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As a result of the COVID pandemic, most people are spending a lot of time in the house. Staying indoors can be monotonous, and the last thing you want is you and your family to get bored. Luckily, there are many ways to entertain yourself in the comfort of your home.
For those who work the entire week, staying at home helps to relax the mind and body, calm nerves and even cut down on unnecessary spending. For some people, home entertainment involves subscribing to streaming services or pulling free TV channels from the airwave. For such people, the best think to do is to set up an outdoor digital TV antenna.
An outdoor TV antenna may require a portion of your time and money, but it’s a small price to pay compared to what you would have to cough out monthly for cable and subscription services.
Therefore, outdoor TV antennas are a great alternative for your entertainment needs. Below are some considerations when choosing an outdoor digital TV antenna in Australia.
Your Location and Building Structure
When setting up a digital TV antenna, ensure it is installed correctly. Also, be sure you buy the correct type so that you will be able to pick up the right signal. When installing a TV antenna, there a few rules and guidelines to consider if you want the best reception. The location of the TV antenna governs all aspects of its operation. For instance, keep the antenna away from objects that can detune your channels even if they do not affect your all-round signal reception.
People who reside in a remote area, can also enjoy their favourite channels. All you need is a tall antenna pole to lift the satellite dish or antenna as high above your home as possible. The higher it is, the more likely you will capture a strong TV signal.
Size and Height of the Antenna
Outdoor TV antenna size and length matter a lot because of something known as the resonant frequency. A digital TV antenna will work most efficiently when the resonant frequency is at its best. When the antenna mounts, the amplified and signal boosters will operate at their best, allowing maximum power to radiate from your antenna.
Just in case you experience a poor signal reception on your TV antenna, it could be as a result of blockage from obstacles such as tall buildings, mountains, or large depressions in the ground. It is advisable to invest in a long coaxial cable, an outdoor kit, and mounts to install a taller antenna. Afterward, all you need is a mounting bracket, TV wall mounts, cables, and a digital TV to enjoy your favourite channels.
Signal Range
Reflections that occur from buildings and other obstacles may change the signal range. The most important factor to consider when choosing an outdoor TV antenna is the availability of a standard cable.
If you are near a broadcast tower, then your short-range antenna is sufficient. An amplified HD can also improve signals resulting in good picture quality, low noise, and access to more broadcast TV channels. Nevertheless, an amplified HD does not solve problems like poor quality and signal that occurs between the antenna and your digital television.
A digital HDTV enhances gain, range and frequency performance. The best part about a digital signal range antenna is that it can reach up to 250 miles and can be mounted anywhere within your home.
Full HD Connectivity
Your outdoor TV antenna may not have HD capability, a feature that helps improve the quality of your TV programming. Regardless of the make of the outdoor digital antenna, the manufacturer may indicate that they offer HD capability, when in actual sense they do not support this feature.
Full HD delivers 4K 1080p image resolutions for blue ray discs, digital television, and most high-def videos found on YouTube. The more pixels in your TV image, the better.
If your TV antenna in Australia does not have HD capability, chances are you will receive channels that you won’t be able to enjoy. It is important to have an HD aerial that will guarantee you the best reception.
Omni Antennas
As you seek to find an antenna for you home, know that there are two main types: omnidirectional and directional. Omnidirectional antennas can send and receive signals in all horizontal direction from the antenna. Directional antennas are designed to focus the signal in one single direction.
The omnidirectional antenna is best used for radio waves because the coverage area of the waves is sent in all directions. An omnidirectional antenna with a higher gain has a flat shape and covers wider area.
A phased array digital directional antenna only concentrates signals in a specific direction thus, it is less precise when it comes to positioning. Omnidirectional antenna is best used where you need to support multiple caravan TV antennas since each will have its cell tower and already receiving at least three bars of signal outside your premise. You should ensure that once the antenna is installed, the signal is strong enough to amplify.
An omnidirectional antenna has a shorter range than a directional antenna only allows you to be at most one hundred miles from a broadcast tower.
