]

Can you pick up wifi from the garage or run a wired internet?

[Sealine South]

no, its too far away

[Super Slo Mo]

Your local Maplin will have a reasonable idea of what type and gain of aerial you need, and roughly where the transmitter is that you need to point at.
If I were you, I'd make that the first point of call.

[Super Slo Mo]

Your local Maplin will have a reasonable idea of what type and gain of aerial you need, and roughly where the transmitter is that you need to point at.
If I were you, I'd make that the first point of call.

[FunkyNige]

My first port of call would be to try an indoor aerial for £20 and see if that's good enough
http://www.maplin.co.uk/buy-tv-and-satellite/aeria...

If not then see what way other people's aerials are pointing and see if it's possible to mount an aerial somewhere pointing that way.

[VEX]

I would say your first port of call is the Freeview website as they will have a signal checker that should tell you the strength and where to stick it.

Then visit maplin if you want a diy or call an aerial installer, expect to pay between £100 and £180 for a rigger.

V.

[ooo000ooo]

Have a look at the neighbours and buy something the same size as theirs. If they are on massive poles get a man in.

[FlossyThePig]

VEX said:

I would say your first port of call is the Freeview website as they will have a signal checker that should tell you the strength and where to stick it.

Then visit maplin if you want a diy or call an aerial installer, expect to pay between £100 and £180 for a rigger.

V.

The Freeview website uses the simple form of checker (only what channels you can get) from DigitalUK who have a more detailed checker. The important detail you get is a colour coded signal strength, the compass bearing for the transmitter so you now which direction to point the aerial and the aerial type.

The technical pages on the SatCure site has lots of useful info including stuff about aerials

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

Got a bit of knowledge about this, due to having installed a few Digi aerials around these parts lately (South Coast)

In the South, you have two choices of transmitter to recieve from basically: Hannington (between Basingstoke and Newbury) and Rowridge on the pile of ste, err I mean the Isle of Wight

They're both 'main' horizontally-polarized transmitters, and the choice comes down to where you are in the South and how high you are.

Generally speaking, in Southampton the winner is Rowridge for you. If you're very near the coastline, then you will get a groovy signal straight across the water basically.

For top-drawer digital reception, the make of aerials I have found to be the best bar none is 'Televes' equipment. Something like this would probably suffice but have a look around their website for a few ideas.

To give you an idea of how good these digi aerials are, I did an install of their biggest unit (the 75) on a single-storey cottage up on the North Norfolk coast. It was pointed to Norfolk's main transmitter about 35 miles away as the crow flies, which is considered to be a little bit 'fringe' as far as digital reception is concerned.

It actually picked up signals from both there AND radio multiplexes from another transmitter that was line-of-sight behind, but situated around 150 miles away down in Stoke D'abernon, near Leatherhead in Surrey

Pretty amazing.

Also to add, the oldest Televes unit I have installed is now on it's 13th Birthday, and is still in really good condition visually, and working perfectly.

They're not ridiculously expensive either - so for me are a winner all round.

HTH