Terratec XS

s450

Hello everybody!
Many years ago I bouth this device here:

http://www.terratec.net/de/produkte/Cinergy_Hybrid_T_USB_XS_FM_2011.html

I liked to use it to watch television digitally.
I used to live in Germany and in the flat I lived the signal was really good. I could watch all channels with no problem at all.
Now that I am in the UK I would like to use it as well.
I am living in a flat situated in a attic. So I assumed the signals must be very good since I am almost on the roof. Actually there is even a window on the ceiling which gives us acces on the roof.
The signal is though quite bad. I spent half an hour trying to find a a good position on the roof where to put the small telescopeantenna provided with the device with a some tape.
When I scan carry out a scanning I can find over 70 channels but in reality only few of them do work.
I was wondering whether the solution could be a bigger telescopeantenna or a better receiver?
As I said, this small receiver is provided with a small antenna which has to be plugged in through a 3.5 mm jack cable. So maybe I should by a bigger antenna with such a cable, provided that they exist. Or do you know a good receiver similar to mine that can be plugged in to the pc via usb ?
Many thanks
Regards

[Deleted User]

You can buy a basic Freeview decoder designed to receive UK broadcast channels for just a few quid from large supermarkets.
Send your old German receiver to be recycled.

s450

Many thanks guys!

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

You can buy a basic Freeview decoder designed to receive UK broadcast channels for just a few quid from large supermarkets.
Send your old German receiver to be recycled.

But then can I use the antenna of my device or will I need also an new indoor aerial?

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

You can use these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coaxial-Aerial-Female-Adaptor-Convertor/dp/B00DV68AWA

To plug in an external or larger indoor aerial, if you are tuning in 70 channels with the small monopoles then you should get good results.

Would something like this be ok?. I could than connect to my terratec and it should work well?:

http://www.tesco.com/direct/one-for-all-sv9305-indoor-amplified-aerial-hd-compatible/164-1525.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=164-1525

JJ_Egan

The little device antenna is fairly useless .
A standard cheap portable TV aerial is a lot better .

s450

So, I just wanted to bring the details up to date.
I bought both one of this adapter from a Maplin Store:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coaxial-Aeri.../dp/B00DV68AWA

and a indoor Aerial Antenna with amplifier.
I carried out the scanning again and...NOTHING!
My understanging tells me that the problem is not the receiver but the antenna because my usb receiver is able to spot around 70 channels but only 5 or 6 work and ONLY if I put the small antenna which is provided with the receiver on the roof (As I mentioned already, I live in an attic in which there is a window with a direct acces onto the roof).
So, the Indoor Antenna with amplifiere that I bought did not bring any change. In fact it did not work at all. Of course, I have not tried to put this antenna on the roof because anyhow it is not meant to be put outside.
I went back to Maplin today to have the adapter refunded and I asked the service there about this issue. They also thing that the problem is not the receiver but the antenna because otherwise my receiver would have not been able to spot any channels. So, buying another receiver to give a try with the indoor antenna that I bought would have been successful. The problem is the Antenna:cool:
The Maplin Service said that it is very common here in W London that there are problem with the signal.
Now the only thing I could try would be to buy an outdoor TV Antenna, again an adapter in order to be able to use my receiver, and scan the area.
Or what do you think?
If it works, the next problem will be HOW to FIX the Antenna on the roof. Whethere there is an easy and cheap way I could do myself whitout having to drill holes into the roof or follow other damaging procedures :mad:
Or might it be that such one could be the best solution:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Zorro-ANT35db-SMA-5V-Active-Phantom-Feed-Car-Digital-DVB-T-TV-Antenna-Aerial-/190687792024?pt=UK_ConElec_TVAerials_RL&hash=item2c65e0cb98
Any smart suggestions?

s450

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blake-Gangway-Tile-Slate-Clamp/dp/B009T2KFLY
Ignore the poor review, these are great just not very good instructions so plan the install and test fit before leaning out the window.

But the material of wich my roof is made of might be something similar to metal. I am not sure, maybe are slates. If they are slates then they are very thin and quite tightly connected to eachother. It definitely does not look like a traditional tile roof like that one you can see on the pic of your amazon link. It looks rather more similar to this:

http://www.123rf.com/photo_1438518_detail-of-a-slate-roof-background-texture.html

That is why I wonder whether it will work. By the way, though in the descriprion of the bracket you read that no drilling is required, I still can see some screws or are they those who you need to fix the antenna on the bracket?

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

and


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LABGEAR-CARAVAN-COMPACT-LOG-PERIODIC-WIDEBAND-DIGITAL-TV-AERIAL-JUST-40CM-LONG-/300869126844


Pointing towards Crystal Palace.

Job done.

They always write "moderate to strong signal" but in my case better would be one for "weak signal". But it might be enough. Surely better then my small antenna.

s450

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

The description is correct the maker is "Blake" if you want to ring them.

Buy a bigger log periodic aerial if you wish but unless you have very local trees buildings in the way then W/London on Crystal Palace will be very strong signal.

Put your postcode in here and see:
http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/coveragechecker

Thank you. Yes, I put my postcode and the result was good. So the aerial antenna you suggested should be enogh. But now, what about the bracket. Can I really fix it on my roof?

s450

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

Do you want me to actually come and fit it for you?

http://www.blake-uk.com/downloads/pdf/instructions/PK_6420-03.pdf

Yes, super IDEA!! We will drink a bier together :beer:
*I am joking*
Many many thanks for the pdf document with the instruction


:shocked: ohh, the bracket will be fixed with self-adesive pads?
Nice, no drilling at all! But are they really strong enough? What if the wind blows?

s450

No,no, I just had a quick look at the pdf.
But now I have read it trhough and understood.
I first have to checke whether there is enough space under the roof covering to slide the strips into.
I will report.
Thanks again

s450

Before buying the bracket and the aerial antenna that you gently drew my attention to and proceeding whit that, I was wondering whether I might not need all these things at all. Believe it or not but I have just spot an object on the window that looks like an antenna socket. In fact, if I look from the street on the roof of the house I can see an antenna. I have taken a picture of this socket.


http://imm.io/1hmmV



I am not an expert in this field but I was wondering why this socket has a female exit rather than a male one. Maybe because it is just the old socket for analog signal? Anyway, what do you think? Might it be that this “magic socket” would be the solution to my problem? I mean, what if I buy a coaxial cable male to male and connect it both to the “magic socket” and to my receiver (of course, using additionally the adapter to 3.5 mm jack)? There might be such a male-to-male cable, might it not be?
In this way, I wouldn’t need anything. Ok, ok, you might ask “why haven’t I noticed this socket earlier? I do not know. The Virgin-Box with the fibred optic cable is also there and I just thought it belongs to the cable.
So, what do you think? Is it worth a try?

s450

:eek: This is weird! All posts of @Kurtis_Blue have disappeared!!?
Why?
What is the reason for that?