Digital TV; DAB; Aerials

[Cashboy]

I have not messed around with TV installations for years.

The last time was probably 12 years ago when I installed a digital aerial, FM aerial,  a distribution amplifier and 16 TV sockets in my house in the UK.

 

I recall that when I bought the aerial; the aerial had to be a digital aerial and specific to the transmitter station.  I understood that those parallel bars on the aerial had to match up with the sine curves/frequency of the transmitter.

 

I generally never watch TV but the Thai secretary does occasionally watch the news.

 

I have just built a 2 story house in Udon Thani province.

I believe that I do not need satellite TV as there is digital TV.

I am not concerned about internet TV, at this point, as there will be ethernet cables also running to the TV locations.

 

I am about to run coaxial cables to at least 6 TV location points.

 

I just bought a Triax distribution amplifier with power supply.   ( Sells for 4,480bt bt on Amazon but found one unused in box on ebay for 370bt delivered to my UK house because I am a cheep skate ).

 

 

 This distribution box appears to handle anything I might need.  I gather in this case I shall only need the UHF1 for the TV aerial and 6 of the R/TV outlets.

 

 

 

333112-ddu-guide8-49955.pdf

 

TRIAX - Domestic Distribution Unit (DDU) - 8 in_out - 333112.pdf

 

I believe that I shall only need the UHF1 for the TV aerial and 6 of the R/TV outlets.

I shall sort out internet to the TVs at a later date (ethernet wire to box and then to TV using an HDMI).

 

My dumb questions:

 

(1) Is Digital TV better than Satellite for the basic free TV service and the way to go?

(2) Where does one buy a quality TV aerial in Thailand for Digital TV ?

(3) Does the aerial have to be specific to the transmitter i.e. do they vary and how do I find the aerial frequency type I need if this is the case?

(4) The distribution Amplifier and power supply unit will be inside the roof of the house.  Is it possible the power supply unit will get too hot in a Thai roof with concrete tiles?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cashboy]

I was just looking at the UHF frequency range of this Distribution Amplifier I have and it states 470 - 862 MHz.

Is that the correct frequency in Thailand?

 

Out of interest is the frequency for satellite the same as the UK at 950 MHz to 2300 MHz ?

 

 

[worgeordie]

You do realise there is very little to watch on Thai Tv, unless

mind numbing Soaps,and really stupid game shows are your

thing,

The best way to get quality Tv worth watching,is either TRUE

(don't recommend) ,or streaming from the Internet .

regards Worgeordie

[canthai55]

Watching lots of TV ‘makes you stupid’, say researchers Universities of California and San Francisco

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/watching-lots-of-tv-makes-you-stupid-says-american-universities-a6759026.html

[wgdanson]

I agree with Worgeordie. We have a dish on the roof distributed throughout the house in 4 bedrooms & lounge. NO-ONE USES IT. Mrs and two kids. All watch on their phones and cast via Chromecast if wanted. ME......iPlayer via Express VPN, perfect and movies via KickAss. I have 3BB 200Mb/s optic direct to my router.

[johng]

1:  Satellite has more channels but is more effected by rain ( unless you get a big dish and or C band )

2: Lazada

https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?q=BETA+Digital+TV+Antenna+(HD-37E)&_keyori=ss&from=input&spm=a2o4m.home.search.go.1125515fEU2yfa

 

3:  not so much as in UK   but you may need  to filter  4G mobile phone interference

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/30db-i258039582-s397773923.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.1.3e6d4494TOV71K&search=1

 

4: don't worry too much about that.

 

2 hours ago, Cashboy said:

I was just looking at the UHF frequency range of this Distribution Amplifier I have and it states 470 - 862 MHz.

Is that the correct frequency in Thailand?

 

So your amp will be ok as it fully covers the frequencies that may be used (unless you have 4G interference)

 

use this website to find your nearest transmitter

https://dtvservicearea.nbtc.go.th/webpeople/

either let it find your location (lots of times inaccurate ) or zoom in on the map and find your exact location then click on the blue teardrop icon  top right, then place your mouse pointer on your exact location and left click..then the site should show you a screen like this.

