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 Post subject: In-car TV Tuner
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:32 pm 
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I have been wanting to put a TV tuner in my car for a while now as the screen and everything is going good but getting sick of the dvd's replaying over and over again.

One thought I have had that may work, due to many tv tuners not picking up signals too well, was to have a power invertor, and run a household antenna signal booster from that through the antenna.

Due to my lack of knowledge of the who antenna business, does anyone know if a small tv tuner antenna would not be able to be boosted for a greater signal or has anyone come across an interesting setup or brand/model that will work well to pick up top quality pictures and reception.

Another thing I have been thinking of if this idea doesn't work, is maybe using something from the units of the 7 series BMW for example, as their tv tuners seem to work really well and get an awesome picture.

Just incase anyone needs to know, the monitor is a Sony XAV-77

Cheers people!!!

 

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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 11:06 pm 
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I'm not really sure myself. You would need an amplifier for TV signals, which cost about $200. I'll speak to my boss tomoz and see what he reckons. I'm only 3rd year sparky, so he's had a bit more experience.
Usually the amps, are good if you wish to run more than 4 TV points off one aerial, in a lower signal area. Still i'll ask the boss, and some of the electrical reps and see what they reckon.
I think i've got the same screen as you, and wouldn't mind doing this myself as well!

Dave
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Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 8:27 pm 
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Thanks, be interesting to see what he says.

From what i've been told already, i need the tv tuner (naturally), a 4 way diversity antenna that has 3 inside the car and 1 on the rear window, which the signal runs through whichever is picking up the best reception at the time. Then there is a tv antenna booster that needs 75 ohms, which boosts the signal from about 6dB to 24dB I think.

So if 24 is achievable through that antenna using a booster, hopefully a household one can maybe get 40 - 50dB, or something like that. I don't have much of an idea of what i am talking about but it all sounds good in theory

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Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 10:52 pm 
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yeah no worries mate, i didn't remember to ask him, but i will on Monday.
I'm pretty interested to see if it would work too!

Dave
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Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 11:05 pm 
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U will find you won't need an inverter. if u like to play with wires and solder u can get a lil indoor ant and remove the amp from it, best thing is they run from 12vdc (some do, and some are 12vac) then u can let it feed off your FM/AM car ant boost it and send it on too the tuner. Of course a UHF ant would be best, hen keep the ant whole.

d**k Smith has a 34dB gain booster for $90. but needs an AC power source to run.

LN

 

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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 3:11 am 
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http://stores.ebay.com.au/BRASH-IMPORTS-WITH-NO-POSTAGE-FEES_W0QQssPageNameZl2QQtZkm

This guy on ebay is great! I just bought a 4-way diversity antenna and an antenna booster. You just plug all four antenna plugs into the booster and it amplifies it all into one crisp signal.. works a treat! He's in Melbourne, so you could get him to give you a demo etc. if you live near him..

 

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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 5:52 am 
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The 34dB amplifier sounds good, better than the 24dB one I found.

I had a look at the brash imports - not a bad deal for the tuner and diversity amps. Have you hooked them up in your car yet? Hows the picture when stationary and driving (if its wired that way)? Do you recommend the booster?

Cheers guys

 

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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 10:56 pm 
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ok don't run a tv antenna amplifier that that has more than 25Db gain on all bands it will only distort when you drive through a strong signal area, if your not using your rear demister use that as your antenna and connect a 75ohm balun to it then 75 ohm coax from the balun to the amp from the amp to your tunner, if you can't find a 12vdc to 14vdc signal amp let me know, i have some here for around $60.00

 

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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 11:37 pm 
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Ok is therre anyway to improve the recpetion on my Lilliput TV Tuner?
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 12:17 am 
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twirqurky wrote:
Ok is therre anyway to improve the recpetion on my Lilliput TV Tuner?


put an amp inline with the antenna an tuner if the antenna is is external for the tuner

 

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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 1:48 am 
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Electroboy wrote:
ok don't run a tv antenna amplifier that that has more than 25Db gain on all bands it will only distort when you drive through a strong signal area, if your not using your rear demister use that as your antenna and connect a 75ohm balun to it then 75 ohm coax from the balun to the amp from the amp to your tunner, if you can't find a 12vdc to 14vdc signal amp let me know, i have some here for around $60.00


This advice sounds convincing - although I am a little confused....

