PC Pals Forum

Technical Help & Discussion => Self Building, Upgrading & General Hardware Help => Topic started by: JK on August 13, 2007, 22:33

Title: USB TV dongles
Post by: JK on August 13, 2007, 22:33

Hi
I would appreciate some feedback from owners of these devices, if any? I was thinking of getting one but do not trust the makers ad's, can you get digital tv with the small aerial supplied, or do you have to route the main aerial to it. Very few of the spec sheets on these devices indicate if you will get stereo sound.
Any advice or recomendations would be welcome.

Title: Re: USB TV dongles
Post by: Simon on August 13, 2007, 23:22

Can't say I'd ever heard of them until now, but there are a few customer reviews of one particular model here (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Freecom-Digital-DVB-T-Freeview-receiver/dp/B000ALAWQ6), which might be a start.

Title: Re: USB TV dongles
Post by: Sandra on August 14, 2007, 00:22

You would have to be in a very strong signal area for the supplied aerial to work.
I can clearly see my transmitter on a hill about 3 miles away in a direct line and the reception I get through the indoor aerial that came with one of my pci TV cards only picks up about a dozen channels.
I get all the digital ones when connected to my proper aerial.

Title: Re: USB TV dongles
Post by: GillE on August 14, 2007, 01:36

We live in a poor reception area and have difficulty picking up a signal on ours.  Like Sandra, we find the reception is okay when the USB is connected to our proper TV aerial.

Gill

Title: Re: USB TV dongles
Post by: JK on August 20, 2007, 21:03

Thank you for your comments. Guess it's not worth the bother of conecting the main aerial to it. The devices are supplied with tiny aerials, which will make people think they can get digital tv on them.

Title: Re: USB TV dongles
Post by: gmax on September 11, 2007, 15:50

Quote from: Sandra on August 14, 2007, 00:22

You would have to be in a very strong signal area for the supplied aerial to work.
I can clearly see my transmitter on a hill about 3 miles away in a direct line and the reception I get through the indoor aerial that came with one of my pci TV cards only picks up about a dozen channels.
I get all the digital ones when connected to my proper aerial.

A dozen channels  :o,  in Adelaide we only have five! :(

Title: Re: USB TV dongles
Post by: Rik on September 11, 2007, 16:04

Get a satellite dish and pay that nice Mr Murdoch?  ;D :scoot:

Title: Re: USB TV dongles
Post by: Clive on September 11, 2007, 16:14

Quote from: gmax on September 11, 2007, 15:50

A dozen channels  :o,  in Adelaide we only have five! :(

I think we have over 200.  None of them worth watching!   :laugh:

Title: Re: USB TV dongles
Post by: Sandra on September 11, 2007, 16:51

Most non sky satellite receivers usually state that they can store up to around 5000 channels.
My latest one says its unlimited so I have no idea how many I can actually get but as you said Clive, a lot of them are rubbish.

I think I only really regularly watch from a choice of around 100 chanels of films and a few 10s of discovery, nat geographic type and a few 10s of news channels.  :)

If I had young kids here then they would have 100s of cartoon channels and if I had a pervy partner hed have access to ridiculous amounts of porn, if I allowed him to watch it  :o

Occassionally I find a few sports channels that show real sports like F1 and Moto GP but mostly they show football, cricket and tennis   :(