Antenna amplifier for digital antenna. Strengthening the signal of a television antenna. Active antenna price

After working at your site during the day, in the evening you want to relax and watch an interesting film or evening concert on television.

But often, especially for summer cottages remote from large cities, the pleasure of viewing is sharply reduced due to the poor quality of television signal reception. In this case, more attention needs to be paid to the television antenna. Let's figure out when you might need an amplifier for a TV antenna in the country and how to choose it.

Currently, satellite antennas or terrestrial television antennas are used to receive television signals in suburban areas.

Satellite dishes

A good solution to the problem of obtaining a high-quality signal is to use a satellite dish. Satellite television channels broadcast television programs from satellites and do not depend on terrestrial television transmission centers. Modern satellite television covers the entire globe. You only need to purchase and install a satellite dish with the appropriate equipment.

Advantages of satellite dishes:

• accept a large number of TV channels;
• reception does not depend on the terrain;
• have a low weight structure;
• do not require special maintenance.

A typical receiving satellite antenna consists of a reflector, which is a so-called dish (paraboloid of rotation) and an irradiator (receiver) installed at its focus. Offset antennas are more often used, in which the focus is located below the geometric center of the antenna, which increases its stability and sensitivity. The received high-frequency signal is amplified and converted, and then transmitted through cables for further conversion into a television signal.

A satellite antenna can have a diameter from 0.55 to 5 m. Depending on this diameter, the sensitivity of the antenna also changes.

To receive programs from various satellites, sets of satellite receiving systems are available. For example, satellite dish kits are sold that allow you to connect to the most popular television satellites “Tricolor” or “NTV-Plus”.

Installing and configuring a satellite dish is quite a difficult work, therefore, in most cases, it is better to contact a specialized company to install a satellite dish, although this is an expensive undertaking. For example, a Tricolor TV satellite television set with a GS 6301 receiver costs 7,190 rubles, and with installation - 9,700 rubles.

Terrestrial television antennas

More common for country houses and cottages are terrestrial television antennas.

Terrestrial television antennas can be indoor or outdoor.

Indoor

can be used if the cottage is located close to the repeater and the level of the received signal is quite high. When receiving a signal with an indoor antenna, there are a number of features. These features include:

• weakening of the signal inside the building;
• multiple reflections of this signal from various objects.

As a result of reflections at different points in the room, the signal has different magnitudes. Therefore, when using an indoor antenna, it is necessary to determine the most effective location for its installation.

Indoor antennas come in frame and rod types. The former operate in the decimeter range, and the latter in the meter range.

External

If you are far away from the repeater, you must use an external antenna.

Main characteristics of antennas:

• operating frequency range;
• antenna radiation pattern;
• gain;
• input resistance.

The operating frequency range of the antenna determines the range in which the antenna provides all specified characteristics. The radiation pattern determines the directional actions of the antenna and is measured by the width of the main lobe at some given level. Gain shows how much a given antenna amplifies the signal compared to a simple antenna. Gain is measured in decibels.

Antenna input impedance varies by design and affects matching with the rest of the circuit. If this impedance differs from the standard characteristic impedance of 75 Ohms, then a special high-frequency transformer is used to match the antenna.

External antennas come in the following types:

• half-wave vibrator;
• wave channel;
• log-periodic;
• common mode antenna array.

Half-wave vibrator is a simple antenna with a gain of 1 dB and a figure-of-eight pattern in the plane of the antenna.

Antenna - wave channel consists of an active vibrator, a reflector and a large number of directors, which form a narrow radiation pattern of the antenna.

To cover a wide decimeter range it is used log periodic antenna, consisting of a large number of vibrators of different lengths. A wide operating band in such an antenna is ensured by the fact that at each frequency its own vibrators are excited, ensuring reception of a given frequency. Other vibrators do not affect the operation of the antenna at this frequency.

Example common mode antenna array The so-called “Polish” antennas of the ASP-8 type, which were very common in dachas back in the 90s and continue to be sold today, can serve. Such an antenna is a system of omnidirectional antennas spaced apart in space. Due to the phase difference, a narrowly directional diagram is formed. The antenna covers the range of television channels from No. 6 to No. 69, has a gain of 14 dB and an input impedance of 75 Ohms.

Combined

In order to cover the meter and decimeter wavelength ranges, combined antennas are also used. For example, in antennas such as “Locus” or “Delta” a vibrator is used for the meter wavelength range, and a log-periodic antenna for the decimeter wavelength range.

Factors affecting television signal deterioration

Outside the city, even a very expensive TV sometimes produces poor image quality. The reasons for poor image quality may be the following:

• long distance of the TV from the broadcaster;
• poor quality connecting cable;
• presence of artificial or natural interference.

When the signal is weak, noise appears on the TV screen that is usually invisible. If they look like “snow,” then this is the noise of the television amplifier itself. In order to increase the signal in this case, it is necessary to adjust the orientation of the antenna or increase its installation height. If these measures do not help, then if you are far away from the transmitter, you can try using an antenna signal amplifier.

The signal at the TV input may be weakened due to poor quality connecting cable. For example, when connecting cable sections by twisting. In any case, connections can only be made by soldering. And it is best that the cable is intact from the antenna to the entrance to the television receiver. If the cable has worked for more than 20 years, it is recommended to replace it.

If stripes, loss of synchronization, or shaking images appear on the TV screen, then, apparently, interference is passing through to the TV. This interference may be associated with the operation of household electrical appliances and with the operation of external sources, such as radio stations, cellular transmitters, sparking electric trains, and the like. If Appliances can be turned off, then you can tune out external sources by using antennas with a narrow radiation pattern.

