Digital TV Aerials Gloucester
DIGITAL TV AERIALS
With the digital switchover coming to Gloucester in April 2011, now is the time to ensure you can receive the best possible TV signal. Steve Unett TV Aerials are a Gloucester-based company who specialise in the supply and installation of digital TV aerials at a competitive price.
The difference between Analogue and Digital signals & the importance of a quality aerial system
ANALOGUE TV
With the analogue (existing) television services, the picture quality degrades "gracefully" in proportion to the signal strength. It is possible to have quite watchable pictures with surprisingly low signal strength. Reflections are often only a minor irritation, leading to ghosts on the picture and a variation of picture quality between channels, which many are happy to put up with. Indoor and loft aerials give acceptable performance in some cases.
DIGITAL TV
Digital television is a whole different matter. No longer do we have the luxury of saying "that will do". If there is insufficient signal level, the result is a picture that breaks up into mosaics and vanishes. The sound is also subject to squeaks and bangs as the levels vary slightly. For this reason, the aerial system needs to be of an approved type and installed to a standard laid down by CAI and the BBC etc. It is vitally important that a digital analyser is used for setting up the aerial and the signal levels balanced to provide a reliable service. In some areas, some channels may not be able to be recieved and in others there may be no digital service whatsoever, despite the apparently good analogue service currently enjoyed.
Why not use loft aerials?
SIGNAL STRENGTH
The roof covering and end gables of a house can shield the aerial from the incoming TV signals. This can make a big difference to the quality of your picture. A roof which is covered with metal tiles or roof insulation which contains metal can destroy signals completely, making loft aerials pointless. With analogue television signals, a poor signal will cause a grainy or snowy picture. With digital signals it may be impossible to receive anything at all. A poor signal on FM will sound noisy and may drop in and out of stereo.
REFLECTIONS
Lofts will usually contain household items which can reflect the incoming signals, even where there may be adequate signal strength. Water tanks, pipes, cables and all the clutter a household can generate tend to be stored there. Signals are often reflected from those items and the reflections will cause a ghosting picture on analogue TV. With digital TV the reflections may well lead to loss of picture. FM radio will suffer from 'birdie' noises etc.
CABLE CONSIDERATIONS
As a rule, the cable pre-installed into houses will be of the lowest possible cost to the builder and so will show high loss combined with poor screening. In strong analogue signal areas this may be less important, but where the signal is borderline or digital TV is required it will not be good enough.
CONCLUSION
To obtain the best performance from a television signal, mount the aerial outside in clear line of sight to the transmitter. Use a good quality aerial with integral balun, and feed the TV using a high grade cable such as WF100. The European standard for this cable is EN50117. This is now mandatory for new house builds.
Call Steve Unett TV Aerials to arrange for one of our experienced engineers to call - we can test the available
signals to ensure you are receiving the best digital and analogue signals.
Gloucester 01452 506555
Gloucester 01452 506555
Digital TV Aerials, Digital TV aerial, TV aerial, Gloucester
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