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:
Loading Image...)
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

[vordoo]

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[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

Post by 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
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?
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
--
<http://au.linkedin.com/in/gliderflyer>
_______________________________________________
Linux-il mailing list
http://mailman.cs.huji.ac.il/mailman/listinfo/linux-il

[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

Post by 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
http://www.dx.com/p/lwj-023-mcx-male-to-tv-female-antenna-adapter-cable-black-17-5cm-207418

Post by 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
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?
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
--
<http://au.linkedin.com/in/gliderflyer>
_______________________________________________
Linux-il mailing list
http://mailman.cs.huji.ac.il/mailman/listinfo/linux-il

--
Tomer Cohen
http://tomercohen.com

[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.

Post by 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
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?
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
--
<http://au.linkedin.com/in/gliderflyer>
_______________________________________________
Linux-il mailing list
http://mailman.cs.huji.ac.il/mailman/listinfo/linux-il

[geoffrey mendelson]

Post by 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.

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.