Using an antenna amplifier

If the TV is located at a great distance from the TV broadcaster, the weak TV signal can be increased using an antenna amplifier.

Most commercially available television antennas are active.. This means that they include an antenna amplifier.

An example is a Polish-made antenna of the ASP-8 type. This antenna offers several amplifier options with different gains. The type of amplifier is selected depending on the distance between the broadcaster and the television antenna.

The gain of the amplifier in the UHF range (21-60 channels) is 30-40 dB, in the meter range (1-12 channels) it is about 10 dB, and the noise figure of the amplifier is 3 dB. Power is supplied from a separate stabilized source of 12 V with a current consumption of 65 mA.

When choosing an antenna amplifier, you need to consider the following parameters:

• gain in decibels (dB);
• noise figure in dB;
• supply voltage;
• current consumption.

To reduce the influence of loss noise in the supply cable, the amplifier is mounted directly on the antenna. Power is supplied to the amplifier transistor through a coaxial cable. The price of such an amplifier is only 120 rubles.

Setting up the amplifier is done by selecting the appropriate type of amplifier. At the same time, sellers usually give a couple of weeks to check the amplifier in the antenna. During this time, it is allowed to replace the purchased amplifier with another. Experience shows that sometimes when tuning it is necessary to slightly change the gain by adjusting the supply voltage. But this must be done carefully so as not to damage the amplification device.

DIY antenna amplifier

If you wish, you can assemble the antenna amplifier yourself. For example, a broadband amplifier circuit for the range 30-850 MHz using imported S790T transistors is proposed. The amplifier is a two-stage resistor-based amplifier. Each stage provides a gain of 10 dB.

The amplifier is powered from a DC source with a voltage of 9−12 V. The circuit is designed as printed circuit board. It can be installed near the TV.

Antenna for digital television reception

In accordance with the Federal program, the country is transitioning to digital television. Recently, such television masts have been installed in different parts of the country. For example, in the city of Zaraysk, Moscow region, a digital broadcasting mast was installed, with the help of which free transmission of RTRS-1 channel packages is carried out on channel 59 with a frequency of 778 MHz. The package includes 10 of the most famous channels.

In order to receive digital television at the dacha there is no need to upgrade it to an antenna operating in the UHF wavelength range. If you have a TV with a built-in DTV-T2 tuner, no changes need to be made. In other cases, the upgrade concerns the TV, to which you need to connect the DTV-T2 tuner set-top box.

1. When receiving television programs in a country house, various interference often occurs and the image deteriorates.
2. To receive high-quality television broadcasts at your dacha, you need to have a good antenna - a satellite dish or a high-quality outdoor antenna.
3. To increase the value of the received signal, it is necessary to use antenna amplifiers, and to tune out interference, an antenna with a narrow radiation pattern.
4. Outdoor UHF antennas are quite suitable for receiving digital television, but for an old TV you need to connect a DTV-T2 tuner set-top box.

The following video will help you decide on the choice of antenna amplifier:

Many people have probably heard about active home TV antennas, but don’t know how they differ from passive ones? The difference is that there is an amplifier inside, which requires power supply from a 9 or 12 Volt adapter. There are other voltage standards, but that's not the point. The first gain stage should be installed as close as possible to the receiving point, and this significantly increases the sensitivity. Distortion in the feeder (75 Ohm wire) in this case will have almost no effect on the quality.

For the amplifier, a special base is selected from low-noise microcircuits and transistors, but making it yourself is now completely unnecessary. The Chinese have already made everything for us a long time ago. A television antenna with an amplifier is not very expensive, so you can ignore it once and for a long time.

Do not forget that the total gain of an active antenna consists of several parts:

With the last point, everything is probably very clear, but about the first point we need to talk in more detail. To begin with, this component may generally be equal to zero. This is the case when your antenna is omnidirectional. They are not often, but also equipped with an amplifier. What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Attention! What does radiation pattern mean? The antenna receives best from one or two directions. This is created - and deliberately - by the specifics of its design.

A clear example antennas with multiple lobes are considered frame antennas. The main thing is to install it perpendicular to the transmission source, and which side it is, it doesn’t matter.

Example unidirectional antenna is log-periodic and wave channel l. Everyone has probably seen this structure on the roof. This is a horizontal pin big size, studded with longitudinal crossbars, like a mast with yards.

Directional pattern

Now let's look at the form. The directional pattern is the dependence of the level of signal reception on azimuth. Typically, it looks like a parabola, but inverted.

The result is a rather narrow and high pulse in the zero azimuth region. On the edges of it are pulses of different widths and shapes, which are also called side lobes and most often do not participate in useful signal reception. Ideally, they should not be present at all.

The best in this regard is considered to be a parabolic antenna (dish). And the relationship between the height of the main lobe and the initial side lobe is determined in relative decibel values. This indicator is called the level of the initial side lobe. The higher its negative value, the much better.

The width of the main lobe of the radiation pattern is indicated in degrees relative to 0.707 from the maximum if the field strength is measured. Wherein the area of ​​the entire figure is always equal to that even circle, which is considered to be an indicator of an omnidirectional antenna. This turns out to be according to the law of conservation of energy. As a result, the higher the lobe (and the amplification factor) is, the narrower it is, and the more difficult it will be to catch the signal. A striking example satellite dish with its 38 decibels. How hard it is for her to catch a point in the sky. Here, even special devices have been developed that evaluate the signal level from any device in space. And they are quite expensive!

Omnidirectional indoor TV antenna

It’s much easier with an omnidirectional antenna, which we’ve already talked about, but the wave channel will be something averaged. It is at least approximately necessary point towards receiving the TV signal. Which indoor antenna is best suited where the main lobe is wide or narrow?

