better antenna for a USB DVB-T dongle?

[Amos Shapira]

Hi,

I'm asking here since I saw that quiet a few members here mentioned using
things like this in the past.

I bought a USB DVB dongle for my Cubox-I running OpenELEC (here is the item
on ebay: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251537079924) and although it's well
supported and the kernel recognises it without a hitch, scanning for
channels (both through tvheadend and command line w_scan) can't lock on any
channels.

I live less than 2 km from the antennas which broadcast to all of Sydney
(~80km radius service area).

According to the instructions at http://baratel.com/guides/mythTV.htm, the
internal antenna which comes with such dongles is worthless for more than
500m.

But the antenna input socket is not the standard wide one (e.g. like the
one you can see in this wikipedia image:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_cable#mediaviewer/File:N_Connector.jpg)
but something that looks like 1 mm headphone jack with an itsy bitsy hole
in the middle.

Does anyone know how can I extend the reception for this baby?

I think of two main options:

1. Connect it to "normal"/"common" coaxial wall socket, so I can take
advantage of the antenna on the roof.
2. Buy a bigger internal antenna which can connect to this weird jack.

Any pointers would be appreciated.

Thanks,

--Amos
-- 
 
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Re: better antenna for a USB DVB-T dongle?

[vordoo]

  
  
Buy/build an antenna. The one on the roof
  probably isn't tuned to the right freq., but you can try it (as
  the dongle
  only receives no harm can be done), once you get a connector from
  an electronic supply store(downtown TLV or muser etc. on the net).
  
  p.s.: I would make sure the dongle works before, try it from the
  roof, direct line of site, or get closer if you know where it is
  coming from. 
  
  HTH,
  :-)
   
  

On 2014-07-26 14:00, Amos Shapira
  wrote:


  Hi,


I'm asking here since I saw that quiet a few members here
  mentioned using things like this in the past.


I bought a USB DVB dongle for my Cubox-I running OpenELEC
  (here is the item on ebay: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251537079924)
  and although it's well supported and the kernel recognises it
  without a hitch, scanning for channels (both through tvheadend
  and command line w_scan) can't lock on any channels.


I live less than 2 km from the antennas which broadcast to
  all of Sydney (~80km radius service area).


According to the instructions at http://baratel.com/guides/mythTV.htm,
  the internal antenna which comes with such dongles is
  worthless for more than 500m.


But the antenna input socket is not the standard wide one
  (e.g. like the one you can see in this wikipedia image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_cable#mediaviewer/File:N_Connector.jpg)
  but something that looks like 1 mm headphone jack with an itsy
  bitsy hole in the middle.
  
  
  Does anyone know how can I extend the reception for this
baby?
  
  
  I think of two main options:
  
  
  1. Connect it to "normal"/"common" coaxial wall socket,
so I can take advantage of the antenna on the roof.
  2. Buy a bigger internal antenna which can connect to
this weird jack.
  
  
  Any pointers would be appreciated.
  
  
  Thanks,
  
  
  --Amos
  -- 
  

  

  
  
  
  
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Re: better antenna for a USB DVB-T dongle?

[Tomer Cohen]

Roof antenna could not be very helpful in your case, but you can buy an
active antenna or place the current one near a window. As for the antenna
connector, you can buy a cheap adapter; I bought this one:
http://www.dx.com/p/lwj-023-mcx-male-to-tv-female-antenna-adapter-cable-black-17-5cm-207418


On Sat, Jul 26, 2014 at 2:00 PM, Amos Shapira 
wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm asking here since I saw that quiet a few members here mentioned using
> things like this in the past.
>
> I bought a USB DVB dongle for my Cubox-I running OpenELEC (here is the
> item on ebay: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251537079924) and although it's
> well supported and the kernel recognises it without a hitch, scanning for
> channels (both through tvheadend and command line w_scan) can't lock on any
> channels.
>
> I live less than 2 km from the antennas which broadcast to all of Sydney
> (~80km radius service area).
>
> According to the instructions at http://baratel.com/guides/mythTV.htm,
> the internal antenna which comes with such dongles is worthless for more
> than 500m.
>
> But the antenna input socket is not the standard wide one (e.g. like the
> one you can see in this wikipedia image:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_cable#mediaviewer/File:N_Connector.jpg)
> but something that looks like 1 mm headphone jack with an itsy bitsy hole
> in the middle.
>
> Does anyone know how can I extend the reception for this baby?
>
> I think of two main options:
>
> 1. Connect it to "normal"/"common" coaxial wall socket, so I can take
> advantage of the antenna on the roof.
> 2. Buy a bigger internal antenna which can connect to this weird jack.
>
> Any pointers would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> --Amos
> --
>  
>
> ___
> Linux-il mailing list
> Linux-il@cs.huji.ac.il
> http://mailman.cs.huji.ac.il/mailman/listinfo/linux-il
>
>


-- 
Tomer Cohen
http://tomercohen.com
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Re: better antenna for a USB DVB-T dongle?

[Evgeniy Ginzburg]

TV dongles use MCX connector.
Truy one of those to connect to wal plug
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=mcx+to+Belling-Lee
There is can be impedance mismach but
with one of such connectors you also can buy bigger antennae that connect
to standart jack if roof antenna won't work good.

