Discover Hertford Online Forum

Archived Topic

Topic ID 3114

02/10/2007 by Chicks

Freeview TV aerial questions.

We have just got a digital tv and have been told by freeview that if we turn our aerial southwards, we will be able to get a digital signal. Does anyone know if this is true and if so can anyone recommend anyone to turn our aerial for us? thanks


0 replies

Archived Replies

Reply ID 44864

02/10/2007 by shaun

The only time I have seen free view work in Hertford is when the owner put up a big aerial on top of the roof. Not sure who did the work at this point but can ask for you.


Reply ID 44865

02/10/2007 by Steve

Roughly where do you live in Hertford? Some parts of the town can get Freeview whilst others cannot. It's very patchy. If you're currently getting your signal from Bengeo there's a good chance you'll not be able to get Freeview although it's not out of the question. I would recommend you talk to Sele Farm Aerials on 01992 587648.

quote:
Originally posted by shaun
The only time I have seen free view work in Hertford is when the owner put up a big aerial on top of the roof. Not sure who did the work at this point but can ask for you.
You can get Freeview on a conventional aera in parts of the town centre and probably elsewhere in the town.


Reply ID 44866

02/10/2007 by ~Sarah~

quote:
Originally posted by Steve
Roughly where do you live in Hertford? Some parts of the town can get Freeview whilst others cannot. It's very patchy. If you're currently getting your signal from Bengeo there's a good chance you'll not be able to get Freeview although it's not out of the question.
I thought Bengeo was good for Freeview, in general, compared with Hertford?


Reply ID 44867

02/10/2007 by Admin

See also http://www.hertford.net/yoursay/topic.php?id=2366


Reply ID 44869

02/10/2007 by ~Sarah~

quote:
Originally posted by Admin
See also http://www.hertford.net/yoursay/topic.php?id=3114
I feel like I'm going round in circles.... [;)] Note from Admin: Ooops


Reply ID 44870

02/10/2007 by Chicks

Er... ok - didn't have time to scroll back to last years questions! Thanks for the recommendation i'll try giving Sele Farm Aerials a call.


Reply ID 44871

02/10/2007 by Brockman

Judging by the reception I get from my own personal aerial there's no point in even bothering to hook my Freeview set up...


Reply ID 44896

03/10/2007 by xtra_xtra

quote:
Originally posted by Brockman
Judging by the reception I get from my own personal aerial there's no point in even bothering to hook my Freeview set up...
This is true. I use a standard arial and I can barely get a normal analogue signal at the moment let alone digital (and it doesn't matter where I point it). And I resent having to pay more to Sky or Virgin just to get what I'm entitled to through paying the license fee. Calling the various companies and regulators involved doesn't help - effectively they just say "tough cookie".


Reply ID 44897

03/10/2007 by newgirl

I thought we were in a Freview-free zone too but I went in the loft and turned the aerial Northwards towards Sandy Heath and........wow - Freeview !!!!!! Admittedly, we get East Anglia news, etc but I can live with that. We didn't even need a roof top aerial. Prior to that, we only had channels 1 - 4 coming from Bengeo, I assume. We live pretty much above and behind the fire station.


Reply ID 44902

03/10/2007 by Steve

quote:
Originally posted by xtra_xtra
quote:
Originally posted by Brockman
Judging by the reception I get from my own personal aerial there's no point in even bothering to hook my Freeview set up...
This is true. I use a standard arial and I can barely get a normal analogue signal at the moment let alone digital (and it doesn't matter where I point it). And I resent having to pay more to Sky or Virgin just to get what I'm entitled to through paying the license fee. Calling the various companies and regulators involved doesn't help - effectively they just say "tough cookie".
Are you using a Group A or Group C aerial? Horizantol or vertically polarised? Both make a difference depending on whether you're getting your signal from Bengeo or London. My point being, you should get the correct aerial for the signal your receiving, there's no such thing as a "standard" aerial - I think you mean conventional. Almost everywhere in Hertford should be able to get a good signal. If your picture is that poor it might be worth checking with your neighbours to see what they're getting.


Reply ID 44904

03/10/2007 by carlos fandango

Can you get internal aerials that can pick up freeview?


Reply ID 44905

03/10/2007 by ~Sarah~

quote:
Originally posted by carlos fandango
Can you get internal aerials that can pick up freeview?
They are out there for sale but who knows if/how well they work?


Reply ID 44906

03/10/2007 by Steve

quote:
Originally posted by carlos fandango
Can you get internal aerials that can pick up freeview?
If the signal is strong enough you can pick up Freeview with a coathanger [:D]. However, that's unlikely in Hertford!


Reply ID 44908

03/10/2007 by Ray_by_the_Beane

As far as I understand it, when they switch off analogue in 2012(?) they will boost the power of all Freeview transmisions (there might even be a BBC HD Freeview channel by then, albeit requiring yet another box). Anyway, I can get Freeview fine at the bottom of Port Hill with an unmodified roof arieal pointing south to Crystal Palace. Some channels such as the ITV ones are more likely to occasional freezing,but the BBC one are fine.


Reply ID 44911

03/10/2007 by carlos fandango

Reason for asking I don't want to run a cable from the aerial socket all round the bedroom. So if an internal one will do the job will go that way.


