Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

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thebears
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Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by thebears »

Can anyone please confirm if Thai TV transmission is still possible using a conventional TV aerial? I have someone who looks after my home who has informed me that the TV transmission is no longer available via an aerial and that consequently a satellite dish is now needed to receive TV.

However, I note STEVEG's post just a month ago, in which he points out that an aerial was used, so this seems to cast some doubt on what I was informed... https://huahinforum.com/viewtopic.php?f ... te#p468203

My understanding was we only received Thai ITV via the conventional aerial, but not certain.

I looked at the set-top boxes today in a local retailer and they appear to be only 690 Baht for a satellite receiver, plus the dish. I don't wish to pay for an ongoing subscription since this person will only require the minimal Thai TV channels. Thanks.
hin
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by hin »

Wife bought a dish and box 8 or 9 years ago at Home Pro. Tons of Thai channels with no subscription or fees. I think 4 or 5 channels in English too but probably just sports, don’t know, have never had enuf disposable time to be wasting any of it on TV. Big Klang behind Power Buy on Soi 88 used to sell them too at good prices. If you install it yourself can give some pointers about aiming the dish if you are interested

Before she bought the dish I played around with a decent rabbit ears that said on the box it had a signal booster and got 2 or 3 Thai channels with that, right inside the house on Soi 112
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by hin »

Just had a look in our pile of junk and we still have that rabbit ears if you want to borrow it. If it will pull in somthing, a good outdoor conventional antennae definitely would. But the cheapest dish would be far superior and probably very little difference in cost. Only logical use for a conventional TV antenae these days would be a cheap low frequency one to receive FM radio as the frequency falls between TV channels 6 and 7. But it would have to be a cheap one as the better ones filter out the FM Radio signals to keep the TV signals clean.
thebears
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by thebears »

Thank you very much indeed Hin, that's useful. I've since found a Wikipedia article on Thai Television, that seems to suggest several TV channels ended their analogue transmissions during June and July, so it appears my helper is correct.

There is actually an unused satellite dish already on the adjacent house near to my helper's room. Since I'm not using it, I guess that I can use this exsting dish that the original owner installed. What type of connector should I expect to find on the end of the cable from the satellite dish? I can't see it because it's routed through some roof space that I'll need to gain access to.
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by hhinner »

Thai terrestrial digital channels are broadcast from antennas on Hin Lek Fai Hill. You need either a DVB-T2 set top box or TV with digital tuner, plus appropriate antenna. Some channels went bust but there are still the main national channels available plus a few others.
thebears
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by thebears »

hhinner wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 12:53 amYou need either a DVB-T2 set top box or TV with digital tuner, plus appropriate antenna.
Thanks very much. When you say antenna, are we able to use that which we already have, such as in this picture, in conjunction with the DVB-T2 that you mention?
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hin
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by hin »

If you are going for satellite your dish will be aimed at a satellite rather than Hin Lek Fai Hill. And luckily the existing dish is likely already aimed correctly unless a tree or somthing has hit it. I assume you are talking the smaller sheet metal type dish, not the large mesh type altho it would not make any difference

Conventional TV antennas and dishes use 75 ohm coaxial cable - not 50 ohm, which is used for high frequency radio, like ham. The cable ends are fitted with standard connector fittings that screw onto the antenna and the box. For satellite or digital TV RG-6 or series 6 is preferred. Some people use RG-59 which was normal with conventional antennas but RG-6 is better over a wider spectrum of frequencies.
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by hhinner »

thebears wrote:
hhinner wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 12:53 amYou need either a DVB-T2 set top box or TV with digital tuner, plus appropriate antenna.
Thanks very much. When you say antenna, are we able to use that which we already have, such as in this picture, in conjunction with the DVB-T2 that you mention?
No idea. Possibly. I've only ever tried with an indoor antenna with signal boost.
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by VincentD »

Analog transmissions are no longer available. You have two choices - one is the digital set-top box, for which an external aerial (sold seperately) is recommended over the rabbit ears (which I found did not work well at all). However, do note that the selection is abysmal at most.
The other option (the one I am using) is to get satellite signals. My present set-top box comes from a company called PSI and is fairly decent. They will have additional channels compared to the digital tv so is the path I would recommend.
I do note, however, that these days since getting my wife an **android box she mainly gets her fix watching Thai music reruns on YouTube. Go figure. **Internet access required.