We have already practically answered this question. When the receiving point is far away, a directional antenna with increased gain is required. Great, if this antenna is active, this increases the chances of catching a signal. But it will be more difficult to accurately point it out. The selected indoor antenna for a TV with an amplifier will make it possible to catch weak television broadcasts hundreds of kilometers away. Enthusiasts even tried to make a reception with Far East and South Africa.

Yes, that's what else needs to be said. There are various rumors about indoor mercury antennas. This is absolute nonsense, or the material that is inside is not mercury at all.

It’s just that microwave radiation passes only along the surface. Therefore, there is no point in pouring this liquid metal, since its conductivity, frankly, is so-so, into large flasks and making a device from it for receiving a signal. Wherein mercury vapor is toxic, you can actually get severely poisoned or catch something else instead of television, which will then be difficult to describe in words.

Ultimately, you can purchase a wireless TV antenna booster separately, but it's usually much better to purchase everything together. But in the first option, we have the opportunity to design the necessary device ourselves. Assembling an amplifier with your own hands is quite more difficult. And then you also need to configure it!

Manufacturers of television antennas with amplifier

Active antennas are manufactured by many companies. Among the domestic ones, the most popular one is Delta. We would not say that this is a good or bad company. This is just one of the branches of Russian production, the quality of which is at a completely normal level. We have already described how to choose the right TV antenna, let us briefly remind you that it must be aimed clearly at your tower:

• when it is a radio, it must be marked FM or VHF (sometimes HF or SV);
• when it is digital television broadcasting, then a UHF antenna with reception of more than 480 MHz is required;
• all-wave antennas, as a rule, are a little more complex; indoor antennas have several mustache-vibrators and a frame; outdoor antennas will also amaze with their original shape.

Here are examples:

• Active all-wave antenna Delta K 331 A has a different gain coefficient for the ranges. For HF it is 6 decibels, for VHF it is 13–14 decibels, for UHF frequency it is 21–24 decibels. Thus, the best reception occurs on digital television broadcasts and regional as well as commercial television channels. To cover such a huge range, separate wireless amplifiers are used for HF and UHF. This makes it possible to get the best quality. The total gain most likely depends significantly on the directional characteristics of the antenna across bands. At meter frequency they are smaller. It is also important that in order to receive radio, the antenna must be installed on its side, but in this case television broadcasting will be lost. They just have different polarization. By default, such a television antenna does not receive radio signals. Naturally, the device is designed to use a standard wire with a wave resistance of 75 ohms.
• Active television antenna Delta K 331 A.03 It’s not even called active in the catalog. Although its functions are clearly better than the previous one. Such a log-periodic antenna costs about 1000 rubles. The previous product belonged to the same class, but the type of vibrators was similar to a wave channel. And in this model they are in the form of triangles, located in their given order. For the MV range, telescopic “antennae” are installed. These two types of wireless antennas are indoor models. This means that if you place them on the roof, the device will fail due to destruction external conditions and incorrect operating conditions of electrical internals are acceptable. The main advantage in this case is that the “antennae” is oriented independently of the vibrators, and accordingly, it is possible to receive broadcasts from two directions, or from only one tower. It's just the way you like it. In addition, the vibrators of the log-periodic antenna can be adjusted according to the elevation angle (set down or up). This was created to create reception in difficult urban conditions, when the signal can come from different directions.
• External television antenna N 3311 A It is made according to a log-periodic circuit, but its antennae for MV frequencies are tightly fixed. And this is quite logical. On the mast, the device will begin to sway strongly in the wind, so the television broadcast must not be disrupted. It is stated that it is a combination device of two, a symmetrical vibrator and a log-periodic circuit, but we are inclined to think that this is a rather simple description. We would say that they are located on HF and VHF, and a pair of log-periodic devices for UHF, running on two traverses parallel to each other.

Summarizing

Manufacturers of home TV antennas are trying hard. In particular, they include radio broadcast reception, but soon it will still go to the multiplex. Therefore, today it is no longer fashionable to buy antennas without UHF reception. However, radio broadcasting in digital format is promised on HF and MW frequencies, we'll see what happens after that.

Manufacturers of antenna amplifiers are usually the same. In particular, there is also Delta on the market. We have already discussed the advantages of a separate acquisition above. In this case, a situation may arise when the UHF signal does not need to be amplified, since it relates to local television broadcasting, and UHF is received from afar. In this case, a broadband device will not be needed, but a pair of tees may be needed to perform the decoupling.

Broadband antenna amplifier SWA-2000Eurosky installed in external antennas, grilles, meshes, or as they also say ( Polish antennas), to enhance the TV signal. Depending on the distance to the telecentre, various models, having different gain coefficients and allowing you to receive television programs at a distance from 0 to 150 km from the television center. Broadband antenna amplifiers S.W.A. have an input impedance determined by the antenna design of 300 Ohms, an output impedance of 75 Ohms, use a supply voltage from 9 V to 15 V and are designed to amplify the frequency range 49 MHz - 790 MHz. The voltage supply to the broadband amplifiers is carried out by adapters that differ only in the design of the housing and the output voltage is 12V. Broadband antenna amplifiers S.W.A. designed to increase the signal level and compensate for losses in transmission lines. Such amplifiers are produced using SMD technology using the most modern low-noise transistors, which are manufactured by leading foreign companies - ITT, Siemens, Philips, etc. They can be used in various designs of broadband antennas. Thanks to fully automated multiple monitoring, the broadband amplifiers have good reliability, and thanks to the protective coating, they are resistant to atmospheric agents.

