Freeview TV, do I need good reception?

[nathan_silly]

Thinking about getting a external freeview TV box. My aerial is a loft-type, BBC2 is quite good reception but CH4 is quite bad.


What good makes of freeview boxes are there?

Do I need a rooftop aerial? Will the picture pixellate with a loft aerial?

Ta

[Aletank]

I've just bought the Nokia 221T, It has the best reviews/write ups & reputation etc especially for getting good receptions.
But when I plugged it in I was only getting 18 TV channels,not even BBC 1 etc and the Nokia has a Signal strength bar which was only showing 40% from my aerial.
I phoned a aerial copmany up, they came around in the hour and fitted a big aerial(18 prongs)LOL. for £65 fitted.
I now get over 30 odd maybe 35 TV channels plus the radio channels and the signal strength bar is showing 80/90%

[nathan_silly]

hmmm....why can't they sort things out?

http://www.mediaguy.co.uk/221t/bug.html

[Squirrel God]

Your analogue reception doesn't dictate your digital reception at all. Even if you can't run it off your external aerial, you can run it off an internal aerial (something like the ones sold at Argos).

The important thing to do is to check your postcode for coverage:

http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/coverage.html

I run my Freeview box off the FM socket for the external aerial and still get signal strength of around 70-75%, whereas the analogue image off that socket is unwatchable.

I have a Pace DTVA and love it.

[nathan_silly]

Has anyone compared the various freebox's for picture quality/useability/bug's?

[nathan_silly]

Argos have the Panasonic TUCT20. Is it any good?

Anyone here own one?

Are there any boxes with digital audio out?- wouldn't mind sending to a processor and DAC for Pro-Logic/radio.

[media guy]

This site is a bit slow today isn't it?

The Nokia does have a coaxial digital output and is supposed to be excellent when put through a DAC. I would find you a link to the discussion on the hifichoice forum but the site is down at the moment. I will post it later on.

Nathan, glad you find the site useful and the Nokia is much better now that the software is updated to 1.1.2. There is still an occasional crash but all boxes seem to have that if you keep them on and use them 24 hours a day. The only crashes I get now is when I leave the box on constantly through very poor reception and it freezes on a bad signal. Pressing 'freeze' twice on the remote sorts that out though.

The bug on my site shows what happens on 'combined' mode it is only occasionally on some channels. I never see it as I use the widescreen mode but some people on other forums asked to see what I was talking about

Graham (Mediaguy)

[nathan_silly]

Ta for that. Do any boxes have two sets of digital outputs? I would like to send one to a AV processor, and the other one to a 2 channel DAC. One for Logic 7 (AV) other for Radio.

Must have RGB SCART output.

Does that mean I can get rid of my VCR? (use that as the tuner as it seems to boost the signal a bit). I don't record anything nowadays, and never I watch a VHS recording.

Cheers

[media guy]

Originally posted by nathan_silly
Ta for that. Do any boxes have two sets of digital outputs? I would like to send one to a AV processor, and the other one to a 2 channel DAC. One for Logic 7 (AV) other for Radio.

Must have RGB SCART output.

Does that mean I can get rid of my VCR? (use that as the tuner as it seems to boost the signal a bit). I don't record anything nowadays, and never I watch a VHS recording.

Cheers
There are very few boxes even with 1 digital output. The ITV digitals have coaxial out (avoid), the netgem has an optical output and the Nokia 221t has coaxial. It is regarded as the best for sound (this was the site I mentioned before) (http://forum.hifichoice.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=4645) and is about the same for picture. According to my little manual it does has 'Internal RGB' and does well with a low signal.

You probably found it while you were looking around my site but you can see that you don't need perfect analogue to get Freeview.
Analogue to digital comparison of quality (http://www.mediaguy.co.uk/221t/reception.html)

Graham

[nathan_silly]

Does freeview have logo's/dogs?

Just checked reception predictor- said I need a "Amplified extra hi-gain" aerial.

[media guy]

Originally posted by nathan_silly
Does freeview have logo's/dogs?

Just checked reception predictor- said I need a "Amplified extra hi-gain" aerial.
If you mean the channels yes they do, they are exactly the same as sky channels.

If you mean the box then they have their own brandings on the menus (Nokia have 'Nokia' for example, the old ITV Digital have 'On') but they are not visible when watching TV.

Graham

Nokia Menu Screenshots (http://www.mediaguy.co.uk/221t)
No Menu Reception Screenshots (http://www.mediaguy.co.uk/221t/reception.html)

[nathan_silly]

I can't see any logo's on your screenshots (apart from the clock on BBC1/Blue Peter.

I mean the always-on "T4" logo and the (now removed) CH5 logo, as this could cause screenburn.

Thanks

[hornydragon]

Originally posted by nathan_silly
I can't see any logo's on your screenshots (apart from the clock on BBC1/Blue Peter.

I mean the always-on "T4" logo and the (now removed) CH5 logo, as this could cause screenburn.

Thanks Err yes most that have them on sky have them on freeveiw, soory mate!

