switchover april 2012

[camyuser]

At the moment I have a Sony TV which runs off an internal aerial. Am I correct in thinking that when the switchover happens, I will have to have a feed from the external aerial for the Tv to operate.

Thanks for any help

 

[kjhskj75]

Does the TV have built-in Freeview ?

If so, then you just have to retune it.

If not you must acquire a Freeview decoder to work with it. Connect the TV to the decoder and the decoder to the existing aerial.

For most people the existing aerial will work for Freeview if it worked previously with Analogue.

Some people will need a new aerial to get the full range of channels, but I would need to know which transmitter you are using to tell you this.

To find out, go to Digital UK - Home, enter your postcode in the form on the right and check the "I am in the aerial installation trade" box.

 

[camyuser]

Thank you for that information. I clicked on your link but could not find the form to put my post code in

 

[kjhskj75]

Sorry I got the link wrong it should have been Digital UK - Home

 

[camyuser]

I checked the new link and it states "Micklefield" is my transmitter with Crystal Palace being the Parent transmitter.

I live in the High Wycombe area

 

[kjhskj75]

You have a choice.

Micklefield is a "Lite" transmitter. With your existing indoor aerial it will give you about half (the better half) of the freeview channels, including HD if your TV will cope. Micklefield is analogue only at the moment, so you will have to wait till switchover.

If you want the full range of services you will need to use Crystal Palace. Did you see 6 pairs of green bars against it on that Digital UK page ?

Your indoor aerial will almost certainly be inadequate for Crystal Palace so you will need to get one fitted on your roof. You will need a "Group A" hi-gain aerial.

Crystal Palace is broadcasting Freeview already (although at low power, so you may not get it yet).

 

[camyuser]

Thank you very much for your help.
When I get somebody to quote me for a new external aerial to replace the existing one, should they know that the type you have suggested is the one I that I need?

 

[kjhskj75]

If the installer knows what he's doing then he will already know.

Does no harm to tell him though.

 

[Rodders53]

Use the postcode checker's 'trade view' for your address to see if the Micklefield transmitter is the only suitable one (all greens after April) and if Crystal Palace is predicted to work for you then.

If I recall correctly the relay transmitter serves a valley area much of which stands very little chance of seeing towards Crystal Palace.

 

[Fred Smith]

OP has not answered the important question so an new aerial maybe useless:

Does the TV have built-in Freeview ?

 

[camyuser]

Sorry for not answering the Freeview question.

Yes the TV has Freeview

 

[kjhskj75]

Sorry for not answering the Freeview question.

Yes the TV has Freeview

And the other question was - Did you see 6 pairs of green bars against Crystal Palace on that Digital UK page ?

 

[camyuser]

Yes. There were 6 sets of 2 bars as from 18th April 2012

 

[kjhskj75]

Yes. There were 6 sets of 2 bars as from 18th April 2012

If they were all green, then Crystal Palace will deliver all freeview channels to you from that date.

 

[Rodders53]

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/postcodechecker/main/trade/HP13+7HU/micklefield/0/NA This prediction for the Library/Community Centre suggests only Micklefield or Chepping Wycombe will be really usable. Crystal Palace might be OK but suffer from time to time from interference as it's amber.

The room aerial you have that works well for one of the two relay transmitters, will almost certainly work well for Freeview after switchover (for the main PSB channels and the HD channels). Only if you really want the COM channels will it be worth spending money on a CP aerial. TV station by multiplex lists are here http://www.dtg.org.uk/industry/dtt_channels.html