Digital set-top boxes (slightly O/T) - weak signal area.

Hi.

Been thinking about digital TV as I don't want satellite, or any subscriptions over and above the licence fee, bit would welcome some of the digital free-to-air channels.

In my area, the signal isn't too good. However, with a signal booster, all the analogue channels come through perfectly.

The BBC's web page says that my area is marginal for digital broadcasts (with some localities unsuitable owing to terrain) but I was wondering if the booster I use for analogue transmissions would also deal with the digital signal.

My original idea was to buy one of the boxes from Argos and see if it worked; I could then take it back for a refund if it didn't. Unfortunately, these items are excluded from Argos' 15-day money-back guarantee, which leaves me kinda stuck.

Has anyone got any advice about this?

TIA,

Jon

Reply to
Jonathan Peters
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Borrow one from a friend. Getting reception is a bit black magic. Depending on the quality of the amplifier, it could either help or hinder reception. Also, consider replacing your main aerial with a high gain more directional (but wideband) type.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Have any of your neighbours got working Freeview boxes? May be worth asking them.

You may need a high gain aerial plus a downlead made of something a bit more exotic than normal co-ax. You may need a wide-band aerial - depending on whether the mutiplexed digital channels are transmitted on physical channels within the same aerial group as the terrestrial channels in your area.

If your area is truly marginal, you may find that you can receive some - but not all - of the digital channels. [With digital, you either get a good picture or *no* picture - as opposed to analog where you might get a noisy picture of the signal is weak].

I live in a non-reception area - yet my next door neighbour has got a working Freeview system. I haven't cross-examined him enough to know whether he gets *all* the channels!

Reply to
Set Square

According to most of the "can I get FreeView" sites we can't get it, however even with our original loft aerial we could see something like half the channels. We've now put a higher gain (51 element) aerial in the loft and we can get all the available channels. We have a distribution amplifier in the loft but this is more to feed six co-ax downleads than to improve the signal. The only way you'll get a

*better* signal is with a better aerial, you can get a *stronger* signal by using an amplifier.

We're in a village in South Suffolk by the way, digital transmissions for us come from Sudbury.

By the way some set top boxes are better than others in weak signal areas, the ones with 'set pal' (I think it is) are supposed to be good. The Daewoo we have (on offer at Tesco before Christmas) is one of the better ones.

Reply to
usenet

I was under the impression that Argos had to follow standard legal limits for a catalogue shop, which means a 28-day return policy. Most try to "sell" this as a feature of their shop, but the fact is that they legally have to.

The idea is that you don't know what the goods are like until you get them home, as the shop doesn't have the facilities to show them to you.

I'd double-check this before putting any money down though!!

Fraser.

Reply to
Fraser

Borrowing a box off someone would be the easy way ;) Do you have a decent local aerial installer? They should know what the reception is like, and they should be able to test your existing aerial installation for suitability. They'll charge though, naturally.

However, is the reason you don't want satellite because you simply don't want, or can't have, a dish? If the terrestrial reception proves to be too bad, then satellite with a FTV card may be the only realistic choice if you want the digital channels. A minidish may even be less intrusive than the aerial(s) you may end up needing otherwise... ;)

Lee

Reply to
Lee Blaver

Is it still possible to get FTV cards?

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Yes, but they aren't free to obtain anymore :( From the UMTS news group faq (Jomtien):

"...If you want to receive these FTV channels without subscribing to Sky then you can ring 0870 054 1800 and ask for a card. The card will cost £23.50 and will last until the next card change which will probably be several years away..."

Lee

Reply to
Lee Blaver

Err, but only until the end of January...

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Reply to
Lee Blaver

In marginal reception areas a taller pole works wonders.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Aha. I would desarly pve to know where you are then. I am in west suffolk with a similar qanary, but at teh highest point there. Allegedly I can't get digital, but the analogue is superb, apart from C5 at lower power, which is merely adequate.

Thanks for that tip. I am heading to Digi freeview.

Would welcome any pointers as to how far from sudbury you are, and how high up.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

I'm no expert on consumer law but somebody here will be, and will be able to tell you what your 'statutory rights' are. Is this one of those cases where would be legally obliged to take back an item as 'not fit for purpose' if returned in as new condition? Maybe it's just a meaningless disclaimer which attempts to dissuade punters from doing what you want to do!

Also - note that the cheapest box, ref 532/0448, is apparently not covered by the waiver. Maybe an accident, maybe not... but even if that's not the box you're after, there's nothing to stop you buying it, testing it, then returning it for an upgrade if it works for you, or a refund if it doesn't.

