Combining Aerials for Freeview
 

Hi all,
here is my problem, my parents live in CH38AJ post code which is
served by Moel-y-parc my mother is a wanabee Welsh person and thinks
this is great as she can watch Welsh news on TV. My father much prefers
English news! This is readily available from the Wrekin transmitter
which puts a good signal into their location. I believe it is Wrekin A
but I could be wrong.
Here is my question, can I easily combine the two aerials to
give me Muxes from both TXs? Some of the channels are rather close and I
feel that some severe filtering maybe needed. It has been suggested that
a Johansson Multi Channel Programmable Filter-Amplifier, Profiler Lite
6601,

http://www.johansson.be/instrumentar...al%20tv%20matv
_Febr05.pdf

would do the trick and yes I know it is expensive and overkill but one
only has one mum and dad! And these need looking after. I have a
spectrum analyser, for PMR work, and know how to use it(!) so I can at
least see what is happening at the end of the coaxes.
Has any one any experience of one of these amps and would they care to
pass comment? Winterhill is presently not an option as it is too weak as
is Storeton. Analogue is not really an option as the main aim here is to
make life as simple as possible for them, basically one remote control
and one RX/display. At 80 years old they are finding all this modern
techie stuff a bit confusing, I find it confusing enough @ 50 !

Mux/Channel
BBC1 BBC2 ITV CH4 CH5 1 2 A B C
D
Moel-y-parc 52 45 49 42 --- 54 58 61 64 30
34
Wrekin A 26 33 23 29 35 21 31 24 27 53
57


--
Bill

Combining Aerials for Freeview
 

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Bill wrote:

Hi all,
here is my problem, my parents live in CH38AJ post code which
is served by Moel-y-parc my mother is a wanabee Welsh person and
thinks this is great as she can watch Welsh news on TV. My father
much prefers English news! This is readily available from the Wrekin
transmitter which puts a good signal into their location. I believe
it is Wrekin A but I could be wrong.
Here is my question, can I easily combine the two aerials to
give me Muxes from both TXs? Some of the channels are rather close
and I feel that some severe filtering maybe needed. It has been
suggested that a Johansson Multi Channel Programmable
Filter-Amplifier, Profiler Lite 6601,

http://www.johansson.be/instrumentar...al%20tv%20matv
_Febr05.pdf

would do the trick and yes I know it is expensive and overkill but one
only has one mum and dad! And these need looking after. I have a
spectrum analyser, for PMR work, and know how to use it(!) so I can at
least see what is happening at the end of the coaxes.
Has any one any experience of one of these amps and would they care to
pass comment? Winterhill is presently not an option as it is too weak
as is Storeton. Analogue is not really an option as the main aim here
is to make life as simple as possible for them, basically one remote
control and one RX/display. At 80 years old they are finding all this
modern techie stuff a bit confusing, I find it confusing enough @ 50 !

Mux/Channel
BBC1 BBC2 ITV CH4 CH5 1 2 A B C
D
Moel-y-parc 52 45 49 42 --- 54 58 61 64
30 34
Wrekin A 26 33 23 29 35 21 31 24 27
53 57

Quite apart from the fact that some of the channels are too close for
comfort (e.g. M-y-p BBC1 and Wrekin Mux C) I don't think that their STB will
cope with having the same programme on two different muxes. When you select
(say) 80 on the remote for BBC Parliament, how is it supposed to know where
to get it from if there are two options to choose from?

Your best bet is to have His & Hers STBs and TVs - each connected to a
different aerial. They can then each watch programmes in their language of
choice independently of the other.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

Combining Aerials for Freeview
 

In message , Roger Mills
writes
Quite apart from the fact that some of the channels are too close for
comfort (e.g. M-y-p BBC1 and Wrekin Mux C) I don't think that their STB will
cope with having the same programme on two different muxes. When you select
(say) 80 on the remote for BBC Parliament, how is it supposed to know where
to get it from if there are two options to choose from?

I believe that it is possible to automatically load channels from say
the Wrekin and then manually load them from M-y-p any duplicates being
given another channel number.

Your best bet is to have His & Hers STBs and TVs - each connected to a
different aerial. They can then each watch programmes in their language of
choice independently of the other.
An interesting idea.