And when you tired of TV use oyur dongle as SDR it's uch more fun.


On Sat, Jul 26, 2014 at 2:00 PM, Amos Shapira 
wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm asking here since I saw that quiet a few members here mentioned using
> things like this in the past.
>
> I bought a USB DVB dongle for my Cubox-I running OpenELEC (here is the
> item on ebay: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251537079924) and although it's
> well supported and the kernel recognises it without a hitch, scanning for
> channels (both through tvheadend and command line w_scan) can't lock on any
> channels.
>
> I live less than 2 km from the antennas which broadcast to all of Sydney
> (~80km radius service area).
>
> According to the instructions at http://baratel.com/guides/mythTV.htm,
> the internal antenna which comes with such dongles is worthless for more
> than 500m.
>
> But the antenna input socket is not the standard wide one (e.g. like the
> one you can see in this wikipedia image:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_cable#mediaviewer/File:N_Connector.jpg)
> but something that looks like 1 mm headphone jack with an itsy bitsy hole
> in the middle.
>
> Does anyone know how can I extend the reception for this baby?
>
> I think of two main options:
>
> 1. Connect it to "normal"/"common" coaxial wall socket, so I can take
> advantage of the antenna on the roof.
> 2. Buy a bigger internal antenna which can connect to this weird jack.
>
> Any pointers would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> --Amos
> --
>  
>
> ___
> Linux-il mailing list
> Linux-il@cs.huji.ac.il
> http://mailman.cs.huji.ac.il/mailman/listinfo/linux-il
>
>


-- 
So long, and thanks for all the fish.
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Re: better antenna for a USB DVB-T dongle?

[geoffrey mendelson]

On 7/26/2014 10:25 PM, Evgeniy Ginzburg wrote:

TV dongles use MCX connector.
Truy one of those to connect to wal plug
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=mcx+to+Belling-Lee
There is can be impedance mismach but
with one of such connectors you also can buy bigger antennae that 
connect to standart jack if roof antenna won't work good.


And when you tired of TV use oyur dongle as SDR it's uch more fun.



While they are officially called Belling-Lee connectors, they are called 
PAL connectors outside of the UK. In the UK they are called Aerial 
connectors. Probably the same thing in OZ.


They got that name because PAL TVs used them, in comparison to F 
connectors used by US TVs.


Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson 4X1GM/N3OWJ
Jerusalem Israel.


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Re: better antenna for a USB DVB-T dongle?

[Amos Shapira]

Thanks everyone for chipping in.

Once I learned the name of the connector (MCX) and based on this and
finding that the "regular" plug is called also "Type N" I found a "pig
tail" converter and ordered it (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121310526140).

Tomer - why wouldn't the roof antenna be useful. Is it about the TV signal
type? Antenna type? Or is it because I live so close to the transmitter
that you expect that the signal strength is not the issue?

BTW - so far I tested the dongle facing the transmitter almost directly -
next to the front balcony glass door, with perhaps only the balcony rail
blocking it from direct line of sight.

Cheers,

--Amos


On 27 July 2014 01:09, Tomer Cohen  wrote:

> Roof antenna could not be very helpful in your case, but you can buy an
> active antenna or place the current one near a window. As for the antenna
> connector, you can buy a cheap adapter; I bought this one:
> http://www.dx.com/p/lwj-023-mcx-male-to-tv-female-antenna-adapter-cable-black-17-5cm-207418
>
>
> On Sat, Jul 26, 2014 at 2:00 PM, Amos Shapira 
> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm asking here since I saw that quiet a few members here mentioned using
>> things like this in the past.
>>
>> I bought a USB DVB dongle for my Cubox-I running OpenELEC (here is the
>> item on ebay: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251537079924) and although it's
>> well supported and the kernel recognises it without a hitch, scanning for
>> channels (both through tvheadend and command line w_scan) can't lock on any
>> channels.
>>
>> I live less than 2 km from the antennas which broadcast to all of Sydney
>> (~80km radius service area).
>>
>> According to the instructions at http://baratel.com/guides/mythTV.htm,
>> the internal antenna which comes with such dongles is worthless for more
>> than 500m.
>>
>> But the antenna input socket is not the standard wide one (e.g. like the
>> one you can see in this wikipedia image:
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_cable#mediaviewer/File:N_Connector.jpg)
>> but something that looks like 1 mm headphone jack with an itsy bitsy hole
>> in the middle.
>>
>> Does anyone know how can I extend the reception for this baby?
>>
>> I think of two main options:
>>
>> 1. Connect it to "normal"/"common" coaxial wall socket, so I can take
>> advantage of the antenna on the roof.
>> 2. Buy a bigger internal antenna which can connect to this weird jack.
>>
>> Any pointers would be appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> --Amos
>> --
>>  
>>
>> ___
>> Linux-il mailing list
>> Linux-il@cs.huji.ac.il
>> http://mailman.cs.huji.ac.il/mailman/listinfo/linux-il
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Tomer Cohen
> http://tomercohen.com
>



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