Freeview Digital TV aerials

[funflair]

Following on from a discussion on Satellite vs Data for TV it got me thinking, oooh dangerous I know.

We do have a sat dish but it can be intermittent firstly because of trees etc and secondly I think it has a fault and then of course if it's too windy we don't want it up.

So we also have on of those indoor aerials that came with the Avtex TV and it work OK but not always, when it is working Freeview seems to be the most straightforward way to watch TV so I was thinking about just upgrading that aerial to an outside one and the choice seems to be Status 355 UFO or Status 570 on a pole through the roof, I don't really want to put a hole through the roof so the question is how do these aerials perform and how much better is the 570 vs the 355UFO.

Yes I know we would still have to sort something when we go over the water but our sat dish works OK on Astra 1 at the moment.

Just for clarity,

This is the 355 or UFO

And this is the 570 (through roof)

Martin

 

[Mikeco]

I have the Status 570 and it works very well.

 

[pappajohn]

The 355 is omni-directional and as such needs a very strong signal.... IE.. Close to the transmitter mast
The 570 is directional and once pointing AT the transmitter will work as well as your aerial at home.

 

[Hettie's Crew]

We have a 570 and it works really well, especially compared to the virtually useless round one we had a few years ago on a caravan.
Our 570 only has the short pole, because of its location, so doesn’t go very high. If we had a wardrobe in the right place I would have gone for long pole.

 

[funflair]

We have a 570 and it works really well, especially compared to virtually useless round one we had a few years ago on a caravan.
Our 570 only has the short pole, because of its location, so doesn’t go very high. If we had a wardrobe in the right place I would have gone for long pole.

Thanks, that is the comparison I was looking for but possibly not the conclusion as it suggest I might have to make a hole in the roof, how many times have you driven off with it up

Martin

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Hettie's Crew]

how many times have you driven off with it up

I have a rule, fold the telly back, pull the aerial down. That was after driving off with it up once.

 

[Ivory55]

We have a 570 and never get a good reception so invariably give and not bother.

 

[andynkim]

We have a Teleco Teleplusx2 and find it better than the Status.

 

[Two on Tour]

After hours of trawling the internet and read user review on all types of omnidirectional antennas, I recently bought and fitted a Supergain Ballade.
Not the rip off prices of the usual bunch and I have found it to reliably pull in plenty of Freeview TV and radio channels.

Supergain Ballade Omnidirectional Analogue - Digital TV Antenna -12V

Compact modern Italian designed Digital TV Antenna suitable for all Boats and RV's. Low Noise Factor, High Gain Amplifier Easy to install with mount and cabling. Key Features 23.5 dB Gain High Gain Amplifier Low Noise Factor TV DVBT/TNT and HDTV Antenna Ideal for boats & RV's Dia: 70mm x Height...

www.thewetworks.co.uk

 

[andynkim]

Also essential to know where the nearest transmitter is and if it’s transmitting either vertical or horizontally. I Use an app called FREEVIEW AIM. It give you a compass direction to point at.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ivory55]

The amount of times we have put up the 570 turned it twisted it and ended up putting it back in the traveling position for the least broken picture to watch the news.

 

[tick59]

Also essential to know where the nearest transmitter is and if it’s transmitting either vertical or horizontally. I Use an app called FREEVIEW AIM. It give you a compass direction to point at.

Can't find this app in google play store

 

[andynkim]

Screen snip from App Store not sure if it’s on google play.

 

[Neilfg]

We used to have 570 never really happy with it so when we knew we were changing van bought an STH 3000 (?) to try out alongside. We found on the whole we got a better picture with the STH, but very occasionally the 570 worked poorly and STH would get nothing.

For the last 3 years have been using the STH, quite happily and 95% of the time perfect. It is matched to an Avtex TV, others have tried the our STH aerial with Finlux and Falcon TVs and not had very good results but back on Avtex and it's fine.

So I am basically confused? about aerials and what is best.

The app I use for Android is called DTV Antennas, shows the nearby transmitters work and does help sometimes.

 

[busbuddy]

i have a 570 on a short mast and had a 530 on my previous van, never had a problem getting decent reception
i have never bothered to rotate the head for vertical/horizontal signals either, read about it in the instructions and thats as far as it got

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Jaws]

the conclusion as it suggest I might have to make a hole in the roof

Which ever you go for Martin, it will require a hole in the roof, just different sizes..
Couple of points
A directional antenna will ALWAYS be better than a non-directional
Many local transmitter use vertical polarisation instead of horizontal so an aerial that can be tilted is quite important. If an aerial is in the wrong plane the difference in reception is huge.. From memory about 18dB .. that is the difference between trying to use a tea spoon and a proper aerial !
As well as the aerial budget for aerial amplifier.. Although not great they increase your chances of reasonable reception 5 fold
There are many available but most common and reliable nowadays is probably the Vision Plus

 

[funflair]

Which ever you go for Martin, it will require a hole in the roof, just different sizes..
Couple of points
A directional antenna will ALWAYS be better than a non-directional
Many local transmitter use vertical polarisation instead of horizontal so an aerial that can be tilted is quite important. If an aerial is in the wrong plane the difference in reception is huge.. From memory about 18dB .. that is the difference between trying to use a tea spoon and a proper aerial !
As well as the aerial budget for aerial amplifier.. Although not great they increase your chances of reasonable reception 5 fold
There are many available but most common and reliable nowadays is probably the Vision Plus

Hi John

Thanks for that, the Vision plus Status 355 comes with an amplifier.