Currently largest assortment consist of broadband antenna amplifiers SWA, WS, RA, RAE, GPS, etc. They have different circuit designs, which allows, through simple selection, to achieve the required results in areas with different levels of received signal. In areas with relatively good level amplifiers with one amplification stage (single-stage) SWA-1, SWA-1 /LUX, PA-2, S&A-110 are usually used to receive the received signal. In areas with insufficient received signal level, use two-stage (two-stage) amplifiers WS-2, SWA-3, SWA-4/LUX, SWA-5 (SWA-6), SWA-7, SWA-8, SWA-9, PA- 5, S&A-130, PA-9, S&A-140, PA-10, S&A-120, PAE-14, PAE-42, PAE-43, PAE-44, PAE-45, PAE-65, PAE-65TS, WA-031, WA-032, WA-041, WA-042, WA501S-1.

The table shows the technical parameters and characteristics of antenna amplifiers S.W.A. and their analogues pa, gps, pae. The noise figure and gain are given in dB, the recommended distance to the telecentre is given in km.

Price for broadband antenna amplifier SWA-2000 Eurosky

Location of T2 transmitters in Ukraine.

The table provides information:

• Locations of T2 transmitters.
• average signal coverage radius.
• numbers of television channels of digital packages (multiplexes).

Digital television of the DVB-T2 standard in Ukraine.

Until June 17, 2015, in accordance with the international agreement (Geneva 2006), Ukraine is obliged to switch completely to digital broadcasting of the DVB-T standard and DVB-T2. This is the plan for the development of the national television and radio information space. Now our country is beginning to gradually switch off broadcasting in analogue format. For quite a long time in Ukraine they have been broadcasting in test mode DVB-T and DVB-T2 digital standards. Standard DVB-T2 becomes the basis for broadcasting and development of digital television in Ukraine.

DVB-T2 This is the second generation European terrestrial standard for digital terrestrial television. Ether is a hypothetical all-pervasive medium ( upper layer air). Unlike the first generation DVB-T standard, the standard DVB-T2 designed to increase network capacity by 30-50% while preserving core infrastructure and frequency resources.

In addition, among the benefits of switching to DVB-T2 the following can be distinguished:

• increasing the number of channels in the broadcast package.
• possibility of organizing regional (local) broadcasting.
• possibility of developing high definition television.
• release of ethereal frequencies.
• Available in all corners of Ukraine (covers 95% of the territory)
• Very easy to connect
• Excellent picture and sound quality
• All popular national TV channels are available
• Provided without subscription fee

Digital TV format DVB-T2- the most modern of all existing today, which, of course, the whole world will come to in the near future, since its capabilities are much wider than those of standard DVB-T. The main and undeniable advantage of the technology DVB-T2 is that its functionality is not limited to broadcasting free digital TV channels. In addition to watching 32 digital TV channels in the highest quality, in the near future it will be possible to record your favorite programs for delayed viewing, order movies from network servers, watch online television, and listen to digital radio. IN DVB-T2 the possibility of transmitting several independent traffic flows of different nature and structure is incorporated. Each digital stream is placed in its own main stream - the so-called PLP physical layer channel. For this purpose, a function for preprocessing input data has been introduced. Standard DVB-T2 fundamentally different in both system level architecture and physical layer properties, as a result of which DVB-T receivers are incompatible with DVB-T2.

DVB-T2 characteristics:

• OFDM modulation with OPSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM or 256-QAM groups.
• OFDM modes 1k, 2k, 4k, 8k, 16k, 32k and “32k ext”. The symbol length for 32k mode is about 4ms.
• Relative lengths of guard intervals: 1/128, 1/32, 1/16, 19/256, 1/8, 19/128 and 1/4. (For 32k mode maximum 1/8).
• Forward error correction (FEC) with cascaded application of LDPC and BCH correction codes (as in DVB-S2 and DVB-C2).
• DVB-T2 supports channel frequency bands: 1.7, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 MHz. Moreover, 1.7 MHz is intended for mobile television.
  
• transmission in MISO mode using the Alamouti circuit, that is, the receiver processes the signal from two transmitting antennas.

DVB-T2 service capabilities:

• Multichannel multiplexing.
• Standard definition television SDTV in screen formats 4:3 and 16:9.
• Standard definition television HDTV.
• Ultra high definition television UHDTV.
• 3D television in the DVB 3D-TV standard.
• Interactive hybrid television in the Hbb TV standard.
  
• Video on demand.
• Teletext.
• TV guide.
• Subtitles.
• Stereo sound.
• Dolby Digital sound.
• Surround sound.
• Multisound (choice of broadcast language).
• Digital radio.
• Synchronize time and date with digital television broadcasts.
• Data transmission in the DVB-DATA standard.
• Forward and reverse communication channels for interactive services in the DVB-RCS and DVB-RCT standards.
• Broadband Internet access.
• Notification system.

Reception of DVB-T2 digital signal:

Reception of the digital signal is carried out by an on-air collective or individual (outdoor or indoor) television antenna, UHF, connected to various receivers:

• LCD/LED TV with built-in DVB-T2 tuner.
• TV set-top box (receiver, tuner, receiver) DVB-T2.
• DVB-T2 TV tuner for computer.

Advantage of digital signal DVB-T2 consists in the fact that a digital television signal is received by a UHF antenna and transmitted without distortion, as a result of which the stability of image and sound on TV receivers increases. Another advantage is the absence of image interference associated with atmospheric phenomena. The digital signal is protected from this, and on the TV screen you see a very good quality. In addition to high-quality pictures, you get five-channel sound. Plus, you receive additional information EPG (electronic TV program) - provides information about the current program, and a TV guide for 7 days. The broadcast is broadcast in multi-channel networks consisting of five multiplexes, these include: 32 standard channels DVB-T2(MPEG-4), taking into account 28 national and 4 regional television channels. Further plans include a significant expansion of the number of television channels through paid ones; one way or another, 32 channels remain available without any subscription fee.

