DarrenW
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| posted on 11/6/07 at 08:23 AM |
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Ive finally gone and done it....
Some might recall i was asking about freeview recently.
Well, i went to curry to have a look and have got my self a 42" Panasonic Plasma instead with freeview built in!!!! Also got a package deal
with wall mount and Panasonic Theatre system.
Might get myself a HDMI cable to connect them togather.
Only problem i have found is that when on digital the picture breaks up a lot - looks like i dont have a good enough aerial. Is it easy to get a
digital aerial and fit yourself? Mine are in loft currently so should be easy to replace i guess. Just not sure how to position it for good picture as
TV is in other end of house!
The plasma is great. Cant wait to get room skimmed and decorated now so i can connect the speakers up.
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ayoungman
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| posted on 11/6/07 at 08:37 AM |
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Wait until you pump Sky or Virgin media through it. The picture quality will degrade even further. High definition is great as long as you inputing hd
signals. My Samsung is great from my PC !
"just like that !"
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 11/6/07 at 08:37 AM |
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It's fairly easy.
First of all, there's no such thing as a 'digital' or 'freeview' aerial - you just need a more sensitive and more
directional one.
There are a number of ways of improving your signal:
1. Get a professional in to fit a new aerial. Not cheap, but you should end up with an ideal system.
2. Get a better aerial - go to a local dealer who should be able to sell you the correct one - right group, sufficient gain, etc.
3. Put your aerial outside - you lose a lot of signal in the loft.
4. Use the best coaxial cable you can afford.
The most basic way is to look at the aerial you've got, whether it's elements are vertical or horizontal, and which direction it's
pointing. When you replace it with a bigger and better aerial, make sure it's pointing in the same direction and in the same orientation. When
it's connected up, get someone to look at the screen while you tweak the alignment, until the picture's as good as you can manage (a
professional has a signal meter to help him). Move away from the aerial while someone checks, to be sure that you're not affecting the
signal.
You could also explore the Satcure site - lots of good advice hidden there, some e-books you can
download cheaply, and relatively cheap prices.
HTH,
David
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smart51
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| posted on 11/6/07 at 08:47 AM |
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The other thing you could do is wait until they switch analogue off in your area. Terrestrial digital TV is broadcast at low power so not to
interfere with the old signal. They will turn the power up when analogue is switched off. At least that's how it was in the days of OnDigital.
Munky! [said in an astmatic Jonny Vegas voice]
Or fit a bigger aerial.
[Edited on 11-6-2007 by smart51]
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iank
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| posted on 11/6/07 at 08:51 AM |
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If your box/tv reports 'quality' or Bit error rate (BER) that's the best way to set up the aerial, it's effectively a built in
signal meter.
For me a wet bit of string works OK, but I'm in line of sight of the transmitter 
My parent's have to use the sky freeview package (just buy a box+dish with no monthly charge) but I think that might only be available in
regions with poor reception (Kings Lynn).
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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DarrenW
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| posted on 11/6/07 at 09:05 AM |
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the TV does report the signal strength as bad at best. I think it is down to the aerial itself. There are 2 aerials in the loft and im not sure which
one im connected to at present (easy to find out though if i dicsonnect one as a trial).
Front room (main launge) will be getting decorated soon so ive moved into back room temporarily. When i move back into the front i may find that
aerial is better. Ill probs wait till then to mess with aerials.
Ive also heard a screened outlet box and better fly lead may also help.
Ref the HD bit - is Sky HD the only way to get HD pictures? Its a shame you cant get a decoder or similar to make std TV HD. Im looking forward to
trying HD but too stingy to pay the monthly fee!
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iank
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| posted on 11/6/07 at 09:39 AM |
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HD requires the programs to be filmed using HD camera or onto real film and digitised into HD. So unfortunately it's only a couple of Sky
channels where you get HD at the moment.
Since the cost of making programs increases a lot if they are to be broadcast in HD I can't see it being used for anything except films and
maybe live sports for a while.
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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DarrenW
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| posted on 11/6/07 at 09:48 AM |
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Cheers Ian, that makes sense. I bet it wont be long before more and more things are filmed in HD. I recall when i bought my widescreen there wasnt
much in widescreen either but it still caught on in the end.
Just been quoted £75 for new high gain outside aerial fully fitted. I dont think that is bad at all. I could take a gamble and fit new aerial in loft
for £30 ish but have been told where i live the outside aerials are almost always needed. As i dont like ladders ill happily pay the extra £45!!!
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 11/6/07 at 09:52 AM |
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£75 is a bargain!
Round here the rip-off aerial installers charge anything up to £150 for a roof-mounted aerial, £100 minimum.
The bonus for getting a professional installation is (a) you don't risk your own neck, and (b) if it doesn't work, it's their
problem, not yours.
Have fun!
David
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chockymonster
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| posted on 11/6/07 at 10:32 AM |
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I can't believe how much the branded ones have come down in price. We've decided on a wall mounted panasonic 42px70b, £750 delivered! All
I'm waiting on is the house move so I can order it
PLEASE NOTE - Responses on Forum Threads may contain Sarcasm and may not be suitable for the hard of Thinking.
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BKLOCO
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| posted on 11/6/07 at 10:42 AM |
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As a point of interest there is a trick you can use if you live in a weak signal area.
Fitting larger aerials with more elements will increase the gain but the increase in elements follows the inverse square law ie. the second element
increases the gain by 50% the third by 25% the 4th by 12.5% and so on.
You can see therefore that by the time you get up to about 15 elements they are having very little influence.
The trick is to fit a second aerial pointing in the same direction above or below and diplexed to the first. This will efectively double the gain.
THIS aerial uses exactly this principal
[Edited on 11-6-07 by BKLOCO]
Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want!!! 
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Peteff
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| posted on 11/6/07 at 11:15 AM |
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It's best to have shielded cable fitted without any joins for wall boxes etc. a direct connection straight to your digital receiver with no fly
leads is the ideal situation. You will also get interference from traffic, 2 stroke mopeds are a b@stard and will knock your signal out completely if
they are near enough.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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