Installation & Services
NEW HOMES / RENOVATED HOMES
Some builders have a television antenna installed on their new homes while others leave this up to the new home owner. Either way, these installations are typically fairly straight forward, requiring a roof mount, antenna, cable, splitter and access into the ceiling space to complete the hook up to the internal cables run by the electrician. A digital meter is used to site the antenna for best signal reception and to test the outlet points in the home. If the signal strength is poor an amplifier may be used to boost the incoming signal to provide good pictures. We will, wherever possible, locate an antenna on a roof mount and to the rear of the home where it is less likely to be featured in the view from the street.
UPGRADING UNDERPERFORMING ANTENNAS / REPLACING DAMAGED ANTENNAS
An antenna may give poor results or cease working for a number of reasons. Plastics become brittle over time and may break in high winds or storms. Large birds can take their toll as well as nearby tree branches whipping about in the wind. Ingress of water and corrosion in the balun can be a problem, and the cable should be in good condition. Older homes may have flat ribbon cable which is prone to breakage and this should be replaced with good quality coaxial cable. Where flat ribbon has been used in unit buildings it is generally not able to be replaced except by running new cable externally on the building surfaces. The appearance of the building needs to be taken into account if this option is being considered.
CABLE REPLACEMENT
As mentioned above, the old flat ribbon type of cable can be unreliable, and system performance can be improved by upgrading to coaxial cable. Older coaxial cable which has been damaged should also be replaced. We use only RG6 quad shield cable for all our installations.
SIGNAL AMPLIFIERS
Areas which receive poor signal levels can benefit from the installation of signal amplifiers to increase their reception. There are mast head amplifiers which are used in fixed positions and portable indoor amplifiers which are more suited to temporary situations such as rented premises, camping and caravanning. Mast head amplifiers are mounted outdoors on the antenna mast with a power pack installed at one of the TV points in the home. This power pack must remain plugged in to this TV point and switched on to provide power to the amplifier. If ghosting is evident on the TV a signal amplifier will be of no assistance as it will amplify the ghosted signal as well as the main signal. Where ghosting is a problem a digital set top decoder or digital tv is recommended.
WALL PLATES, SPLITTERS ETC
Wall plates and splitters can be the cause of some reception problems. These days most connections are made using F type connectors which are more reliable than the older saddle and screw style. They are more secure and less prone to corrosion. Wall plates in rented buildings often become loose from over use through a succession of tenants. This is less of a problem in private residences as furniture is less likely to moved.
EXTRA OUTLET POINTS
Today we are likely to have several TV's in the home, and modern homes are generally well catered for with multiple TV outlet points. Older homes are often lacking in this area, and we can assist should you require more TV or telephone points installed.
TUNING & HOOK UP OF TV, VCR, DVD & SOUND
Are you having problems hooking up or tuning channels? Our service techs can have you up and running in a short time and our service call charges are very reasonable. We're just an e-mail or phone call away.
INSURANCE WORK
In the case of an insurance claim we can either bill the home owner or the insurer directly quoting the insurance claim number. Just phone your insurer to gain approval and a claim number then e-mail or telephone us to arrange a day for repairs to take place.
SAFETY & TIDY UP
Although Brisbane is blessed with an abundance of sunny days, inclement weather can cause delays to occur to antenna work. It becomes quite dangerous to move around pitched roofs and OH&S issues come into play. This may cause jobs to be rescheduled from time to time which may be an inconvenience, but safety of our technicians is an important issue.
All materials replaced during the course of our work is collected and disposed of in the appropriate manner. Old antennae are broken down for recycling.