With the approaching spring-summer period, many of us increasingly go out of the city to rest from the bustle of the metropolis, to enjoy nature and fresh air. But at the same time, few are willing to abandon such benefits of civilization as the Internet and television. With the Internet, everything is more or less clear: it is enough to buy a USB modem with a SIM card of a mobile operator, whose connection is available in the area where the country house is located. The television network is not yet so developed, although every year the network of coverage is becoming wider.

Before choosing an antenna to give, you need to decide which type of television you want to watch:

• satellite TV;
• digital terrestrial TV;
• analog terrestrial tv.

Cable and Internet TV options will not be considered, as they are rarely available outside the city or too expensive. And it also makes no sense to talk separately about analog terrestrial TV, this standard is gradually becoming obsolete, the digital signal has become more accessible and convenient.

Satellite antenna

The largest satellite TV operators are NTV + and Tricolor. They sell their equipment in sets of one, two or more TVs and with a subscription package. The undoubted advantage is the availability of TV channels in high quality even in areas remote from the city. The antenna receives a signal from the satellite, only the absence of barriers to the reception path is necessary. This is just the perfect option to give, because in a city with a close building there may be problems when installing on the lower floors. At the cottage, it is enough to put it on the roof or on the facade at the top of the house and you can enjoy modern television at any time of the day or night.

Satellite TV Tricolor TV

The satellite antennas themselves differ in diameter. The bigger it is, the better the signal is received. NTV + use antennas of 70 or 90 cm, Tricolor offers to choose from 55, 70 and 80 cm. You can also purchase it yourself, but as a rule, it is better to contact the operator’s consultants, who will select the best option specifically for your area and conditions.

Satellite TV has a number of disadvantages:

• Costly equipment. A set for one TV with a subscription for a year will cost from 7, 000 rubles. For more than one TV you need additional equipment, plus a receiver for each, the price will already be about 12-13 thousand rubles.
• Paid subscription. Access to television is usually paid per year. That is, if you go to the country for several months a year or only on weekends, then you actually pay for something you don’t use.

NTV + satellite TV set

Perhaps this is the disadvantage of satellite dishes and end. Choose to give a satellite dish and a set of Tricolor or NTV +, if:

• You often watch TV in a country house on a modern TV with a large screen.
• money question is not significant for you;
• You need the quality and availability of a large number of channels.

Operator experts will advise you on the best technical solution in your area. By the number of channels, there are different offers, on average around 200, but NTV + currently has an economy tariff for 69 channels.

Radio antennas

If satellite dishes differ only in diameter, then with terrestrial TV everything is a bit more complicated. It is possible to decide which television antenna to choose for the dacha, on the basis of the remoteness of its location from the broadcast tower.

Terrestrial analog antenna

Antennas are classified into the following types:

• By installation type:

1. Indoor rooms for installation. They work only in the zone of confident reception, that is, where there is a high signal level from the tower. As a rule, suitable only for urban environments.
2. External mounted on the roof or on the facade. The quality of reception, in addition to remoteness, is affected by the presence of obstacles, for example, dense buildings. An important side to which the antenna is directed.

• By frequency range:

1. Channel accept only separate frequency channels, are used in special conditions and are not intended for the wide consumer.
2. Band take either meter waves, or decimeter (UHF). Digital terrestrial television in the Russian Federation broadcasts in the UHF range, therefore, to receive a sufficient UHF antenna.
3. All-wave capable of taking both meter and decimeter range.

• By type of amplification:

1. Passive - receive and amplify the signal due to their geometry, do not connect to the network and do not have any amplifying devices. Such an antenna may not be enough for high-quality reception, but it alone does not create noise and noise.
2. Active are equipped with an electronic amplifier, which can be located both inside it and separately.
3. Directional antennas with high gain - are used when they are very remote from the transmitting tower.

IMPORTANT. The amplifier creates its own noise, which can cause noise and poor-quality images. Do not use amplifier antennas in areas where there is a good signal level. Do not buy unnecessarily strong amplifiers, as well as devices unknown Chinese firms and fakes.

TV antenna selection

To choose an antenna for digital terrestrial TV:

• Go to the official website of Digital Terrestrial Television //rtrs.ru.
  

  Russian television and radio broadcasting network

• You will be automatically redirected to your region of broadcasting, there open map of the location of the towers.
• On the map, determine the distance from the location of your cottage to the nearest tower. To do this, find the place where the house is located, place the cursor there and the site will give information about the nearest towers, the distance to them and which multiplex is available for reception.
• Based on the data, select the appropriate antenna specifications.

Multiplex is a package of channels broadcasting on a certain frequency. Unlike analogue, digital TV allows you to transmit more than one channel to the same frequency. In Russia, at this time, there are two multiplexes of the DVB-T2 standard, each with 10 channels. Work is underway on the creation and development of the third multiplex, but so far everything comes up against the lack of frequencies. As we move away from analog TV, the possibilities and availability of digital will expand.

The advantages of connecting in the country of terrestrial digital television:

• Low cost of necessary equipment. As a rule, if you have a modern TV, then only the antenna and cable are enough. And the digital receiver is already built into the TV. If the TV is old, then you need to buy a DVB-T2 set-top box, which is also inexpensive compared to a satellite receiver. The price depends on the functions and starts from 700 rubles. Antennas can be purchased from 200 p. and higher.
• Broadcasting is free and you don’t need to pay for viewing the first and second multiplex. It is difficult to say whether the third multiplex will be paid.
• Digital signal quality. You get 20 channels in digital quality and with unlimited access. The third multiplex is supposed to transmit HD video.

Multiplex: channel list

Of the minuses can only be called an underdeveloped network of repeaters. That is, it is possible that your country house is too far from the towers and the signal cannot be received by any antenna, even with an amplifier. But such situations are becoming less common, because the network of digital terrestrial television is constantly expanding, more and more new towers are being built in different parts of the country.

To choose the antenna to give, pay attention to the gain. This parameter determines the receiving ability of the antenna. If the values ​​are higher than 40–45 dB, then, most likely, the product of an unscrupulous manufacturer is in front of you, which simply overestimates the figures.

If the cottage is in the city or in the zone of reliable reception, choose any external antenna without an amplifier. You can try to install near the window and room, if you are located close to the repeater and in a zone of low building. Talk to your neighbors to find out how confident the signal is in your area.

If the distance to the tower is more than 30–40 km, it is better to use antennas with an amplifier. They are able to receive a signal at a distance of 100 km. Among the range on the market are the following manufacturers:

• Delta is a Russian manufacturer of antenna systems, active and passive, made of steel or aluminum, covered with special paints that withstand adverse weather conditions. Price range of 700-1500 rubles, different gains.
• Locus is also a Russian manufacturer operating in the same price range as Delta. Offers both indoor and outdoor antennas. The Zenit series includes steel log-periodic antennas, gain up to 18–20 dBi, Ether from KU to 27–30 dBi and aluminum Meridian with KU 30–37 dBi. In the series "Meridian" the best indicators of the ratio of gain-noise.

When choosing an antenna to give, pay attention to the following points:

• possibility of correct installation (mounting at the required height);
• correct connection, for example, the use of high-quality cable, which will not lead to a deterioration of the strength and purity of the signal.

Thus, in order to choose the antenna to give, decide which type of television you want to watch. In case it is an on-air digital one, determine how far the nearest tower is located. If up to 30 km, then enough passive antenna. If more, then get active. The greater the distance, the higher the gain you will need. And remember that the characteristics of the antenna are often not as important as its proper location.