HTH David

Reply to
Lobster

The Dawoo ds608p?, setpal is reckoned to have the most sensitive tuner at the moment and in Worcester, at Apollo 2000 they are £59.99.

Dave

Reply to
Dave Stanton

Odd. Is your transmitter broadcasting digital?

Reply to
Niall

In article , Jonathan Peters writes

If I were you rather than sod about with half way answers I'd consult a local aerial rigger, ask at the local TV shops for someone recommended, and then get a quote for the best aerial in your area for the appropriate transmitter. The use of a wideband aerial isn't the necessary best answer for all transmitters. The postcode system of prediction cannot take into account the local variations especially in hilly, urban, and tree infested areas.

for instance we live just south of Cambridge and here for analogue we would normally use an A group aerial channels 21-34 however most of the digital mux's are around channels 40 odd with one odd one at channel 67 so we have a, sodded if I can remember the number now, but its one that covers the top end of the band a fair bit better. The analogue channels which are transmitted at far higher powers are compensation for the losses of the lack of aerial gain at the lower frequencies and hence the whole thing works very well indeed.

Now there is a school of thought with digital transmission that sez either it works or doesn't which isn't exactly true there is a halfway stage with the picture lockup and blocking.

My advice would be to look on it all as a good long term investment as think of how many hours you will be using it for, so a few quid spent now will ensure many good hours of viewing.

One thing not normally known about the freeview services is that they carry a good range of radio services as well. Almost all the BBC output and others, like Jazz FM, kiss, mojo , magic etc, and the audio quality on most is very good indeed. Most boxes have audio sockets to allow connection to a hi-fi system. In fact the audio is better than the DAB system!....

Reply to
tony sayer

Yes. Sudbury. I can only conjecture that since most of the local popullation is down in teh valley, they have marked us as unable to get a decent signal. We, however, sit on top of teh hill...

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Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

So is there ANY chance of good reception from an internal loft aerial? I have a friend who is reluctant to have an external aerial on her cute little cottage but gets good reception (apart from C5) with an internal aerial.

Reply to
stuart noble

Thanks, everyone.

I was trying to do this the cheapest way possible as I don't watch a huge amount of TV. It's given me quite a bit to think about.

I might yet go for a dish as if I get the cheapest option I get the free channels at a good price and I know I can get a good signal; just not so sure about having my phone line hooked up to it for a year.

Cheers,

Jon

Reply to
Jonathan Peters

The 'fit for purpose' route is a bit problematic. You could justifyabily return goods if they do not work as advertised (ie. faulty/missing features advertised on the box). You should also be able to return goods if you explained to the retailer you wanted a specific feature/purpose that wasn't on the box but only if the retailer either said it had that feature/would be suitable but when you tried it out found it didn't have it.

The grey area comes where you fail to explain to the retailer what you want. Eg. buy a Freeview adaptor that puts RGB signals out on the Scart. If you get it home and you find it doesn't have it - then you can't exactly claim that it wasn't fit for purpose because if you told the retailer what you wanted, then they *should* have said it doesn't have that feature. If they mistakenly said it did have that feature, then you can return it as in my first paragraph.

When it comes to Freeview boxes, they all say something like - subject to reception - which means that its difficult to claim that its not fit for purpose as they've made you aware that reception varies. If you said to a retailer "I want this box to work in this postcode" they're likely to say "I can't guarantee it - you buy it at your risk". Some retailers may allow you to return it, but I don't belive they're required to - unless they said it would definitely work.

Would you expect to return a TV to Comet just because your aerial was a dodgy one, in the loft, pointing the wrong way and you couldn't get a reception with it? They would likely say that it was an aerial problem (proved by putting a signal into it from the store) and no refund.

As Argos' 16 day return isn't a statutory right (AFAIK) its their discretion what they allow you to return if it isn't faulty. Whilst Argos may allow a TV return in the above situation (though they do claim it must be *unused* for a 16 day return) they can pick and chose what they allow to be returned within their 16 day policy.

Hope that helps.

David

Reply to
David Hearn

I don't see why not. Thats what I shall be trying anyway.

You can get a decent picture out of a short length of wire sticking p teh back of teh telly, as Clive Sinclair demonstrated once when he had a roof top antenna coupled to a booster and aerial radiating under the booth where an early version of his microvision was being demonstrated at a show....:-)

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

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