Now in digital standard DVB-T2 in Ukraine, 32 TV channels are available to viewers .

* TV channels whose broadcasts are planned to be transferred to high definition format ( HD).

** Regional TV channels: differ depending on the region and the specific region.

The price of equipment for viewing in the DVB-T2 standard

After the advent of digital television, many users wanted to switch to its reception. It's not just about frequent discussions and the desire to try something new. The signal quality is an order of magnitude higher, and ease of access increases attractiveness. It is possible to connect digital TV to both outdated CRT models using additional devices and to modern TVs.

Methods for receiving a digital signal

There are several ways to connect a high-quality signal to your TV:

1. Cable TV. Reception is carried out via a common cable. The disadvantage is the subscription fee and not universal availability;
2. Satellite television. The signal is transmitted via satellites, and received using an individual dish. A subscription fee plus the purchase of special equipment is also required;
3. Terrestrial television. The digital TV signal is distributed from terrestrial repeaters and can be received from an indoor or outdoor antenna. This is a completely free method of watching TV shows in a modern format. It has disadvantages: the signal level is often low, the picture quality can be affected by the weather, the location of the tower, etc.

The least expensive method is to receive digital television through an antenna installed and configured by the user.

How digital television works

The transmission of pictures and sound for digital television is accomplished by encoding the video signal and sound over digital channels. Digital coding differs from analogue in its immunity to interference (external obstacles). Blurred, fuzzy picture, stripes are impossible here. The image is either clear or completely absent.

If the reception is uncertain, then perhaps the picture will disintegrate into squares, disappear from time to time and reappear. It depends on how you set up the antenna. Alternatively, you can install a different antenna or raise and deploy the existing one, pointing it at the TV tower.

Required equipment for viewing

1. Antenna;
2. A separate set-top box with a DVB T2 tuner that supports the MPEG 4 standard and can operate in Multiple PLP mode.

You can use a regular analog antenna. If the TV was released relatively recently, then it may have a built-in tuner of the required format (the outdated DVB T format is no longer supported). Then you don't need to buy anything else.

To find out whether there is a built-in DVB T2 tuner, you can look at the data in the data sheet. It’s even easier to find a TV model on the Internet and get a comprehensive answer.

Selecting a digital tuner

At first glance, all set-top boxes are the same. The main thing is not to make mistakes in the main technical specifications. But there are other features that affect the further operation of the equipment and the breadth of functions covered:

1. The lack of buttons on the external panel of the set-top box will require you to use it only using the remote control, which is not always convenient;
2. If the tuner does not have a USB port, this equipment cannot be used as a media player. If available, you can record TV shows and play back photos and videos.

Important! A good choice is a set-top box with a separate power supply. Usually it is built inside. The most common cause of tuner failure is a faulty power supply. If it breaks, you need to repair or replace the entire set-top box, and the remote power supply must be replaced separately without any problems.

Many people hang the TV on the wall, and quite high. Then it is inconvenient to use the usual design of the console. There are equipment modifications - compact set-top boxes that are attached to the back of the TV with tape. The strength of the fastening needs to be considered. Such a receiver is controlled by a remote control through a separate sensor attached to the same tape on the external panel of the TV. Power is supplied via a wire from the TV's USB port.

The set-top box can also be used in conjunction with a computer monitor (if there is an HDMI port). Then you can watch digital television from a regular antenna. If the built-in television tuner fails, it can be easily replaced using the receiver.

What channels are available for viewing?

To watch free digital channels through a regular antenna, the 2017 list contains two multiplexes:

• first RTRS 1 – frequency 546 MHz, channel 30;
• second RTRS 2 – frequency 498 MHz, channel 24.

Technical data is valid for Moscow and the region. They may differ in other regions. A total of twenty television channels and 3 more radio programs are available.

Important! The TV does not receive additional channels. Antenna settings will not affect the number of received channels, but only their quality.

How to locate a TV tower

Users living in the city, in the signal reception area from the TV tower, are not puzzled by such questions. But for residents of remote towns and villages, the information is relevant. What knowledge is needed for the best selection and correct configuration of the antenna:

1. The exact location of the tower and the distance to it;
2. Technical parameters (channels and broadcast frequencies), using which you can catch a digital signal in a given area. This is necessary so that the user can configure TV channels on the set-top box manually;
3. Is the entire list of channels available for reception? There may be one or two packages.

Full information about TV towers is on the official RTRS website. There are maps where you need to enter the name of a specific one in the search bar settlement. A map of the given area will immediately open, on which all transmitting television towers are indicated (green - operating, black - under construction). If you click on the cursor hovered over the selected village, information will be available about where and how many kilometers away operating transmitters are installed, channel numbers (TVCs), broadcast frequency, number of packages).

The active menu includes a function, using which you can find out the coverage areas of individual repeaters.

Now, armed with knowledge, you need to determine whether it is enough to install an indoor antenna or whether you will need an outdoor, more powerful one.

Antenna types

The analog signal is received by the MV antenna. DVB antennas are more compact. There are combined samples capable of receiving both ranges. From such a combined design, you can remove unnecessary elements, and you will get an excellent UHF antenna. For example, if long whiskers (an element for the MV signal) are present, they can be removed.

All antennas are divided into:

• active;
• passive.

Active are those whose devices use amplifiers. The antenna with amplifier must be connected to a power source. If a receiver is used, 5-volt power for the amplifier is supplied through it. This is done in the menu settings. The option is called “Antenna Power”.

