Aerial and Freeview Reception

I mentioned previously about a high gain aerial I bought. This was to use with our new Panasonic HD ready TV (Viera TX-37LZD70), which has a built-in Freeview receiver, that resolutely refused to work with our existing aerial.

Our property, although not old, did have a rather curious TV set-up. Two aerials in the loft, one leading to the aerial socket in the living room at the rear of the house, the other leading to a set in the dining room at the front, with co-ax spreading all around the outside of the house (as was telephone cable intended for internal use only). We'd long since removed one of the aerials and had an arrangement where the main aerial fed into the Sky box, whose RF out went to a powered TV link signal booster which then fed a cable into the loft that dropped down into the upstairs TVs. Lots of co-ax, lots of joins.

The new aerial initially went into the loft, seeing as the box suggested that would provide a signal. It didn't.

So, a combination of very long cable, and standing on a ladder on the patio, eventually found a spot where the signal seemed passable. We'd previously got a quotation for fitting a suitable external aerial, but a combination of having no chimney to fit the aerial too and the height involved meant this was prohibitively expensive.

Result - Freeview channels on main TV. But we then bought eldest son a TV for Christmas.

Connected in his room to the co-ax used for his previous TV. Scanned for channels. Grand total of zero. Hmm.

Next stage, bring that new TV downstairs to see if signal works there. And it does. So the aerial is OK, and so is the TV. What next?

A bit of Googling found this site, along with this and this. And the consensus? Aerial in loft is a complete no-go. Secondly, the cable makes a massive difference - old style co-ax is not good enough, needs to be sat cable. Thirdly, reduce number of joins and make the joins work properly.

One trip to Wickes produced 10m of black sat cable. Quick sanity check first was to connect this to RF Out on Sky box and other end to new TV. Still getting channels. Took new TV upstairs to see if stretching cable out works OK. It did.

Next stage was to remove all the old cable and use the new instead.

Therefore the set up is:

Aerial outside connected to Sky box with (currently) standard co-ax. Black sat cable (albeit with standard co-ax plugs) is fed through wall, via kitchen cupboard to upstairs and up into loft. So far, no joins. Connect to new TV, still working. This is looking good!

But we have two TVs to connect to upstairs. So the currently non-split sat cable needs to split. One cut made, co-ax plugs fitted so that one length of sat cable goes into bedroom to new TV (therefore grand total of one join). Good picture.

Now we need to link to the other TV. Try a standard co-ax splitter. Oh dear. Picture deteriorates.

But what about re-using the powered TV Link? Now install this in loft, turn on power - success. Both TVs working well, with good range of digital channels on the new one.

Some side effects too:

1. As power in loft needs to be constantly on to power TV Link, had to fit switch onto loft light (loft power is switched on or off by power source in airing cupboard)
2. The TV / FM plate on wall in living room is now only providing an FM signal. So let's tidy up the cabling in the loft so only one cable comes down (from FM aerial) and see if that improves radio signal. It did.

TO-DO's:

1. Improve connection points (possibly by soldering)
2. Replace co-ax to old TV upstairs
3. Replace co-ax to aerial - may improve signal on main TV
4. Move aerial upwards slightly

But so far, results very promising!