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Hardware Forum - Indoor TV aerial recommendation - Page 1
Elite
I recently bought a freeview usb stick for my pc.
Supplied aerial is useless, but plugged into proper roof aerial it's great.
If I want to use it in the laptop, that's fine, as I have a few Y splitters so can run an extra lead into the laptop, without disturbing other TVs too much.
However if I want to connect it to main PC (which I will do if I want to record) I'll have to run an extension lead from the aerial socket in bedroom, across the top of the stairs, the landing, down the wall of the room the PC lives to plug into he PC.
Apart form the deathtrap at top of stairs that wouldn't bother me too much, but I don't think missus would be happy 
So, I was wondering are any of those set top TV aerials any good or a waste of time and money? Just done a bit of reading and it looks like they're not as good as proper aerials,(which doesn't surprise me) I also read signal boosters tend to boost noise/interference as much as picture so don't help much, but wondered if anyone here had good experiences with one, or would I be better of drilling and feeding cable through walls, which to be honest I'd rather not do, as that's going to be a real pain, due to layout of where cables go now.
I guess that's why previous owners didn't put an aerial point in room I want one, since picture is great in living room, dining room, and master bedroom.
I have an old 14" portable TV in spare room, using the supplied round aerial that is attached to that, tv is watchable, but you want to keep fiddling with aerial to make it better!
Cheers
Al
Elite
I bought one of these
One For All - Flat Indoor Aerial - code QN53H
TBH the build quality is pretty poor, up close it looks like a wire & cardboard covered in thin sheet plastic, but it does the job.
Seems like a lot of money for what it is, but its the only aerial I've got to work with my USB TV stick on my laptop.
I've tried at least half a dozen other booster type aerials before buying this one.
Plus, you can hide it behind a picture, or pin it to the wall behind a curtain as it is very thin.
Don't bother with that myself, as I keep it in my laptop bag, but have in the past, when on holiday, found that hanging it on a pin on the wall near a window gave me every freeview channel available, even when quite far from the transmitter.
You could always be cheeky, and take your laptop in store, & ask it you could try it first
This item was edited on Wednesday, 23rd April 2008, 21:19
Elite
thanks, that could be handy when I go away with work and the hotel doesn't have muany channels.
Cheers
Al
Competent
£15 plus £3.95 p and p on QVC,you get a 30 day money back guarantee,so if it doesn't work in your area send it back and all you've lost is the p and p
Elite
Thanks guys, but looks like I may need to charge up the drill 
I bought that One For all One (QN53 Maplin, SV9210) for £15 inc p&p from eBay yesterday. Arrived today, and tried it, didn't get anything on usb freeview card, tried in portable tv in back of house and picture was an improvement over standard supplied round wire one, but not amazing. It's too wet to take the laptop in the garden to see how it works outside
Guess I'm not in a strong signal area.
Glad i didn't get it in Comet at the weekend, they were £30 in there! Saying that, I suppose I could have taken it back.
I'll play some more hanging it out the window when it's not so stormy!
i'll take it into work tomorrow, see if it works in the server room Still may come in handy on work trips.
Cheers
Al
This item was edited on Wednesday, 30th April 2008, 19:59