Check to see if the newest tvs have this digital receiver built-in. The older ones only have analog. Oh, and you'll need a set-top box for each tv you have in the house, though you can use the same satellite dish with a signal splitter..
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hin
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by hin »

Lots of years since I have paid any attention to TVs but I believe the DVB-T2 set top box only changes the newly mandated digital signal back to analog so older TVs can work on the new signal. If you already have an antenna as shown, try it. It will probably work if aimed at Hin Lek Fai Hill because the actual transmitting frequencies are probably still the same - but I might be wrong on that. If you don’t already have that antenna but do have the dish, I would buy a box for the dish - lots more channels, better reception, and can be free for Thai language. My wife pays nothing. The TV is the expensive part so just as well support it with decent reception
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by VincentD »

hin wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 10:25 am Lots of years since I have paid any attention to TVs but I believe the DVB-T2 set top box only changes the newly mandated digital signal back to analog so older TVs can work on the new signal.
Yes. But do note, many new boxes will only have a HDMI plug output, AVI (red, white and yellow plugs) is becoming a thing of the past.
hin wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 10:25 amIf you already have an antenna as shown, try it. It will probably work if aimed at Hin Lek Fai Hill because the actual transmitting frequencies are probably still the same - but I might be wrong on that.
Different antenna. Been there, done that.
hin wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 10:25 amIf you don’t already have that antenna but do have the dish, I would buy a box for the dish - lots more channels, better reception, and can be free for Thai language. My wife pays nothing. The TV is the expensive part so just as well support it with decent reception
Not all dishes the same, but worth a try. PSI sells the complete setup including the dish.
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by robcar »

Big Kiang sell and fit the PSI system. I had it fitted by my landlady so have no idea on cost. Keeps my other half quiet for hours as we have a receiving box and TV in the spare room.

Big Kiang is behind Power Buy on Petchkasem Road (Soi 88).
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by hin »

The dish itself is just a reflector. The actual signal receiver is aimed at it and is clamped into the end of the tube that extends out from it. Ours was a complete setup but we did not use the included dish as there was already one on the house and larger, so more efficient than the one that was included. Cost was ฿2011, Sep 2010. Wife says she gets maybe 30 channels. But naturally a subscription will get you a lot more

Later we moved the dish due to a new house next door. I do have an attenuation meter from days when dabbling in ham radio but for aligning a simple TV dish it is not necessary. We did experiment with both receivers - the one in the existing dish and the one included with the box and in our case they each were equal according to the meter. Also both fit properly into the clamp it is mounted into on the dish. The dish itself is not an expensive component. The benefit of the existing one is that it is already there and most likely aimed properly so there would be no installation cost, just connect the coax. If you do need to insert a different signel receiver you need to slide it in and out slightly to find its best position to catch the reflected signal. If you need to cut costs and already have a conventional antenna maybe you can use the coax that now leads to the antenna. Hopefully it is RG-6. If you need to buy the coax, the connector ends are easy to fit onto it. There are plenty of instructions on the internet - or measure how much coax you need and buy it from somone who will fit the connectors onto it.


Red, white and yellow AVI plugs goes way back in history. Wife’s 12 year old TV, that I now use as a computer monitor, has them but does also have HDMI. But bought in Malaysia so maybe that is a factor
thebears
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by thebears »

hin wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 2:47 amThe cable ends are fitted with standard connector fittings that screw onto the antenna and the box.
From what I could see of the receiver boxes in Taiwatsadu store yesterday, the antenna connection is a push-on type (see similar device pictured here), rather than screw-type, although I have seen screw-types before on a device from True, manufactured by Samart.

With this in mind, since the antenna connection is a push-on type, perhaps I might just as well re-use the antenna (in my picture last night) and if we don't have any success with that, to use the dish instead?
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thebears
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Re: Local TV via aerial transmission - still available?

Post by thebears »

VincentD wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 11:45 amDifferent antenna. Been there, done that.
Okay, thanks, in your experience the existing antenna didn't work for digital, then? So that suggests I perhaps should not bother trying to use the existing antenna.
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