Reply ID 44920

03/10/2007 by Dell Boy

I have 4 televisions with free view box's working off 1 digital arial, I also have a booster splitter joining the other 3 sets and it works perfectly. I was working off a conventional arial and could view most of the channels except Sky news and the shopping channels, well worth the investment now with so many new channels now broadcasting. This link may help you. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=156 This 1 aswell. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=156


Reply ID 44921

03/10/2007 by Ray_by_the_Beane

Virgin 1 is now broadcasting as of this week (on the old FTN channel 20).


Reply ID 44945

04/10/2007 by csproductions

and abc1 is off air due to Virgin 1 taking its bandwidth to make it 24/7


Reply ID 44947

04/10/2007 by Brockman

quote:
Originally posted by csproductions
and abc1 is off air due to Virgin 1 taking its bandwidth to make it 24/7
Let's just hope then that Virgin 1 picks up quite a bit of its content


Reply ID 44953

04/10/2007 by James007

quote:
Originally posted by csproductions
and abc1 is off air due to Virgin 1 taking its bandwidth to make it 24/7
Great [:)]


Reply ID 44958

05/10/2007 by Rabbit Rabbit

quote:
Originally posted by carlos fandango
Can you get internal aerials that can pick up freeview?
TV reception is planned to have an external aerial at around 10 metres above ground - if there were no planning criteria for TV or radio, transmitter powers would have to be enormous to cope with 'anything'. That has nothing to do with any possible health risk of course but purely costs of electricity. You may be able to get reception with an indoor aerial, but, let me think how to put this, don't come crying to me if it doesn't work..... PS As pointed out, this is a subject that comes up every few months, perhaps there ought to be a page about TV and radio reception on hertford.net.


Reply ID 44969

06/10/2007 by jez_p

As posted above - if you really want to research the ins and outs of digital TV then digital spy is the place to look. There are many more technically minded people on there than here.


Reply ID 44971

06/10/2007 by furrybunny

quote:
Originally posted by csproductions
and abc1 is off air due to Virgin 1 taking its bandwidth to make it 24/7
Thank you for that csprodutions! I was wondering where Home Improvements had gone, I know sometimes its shown on Disney, how sad is that!!!![:(]


Reply ID 44973

06/10/2007 by ~Sarah~

quote:
Originally posted by csproductions
and abc1 is off air due to Virgin 1 taking its bandwidth to make it 24/7
abc1 going has nothing to do with Virgin1, abc1 was axed because Disney were no longer interested in it.


Reply ID 44991

08/10/2007 by Dude

quote:
Originally posted by Steve
quote:
Originally posted by carlos fandango
Can you get internal aerials that can pick up freeview?
If the signal is strong enough you can pick up Freeview with a coathanger [:D]. However, that's unlikely in Hertford!
I couldn't get 4 channels with a coat hanger in the town centre! [:D] Jokes aside, I paid for an aerial upgrade in the town centre 3 years ago. To get freeview I had the residential version of crystal palace on my roof and I got a picture for 80% of the time. To anyone thinking of doing it that isn't on the top of the valley, I would say, put your money into freesat, cable or sat TV. The full signal freeview transmitter won't be in Hertford until 2011.


Reply ID 45001

08/10/2007 by Bubbaoshea

When I first got my digital tv the freeview reception was awful, I think realised that I didn't have a digital arial and since changing that the picture has been superb and we get all the freeview channels without any problem. We are in Bengeo by the way.


Reply ID 45017

09/10/2007 by jez_p

There is no such thing as a "Digital" Aerial There are different types of Aerial with different characteristics, and it is highly likely that you might need a new aerial to pick up digital TV in Hertford at present. However if you have a good channel 5 picture (from an aerial - not Cable or Satellite) then you should be able to get digital TV from your current aerial - Try it first then get an aerial upgrade if you really need one.


Reply ID 45023

09/10/2007 by Brockman

quote:
Originally posted by jez_p
There is no such thing as a "Digital" Aerial There are different types of Aerial with different characteristics, and it is highly likely that you might need a new aerial to pick up digital TV in Hertford at present. However if you have a good channel 5 picture (from an aerial - not Cable or Satellite) then you should be able to get digital TV from your current aerial - Try it first then get an aerial upgrade if you really need one.
Surely its coverage isn't that bad you'd get a crap reception on satellite or cable [:D]


Reply ID 52905

12/06/2008 by Gilberto

Anyone know someone good who I can get to take a look at our aerial? We're going BT Vision, which is meant to be excellent, but it relies heavily on a good freeview signal.


Reply ID 52906

13/06/2008 by Steve

quote:
Originally posted by Gilberto
Anyone know someone good who I can get to take a look at our aerial? We're going BT Vision, which is meant to be excellent, but it relies heavily on a good freeview signal.
Sele Farm Aerials http://www.hertford.net/yoursay/topic.php?id=1644


Reply ID 53038

22/06/2008 by thefair1973

I'd just like to say that our tv arial is ancient and also, courtesy of some high winds and bloody wood pigeons, it now points to the moon rather Crystal Palace. We don't get a terrestial signal for channel 5 and I pulled the cable over the roof so I could wore it in the bedroom for the new tv. It hasn't really been used since the first week we lived here and we got Sky. I was suprised to find that the 4 terrestrial channels had a pretty bad ghosting, but switching the TV over to digital, all the freeview channels have an excellent signal strength. We are, however on top of a hill looking towards Bayford


31 replies