An amplifier does not always mean the best reception, in some cases its use can even be harmful:

1. In an area near a TV tower, turning on the amplifier may lead to a complete loss of reception due to the signal being too strong;
2. The amplifier is the weakest element of the antenna and often fails. Plus a power supply and additional wires, which also require repairs and replacements;
3. The intensity of the TV signal itself is provided by the design of the antenna. And the amplifier simultaneously increases the level of noise and interference;
4. If you want to connect another TV to a passive antenna, this is easier to do.

Passive designs do not have additional amplification and are usually used in areas with a stable signal.

Antenna selection and installation

An old antenna may be suitable for receiving a digital signal if it consists of short elements or a combination. If you have working, serviceable antennas, all that remains is to find out whether they will effectively catch “digital” in local conditions.

The UHF signal does not have a wide coverage area. Therefore, to distribute it, it is necessary to build a network of transmitters. The surrounding landscape, the presence of high-rise buildings, mountains, forest areas, repeater power. Antenna installation must take into account all these factors.

Reliable reception area

The zone of a stable and reliable signal is considered to be an area within a radius of no more than 10 km from the television tower. Here, a simple indoor antenna will do an excellent job of reception. If you have an amplifier, you don't have to use it.

If the signal disappears, the image is torn, then you need to connect the existing amplifier through the set-top box by using the corresponding menu item. Power will be supplied via the antenna cable.

Multi-storey buildings can become a problem due to the reflection of decimeter waves. But this same reflection can be used. Let's say the antenna does not receive reception when it is oriented towards the TV tower. Direct it at nearby tall buildings; reception of the reflected signal may be much more effective.

It is necessary to check the presence of electrical appliances (third-party power supplies, etc.) near the indoor antenna, as well as metal blinds on the windows. They can significantly weaken the signal.

Short circuit

There are times when the set-top box suddenly stops responding to the use of the remote control or buttons, the image and sound disappear, and “Antenna short” is displayed on the screen. The problem does not mean that digital television is not working. There is simply a short circuit in the antenna cable or in the receiving device itself.

Why did the short circuit happen? There may be several reasons:

1. The presence of a short circuit in the cable due to careless installation, most likely at the connection points. The antenna plug can only be damaged due to a manufacturing defect;
2. The active receiving device is in operation, power is supplied to the amplifier. The amplifier is sensitive to lightning and can be damaged during bad weather;
3. The passive antenna is connected, and the amplifier power is turned on in the receiver menu. Passive devices are often short-circuited.

In the latter case, you need to disconnect the receiver from the network, separate the antenna from it, then apply power again, on the connected tuner in the menu settings, set “Antenna power” to the “Off” position.

Important! Finding and eliminating the causes of the short circuit is carried out after separating the set-top box from the power supply.

Area remote from the TV tower

Far distance is considered to be more than 30 kilometers from the repeater. If there is a powerful transmitter and line of sight, we install a small receiving device such as a wave channel or log-periodic. You need to point the antenna at the TV tower. In such conditions, it is even possible to use a room device with an amplifier.

With increasing distance and when a populated area is located in low places, the requirements for the antenna increase. More powerful samples are needed. A good receiving device must include an amplifier, and its boom is long enough. There are examples with several arrows, but they will only be needed under extremely bad conditions.

Many users have the Polish antenna, as in the recent past it was popular due to its affordable cost. Another name for it is lattice. Can this design be adapted for digital television?

It is quite functional, but a number of changes are required. The antenna amplifier does not contribute, but interferes with signal reception. Therefore, he must be taken out of work. Simply unplugging the power supply is often ineffective. It is more reliable to remove the television cable from the amplifier board and connect it there to the two upper bolts: to one - the central core, to the other - the shielding braid. Thus, the amplifier is excluded from the circuit, and the antenna becomes passive.

Antenna and TV setup

There are several ways to properly configure a digital signal. The choice depends on the reception conditions.

Auto search

This method is the simplest, but it requires a strong, stable signal. The equipment is installed, turned on, digital channels are selected in the settings menu, and auto search is turned on. The TV automatically finds and stores the entire list of channels.

Manual mode

Let's say the TV cannot catch anything in auto search mode. Or channels with interference were found. These images are not digital. Perhaps the TV at the same time went through the entire frequency range and picked up several analog channels.

Now it will be useful to know the numbers of TV channels (TVCs) through which the signal is transmitted for each multiplex. Information about the location of the television broadcaster will also be useful for pointing the antenna in the right direction. If the house is surrounded by other residential buildings, you can navigate by neighboring receiving devices, but not by satellite dishes that “look” at their satellite.

1. In the menu you need to enter manual settings by first selecting DTV (digital television);
2. Enter the channel number or its frequency by dialing from the remote control;
3. At the bottom of the menu, two indicators will appear showing the intensity of the television signal and its quality. Sometimes there is one indicator;
4. If even a slight signal is present, you can begin to rotate and move the antenna to amplify it. You should not expect an instant reaction when changing the position of the receiving device. It will appear in a few seconds. The search must be carried out step by step, with pauses. When the antenna is external, it is difficult to do this alone; it is better to take an assistant;
5. Immediately after the appearance of a stable signal with a good level, you can begin searching for channels and saving;
6. The channels of the second multiplex are configured in the same way, if its reception is technically possible in the given area.

Important! If the signal disappears, then appears again with the scale filled to 100%, and so on one by one, this means there is no reception.

Complete lack of signal reception

This situation is typical for particularly unfavorable conditions, in low places, closed by mountains, near high-rise buildings, with low-power towers located far away.

