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Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: theolodian on 10 June 2008, 18:24:52

Title: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: theolodian on 10 June 2008, 18:24:52
We seem to only have one outlet for the roof aerial in the house.  We want to have a small TV in the bedroom.  What is the cheapest workable way to have freeview?  Do rabbit ears, etc. work for freeview?  Amplified aerial?  Get a guy in to snake a cable into the loft and tie into the roof aerial?

Freeview doesn't work that well around here, most of the channels drop off a lot of the time, so I don't want to spend more than necessary to get something that doesn't work very well in the first place.

TIA!
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: TheBoy on 10 June 2008, 18:42:28
Quote
We seem to only have one outlet for the roof aerial in the house.  We want to have a small TV in the bedroom.  What is the cheapest workable way to have freeview?  Do rabbit ears, etc. work for freeview?  Amplified aerial?  Get a guy in to snake a cable into the loft and tie into the roof aerial?

Freeview doesn't work that well around here, most of the channels drop off a lot of the time, so I don't want to spend more than necessary to get something that doesn't work very well in the first place.

TIA!
The fact that I know you have trouble anyway, all the mickey mouse stuff will be worse :(
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: theolodian on 10 June 2008, 19:04:10
Quote
Quote
We seem to only have one outlet for the roof aerial in the house.  We want to have a small TV in the bedroom.  What is the cheapest workable way to have freeview?  Do rabbit ears, etc. work for freeview?  Amplified aerial?  Get a guy in to snake a cable into the loft and tie into the roof aerial?

Freeview doesn't work that well around here, most of the channels drop off a lot of the time, so I don't want to spend more than necessary to get something that doesn't work very well in the first place.

TIA!
The fact that I know you have trouble anyway, all the mickey mouse stuff will be worse :(
Either the transmitter works or it doesn't.  Seems to drop out regularly.  Analog always works, as well as BBC1 and 2 on freeview.  The rest of it is a cr@pshoot.
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: stuart30 on 10 June 2008, 19:11:29
Had a similar problem in my old house due to weak signal...spent £180 having a loft Ariel supposedly especially for freeview and low and behold it was utterly useless and that's with it being boosted by the fitter.

Have you considered a dish...several free to view channels without subs. :y

I use one of these at work as the signal here isnt much cope...works pretty good so might be worth buying one and giving it a go.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5344204/Trail/searchtext%3EAERIEL.htm
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: theolodian on 10 June 2008, 19:18:09
Quote
Had a similar problem in my old house due to weak signal...spent £180 having a loft Ariel supposedly especially for freeview and low and behold it was utterly useless and that's with it being boosted by the fitter.

Have you considered a dish...several free to view channels without subs. :y

I use one of these at work as the signal here isnt much cope...works pretty good so might be worth buying one and giving it a go.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5344204/Trail/searchtext%3EAERIEL.htm
We don't have permission to install a dish.  Yeah, I may give one of those amplified thingies a shot.
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: carlos_fandango on 10 June 2008, 19:54:33
We have a freeview box, a tv with a portable aerial (looks like a small version of a roof aerial) and a £5 booster box.

Works great get all the channels.

AERIAL to BOOSTER to FREEVIEW to SCART to TV

Carlos
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: carlos_fandango on 10 June 2008, 19:55:23
Do have to put the aerial quite high up in the room though, ours is hanging over the curtain rail in the bedroom.
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: Martin_1962 on 10 June 2008, 21:21:08
Here goes.

1) Check the cables, possibly recable with CT100, check the aerial, how old, how big ect - a picture may help

2) Get a decent box, PVRs are usually better than £20 noddy boxes.