--
Bill

Combining Aerials for Freeview
 

"Bill" wrote in message
...
Hi all,
here is my problem, my parents live in CH38AJ post code which is
served by Moel-y-parc my mother is a wanabee Welsh person and thinks
this is great as she can watch Welsh news on TV. My father much prefers
English news!

Active filters will allow you to combine any channels you like as long as
the 150kHz offsets don't cause problems. The one sold by Satellite Solutions
works well, but you'd be spending a lot of dosh. As an alternative, I
suggest you print off the blank channel planner at
http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/referen...nelPlanner.htm
then sit down and enter all the channels you actually need in the
appropriate column. Put the ones you don't need in 'Potentially interfering
sources'. Remember that you only need one 'copy' of certain muxes. Look at
the contents of the muxes to figure out which you only need one copy of.

So you will have nothing in the first column, and only muxes you need in the
off air digital column.

Now see if you can do the job with passive channel filters. These will
handle anything except adjacent channels with no problem. Even if you need
two adjacent channels, you can get away with it if the two channels are
received on different aerials and pass through different filters, and if
there is nothing from the 'other' aerisl to cause interference. If the muxes
are offset towards each other it won't work though. If you can, you can use
Taylor Bros TCFL filters.
http://www.taylortransmitters.com/
(download the catalogue)
Taylors will make filters to order, but they are supposedly trade only,
though I think we could get around that between us. We use large numbers of
these filters.

If you use a reasonable set top box it will deal with duplicate channels by
putting the second version in the 800s (or whatever). You might be wise to
use a box that allows you to edit the channels, although this is limited in
all boxes as far as I know.

Bill

Combining Aerials for Freeview
 

"Bill" wrote in message
...
Your best bet is to have His & Hers STBs and TVs - each connected to a
different aerial. They can then each watch programmes in their language of
choice independently of the other.
An interesting idea.

You could have two boxes connected to the same telly, with the scart daisy
chained so the one turned on appears on AV1. But you might find that even
with each box on its own aerial they might still pick up signals from the
'other' transmitter.

Bill

Combining Aerials for Freeview
 

In message , Bill Wright
writes
You could have two boxes connected to the same telly, with the scart daisy
chained so the one turned on appears on AV1.
Two remotes = twice as much confusion!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But you might find that even
with each box on its own aerial they might still pick up signals from the
'other' transmitter.

Bill



--
Bill

Combining Aerials for Freeview
 

In message , Bill Wright
writes

Active filters will allow you to combine any channels you like as long as
the 150kHz offsets don't cause problems. The one sold by Satellite Solutions
works well, but you'd be spending a lot of dosh. As an alternative, I
suggest you print off the blank channel planner at
http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/referen...nelPlanner.htm

Just printed it out and am now deep in thought, mainly about the fact
I'm due in Dublin tomorrow for a week but that's a different matter all
together!.

then sit down and enter all the channels you actually need in the
appropriate column. Put the ones you don't need in 'Potentially interfering
sources'. Remember that you only need one 'copy' of certain muxes.

Indeed I have already perused dtg.org's channel list. It's too late
tonight but I feel a bit of pencil/rubber/paper work is about to be
called for.


Look at
the contents of the muxes to figure out which you only need one copy of.

So you will have nothing in the first column, and only muxes you need in the
off air digital column.

Now see if you can do the job with passive channel filters. These will
handle anything except adjacent channels with no problem. Even if you need
two adjacent channels, you can get away with it if the two channels are
received on different aerials and pass through different filters, and if
there is nothing from the 'other' aerisl to cause interference. If the muxes
are offset towards each other it won't work though. If you can, you can use
Taylor Bros TCFL filters.
http://www.taylortransmitters.com/
Just had a look at
http://www.taylorbros.co.uk/PDF%20PA...-29.%20WEB.pdf
most interesting.



(download the catalogue)
Will do.


Taylors will make filters to order, but they are supposedly trade only,
though I think we could get around that between us. We use large numbers of
these filters.
Sounds a good recommendation.