Searching for a television signal must be done manually. At the same time, for its initial display on indicators, you need to show patience and endurance, having tried different methods:

1. Purchase a powerful active antenna;
2. If there are other towers nearby, you can sometimes try manual searching on a TV set to alternative repeaters. Perhaps the signal conditions will be better;
3. Raising the antenna to a height using a mast gives a good effect;
4. When the TV tower is located close, and the house is located in the center of a densely built-up area with high-rise buildings, you should not rush to buy an expensive, powerful receiving device. It is better to experiment with the reflected signal, alternately pointing the antenna in different directions at neighboring buildings or placing it on the roof.

Setup via receiver

Old TVs, models without built-in tuners with DVB T2 support, require configuration through the receiver.

CRT TVs are connected to a digital set-top box using tulip cables (RCA), LCD models are connected to an HDMI cable. In the first case, when setting up, the AV mode is selected, in the second - HDMI. The mode is selected from the television remote control. On remote controls, the mode selection is located under different buttons: INPUT, SOURCE, VIDEO, just a rectangle with an arrow.

Subsequent configuration is performed using auto search or manual using the add-on remote control. The antenna must be connected to the set-top box.

Receiving a digital television signal with a regular antenna is an easy way to ensure yourself viewing a high-quality picture, requiring minimal financial costs and physical effort. With the development of the network of television towers, signal reception conditions will improve.

Video

Noise on your favorite radio station, poor reception of TV channels at the dacha, or a friend’s voice disappearing in the phone speaker - all this is the result of a weak signal from the transmitter. Antenna amplifier is the solution to each of these problems.

The need to use a television amplifier usually arises when the length from the source to the receiver is too long. Its use can also be caused by a large number of antenna connectors in the apartment, because each division of the antenna signal leads to its weakening. The purpose of installing an amplifier is simple - to improve the quality of the transmitted television signal. What if we are talking about a digital signal? You probably already know that in order to receive digital TV in the most remote regions, as a rule, you need to use a good highly directional antenna. And in order to preserve the quality of the signal, before it gets into the digital receiver, it needs to be equalized and amplified. A modern digital antenna amplifier will do this function perfectly. Such an amplifier, in addition to its high gain, is characterized by high resistance to external disturbances. A modern amplifier for DVB-T2 can serve both to amplify reception from a conventional antenna, and to branch it into several outputs, or to sum signals from several antennas.

When should you use this device and what should you consider when purchasing it? You will learn this from this guide.

What factors influence the deterioration of a TV signal?

The symptoms of poor analog TV reception are not difficult to notice - the picture is distorted and disappears. As for the attenuation of digital television, it is also easy to detect, but the only difference is that we are not dealing with ripples (snow) on the screen, but with breaks in the video stream. With a weak TV broadcast, the image may freeze, crumble into pixels, or change color (usually green).

Reasons for signal deterioration

Each reason for the deterioration of the air must be analyzed individually, since its reception depends on local conditions: on the direction in which the signal passes, what obstacles are in its path, on the presence of hills, tall buildings in your area.

Before you finally decide to use an amplifier for your TV, let's take a look at the most likely causes of TV signal deterioration.

• Transmitter Maintenance

In almost all cases of problems with TV display, the cause is on the user's side - cases on the sender's side are usually a break in servicing the transmitter, which sometimes takes several hours.

• Equipment malfunction

External antennas are exposed to external natural influences every day. Frost, heat, snowstorms and rain - the antenna can withstand all this for years. If it is installed correctly. And if not, then one day moisture will penetrate into the wires, splitters, amplifiers, and the problem will arise at the least expected moment.

• Wrong antenna

The most common reason for poor reception is too low level signal that comes from the antenna. The only correct solution would be to use its best model - preferably directional, not necessarily with an amplifier. But the situation can be partially improved by installing the antenna higher.

• Signal strength too high

Excessive intake levels can also be a common cause of problems. Living near a TV tower and using a high gain antenna can overload the signal at the tuner input.

• Cables

Has a significant impact on the quality of reception. An old one with frayed insulation, bought at a flea market, or worse - from pieces that you scraped together from barns and barns, can cause such strong attenuation that it will absorb the signal from even a very good antenna before it even reaches the TV.

• Separators and connectors

The properties and number of splitters used also affect the picture quality. Each such passive element (i.e. one that is not an amplifier) ​​reduces the reception level. Careless installation of connectors, especially outside the home, can lead to rapid oxidation of the connections and, as a result, to significant attenuation of the TV signal.

• Noises

We are surrounded by a lot of transmitting devices - relay stations, mobile phones, modems, routers, radio stations, alarms, etc. Radio waves from different frequency ranges can interfere with TV reception. Even devices without antennas cause interference: microwave ovens, fluorescent lamps, electric cars.

Between the devil and the deep sea

Problems with television reception also affect people living on the border of signals received from two transmitters. In this case, it is necessary to find out which transmitter is stronger and in which direction the antenna should be pointed. In such places, a directional antenna will work best.

TV signal amplifiers

You can check whether an antenna amplifier will help you “squeeze” a more powerful signal out of the antenna in a fairly simple way. You can connect any TV as close to the antenna as possible and if the signal does not improve, it may mean that there is something wrong with the antenna. However, if the picture on the screen improves, then you should think about buying an amplifier. Just which one?

