Can any TV/antenna gurus help?

[amber_fluid]

Can someone please help me out with this:

I have a 42" Plasma TV in the lounge room that works fine.......and a 55'' smart TV in the family room that loses channels often and we can't get channel 10 at all.
I have changed the antenna cable over on the smart TV but it still doesn't work correctly.

I though it might be the antenna point at the wall in the family room and was going to get a licensed cabler out to fix it.

Before I did I changed the 2 TV's over though(physically).

The 42'' plasma that worked in the lounge room now works in the family room just as well.
The 55'' smart TV that played up in the family room now works a treat in the lounge room and we get all channels?

WHY??

The lounge room antenna point is closer to the roof antenna................would this make that much of a difference?

The wife said just leave the TV's where they now are..........BUT the kids now get the 55'' TV to watch in the lounge room and I get the 42'' TV to watch footy and now cricket(first world problems I know).

Anyone know why the smart TV works only in the lounge but the older 42'' TV works in either room?

Any help will be appreciated.

[bennymacca]

Depends on how good the receivers are in each tv basically.

It seems like there is a difference in signal strength between each point. So if the plasma has a slightly better receiver it may still pick up the signal.

I'm gonna guess it's a better brand than the new tv?

[amber_fluid]

Depends on how good the receivers are in each tv basically.

It seems like there is a difference in signal strength between each point. So if the plasma has a slightly better receiver it may still pick up the signal.

I'm gonna guess it's a better brand than the new tv?

The plasma is a Phillips brand so it's a run of the mill TV and it's 9 years old.
The big smart TV is a Samsung and is less than 12 months old.

I'd have thought the new Samsung would have a bigger receiver in it?
I could be wrong though.

[gadj1976]

Depends on how good the receivers are in each tv basically.

It seems like there is a difference in signal strength between each point. So if the plasma has a slightly better receiver it may still pick up the signal.

I'm gonna guess it's a better brand than the new tv?

The plasma is a Phillips brand so it's a run of the mill TV and it's 9 years old.
The big smart TV is a Samsung and is less than 12 months old.

I'd have thought the new Samsung would have a bigger receiver in it?
I could be wrong though.

That's it I reckon, I have a 2003 LG Plasma and the reception is spot on. The 2012 Samsung Smart TV is HOPELESS. The more technology, the more issues.

Get a powered antenna and see if that helps Amber. I had the same problem. Believe it or not, my 42 inch plasma worked fine, the 55 inch Samsung Smart TV was hopeless with the same setup. Once I put a 90 buck antenna in there, it was better but still not 100%.

[amber_fluid]

Gadj, Yeah I forget to mention it's an older antenna.
I might buy a new digital antenna and see how that goes.
Do you know if you can buy stronger than the norm digital antennas that allow for smart tv's?

[gadj1976]

Gadj, Yeah I forget to mention it's an older antenna.
I might buy a new digital antenna and see how that goes.
Do you know if you can buy stronger than the norm digital antennas that allow for smart tv's?

Umm, I got a digital (which i thought was "powered" but after googling it, it seems to be 'digital') which seems to be working fine. As with anything technology, it's much more expensive to keep up with the Joneses.

Best thing to do is to get to Jaycar and have a chat to the experts there. They normally will try and onsell but the advice you obtain is gold.

[amber_fluid]

Gadj, Yeah I forget to mention it's an older antenna.
I might buy a new digital antenna and see how that goes.
Do you know if you can buy stronger than the norm digital antennas that allow for smart tv's?

Umm, I got a digital (which i thought was "powered" but after googling it, it seems to be 'digital') which seems to be working fine. As with anything technology, it's much more expensive to keep up with the Joneses.

Best thing to do is to get to Jaycar and have a chat to the experts there. They normally will try and onsell but the advice you obtain is gold.

Yeah I go to jaycar for a lot of my electronics and advice.
I might him them up tomorrow.

And I have just realised my current antenna is attached to the top of the chimney on the roof.
This could be fun!

[gadj1976]

Gadj, Yeah I forget to mention it's an older antenna.
I might buy a new digital antenna and see how that goes.
Do you know if you can buy stronger than the norm digital antennas that allow for smart tv's?

Umm, I got a digital (which i thought was "powered" but after googling it, it seems to be 'digital') which seems to be working fine. As with anything technology, it's much more expensive to keep up with the Joneses.

Best thing to do is to get to Jaycar and have a chat to the experts there. They normally will try and onsell but the advice you obtain is gold.

Yeah I go to jaycar for a lot of my electronics and advice.
I might him them up tomorrow.

And I have just realised my current antenna is attached to the top of the chimney on the roof.
This could be fun!

Not really. From what I gathered, my antenna outside was on the exterior wall but I needed an interior antenna hooked directly into the TV to make it work. So you should be ok (he says!)

[amber_fluid]

Ahh yeah of course.
That'll be the easiest option as well.

Cheers mate for that.

[bennymacca]

There is no such thing as a "digital" antenna, the frequency band is pretty much the same.

getting an amplifier is a good idea though. would be better than replacing the outside antenna which is likely not your issue. (its likely the cabling between there and your antenna point)

[Psyber]

When the changeover to digital transmission came I got very poor reception with the old antenna on the roof and the hill behind the house between it and the towers. I had to get in a local technician who walked around on the roof with a detector on a pole and found a better spot at the other end of the house and a bit higher in the air. I also put in new cabling in the process of relocating the antenna, with screw on connectors, All good now - all up about $500.

I left the old antenna connected to one spot in the house and use it as an FM radio antenna which it does well.

I've got a Panasonic 55" plasma (vintage 2009) and a more recent 42" Sony LED smart TV, and have used various other brands when away working in the provided accommodation. I find the Panasonic much better at updating programming information and prefer the logic of its Guide set up.

When I lived in the Mt Dandenong area outside Melbourne I was was in a shadow area, and was able to get a little booster amp that plugged into the wall outlet between the main TV and the antenna circuit and amplified the signal throughout the house.

[Dog_ger2]

Some channels transmit on MP4. Some TV's don't recognise MP4.