If you use a reasonable set top box it will deal with duplicate channels by
putting the second version in the 800s (or whatever). You might be wise to
use a box that allows you to edit the channels, although this is limited in
all boxes as far as I know.
I was thinking of using a HUMAX PVR9200T, mainly because I have one here
and find it reliable but also because I stand more of a chance of
providing telephone help to parents if I have the same box at both ends!

Thanks for your comments Bill.


Bill



--
Bill

Combining Aerials for Freeview
 

Bill wrote:
Hi all,
here is my problem, my parents live in CH38AJ post code which
is served by Moel-y-parc my mother is a wanabee Welsh person and
thinks this is great as she can watch Welsh news on TV. My father
much prefers English news! This is readily available from the Wrekin
transmitter which puts a good signal into their location. I believe
it is Wrekin A but I could be wrong.

Wouldn't satellite (free-sat) be easier ? AFAIK, that has all the UK
language variations available to everyone.

Or two aerials, two STB's, as suggested elsewhere in thread.


- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

Combining Aerials for Freeview
 

In message , Nigel Cliffe
writes
Bill wrote:
Hi all,
here is my problem, my parents live in CH38AJ post code which
is served by Moel-y-parc my mother is a wanabee Welsh person and
thinks this is great as she can watch Welsh news on TV. My father
much prefers English news! This is readily available from the Wrekin
transmitter which puts a good signal into their location. I believe
it is Wrekin A but I could be wrong.

Wouldn't satellite (free-sat) be easier ? AFAIK, that has all the UK
language variations available to everyone.
I must admit that I hadn't considered that option, I'll go and have a
Google in a moment and see what is available. One problem that does
arise is the fact that both parents have difficulty in remembering how
remotes etc. work so it is handy to have the same system at my home, 200
miles away, so that what ever situation they get into I stand a chance
of working through it with them.



Or two aerials, two STB's, as suggested elsewhere in thread.
An idea but low on the list at present due to the confusion factor.



- Nigel


--
Bill

Combining Aerials for Freeview
 

Bill Wright wrote:
"Bill" wrote in message
...
Hi all,
here is my problem, my parents live in CH38AJ post code which is
served by Moel-y-parc my mother is a wanabee Welsh person and thinks
this is great as she can watch Welsh news on TV. My father much prefers
English news!

Active filters will allow you to combine any channels you like as long as
the 150kHz offsets don't cause problems. The one sold by Satellite Solutions
works well, but you'd be spending a lot of dosh. As an alternative, I
suggest you print off the blank channel planner at
http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/referen...nelPlanner.htm
then sit down and enter all the channels you actually need in the
appropriate column. Put the ones you don't need in 'Potentially interfering
sources'. Remember that you only need one 'copy' of certain muxes. Look at
the contents of the muxes to figure out which you only need one copy of.

So you will have nothing in the first column, and only muxes you need in the
off air digital column.

Now see if you can do the job with passive channel filters. These will
handle anything except adjacent channels with no problem. Even if you need
two adjacent channels, you can get away with it if the two channels are
received on different aerials and pass through different filters, and if
there is nothing from the 'other' aerisl to cause interference. If the muxes
are offset towards each other it won't work though. If you can, you can use
Taylor Bros TCFL filters.
http://www.taylortransmitters.com/
(download the catalogue)
Taylors will make filters to order, but they are supposedly trade only,
though I think we could get around that between us. We use large numbers of
these filters.

If you use a reasonable set top box it will deal with duplicate channels by
putting the second version in the 800s (or whatever). You might be wise to
use a box that allows you to edit the channels, although this is limited in
all boxes as far as I know.

Bill


The offsets for the muxes are as follows...

Mux/Channel
BBC1 BBC2 ITV CH4 CH5 1 2 A B C D
Moel-y-parc 52 45 49 42 --- 54x 58x 61x 64x 30x 34x
Wrekin A 26 33 23 29 35 21x 31x 24+ 27+ 53x 57x

Where x is no offset, + is +167kHz offset and - is -167kHz offset.

In this case two sets of passive channel filters for DTT only will work
fine. Adjacent muxes on 52 and 53, 57 and 58 should co-exist as you are
in an overlap area anyway so there should be no reason why they should
not co-exist after combining.

Regards
Glenn...