( you need to click the down arrow on the green pop up box to show all details)

so it gives you  compass bearing to point the antenna to, distance to the transmitter, the address and coordinates of the transmitter..and the frequencies.

I had some trouble using a  USB TV stick..it wouldn't find channels with setting on AUTO

after some "experimenting"  set
delivery system to DVB-T2   bandwidth to 8mhz  and constellation to QPSK  ( which is different to UK specs)

 

 

 

 

[johng]

I  have not been able to find any DAB ...but haven't really tried very hard   just did a few scans with my Astrometa dvb-t2 usb stick that's supposed to have DAB capabilities...didn't find a single thing ????

[Cashboy]

Thank you for that information.

Now you have told me that I have to worry if G4 will affect my signal.

There seem to be a lot of mobile phone transmitters where I live.

[Cashboy]

4 hours ago, worgeordie said:

You do realise there is very little to watch on Thai Tv, unless

mind numbing Soaps,and really stupid game shows are your

thing,

The best way to get quality Tv worth watching,is either TRUE

(don't recommend) ,or streaming from the Internet .

regards Worgeordie

I do not watch television in the UK either but it is the norm to have a television in the house.

[Cashboy]

3 hours ago, johng said:

I  have not been able to find any DAB ...but haven't really tried very hard   just did a few scans with my Astrometa dvb-t2 usb stick that's supposed to have DAB capabilities...didn't find a single thing ????

Is there DAB radio in Thailand?

What kind of aerial do you need for that?

 

Is it worth putting an FM aerial up and connecting it up to the distribution amp?

[johng]

8 minutes ago, Cashboy said:

Is there DAB radio in Thailand?

there seem to be plans for it

 

DAB 580600000003.pdf

 

But I haven't been able to receive any...that said  I live in a bit of a bad reception area and haven't tried very hard

( not really into radio)..had to wait ages for them to turn on the Pattaya  "fill in transmitter"   for TV

 

I asked in another thread if anyone was receiving DAB radio..no one answered..so   who knows if they started transmission yet or not..???

[worgeordie]

20 minutes ago, Cashboy said:

I do not watch television in the UK either but it is the norm to have a television in the house.

Or 6 ????

regards Worgeordie

[Cashboy]

1 hour ago, worgeordie said:

Or 6 ????

regards Worgeordie

Putting the coaxial cable in six rooms but actually only have 2 televisions; a Sony 40" (but not smart) and a 56" Samsung  (smart) that I won in a raffle draw at Toyota Buzz when putting a deposit down for a Toyota pick up truck in October 2017.  The Samsung is still in the box unopened and probably old technology now.

 

[johng]

7 hours ago, canthai55 said:

Watching lots of TV ‘makes you stupid’,

Surely it depends what you watch on TV ...if its Thai soap operas,game shows and the spouting's of "the democratic soldier"

then I agree watching lots of that make you stupid ????

[johng]

On 11/19/2019 at 9:52 AM, johng said:

I  have not been able to find any DAB ...but haven't really tried very hard   just did a few scans with my Astrometa dvb-t2 usb stick that's supposed to have DAB capabilities...didn't find a single thing ????

well after a bit more experimenting with  Software Defined Radio 

(here is list of many software programs if anyone has a similar DVB tv stick  want to give it a go )

https://www.rtl-sdr.com/big-list-rtl-sdr-supported-software/

and the Astrometa DVB-T2  stick which use an RTL2832U chipset

I found no DAB  in my area and not very surprising as we seem to be in a very bad spot for terrestrial broadcasts.

I'm wondering though if they are  testing DAB on  a strange frequency  at about 100 MHZ instead of the usual 200(odd) MHZ

in the screen capture there are  signals but they are not FM voice  maybe digital  maybe DAB ?