3) Daisy chain to upstairs, my cable route is

Aerial->amp
------->
PSU->TV->Twin->BT Vision->Beta VCR
-------> back up stairs
->Pace DTVA

Yes I do have 2 PVRs, 1 box and an IDTV
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: STMO123 on 10 June 2008, 21:26:02
If you are in an area where the signal strength is weak Theo, then you're likely to be fooked. I've tried everything for my poor old mum in Liverpool, all to no avail. A chap who came out to have a look quite honestly told me I was wasting my time.
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: theolodian on 10 June 2008, 21:57:06
We get freeview from the existing building aerial directly through the TV or BT Vision.  However, the transmitter seems to drop out regularly.  Not looking to fix that, just to see if we can get freeview in the bedroom where there is no outlet for the building aerial.  We rent, so can't do a dish or other major work - and not worth too much trouble since the transmitter is flaky.
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: TheBoy on 10 June 2008, 21:59:04
Quote
We get freeview from the existing building aerial directly through the TV or BT Vision.  However, the transmitter seems to drop out regularly.  Not looking to fix that, just to see if we can get freeview in the bedroom where there is no outlet for the building aerial.  We rent, so can't do a dish or other major work - and not worth too much trouble since the transmitter is flaky.
Doubt the transmitter is dropping often, I'd suggest weak signal...
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: Plomien on 10 June 2008, 22:00:10
if your pc is in the room
http://zattoo.com/
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: theolodian on 10 June 2008, 22:07:17
Quote
Quote
We get freeview from the existing building aerial directly through the TV or BT Vision.  However, the transmitter seems to drop out regularly.  Not looking to fix that, just to see if we can get freeview in the bedroom where there is no outlet for the building aerial.  We rent, so can't do a dish or other major work - and not worth too much trouble since the transmitter is flaky.
Doubt the transmitter is dropping often, I'd suggest weak signal...
Often it is fine, then all but a few channels drop out.  We are supposed to get freeview here, but the neighbors have Sky so no idea if the signal is any good for them.
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: Danny on 10 June 2008, 22:07:27
freeview boxes are dirt cheap, have a nosey through your yellow pages for a company that will fit an extra roof aerial onto your house

thats what i've done, aerial was about £50 (held onto the chimney properly and not drilled into the brickwork!), freeview box was lifted from my mates when he got sent down, to cover an outstanding debt
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: theolodian on 10 June 2008, 22:07:54
Quote
if your pc is in the room
http://zattoo.com/
No it isn't, and the Wifi is yet another problem at the minute!
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: theolodian on 10 June 2008, 22:11:09
Quote
freeview boxes are dirt cheap, have a nosey through your yellow pages for a company that will fit an extra roof aerial onto your house

thats what i've done, aerial was about £50 (held onto the chimney properly and not drilled into the brickwork!), freeview box was lifted from my mates when he got sent down, to cover an outstanding debt
Have freeview in the TV, can't do much with the aerial.  I'd be happy to tie into the existing aerial, but that means snaking wires through the walls of a rented house.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.  Guess there's no sure answers.  :-/
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: Vamps on 10 June 2008, 22:12:44
Our Caravan, a static, is in Ripon and quite high, normal aerial and freeview seemed to depend on the weather. Last year I had a reeview aerial fitted, same height, and no further problems, you do need a decent aerial. :y
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: theolodian on 10 June 2008, 22:16:45
Quote
Our Caravan, a static, is in Ripon and quite high, normal aerial and freeview seemed to depend on the weather. Last year I had a reeview aerial fitted, same height, and no further problems, you do need a decent aerial. :y
Theo wanders off to find pictures of freeview aerials to see if it looks different . . .
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: TheBoy on 10 June 2008, 22:20:24
Quote
Quote
Our Caravan, a static, is in Ripon and quite high, normal aerial and freeview seemed to depend on the weather. Last year I had a reeview aerial fitted, same height, and no further problems, you do need a decent aerial. :y
Theo wanders off to find pictures of freeview aerials to see if it looks different . . .
No different, only tend to be WB and a little more powerful/selective
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 10 June 2008, 22:21:33
No such thing as a freeview or digital aerial.

Its a wide band aerial thats required and you wont be able to tell the difference between a grouped aerial and a wide band one by simply looking at it.

Leamington is a tricky one to get good reception round but, a DAT45 with MRD works well round there as long as it has decent coax (digital is not tolerant of multipath)
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: Entwood on 10 June 2008, 22:23:25
Different transmitters require different classes of aerial ... many "cheap" aerials/cowboy fitters just stick a generic one up. This is usually ok on analogue signals but just falls apart on digital

This site may help ..

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/help/technical_help/aerial_test

or here

http://www.stevelarkins.freeuk.com/freeview_digital_tv.htm

HTH
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: Vamps on 10 June 2008, 22:25:40
Quote
No such thing as a freeview or digital aerial.

