If I need to upgrade my TV aerial for possible freeview install - Do I also need to replace cable?
...or is bog-standard coax acceptable?
Just had new windows installed and all aerial cables are now nicely wedged between brick and uPVC frames. :+/
Ta.
Yes - digital TV is more susceptible to impulse interference than analogue, so its well worth using proper screened cable like CT100
Bugger. This could be a problem.
Is it practical to 'cut and join' the existing coax either side of the window, leaving just 12" of the old where it passes through the brick/frame? Would this be a weak link and nullify the effect of replacing the rest of it? Or should I just start again with a hole through the wall?
I can't see the old cable being easy to remove/replace where it is.
Thanks for answering.
The less of the poor older cable the less of a problem you will have, but add in connectors either side to make the join and you will probably not be much better off.
If there is any way to replace the whole run I would suggest that. Make sure that everything is properly screened - don't use plastic plugs or a cheaper (non-screened) socket where the new wire emerges.
Having said all of this you may have such a good signal that you can use the current cable. There is only one way to know for certain and that's to try it out. Is it possible you can even use the current aerial? We get perfect digital reception on a cheap aerial that is not even pointed acurately at the transmitter, once I got it up I checked the signal quality and it was 10/10 (no data errors to be corrected) and so I didn't adjust it any more. We get poor analogue pictures, but we never watch analogue with such good digital reception.
Matt
brick/frame?
I use just regular cable and the aerial is nothing special either. I have no problems. Although I sometimes get a flickering of the picture when a nearby lightswitch is switched, or a tap in the next room is turned on.
Joins are best avoided as they can allow interference in. If you have a strong signal and no troublesome sources of local interference then you may be fine with your existing cable. If you have a good analogue picture then there's every chance that your existing aerial may be up to the job too. Don't forget that analogue channels are grouped into bands though, whereas digital muxs will typically lie out of band and require a wideband aerial. Best thing is to borrow a freeview box from a friend and see how you get on.
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