A. It is possible to receive digital television signals on any UHF television aerial, though it is highly recommended that a quality 'high gain' aerial be used. The aerial should have a dipole fitted with a balun, which will allow optimum signal transfer and cancellation of unwanted impulse noise interference. The following Triax aerials are recommended:

Supergain 14W (CAI Aerial Benchmarked)
Supergain 18W (CAI Aerial Benchmarked)
Unix 52W (CAI Aerial Benchmarked)
Unix 52A (CAI Aerial Benchmarked)
Unix 32W (CAI Aerial Benchmarked)
Wolsey QR12WF (CAI Aerial Benchmarked)
Digi 343 (CAI Aerial Benchmarked)
Unix 52B
Yagi 10W
Supergain range
BB Grids

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Q. Do you install aerials?

A. Triax are manufacturers and distributors of terrestrial and satellite systems only. If you require details of your nearest CAI installer, please click here.

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Q. How do I install the DDU (Domestic Distribution Unit)?

A. Please click here for details.

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Q. How do I install the Triax Outlet Link (304139)?

A. Please click here for details.

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Q. My TX10 / TX10CI Satellite Receiver has l ost sound and/or video on certain channels?

A. Please click here for details.

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Q. What is a dipole and balun?

A. The cable is connected to the dipole section of the aerial. This is where the TV signal is received and where the coaxial cable is connected. The balun (balanced to unbalanced converted) is the small printed circuit that is located in the dipole plastic housing and is used to match the dipole to the coaxial cable. This has the effect of maximising the signal transfer from the aerial to the cable whilst minimising the effects of impulse noise interference.

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Q. What size of aerial will be required?

A. There is no easy answer to this question as the size of aerial depends on available signal strength, which in turn depends a great deal on the distance from the transmitter.

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Q. Can the aerial be mounted in the loft?

A. Yes. Any TV or Radio aerial can be mounted in a loft but there will be a loss of signal strength due to the roof material and construction used.

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Q. What is the difference between a 'grouped' and 'wideband' aerial?

A. The grouped aerial is designed to receive and maximise signal over a particular group of frequencies within the UHF TV spectrum. A wideband aerial covers the complete band and has slightly less gain than the grouped version.

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Q. What aerial group will I need?

A. The aerial group depends on the transmitter from where the signal is being received. If possible it is preferable to use a grouped aerial but a wideband aerial will cover all eventualities.

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Q. What cable should be used to connect the aerial to the TV?

A. The cable should be a suitable 'CAI Benchmarked' coaxial cable. Click here to see the Triax cable range.

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Q. Is the digital signal strength the same as for analogue signals?

A. No the digital signal is transmitted at lower power. The Set Top Box has the ability to recognise the digital signals and distinguish them from the noise inherent on the carrier, allowing the lower signal power to be transmitted.

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Q. What are the recommended threshold levels for TV reception?

A. The threshold for acceptable analogue TV is 60 dBuV and digital TV is 45 dBuV

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Q. What happens if my signal level is too low for satisfactory reception?

A. If the analogue signal is too low then a gradual decline in reception quality is perceived. When this occurs with a digital signal the picture will initially 'freeze' then disappear. It is therefore advisable to allow a 6dB margin above the digital threshold level for signal loss over time and for seasonal / weather changes.

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Q. How can I increase my signal level?

A. The first thing to do is make sure the correct aerial is being used. You may need to change to a 'higher gain' aerial. Alternatively, a suitable masthead amplifier may be required. This should have a low noise performance and moderate gain (too much gain will over amplify the analogue signal and cause distortion to upset the digital decoder). The Triax TA or MFA ranges are recommended. Click here for details of Masthead Range.

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Q. My picture 'locks up', 'freezes', 'breaks up'

A. This can be caused by low signal strengths. Look at installing a higher gain aerial or masthead amplifier. These symptoms can also be caused by the system picking up high levels of impulse noise from unsuppressed sources (eg electrical motors or cars). The recommended cure is to try and increase signal strength and use suitable cable and outlet plates.

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Q. What does non isolated and isolated mean in relation to TV outlets?

A. A non isolated outlet means there is a direct connection between the outlet socket and the cable or distribution system. In a system which uses isolated outlets, system isolation capacitors are used to prevent possible harmful voltages from reaching other parts of the distribution system.

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Q. Do Triax make an aerial suitable for reception of DAB radio?

A. Yes. There is a choice of two models:

DAB Omni : A single element omni-directional model that has a circular reception profile from all directions.
DAB 5 Element : A directional aerial that can receive from more distant and directional transmitters.

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Q. How is a DAB aerial mounted?

A. Vertically.

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Q. What is a diplexer?

A. The diplexer unit consists of two filters in parallel that allow two input signals (Radio and TV) on separate cables to be combined onto a single cable. This is a passive device and can also be used in the reverse allowing two signals to be filtered separetely from a single cable. A TV-Radio outlet is sometimes called a diplexer outlet.

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Q. What is a triplxer?

A. This is a three filter device allowing three input signals (TV-Radio-Satellite) from three cables to be split or combined onto a single cable. A TV-Radio-Satellite outlet is sometimes called a triplxer outlet.

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Q. Do I need an aerial for each individual TV receiver?

A. No. You can use a setback amplifier to distribute to a number of points around the property. Triax UK sells in its Wolsey range versions for 2, 4, 6 and 8 way distribution. Click here for details.

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Q. My Digital Link will not operate?

A. Check the green light is on. If it is off, follow the set up instructions for the second output of your Sky STB. If it still does not operate, check that the wall outlet is not isolated as there must be a DC path between the Sky STB and the Digital Link.