Anyone got any experience of these units and can give me a little advice as to the best position for placing the aerial ? I know the reception is going to be tempremental, but I it would be nice to be able to watch something when the wifes in the supermarket, the kids have got their DVD players in the back, its only fair dad should have something to watch.
Im sure I saw a post on a forum somewhere where the poster had put his Sirius aerial in the rear spoiler, this looks like a good spot to me but I cant find the post again to read up on.
EDIT - just found this link to PDF detailing Sirius install. Wonder if anyone has tried the freeview in there ?
http://www.bmwmotorsports.org/pdf/audio ... +Guide.pdf
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Free view aerial placement
Free view aerial placement
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OnlineX5Sport
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Re: Free view aerial placement
The normal aerial is part of the NSR window elements. Cars with the TV function installed will have those elements and the antrenna diversity/amplification systems. Being satellite based, Sirius reception only needs a clear view upwards.
Ideally you need it to be as high as possible and with as clear (but toward the horizon) a view of the sky as possible. Now that's not always going to be practical. Some TV transmitters use vertical polarisation and others horizontal so a 45 degree option works well. The rear spolier will give you hozizontal but no vertical and that will immediately give you a problem with your ability to receive the opposite polarity (down to 25% maximum!!)
It is possible to make a simple antenna just with a piece of coax where you carefully remove the outer insulation, peel back the braid (screen) which then becomes one 'half' of the aerial and the still insulated inner becomes the other 'half'. This is a simple 'dipole' and is the basis in one form or another of most aerial systems (yes, I know there are specialist systems too.).
That assembly wil give you a 'T' shape which you can then play around with in the car to find somewhere that works. The only rules to follow are:
1. Do not allow the centre of the 'inner' to make contact with the body.
2. Do not place the assembly up against a metal panel - keep it a few inches away.
3. You can use glass areas, and even the rubber surrounds as long as rule 1 is maintained.
4. You can make the 'T' into a loop - but don't let the ends touch each other. Keep a gap of an inch or so.
5. Include front and rear bumpers too - I know it's a long run from the front though.
You may need signal amplification, especially in low signal areas.
Hope this helps.
Ideally you need it to be as high as possible and with as clear (but toward the horizon) a view of the sky as possible. Now that's not always going to be practical. Some TV transmitters use vertical polarisation and others horizontal so a 45 degree option works well. The rear spolier will give you hozizontal but no vertical and that will immediately give you a problem with your ability to receive the opposite polarity (down to 25% maximum!!)
It is possible to make a simple antenna just with a piece of coax where you carefully remove the outer insulation, peel back the braid (screen) which then becomes one 'half' of the aerial and the still insulated inner becomes the other 'half'. This is a simple 'dipole' and is the basis in one form or another of most aerial systems (yes, I know there are specialist systems too.).
That assembly wil give you a 'T' shape which you can then play around with in the car to find somewhere that works. The only rules to follow are:
1. Do not allow the centre of the 'inner' to make contact with the body.
2. Do not place the assembly up against a metal panel - keep it a few inches away.
3. You can use glass areas, and even the rubber surrounds as long as rule 1 is maintained.
4. You can make the 'T' into a loop - but don't let the ends touch each other. Keep a gap of an inch or so.
5. Include front and rear bumpers too - I know it's a long run from the front though.
You may need signal amplification, especially in low signal areas.
Hope this helps.
Last edited by X5Sport on Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Free view aerial placement
When I had my 330 I had a tuner with two of these type of aerial
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ANT90db-12V-B ... 2eb7994e80
and put them in the rear bumper and it worked a treat. It might be worth upgrading to this type of aerial before you do the install
If I could get adaptors to go on to the factory tuner in my car I would get some.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ANT90db-12V-B ... 2eb7994e80
and put them in the rear bumper and it worked a treat. It might be worth upgrading to this type of aerial before you do the install
If I could get adaptors to go on to the factory tuner in my car I would get some.
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OnlineX5Sport
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Re: Free view aerial placement
What do the connectors look like then?
Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.Re: Free view aerial placement
[quote=""X5Sport""]What do the connectors look like then?[/quote]
All the aftermarket aerials I have seen have "F" connectors but the ones on the factory tuner are tiny little push on things like a minature tv aeriel plug.
I have scrolled through pages of maplins and cannot find anything like them.
All the aftermarket aerials I have seen have "F" connectors but the ones on the factory tuner are tiny little push on things like a minature tv aeriel plug.
I have scrolled through pages of maplins and cannot find anything like them.
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dirtymonkey29
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Free view aerial placement
Try RS components. I'm assuming the connectors are like the ones you get on wifi cards for laptops