[nathan_silly]

I mainly watch BBC2, and a little bit of C4. Do BBC2 & CH4 have the logo?

[hornydragon]

Dont think so but cant seee at the mo the STB is at the missus house as i have sky FTV i dont think so but dont quote me BBC 3 does i think and UKhistory does as do the music channels and ftn, news 24 etc etc Are you very worried about screen burn the nathan??? What are you displaying with PJ?

[nathan_silly]

Toshiba 42" CRT RPTV. I know CRT RPTV's are less susceptible to screen burn than Plasmas, but I really hate logo's.

[media guy]

All terrestial analogue channels don't have dogs on ATT and DTT.
UK History Does, News 24 does, BBC3/4 does but these are very faint and not bright at all. They are in the background and are dim when the background is black and brighten when the background is bright.

Sky channels, FTN, Music Channels, and all the radio stations have very prominant DOGS that are very bright. But unfortunatly there is nothing you can do about that because whatever system you go for you can't get rid of them.

Graham

[nathan_silly]

As long as BBC2 doesn't have logo's/dogs...

Do you know of any mail order supplier of decent quality "Amplfied Extra High Gain Digital" aerial's?

oh just found this..

http://www.antiference.co.uk/extra.htm

What type should I get? - A, E, Enh B, GRP C/D or wideband?



Cheers

[media guy]

Wideband. It guarentees that you will be able to recieve all frequencies (if they are able to reach your aerial) of channels now and in the future.

Graham

[nathan_silly]

Is the Argos £40 aerial any good? (cat no 535/2069 ) Good price, or expensive- are better models available for the same price elseware?

Thanks

[media guy]

I am speaking other peoples words when I say not bad but it's a bit of a cheap and nasty. Try talking to an aerial installer/seller instead of Argos.

End of talking other peoples words.

[hornydragon]

Satcure and satalogue sell them IIRC, Televes are supposed to be good aerials for Digital and in general.

[nathan_silly]

Spotted this one...

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MXDAT45.html

Good enough? I currently have a small £10 loft aerial, will replacing it with the MXDAT45 increase analogue picture quality (until I buy a digital box?)- will a digital aerial pickup analogue?


Thanks

[hornydragon]

Unfortunatley i dont think so mate If you get a Group aerail i think that will but the Digital ones are digital only i think! Best bet is call a local installer out there is a list at the CAI site.

[Fernsehman]

The DAT45 (http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/page11.htm) is perfect for both analogue and digital. It's an upgrade from the previous PRO45 and now includes a balun which gives it better directionality or "focus".

It's wideband of course, so it should work no matter where you are located.

Be sure to use double-shielded coax with it. No point in "spoiling the ship for a ha'penn'orth of tar".

[media guy]

Originally posted by Fernsehman
The DAT45 (http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/page11.htm) is perfect for both analogue and digital. It's an upgrade from the previous PRO45 and now includes a balun which gives it better directionality or "focus".

It's wideband of course, so it should work no matter where you are located.

Be sure to use double-shielded coax with it. No point in "spoiling the ship for a ha'penn'orth of tar".
Excellent advice there. Digital signals are just analogue 1s and 0s that are passed through a ADC (analogue to digital converter) they are the same signal but it some parts of the country they are on a different part of the spectrum.

There is an excellent FAQ here (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds10302.html) (I have to say excellent as I wrote it with the help of two others) that will tell you about DTT signals and aerials.

Graham

[nathan_silly]

I just checked, the nearest transmitter is 11 miles away. I'll go for a £30-£40 outdoor wideband aerial and I'll put it in the loft for now. If it doesn't recieve anything there's nowt much I can do.

[ajp558]

Nathan,

Hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised. We live an area with allegedly no Freeview reception. However, despite being about 30 miles away from Crystal Palace & "only" having an aerial in the loft (as we live in area where things like Sky dishes & maybe roof aerials are banned according to our house deeds) we get great analogue & great digital reception.

I thought we could not get Freeview but my brother managed to borrow a Panasonic for a couple of days & I couldn't believe that we got all channels at about 90% signal. So impressed that I bought a Netgem as I needed 2 scarts, etc. Very pleased.

Hope yours is as good.

Andy P.

[nathan_silly]

Ta for that. I'll probably buy that Nokia and the Argos £40 aerial> If I can pickup a signal I'll return the aerial and get a better one (for the same price) from elseware.

[nathan_silly]

One last question- can you use the radio with the TV off? - you don't have to go into sub-menu's to change to radio mode?

Is there a button on the remote that goes directly to radio mode?

Thanks

[hornydragon]

The nokia das SPDIF out so yes you can as long as the STB is on and the Audio connected to an amp you will get radio.
PS sorry about the aerial that was what i had been told!!!

[media guy]

Originally posted by nathan_silly
One last question- can you use the radio with the TV off? - you don't have to go into sub-menu's to change to radio mode?

Is there a button on the remote that goes directly to radio mode?

Annoyingly no. You need to select 'Radio' from the navibar menu. Obviously you can hear the radio without the TV on.

Graham

[nathan_silly]

In that case a macro should get around this (up, select etc) and do it blind :grin: