Masthead amplifiers

[hicks]

Hi folks,

I live in a notoriously bad TV reception area, and I don't want to subscribe to Sky. I've checked the signal strength for digital reception and it's 31dB. The analogue strength is about 48dB. I have a wideband digital aerial, but was informed by the aerial installer that we probably need an amplifier. I noticed that maplins sell a masthead amplifier for =A330 (inc PSU) giving 18dB gain.

Do you think it's worth installing this? Is it easy to install? Would I be able to pick up the Freeview digital channels?

Thanks. Andrew.

[Dave Fawthrop]

| Hi folks, | | I live in a notoriously bad TV reception area, and I don't want to | subscribe to Sky.

You do not need to subscribe to Sky to get *Some* satellite TV , it just costs GBP20 but you at present need a $ky box and dish. see sig.

BTW ITV will soon go Free To Air, see

we wait with baited breath for Ch4 and Ch5 to join the freesat club.

| I've checked the signal strength for digital | reception and it's 31dB. The analogue strength is about 48dB. | I have a wideband digital aerial, but was informed by the aerial | installer that we probably need an amplifier. | I noticed that maplins sell a masthead amplifier for £30 (inc PSU) | giving 18dB gain. | | Do you think it's worth installing this? Is it easy to install? Would I | be able to pick up the Freeview digital channels?

uk.tech.digital-tv is thataway >>>>> They know a lot about Freeview.

[s--p--o--n--i--x]

Alternatively:

[Lurch]

On 13 Oct 2005 02:52:44 -0700, [e-mail] scrawled:

Probably.

As long as you can get to the co-ax somewhere towards the aerial as the masthead wants to be as close to it as possible, ideally. The actual fitting of one is reasonably simple as long as you aren't a complete yoghurt.

More than likely.

[hicks]

Thanks for that link. My house already has a dish, as the previous owners were Sky subscribers.

[Dave Fawthrop]

| | Dave Fawthrop wrote: | > On 13 Oct 2005 02:52:44 -0700, [e-mail] wrote: | >

| > | Hi folks, | > | | > | I live in a notoriously bad TV reception area, and I don't want to | > | subscribe to Sky. | >

| > You do not need to subscribe to Sky to get *Some* satellite TV , it just | > costs GBP20 but you at present need a $ky box and dish. see sig. | >

| > BTW ITV will soon go Free To Air, see | >

we wait | > with baited breath for Ch4 and Ch5 to join the freesat club. | >

| | Thanks for that link. My house already has a dish, as the previous | owners were Sky subscribers.

Were I in a "notoriously bad TV reception area" I would go for freesatfromsky. I have Line of Sight to Emley moor and have problems with freeview.

Sky boxes are available on ebay.

When BBC ITV freesat gets up and running, you will not need the sky box and freesatfromsky card you need at the moment. Generic set top boxes are available at the moment, but will not get ITV CH4 or CH5

Note that you will not be able to get all the Freeview channels.

[Christian McArdle]

I think I've got a spare never used Sky digibox in the loft, if you want to make an offer. I was supposed to put it on eBay, but have never had the time. Let me know if you're interested!

Christian.

[hicks]

I am interested, but I've been unable to contact you using various permutations of your email address.

Andrew.

[Christian McArdle]

Remove "nospam" and "xxxx". i.e. use the user name unchanged, but change the domain to simply @yahoo.co.uk.

Christian.

[Christian McArdle]

P.S. Yours bounced, too!

Christian.

[Harry Bloomfield]

[e-mail] submitted this idea :

An amplifier can only increase the level of the received signal. If the received signal is poor anyway then all it will do is amplify that equally with any noise which might also be present. Far better to improve antennas as a first step.

Fitting a mast head amp is quite an easy task.