My 1st choice without additional power for notebooks

My test scenario is a difficult. On 1st floor DVB-T works with an LG plasma TV with some channels even if one takes the aerial cable. A DVB-T Stick S4 Technaxx works there quite usable with the included antenna, but does not receive all the stations.

On the ground floor (slope), only a few channels of about 20 can be received. The bad reception situation there is clear to me, so I was ready not to also save on the price of the antennas. It turned out that the most expensive antenna yielded no reception, while the tiny, that comes with the Technaxx antenna, at least a couple of stations received with dropouts. Tested was the way with a notebook and Kaffeine under Linux. Sources of interference such as DECT base station, multiple PCs, etc. were about 1m away from the site of the antenna during the test.

In a notebook, it is of course desirable that the gain on the live USB (!) - Connection can be done. The following mentioned antennas has never brought anything in my reception situation. Only at a Noname antenna, which I bought at the competition, which brought a significant improvement, but it could thus not be received all possible channels.

So if you have no additional power supply is available, then this thick rod antenna is my 1st choice. They can be taken apart and compared to other less bulky. With very long cables can easily provide the antenna to a better location, for example in the vicinity of the window.

I describe how the antenna behave in the same location without external power supply:

Clixxun vube alpha active DVB-T antenna LRR DVBT silver
Very disappointing. USB amplifier supply has brought no improvement.

One For All SV 9310 DVB-T rod antenna 18 dB
Opposite the small rod antenna that was when Technaxxx stick here, no significant difference.

One For All SV 9323 DVB-T antenna design (38 dB) black One For All SV 9323 DVB-T antenna design (38 dB) black
Opposite the small rod antenna that was when Technaxxx stick here, no significant difference without mains connection.

One For All SV 9360 DVB-T indoor antenna with 45 dB gain One For All SV 9360 DVB-T indoor antenna with 45 dB gain
This antenna was with (!) The amplifier is here very useful, but does not come close to the Vivanco

Thomson ANTD137 DVB-T indoor antenna (20 dB amplifier output)
Opposite the small rod antenna that was when Technaxxx stick here, no significant difference.

Active Vivanco TV / Radio indoor antenna, 40dB silver
The Vivanco antenna could not keep up without (!) Amplifier with the antenna reviewed here. If you activate the variable gain amplifier, however, then the Vivanco gets even more out than this thick rod antenna. One need then but power and extension cables for the antenna and for electricity. Therefore, this would be my 1st choice Vivanco, when a network connection is not a problem for a notebook which is mostly but not given.

For this reason, I forgive the full number of points regardless of the price, which also is still low.

What applies to my site, but does not have long applied to other locations. You will have to try it in practice, whether an amplifier which brings. The theoretical argument that an amplifier is only useful for long cables, I can not agree. The result has to convince.