Another feature is the way the amplifying circuit is powered. If your amplifier for a DVB-T2 digital television antenna requires a 5 Volt power supply, then it is better to supply it via cable from the tuner itself. It’s worse when the amplifier “asks” for 12 Volts. There are two possible options here, both with looming problems:

1. its power supply with a low-frequency transformer for a 50 Hz power supply. The block is not as light as impulse blocks for recharging a mobile phone, this unit does not produce high-frequency interference, but produces low-frequency ripples, which over time can degrade the performance of the antenna amplifier;
2. The power supply with pulse conversion is very light, practically does not heat up, does not produce low-frequency ripples, but is guaranteed to produce high-frequency interference, which is not at all useful to the amplifier.

Selecting an amplifier for your TV

Not every antenna amplifier works perfectly, some of them have considerable noise of their own, others are even worse and are easily excited. So if you received bad result with one antenna amplifier, you can try choosing a TV amplifier of a different model or with a different power supply. For example, experiment to see if the antenna will work better if the voltage is supplied not from the “native” power supply, but from a digital tuner.

An antenna amplifier will not help or even harm if:

• the reception level goes off scale beyond the amplifier's maximum parameters;
• the antenna, in addition to the main signal, catches strong interference, which the amplifier will increase;
• The signal level is extremely weak.

Analog signal amplification

The golden rule of good television reception: in order to get a good one, it is advisable not to worsen it. To prevent this from happening, install it correctly, monitor the serviceability of the antenna and promptly diagnose any depressurization in your apartment television network.

If the distance to the transmitting transmitter is large and the reception is very weak, then you will additionally need to install a signal amplifier.

If you are receiving analog broadcast on a passive antenna and distributing the signal to several receivers, then first it needs to be amplified, and only then divided into directions. An active antenna splitter can do this.

Cable TV amplification

Cable networks haven't changed much since their inception. The local provider company receives quite a lot of television channels from the satellite, forms a television package from them, and distributes them to our homes, charging a fee for this from each subscriber. To reach our house, the signal passes through an intermediate main TV signal amplifier several times, enters the TV signal amplifier of an apartment building, is amplified again in it, and is distributed throughout the apartments. And yet, while this signal was coming from the premises of the provider company into our house, it weakened a little.

Methods for ensuring reliable TV signal reception

There is no ready-made recipe. Each case is specific and requires individual approach. What to do in this situation? In many cases, the signal does not require maximum amplification, just as it is not necessary to amplify the entire “bouquet” of signals.

To make sure which case we are really dealing with, it is necessary to accurately measure the signal level from the receiver antenna. This is necessary in order to understand whether we are receiving a direct or reflected signal (or even several), and determine further steps.

One way to get reliable reception is to correct the direction of the antenna or its location in height, and often both. Sometimes it is enough to move the antenna mast a meter or two to get much better quality broadcast.

It is also worth having a level meter on hand when you need to make sure whether the broadcast quality is sufficient and only requires additional amplification, or perhaps you are receiving a strong but excessive signal? In case of a strong signal, you can choose the right antenna. It may also be enough to deliberately change the direction of reception or the location of the antenna to weaken the signal while at the same time eliminating its reflected rays.

When receiving digital TV, you should remember that when strong radio frequency oscillations are superimposed on each other, you need to opt for a passive directional antenna without the use of any amplifying elements. The amplifier to the TV antenna in this case will contribute to intermodulation, which will lead to failures and instability of the digital decoder.

Methods for amplifying TV antenna power

In fact, ways to increase the power of a TV antenna can be correlated with medical approaches: use “therapy” or immediately go the “surgical” route. As for drastic measures, the very first step here is to change the antenna itself to a stronger and more expensive one. This also includes purchasing an active antenna instead of a passive one.

But you can act more gently, especially if your antenna has served you honorably for more than one year:

• experiment with the direction of reception;
• raise the antenna higher;
• if possible, clear the path for the signal;
• eliminate all “non-contacts”, replace the cable;
• equip the antenna with a signal amplifier. Many external antennas have the technological ability to install an amplification board if it turns out that one is needed.

Using an antenna amplifier

TV antenna signal amplifiers are the very first, after the antenna, to perform the initial correction of its level.

The type of device that's right for you depends on the reception conditions in your area and the specific needs of your entire TV installation. If you need to amplify the entire RF band, you can use a fixed gain broadband amplifier. If, on the contrary, in your region the correct reception of frequencies from the upper UHF band is significantly influenced by high-frequency transmitters and interference occurs, caused, for example, by passing cars or a neighbor's lawn mower, then you will need a different amplifier model - with a fixed gain, but with a limited operating range frequency
Modern amplifiers from various manufacturers have a fairly ergonomic shape, which, in fact, allows them to be mounted anywhere. This means that you can use the amplifier in an existing antenna installation without having to disassemble the antenna. However, it should be remembered that due to the violation of the signal-to-noise ratio with increasing distance from the antenna, it is recommended to install it as close to the antenna as possible.

Criteria for correct selection

The procedure for selecting an amplification device is not particularly complicated. This equipment is designed to improve the quality of on-air reception, so its choice will be determined, first of all, by the quality of the incoming signal, which will direct you to connect a device with a suitable gain.

But do not forget that if the signal is weak in your area, it is important to consider own coefficient antenna gain, as well as the height of its placement. An amplifier will be useful when the distance from the antenna to the decoder is significant, and it is necessary to amplify the signal in order to reduce its losses in the cable.

When choosing a signal amplifier for an antenna, it is also important to be guided not only by its amplification capabilities. The parameters of the device’s own noise are equally involved here. Both the signal level and its quality at the very beginning of your home TV network will have a decisive influence on the correct functioning of the entire installation, ensuring clear and flawless broadcasting on your TV.

A good amplifier for a TV antenna can be powered by the voltage generated by the tuner itself - this gives a good chance for the final video quality. Therefore, it is better to purchase devices in which the microcircuit is powered by 5 Volts.