[Tomdarkness]

Hey,

My parents live in a smallish (~20 apartments) block and currently only have a shared analogue aerial (They can't even get Channel 5!) and are being given the run around by the managment company as to gettting a digital aerial installed.

I was just wondering why it is so difficult to get the old single analogue aerial shared installation upgraded and why the managment company don't feel inclined to do it?

Does it require recabling of the whole block or something? (Not sure why it would though as it uses the same cable, right?)

Thanks,

Tom

[N.Dean]

Originally Posted by Tomdarkness

Hey,

My parents live in a smallish (~20 apartments) block and currently only have a shared analogue aerial (They can't even get Channel 5!) and are being given the run around by the managment company as to gettting a digital aerial installed.

I was just wondering why it is so difficult to get the old single analogue aerial shared installation upgraded and why the managment company don't feel inclined to do it?

Does it require recabling of the whole block or something? (Not sure why it would though as it uses the same cable, right?)

Thanks,

Tom

Have any of the residents tried to receive digital terestrial TV ( Freeview ) using the existing aerial?
Do you know which transmitter is being used? A clue to this would be where they are and which regional BBC and ITV news they receive.

[mike7]

There have been similar issues locally with Council Owned blocks. It may be in the Contract that the management company will supply an outlet for television reception in all apartments. There is usually a clause preventing tenants putting up their own aerials. Dishes can be an issue with some apartment blocks.

If, after switchover, digital reception cannot be received then the managing agency have an obligation to put matters right. It seems that a number of such agencies are stalling on doing any conversion work until switchover when the increased digital signal levels might solve the problem for them and they won't have to spend any money..

[Geofbob]

Originally Posted by Tomdarkness

Hey,

My parents live in a smallish (~20 apartments) block and currently only have a shared analogue aerial (They can't even get Channel 5!) and are being given the run around by the managment company as to gettting a digital aerial installed.

I was just wondering why it is so difficult to get the old single analogue aerial shared installation upgraded and why the managment company don't feel inclined to do it?

Does it require recabling of the whole block or something? (Not sure why it would though as it uses the same cable, right?)

Thanks, Tom

Though aerials come in different "strengths", there is no such thing as an analogue or a digital aerial. Provided your parents live in a locality where the Freeview digital signal is received at all, then it would be unusual for a Freevew tuner to register zilch. Some channels might be missing, and those received might break up - but you would expect to see something.

It's not entirely clear from your post whether there is defective Freeview reception or no reception at all. If reception is defective, then yes it sounds as though the aerial needs upgrading - but the cabling to individual flats should not need any adjustment. I don't know why any management company should be reluctant to do this, unless as Mike7 suggests they're waiting for switch-over to see if the situation improves by itself. (Presumably, the costs of aerial upgrading would be recovered through the service charge.)

By the way, I take it you're sure that reception is via a terrestrial aerial. There have been some posts by residents of flats, who think they're getting terrestrial TV, but it's turned out to be an old cable service they've been unaware of.

[Tomdarkness]

You can't get any freeview at all, nor can anyone else in their block. When I attempted to setup a freeview box I got for them (Which works fine at my house) during the auto setup it does not detect any available digital channels. If I put their postcode + house number into the freeview website it says: "Good news. You should be able to receive all the Freeview channels."

I believe they get their TV from emley moor transmitter.

Also, yes, even thought they own the apartment they are not allowed to put up their own Aerial or Dish which is quite annoying when the company won't do whats needed to enable digital TV.

[N.Dean]

"I believe they get their TV from emley moor transmitter."

Do you know wether the signal comes direct from Emley Moor or via a relay?
A clue would be whether the elements are vertical or horizontal. I suspect it must be via a relay. Channel 5 analogue from Elmey is the same power as channels 1-4.
Are you willing to tell us the name of the town/village?

[Tomdarkness]

How do you mean by if the elements are vertical or horizontal?

They live in Sheffield, but its quite notorious when it comes to TV reception so I'm not sure how much it helps.

I did a quick google and they is a relay TV transmitter that is very close to them that I guess they could potentially get their signal from with the note:

"Furthermore in order to receive C5 and Digital / Freeview it
is necessary to use a wideband aerial"

Originally Posted by N.Dean

"I believe they get their TV from emley moor transmitter."

Do you know wether the signal comes direct from Emley Moor or via a relay?
A clue would be whether the elements are vertical or horizontal. I suspect it must be via a relay. Channel 5 analogue from Elmey is the same power as channels 1-4.
Are you willing to tell us the name of the town/village?

[Geofbob]

Originally Posted by Tomdarkness

You can't get any freeview at all, nor can anyone else in their block. When I attempted to setup a freeview box I got for them (Which works fine at my house) during the auto setup it does not detect any available digital channels. If I put their postcode + house number into the freeview website it says: "Good news. You should be able to receive all the Freeview channels."

I believe they get their TV from emley moor transmitter.

Also, yes, even thought they own the apartment they are not allowed to put up their own Aerial or Dish which is quite annoying when the company won't do whats needed to enable digital TV.

To repeat my earlier comment - are you absolutely sure they are receiving terrestrial TV at all, & are not connected to an old analogue cable service?

[N.Dean]

Originally Posted by Tomdarkness

How do you mean by if the elements are vertical or horizontal?

Can you see the receiving aerial? Look at this picture: