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TV aerial install and distribution

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t121anf
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Joined: 23 Feb 2007
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PostPosted: 20:12 - 22 May 2017    Post subject: TV aerial install and distribution Reply with quote

I've reached a point in life where Virgin Media and Sky are getting pricey and I need to bite the bullet and put an aerial in the house.

I'm looking for suggestions on how to improve this setup and any tips you may offer.

Aerial
Thinking of this
https://www.screwfix.com/p/labgear-tv-aerial-high-gain-digital/60215

Distribution
https://www.screwfix.com/p/labgear-lda2061l-s-4-way-vhf-uhf-aerial-amplifier-2-inputs-6-1-outputs/64800

I need to feed 4 rooms at the moment so the additional capacity will be handy in the future.

Question
How long should the cable between aerial and distribution be?
Both will be in the loft to start with, if I can't get a good enough signal I'll move the aerial to the chimney (well someone will). Would a 5m joining cable be to long?

Cables to rooms will be in pipe that was plastered in when we did the rooms so all being well I'm ok on that front. Cable is decent Webro stuff.

Thanks in advance, I'm retaining the right to ignore all advice given Razz, oh and went with screwfix stuff as they are close and stock it all, not to mention ease of returns.
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doggone
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PostPosted: 22:34 - 22 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Unlikely any normal house would have rooms too far away, but good modern shielded coax is advisable.
Terrestrial Freeview channels have variable power at transmission and the low ones can easily be lost if things aren't just right.
It's most annoying if they are borderline.

Indoor aerials can also be more affected by weather in that wet external walls seem to block signal more than in dry weather.
It's worth trying the indoor location if possible especially with that rather unwieldy high gain antenna.
If the roof has kingspan style insulation the signal won't penetrate the metallic layer.
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Bikeless
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Joined: 27 Jun 2008
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PostPosted: 22:50 - 22 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Edited

Last edited by Bikeless on 07:11 - 23 May 2017; edited 1 time in total
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BTTD
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PostPosted: 22:52 - 22 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's a couple hours work to fit to the chimney for someone who knows what they're doing. Get a quote, you may decide it's worth getting it done right to start with.
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t121anf
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Joined: 23 Feb 2007
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PostPosted: 23:26 - 22 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Our roof is old school asbestos containing tiles, then a some normal loft insulation inbetween the rafters, no felt or anything like a modern house.

I'm happy to install externally, however we have a lot of birds being coastal and having neighbours who feed the, no idea if they would affect it but see no reason not to try in a loft, especially post analogue switch off.

Cable I've bought is decent WF100 stuff, recommended on various av forums etc.
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Matt B
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Joined: 01 May 2012
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PostPosted: 09:38 - 23 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why did you decide not to go with a dish and freesat?

Less problems with signal using a dish, easier installation usually, and if you have a quad LNB that's a feed for each room.
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bugeye_bob
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Joined: 05 Sep 2013
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PostPosted: 09:59 - 23 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Smart Tv`s and a decent internet connection, should cover most free channels now as the TV`s can run Iplayer, ITV Hub etc app, power-line connectors saves running cables if it helps,
saves the hassle of running coax and a trip up on the roof.
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dydey90
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PostPosted: 18:39 - 23 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd have thought that the sky/virgin box with no subscription would get most, if not all freeview channels? I'm sure I've heard freesat mentioned before too, which I imagine should tick the box.

I've extended the aerial in my front room to a socket on the other side of the wall and it's turned into a right ball ache. I'm sure it's perfectly connected at both ends but there's a massive drop in reception at the new socket. Got a signal booster and that's helped, unless there's something on that I really want to watch and then it'll definitely lose signal.
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Polarbear
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PostPosted: 18:50 - 23 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got rid of sky and ran just the free channels using the sky boxes. I still use the sky box in the bedroom but bought a proper freesat box that allows me to use all the catch up stuff etc.

Sky bocks everything except the free channels and you can't even record them with a sky box and no subscription.

With the freesat box I've got hundreds of channels, the ones on the free sat system itself and loads of others when you go onto general mode but there is no menu for those. I've got an old hard drive out of a dead laptop to do the recording and all the internet shit on the smart television. It cost £70 for the freesat box but this was a Humax box, idiot proof for wifie, there are many cheaper.

https://uk.humaxdigital.com/product/hb-1000s/

So no ariels needed with this set up. Worth it if you already have a sky dish.
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