1/ There's a 24dB TV tuner amp from Tenvox Australia which sounds as though it will do the job - what do you think of this?

2/ What do you mean use the rear demister as an antenna? Would this mean that I don't have to get a diversity antenna, and would I just hook the 75 ohm balun into the circuit where the wires for the rear demister goes into the glass?

3/ Does it have to be strictly a 75ohm balun, or can it have a range, such as 300ohm to 75ohm?

4/ Last question....so the circuit would go....
rear demister (antenna) ---> 75ohm balun with 75ohm coax cable ----> 24dB amp ----> tv tuner ---> input

If your able to answer those questions it'll be a great help

Thanks

 

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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 10:47 am 
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offyaguts wrote:
Electroboy wrote:
ok don't run a tv antenna amplifier that that has more than 25Db gain on all bands it will only distort when you drive through a strong signal area, if your not using your rear demister use that as your antenna and connect a 75ohm balun to it then 75 ohm coax from the balun to the amp from the amp to your tunner, if you can't find a 12vdc to 14vdc signal amp let me know, i have some here for around $60.00


This advice sounds convincing - although I am a little confused....

1/ There's a 24dB TV tuner amp from Tenvox Australia which sounds as though it will do the job - what do you think of this?

2/ What do you mean use the rear demister as an antenna? Would this mean that I don't have to get a diversity antenna, and would I just hook the 75 ohm balun into the circuit where the wires for the rear demister goes into the glass?

3/ Does it have to be strictly a 75ohm balun, or can it have a range, such as 300ohm to 75ohm?

4/ Last question....so the circuit would go....
rear demister (antenna) ---> 75ohm balun with 75ohm coax cable ----> 24dB amp ----> tv tuner ---> input

If your able to answer those questions it'll be a great help

Thanks


1/ yeah it sounds ok

2/ you could try the demister first or just get the antenna.

3/yes must be 75 ohms/ 75 ohm is sheilded coax as to 300ohm which is not

4/correct

if you use the demister as your antenna you must disconnect both terminals of it, one balun wire to the dimister terminal the other balun wire to ground

 

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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 1:17 pm 
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You guys are worrying about the strength of the signal more than the quality of the signal. If your antenna setup isn't any good in the first place then all you're going to do with an amplifier is boost a poor quality picture. You need to concentrate on finding a really good car antenna first.
Then when you have sorted that, see what the reception is like in the car at various locations. If the signal is mostly clean and clear ( except driving through black spots ) then that is sufficient. Otherwise if the signal looks crisp but breaks down more often excluding areas where you are far enough from the transmitter towers then look at low gain boosters. Also, getting too big a booster can overdrive the signal causing interference and severe oscillation, so if you eventually feel that you need a booster, find one with variable gain.

Tip: Find out what the imported luxury cars and limos are using for car antennas.

 

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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 1:28 pm 
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Vic wrote:
You guys are worrying about the strength of the signal more than the quality of the signal. If your antenna setup isn't any good in the first place then all you're going to do with an amplifier is boost a poor quality picture. You need to concentrate on finding a really good car antenna first.
Then when you have sorted that, see what the reception is like in the car at various locations. If the signal is mostly clean and clear ( except driving through black spots ) then that is sufficient. Otherwise if the signal looks crisp but breaks down more often excluding areas where you are far enough from the transmitter towers then look at low gain boosters. Also, getting too big a booster can overdrive the signal causing interference and severe oscillation, so if you eventually feel that you need a booster, find one with variable gain.


I was actually gonna ask if you can get a booster with variable gain, as you could search for a signal at max boost, but if you get a decent picture in other areas, you can turn the boost down so the picture isn't distorted from over boosting.

How good do you think the rear demister will act as an antenna?

 

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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 1:42 pm 
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You can get boosters with cariable gain; but what are ou guys going to do with these setups when digital comes outl or am I looking too far into future for you guys?
The one main reason I havnt gone TV tuner in car is its too hard to get perfect, not cheap, will become useless.
Good luck. :)

 

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