Hi, Posted here ages ago (or so it seems) regarding a dirty signal causing problems with the terrestrial digital TV receiver (clicks and loss of picture).
Someone suggested making up a Balun - which seemed to help, but I think our main problem is that the pr*ts who installed our current setup put the lead from the aerial (in the attic) down to the lounge on the outside of the house, leaving it vunerable to the elements and storm damage. I know that coax can be a little delicate, especially after being battered for what must be around 15 years.
We upgraded the aerial a while back, and we're thinking that installing a fresh length of cable (in trunking mounted inside the house) would be an easier option than trying to mount the aerial outside the house (I HATE ladders!).
Anyway, we have some technical questions regarding this upgrade, and wondered if anyone would be kind enough to suggest some answers.
(1) Maplin here in the UK sell double-insulated coax cable that should be ideal for the job, and is rated at 75 Ohms. They also sell an uprated version of this which is rated at 50 Ohms. This latter cable will not fit the standard UK aerial plug and socket, so I would need to have leads from the wall socket to TV constructed of standard 75 Ohm coax. Will I actually gain anything by going to the extra trouble of using the higher grade coax for the main length from the attic to the lounge (roughly 7 metres)?
(2) I am thinking of installing two sockets in the lounge in one wall box, which (since the connectors are solder type on the sockets) should provide a better quality split of signal than one of the plug-in- splitters you can get. Is there anything to be gained by installing them in a metal box, with the screening connected to the box?
(3) In a similar vein to (2), is there anything to gain my using metal trunking instead of plastic, or will this simply amplify any interference rather than backing up the screening within the coax?
(4) If I use an aerial amplifier (mains powered), am I better off installing this in the attic prior to the cable leading down to the lounge, or just connecting one at the outlet in the lounge?