I have installed a Digital TV Programme into my Laptop. But what is the difference between an Old Ariel and a Digital Ariel. Will the Old one work or do I need to buy a new one. Just cannot get my head around the difference. They are both just bits of Alloy.

I have installed a Digital TV Programme into my Laptop. But what is the difference between an Old Ariel and a Digital Ariel. Will the Old one work or do I need to buy a new one. Just cannot get my head around the difference. They are both just bits of Alloy.

Depends on things like signal strength and more importantly whether all channels are in the band of your old aeriel . The old transmission system had channels allocated into bands ,which the aerials could be expected to recieve without too much attenuation .let me digress and say that for a certain channel ,at a certain frequency the IDEAL aerial would be a set size ,which would be a compromise between the frequencies used to transmit it .If the other channels in the band were higher in frequency , then the IDEAL aerial for thos channels should be smaller physically .So each band aerial would be a compromise( the centre frequency of the band would be the aerial tuned frequency) .But then ,in came CH5 -usually broadcasting from an adjacent transmitter ,on an out of band frequency .An now digital transmissions can be braodcast on a wider range ( to accomodate the more channels needed) ,so a wider band aerial can be needed .I at one point got away with my loft aerial ,till Ii started to get a lot of braekup .So long and short of it -suck it and see( you might find that the channelsyou like to watch are ok ,and after switchover ,it's said that power output will go up) -though you'll find most aerials designed for digital transmissiomn will be high gain ,wideband ones ,designed to give roughly the same gain over the entire TV spectrum .Trouble isthat in theory on theory courses ,aerials are compared in gain to a theory model ,od a set type of aerial .How the practical ones gain is calculated ,never found out .

Thaks for that VWD guess I will have to try, but being in different parts all over the country could cause a little frusration.

As long as your old aerial works leave it alone. This so called digital aerial is for most people just a rip off as when your area goes digital the transmitter will send out a stronger signal.

As long as your old aerial works leave it alone. This so called digital aerial is for most people just a rip off as when your area goes digital the transmitter will send out a stronger signal.

Unless the channels get moved around .Then you might need a wideband one .It's usck it and see time -I changed mine simply because of loosing channels -sometimes worth just putting in an amp till the signal gets upped .As Fab says - the idea of "you must have a digital aerial " ---who promotes it - Freeview and the aerial installers ,and at circa £150 min -nice little earner .As i said -only thing to look for -are channels going to stay in the band of your existing aerial ,or move just a fraction outside -in that case you'll probably be ok .Else you might need a wideband aerial .