TV aerial?

[Adrian]

We've recently moved, to the arse end of nowhere - rural Herefordshire. Finally, we've got the TV out and plugged it in.

It's the same TV and same (Humax) freeview box we had at the old place, with no problems. Obviously, it's a different aerial setup, with two boosters in the bedroom.

With them both turned off, there's 0-10% signal strength, according to the box's setup.

With (either) one turned on, there's 25-30%. With both turned on, there's 65-75% signal strength.

I can go through the auto tune, and get the usual hundred or so channels pop straight up.

BUT.

I can't actually get anything. The signal quality shows zero. No channels populate in the guide. The clock doesn't come up with a time/date. Nothing.

Thoughts? Aerial f***ed/pointing wrong way/ancient? Best next step? I don't want a satellite dish. Don't even suggest it.

[Adrian]

Should add - there's no way of knowing if the aerial's ever worked with digital. TTBOMK, there's never been a freeview box here before.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Adrian presented the following explanation :

Digital / analogue it is the same so far as the antenna is concerned. The only difference might be the band/s the antenna needs to cover for digital.

Have you considered satellite? :D

[Dave Liquorice]

A snob? Remembers the time when dishes where only to be found on council sink estates...

4G aside Freesat gives better quality pictures and more choice than Freeview. I've yet to watch any Freeview without the 'orrible compression artifacts being noticable enough to be annoying.

[polygonum]

If it really is the outer sticks, then maybe you could put a dish somewhere other than slapped on the side of the house? E.g. on a plinth behind a hedge.

[Adrian]

The cabling looks new and looks to have been done well. I've not been up a ladder to the aerial. Yet. But from what I've seen from the ground, it doesn't look as ancient and s**te as many.

[Adrian]

Hmm. All bar "Lat/Long" and "World Place Name" are greyed out for the transmitter location.

No. For the amount of TV we watch (minimal - the fact we've been here a month and only just got round to trying it all says a lot), the ballache and expense of buying and installing a dish, cabling, decoder, PVR is all just total overkill. Or, at least, that's my gut feel.

4G? I thought that was mobile phones... Does it mean there'll be something worth watching on? Bear in mind our TV has a tube...

My email address is legit.

[Adrian]

Did that. It found all the channels.

No, it's a pair of amps. Vision brand, no model number visible. Coax comes into one, out and into the other, then out. Switching either/both on makes a BIG difference to the signal strength.

Neither - 0-10% One - ~25% Both - 65-75%

Just no signal quality.

I'll have a rummage to see if I can get the aerial to connect directly - but the bit that comes out the wall is cut-to-length.

[Adrian]

Yep. But there's nothing shows in the EPG, and it says "No signal" if you choose any channel.

[DerbyBorn]

If an amplifier is not working then it will be offering a resistance to the signal I believe. I removed a suspect amplifier and simply coupled the leads together and there was a massive improvement.

[Halmyre]

4G will interfere with Freesat in some areas. People who are affected will be offered a free replacement - freesat or cable.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Go here as a first step

Enter your house an postcode.

That will tell you what frequency your *new* aerial will need to cover and which direction to point it in.

If as sounds likely judging by the booster, signal is weak, the very best aerial and the very best cable is likely to be needed, mounted as high as you can get it.

The fact that the channels seem to be recognised is hopeful.

But I have never found that channels that are recognised don't end up in the playlist.

Let us know what transmitter you are on, and (roughly) where you are, mindful of the need for net security..

[The Natural Philosopher]

Ah. OK. Try again. If its actually FOUND the channels it has to have been able to decode the information stream enough to do that, and therefore the EPG by definition.

You might have a STB that's gone sideways. I had one do similar on me.

[The Natural Philosopher]

ITYM interfere with freeVIEW.

essentially all you need to do is get a better STB or booster that has proper filtering.

4G is near freeview frequencies, but not near enough to be an insoluble problem.

Unlike transmissions recieved through a windfarm full of whirling dervish carbon fibre blades..

[Adrian]

Ridge Hill is the transmitter that DigitalUK suggests - and that ties with Harry's suggestion of "near Much Marcle".

Hay on Wye is our nearest town - we're a bit east, half way up a hill over the river.

[Adrian]

Tried three times now...

[Adrian]

Herefordshire, not Hertfordshire... Welsh borders, not M25 borders.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Is an M25 boarder someone who regualrly sleeps in their car somewhere near Reigate, when the traffic grinds to a halt AGAIN?

[Adrian]

Ah, gotcha.

I don't think that's going to be an issue round here. We barely get GPRS. Hell, we barely get a phone signal.

[Dave Liquorice]

Freeview.

They will first be offered a filter but the technical challenge of building one that will allow the highest required TV channel through and provide enough reduction to the 4G signals just above is not minor.

I doubt anyone will get cable, that is a pure pay system isn't it? So would incur on going charges to the 4G operators, that ain't going to happen. Freesat is