Its a wide band aerial thats required and you wont be able to tell the difference between a grouped aerial and a wide band one by simply looking at it.

Leamington is a tricky one to get good reception round but, a DAT45 with MRD works well round there as long as it has decent coax (digital is not tolerant of multipath)

Can't get technical byt the aerial on my house is from the orginal digital and is very different to 'normal' aerials. The one at the caravan is very different again, you can walk round the site and see who is using freeview rather than normal tv. :)
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: theolodian on 10 June 2008, 22:26:35
Quote
No such thing as a freeview or digital aerial.

Its a wide band aerial thats required and you wont be able to tell the difference between a grouped aerial and a wide band one by simply looking at it.

Leamington is a tricky one to get good reception round but, a DAT45 with MRD works well round there as long as it has decent coax (digital is not tolerant of multipath)
Hmmm.  The bigger problem would be re-doing the coax.  :-/

Think it's a standard wideband up there now.
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 10 June 2008, 22:28:27
Quote
Different transmitters require different classes of aerial ... many "cheap" aerials/cowboy fitters just stick a generic one up. This is usually ok on analogue signals but just falls apart on digital

This site may help ..

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/help/technical_help/aerial_test

or here

http://www.stevelarkins.freeuk.com/freeview_digital_tv.htm

HTH

Not actually true either, the analogue channels were grouped as A, B or C/D. When digital was fired up the digital channels had to be slotted in away from the local analogue ones so a wideband (W) aerial is required and these tend to be lower gain for the same size.
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: TheBoy on 10 June 2008, 22:28:30
Quote
Quote
No such thing as a freeview or digital aerial.

Its a wide band aerial thats required and you wont be able to tell the difference between a grouped aerial and a wide band one by simply looking at it.

Leamington is a tricky one to get good reception round but, a DAT45 with MRD works well round there as long as it has decent coax (digital is not tolerant of multipath)

Can't get technical byt the aerial on my house is from the orginal digital and is very different to 'normal' aerials. The one at the caravan is very different again, you can walk round the site and see who is using freeview rather than normal tv. :)
There is no physical difference - it matters not whether analogue or digital - the tuner still has to lock on and decode. Thing with digital, rather than grainy picture, you get nothing with substandard.

'Digital' aerials is a marketing scam.
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: theolodian on 10 June 2008, 22:35:59
So, to sum up, the cheapest way to get freeview is a 55 quid antenna and a few hundred in installation and rewiring?  It's gonna be more than the TV!
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: Martin_1962 on 10 June 2008, 23:56:36
You don't want to know what I did in a rental bed sit.

But you can use normal aerials in a house if you want.

How long are you renting for?

Might be worth asking the landlord if you can play with the aerial
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: FRE07962128 on 11 June 2008, 02:18:35
I am in a weak digital signal area but what I did to obtain a very good signal from our block of flats communal ariel (that incidentently should be, most importantly 'high gain' in a 'weak' signal area is:

1. Rewire with new digital standard cable from the ariel / junction box

2. Install a SLx Masthead booster at the point of cable entry into the property (if you cannot get onto the roof and rig the ariel, that, to repeat must be 'high gain' in a weak signal area, as I have previously done when living in a house).

3. Install a powered 2/3/4 Maxview booster and distributor box, after the Masthead box, in main cable feed.

4. Lay separate digital cable trails to each tv point required.

5. Plug in any good (Philips, Hitachi, etc,..NOT the cheap crap ones!) digital receiver box per tv.

This will give you a greatly enhanced signal that in most areas (unless the digital signal is pityfully weak!) should give you digital reception of a good standard. :y

All the parts mentioned are available from B & Q, and the above system also worked in my previous houses if we didn't have Sky.
Title: Re: Cheapest way to get freeview?
Post by: theolodian on 11 June 2008, 07:59:08
We expect to be here 12-18 months.  I don't mind doing a little bit, but it starts to add up quickly.  The main thing that I need is a new aerial point in the bedroom.  That means getting a guy in.  Replacing what's already there would then drive the cost up even more.  Then we can't be sure how much it will help!