Multiple Connection
Since it’s possible to connect your outdoor TV antenna with the help of a remote-controlled rotating booster, there are several factors to consider. You should use a splitter to divert both TV signal and antenna signal when you connect the two.
However, you might find it difficult to divert the TV signals to more than two televisions because the antenna you purchased might not support dual connectivity. Ensure that you have purchased a coaxial splitter if it is excluded in your antenna purchase package for you to take advantage of dual connectivity.
A log-periodic antenna is best suited for outdoor TV viewing due to its design, which allows it to operate at a wide range of frequencies. This is possible because the antenna is typically designed to cover between six and twenty-six MHz. The function of antenna is to transmit and receive clear signals between multiple wireless devices at the comfort of your home.
Cabling
Structured cabling for a TV antenna involves electrical equipment, which presents potential hazards. The procedure involved in antenna cable installation should be carried out by an expert technician with years of experience. Depending on the nature of installation, make sure you choose the right cabling for the job. Cabling should be perfectly connected to avoid future issues that may cause problem with your outdoor TV antenna’s reception.
Your digital TV, which may need a wall mounting, could be connected by a coaxial cable that is of poor quality. A low-graded coaxial cable may not provide the best pathway for your antenna’s signal to travel to the TV.
Your best bet in this case would be an amplified HD to increase the reception of the antenna, but it improves the quality of the signal from the antenna. Your electrician should advise you on the best quality cable to connect to the digital antenna. Depending on the size of the building, the installation may take a day or a whole weekend to be complete.
Saves Time and Eases Installation
Indoor antenna installation can be problematic depending on your location. The antenna may be lower than a roof-mounted installation limiting the line of sight. In addition, the digital signal might be weakened by walls the signal passes through. That’s why you are advised to place your indoor antenna as close to a window as possible.
Moreover, outdoor antennas experience less interference from other electronic devices in your home. It is easier to connect a coaxial cable to send the antenna signal to all your TVs if you have a satellite or a cable service. Mounting your Australian-made antenna in the attic, enables you to enjoy the best signal quality.
Purchasing an outdoor antenna saves you from having to mounting because it comes with an adjustable mast clamp that allows you to fix it to a variety of masts and mounts. Prior to attaching the mount to any surface, ensure you have checked the reception of the location.
Some of the outdoor TV antennas may not be easy to install and set up especially when the work needs technical know-how.
Most of the kits of an outdoor antenna come with the hardware that you need to bolt your antenna in place. Installing by yourself can save you some money even though you may have to purchase bolts separately. Ensure that when installing your outdoor antenna, you observe safety and set aside time to do the job properly.
Save Money
One of the main reasons why people use an outdoor TV antenna is to save money. Satellite receivers are costly to install and you will have to go back to your pockets for subscription services. Other advantages of the outdoor antenna is that they enable you to have easy home entertainment since you can comfortably enjoy local channels for free.
Moreover, depending on the place you live, you may receive a lot of channels without any subscription. The best thing with an outdoor digital antenna is even when you experience weather problems, you could potentially solve them yourself and get back to enjoying your favourite entertainment without distraction.
Anyone who’s ever used a satellite knows the struggle one gets when there is bad weather. A good quality outdoor digital antenna should not be affected by the weather.
You should also get an image quality that is significantly better than the compressed signal that you would get from your cable provider. Get a top-quality outdoor antenna that will give you a high-quality reception. When installed carefully, you will have a great time watching TV with the family.
Fewer Instances of Interference
An outdoor digital antenna encounters fewer instances of interference. This is much better choice than the indoor antenna, which tends to experience obstruction rendering a very poor signal quality.
A key advantage of the outdoor digital antenna over the indoor version is that you can reposition it. This is important if you live in high-rise building and are searching for better signal strengths.
Lastly, outdoor digital antennas are available in a range of sizes and capabilities. Some people go for the long-range type as they work well for people living in remote areas. Whichever works for your specific needs, kindly consult a TV Antenna expert who will advise you on quality and highlight the procedure needed to install.
Once you have purchased the right antenna, mount your TV on a TV wall and enjoy the shows that you love.