As for the hole in the roof certainly for starters I fancied trying an aerial towards the front of the van and then I can just pass the cable through a small skylight and then everything else on the bed that we never use, I can just mount it when required leaving just the base on the roof.

Martin

 

[pappajohn]

Hi John

Thanks for that, the Vision plus Status 355 comes with an amplifier.

As for the hole in the roof certainly for starters I fancied trying an aerial towards the front of the van and then I can just pass the cable through a small skylight and then everything else on the bed that we never use, I can just mount it when required leaving just the base on the roof.

Martin

You'll soon get fed up doing that every time you want a bit of TV.
Really can't see a problem with a hole in the roof.... If fitted properly they don't leak and probably 95% of vans already have an aerial fitted.
Flying saucer types are fitted because they're quick and easy to fit, not because they work well.
The majority of flying saucers have the coax exiting at the bottom center so no matter where you mount it the roof will still need drilling for cable entry......it isn't separate from the base, it passes through it.

 

[jongood]

Hi Martin

Am I missing something, why don't you get the dish fixed? Oyster Sat tech is just off A14 they'll fix it.

 

[tacr2man]

I found these to be easy to use for pole if dont want to go thru roof you need min of 2

Vision Plus Uni-bracket + plate attach aerial pole to caravan motorhome NO DRILL | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vision Plus Uni-bracket + plate attach aerial pole to caravan motorhome NO DRILL at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

rover.ebay.com

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TinaLes]

We are in the same position Martin, we currently rely on the standard Carthago DVT roof Ariel which is hit and miss to say the least, and thats in the UK!
We haven't got a tall wardrobe in the van to hide the mast for a Status Style Ariel mast, so it would have to be visible as the top cupboards are too shallow at ceiling height allowing for the rounded ali roof extrusion.
Luckily we dont need live TV, we watch the news on the laptop, or DVD's at a push.
Just wondering if those Avtex window sticker type Ariel's are worth a punt?, I think I even saw someone recommend a short high gain compact type that you simply stick on a metal surface like the bonnet maybe (it had a money back guarantee also).Supplier was in Feltham Middx.
I am leaning heavily towards the wi-fi, or Mi Fi solutions though, even for the DAB/Deezer radio reception.
I think Sat Dishes are becoming a thing of the past especially when heading south of the Pyrenees, but then your on holiday, just find a pub to watch tele
Les

 

[funflair]

Hi Martin

Am I missing something, why don't you get the dish fixed? Oyster Sat tech is just off A14 they'll fix it.

Hi Jon

For starters our dish is too old for Oyster to do anything with as it's the old one with the map of Europe on the controller, actually not strictly true as at the last ask they could for about £800 BUT with all the talk of does anybody use Satellite anymore it got me thinking that there must be a different way and we have been getting on fine with our indoor aerial and Freeview so if I can get a better signal that would be the UK sorted then just need to worry about our foreign travels which data seems to be the favourite for.

Martin

 

[funflair]

We are in the same position Martin, we currently rely on the standard Carthago DVT roof Ariel which is hit and miss to say the least, and thats in the UK!
We haven't got a tall wardrobe in the van to hide the mast for a Status Style Ariel mast, so it would have to be visible as the top cupboards are too shallow at ceiling height allowing for the rounded ali roof extrusion.
Luckily we dont need live TV, we watch the news on the laptop, or DVD's at a push.
Just wondering if those Avtex window sticker type Ariel's are worth a punt?, I think I even saw someone recommend a short high gain compact type that you simply stick on a metal surface like the bonnet maybe (it had a money back guarantee also).Supplier was in Feltham Middx.
I am leaning heavily towards the wi-fi, or Mi Fi solutions though, even for the DAB/Deezer radio reception.
I think Sat Dishes are becoming a thing of the past especially when heading south of the Pyrenees, but then your on holiday, just find a pub to watch tele
Les

Hi Les

To be fair we get on pretty well with the inside aerial that came with the Avtex and it seems to give a better guide on freeview than the sat dish does, I guess I am just looking for better reception than that gives. We could go MiFi/data route but we would have to get more data than we have now and it seems silly when the signals are out there just waiting to be picked up on a daft bit of wire.

Martin