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Indoor aerials

What do you do if you can't use an external aerial for Freeview?

What do you do if you can't use an external aerial for Freeview
published on UK Free TV

We have tested a number of indoor aerials, to investigate how well they work for Freeview reception.

Simple stick



The first is a small 20cm high simple stick aerial, costing a few pounds. This was found to give adequate reception of (16QAM-mode) Freeview channels in strong signal areas, especially outside.

However, unless it can be placed in direct sight of the transmitter an only unsatisfactory signal can be received.

Indoor Yagi

The second form of aerial is of the Yagi design of around 30cm length, costing around 10.

This aerial was slightly better than the simple stick design, largely because it can be directed to point at the transmitter and be positioned horizontally or vertically as required.

However, in poor signal areas the 64QAM channels were not received, and the aerial required good placement to get an uninterrupted Freeview signal.

Indoor Panel aerial

This was found to have around the same reception quality as the Indoor Yagi type, and cost around the same.

Indoor digital aerial with booster



Costing 25-30, the improvement of the signal provided by a modern internal TV aerial. Typically able to boost the signal by 36dB, this type of aerial when well positioned provided stable, uninterrupted Freeview reception on all channels.

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In this section
Loft aerials1
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How to receive Freeview on your PC3
Whole house digital TV4
Connecting it all up5
Now and Next6

Comments
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
R
Ruth
9:16 AM

Hi, My old kitchen telly (works off indoor aerial standing on top of it) is dying so I want to buy a new Free View or Free Sat TV to replace it so we're ready for the digital switch over. There is no link to the roof top aerial in the kitchen (nearest link is 3 rooms away where we have SKY too). Is it the height of a rooftop aerial that's important or being outside? Could something on the patio (on a hanging basket hook) be as effective or not? Or am I better to focus on working on getting the signal through from the sitting room? We're renting our house so we're limited in what we can do.

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Ruth's 1 post GB flag
Les Nicol
sentiment_satisfiedGold

11:42 AM

Ruth - Dependent om where your SKY dish is located it may be an easier option to bring a feed cable from that to a "Freesat" receiver in the kitchen. Your options may be more complex by virtue of you residing in a rented property. Probably best to consult the factor/rental agency beforehand if this means bringing wires through walls etc.

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Les Nicol's 991 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
T
Tim Bain
4:39 PM

If you struggle to get freeview and have a laptop or PC with a decent intenet connection you could always use TVCatchup - Never Miss A Show Again to watch digital channels you need to register but it's free to use. :)

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Tim Bain's 1 post GB flag
Thursday, 2 June 2011
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

7:54 AM

Tim Bain: Yes, that's why there are links to it on every page in the Watch Live right hand panel...

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Sunday, 12 June 2011
J
jane
5:35 PM

i use a indoor aerial on my tv in bedroom. Bedroom is attic. Cant install outdoor aerial. Which type indoor aerial do u suggest for freeview. Im in mansfield.

link to this comment
jane's 3 posts GB flag
Monday, 13 June 2011
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

8:25 AM

jane: Indoor aerials are unsuitable for Freeview reception. You might be able to get a large aerial to work in a loft space, but I can't really say without a postcode.

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
M
Marion Dunn
9:34 AM

I have a digital TV in my bedroom with built in freeview using an indoor booster aerial. I could get all the channels perfectly then the other morning when I tried to retune, they all disappeared and get a message saying "no signal". I am in Central Scotland.

Also have TV with Freeview box in another bedroom with same booster aerial which I was able to retune sucessfully a few days earlier.

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Marion Dunn's 1 post GB flag
M
Mike Dimmick
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

2:56 PM

Marion Dunn: Try removing or turning down the booster.

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Mike Dimmick's 2,486 posts GB flag
J
jane
7:21 PM
Mansfield

brian bought a one for all indoor aeeial from argos 46 digital aerial as thought with being elect powered it would work. Got nowhere i can have loft aeeial. Connected freeview box . Cant get to work. Without though norm tv work post code ng18 5 sl. Help

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jane's 3 posts GB flag
jane's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jane
7:35 PM
Mansfield

its a up to 45db what ever that means

link to this comment
jane's 3 posts GB flag
jane's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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