Low Threshold Freeview Boxes
Discussion
I need a freeview box that has a low threshold as although I am in a new build apartment, the freeview box a friend lent me freezes up on certain channels and has very low signal strength.
They had it working perfectly in the living room but then when they moved it into the bedroom, the channels started to freeze.
The antenna socket is one that is directly into the wall and you just plug the lead into it.
Also, what happened to Top-Up TV. Does it exist now or are they all free..?
It needs to be as cheap as possible as well.
Any ideas..?
Ta
Claire
>> Edited by Gaffer on Monday 26th September 18:38
They had it working perfectly in the living room but then when they moved it into the bedroom, the channels started to freeze.
The antenna socket is one that is directly into the wall and you just plug the lead into it.
Also, what happened to Top-Up TV. Does it exist now or are they all free..?
It needs to be as cheap as possible as well.
Any ideas..?
Ta
Claire
>> Edited by Gaffer on Monday 26th September 18:38
Get a signal booster - I bought my mum a freeview box for her birthday last year and it wouldn't work, so I nipped down to Argos and got one of those signal boosters (it was £20, i just looked online and they don't sell the one i've got anymore) and after that it's all fine - although Channel5 breaks up occaisionally (no loss!).
Cheers,
Rob.
Cheers,
Rob.
If you are in an area with a weak signal I think you may need to get a special ariel.I did & all channels were fine.Didn't know you can get a digital booster.
I recently moved 200yds down the road to a house with a standard ariel & some channels do break up occasionally.
TopUp TV does exist, saw an advert for it the other day
Gaffer said:
It shouldn't be a weak signal as the apartment block is just over a year old.
dont think the age of the building effects the signal probably more likely a bad signal in your particular area.
Go to www.freeview.co.uk/ and enter your postcode. Should tell you if the reception is good round your way.
Sounds like a better ariel or signal booster as already suggested may solve your problem.
B17NNS said:
It shouldn't be a weak signal as the apartment block is just over a year old.
dont think the age of the building effects the signal probably more likely a bad signal in your particular area.
Go to www.freeview.co.uk/ and enter your postcode. Should tell you if the reception is good round your way.
Sounds like a better ariel or signal booster as already suggested may solve your problem.
I have same issue. Signal strength seems to vary from good to poor depending on weather conditions it seems.
Got a booster that did improve things but still get freezing etc to a lesser exent.
It always seems to be the same channels that are prone, most of the others work fine all the time.
There are quite a few variables so a one, all or a combination of these could improve things.
Ariel
Buy the best you can afford and make sure it is suitable for freeview signals in your area.
Cable (ariel to wallplate)
Again buy the best you can afford. CT100 co ax cable is double screened and the stuff that Sky use for their installations so its not dear.
Cable (wallplate to freeview box)
This does make a difference. The better the quality of the cable and connectors the better the quality of the signal that comes through them.
Freeview Box
As with all things electronic you get what you pay for. The cheaper boxes do have a habit of freezing now and again. I bought my mum a Sony one last year for about £90 and it is fine. A guy who lives 2 doors down and owns a cheapy supermarket box has no end of trouble.
If all else fails get Sky+
Ariel
Buy the best you can afford and make sure it is suitable for freeview signals in your area.
Cable (ariel to wallplate)
Again buy the best you can afford. CT100 co ax cable is double screened and the stuff that Sky use for their installations so its not dear.
Cable (wallplate to freeview box)
This does make a difference. The better the quality of the cable and connectors the better the quality of the signal that comes through them.
Freeview Box
As with all things electronic you get what you pay for. The cheaper boxes do have a habit of freezing now and again. I bought my mum a Sony one last year for about £90 and it is fine. A guy who lives 2 doors down and owns a cheapy supermarket box has no end of trouble.
If all else fails get Sky+
The Ariel is in the wall, its a new build apartment block so getting them to change the airel isnt going to happen.
The freeview box works perfectly in the livingroom, just freezes in the bedroom on certain channels.
I dont want to get Sky as I am off to Australia next April, if I wasnt then yes, I would have got Sky+
I have heard that Echostar do low threshold boxes but finding a good one is proving difficult, having read a lot of review sites no one box seems to be better than the other.
Claire
The freeview box works perfectly in the livingroom, just freezes in the bedroom on certain channels.
I dont want to get Sky as I am off to Australia next April, if I wasnt then yes, I would have got Sky+
I have heard that Echostar do low threshold boxes but finding a good one is proving difficult, having read a lot of review sites no one box seems to be better than the other.
Claire
Spoke to the building manager about this, now here is a brief rundown of what he said (made no sense to me).
The main airel socket is in the living room (hence it working)
The socket in the bedroom is return feed only
The "middle bit" is in the airing cupboard where all the fuses/electrics are
I need something to go from the airing cupboard to my bedroom to get the freeview box working as it should be.
Claire
The main airel socket is in the living room (hence it working)
The socket in the bedroom is return feed only
The "middle bit" is in the airing cupboard where all the fuses/electrics are
I need something to go from the airing cupboard to my bedroom to get the freeview box working as it should be.
Claire
Claire, how about using one of these:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PHILIPS-VL1200-VIDEO-SENDER-LINK-LIKE-THE-VL1400-NEW_W0QQitemZ5810476672QQcategoryZ109016QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
or any number of similar products (Argos usually carry a few)
This way you still have the freeview box in the living room (and get to use it in there) but can watch a feed in the bedroom, advantage of this route also if you have a DVD player in living room but not in bedroom then you can also watch that.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PHILIPS-VL1200-VIDEO-SENDER-LINK-LIKE-THE-VL1400-NEW_W0QQitemZ5810476672QQcategoryZ109016QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
or any number of similar products (Argos usually carry a few)
This way you still have the freeview box in the living room (and get to use it in there) but can watch a feed in the bedroom, advantage of this route also if you have a DVD player in living room but not in bedroom then you can also watch that.
That would be an option apart from one thing.
My housemate.
He is *the* most ignorant person I have ever met, so no I want the freeview box in my bedroom. At the moment the DVD player is in the living room along with my stereo, until I get another unit to put them on and then they are in the bedroom with me.
But thats another story, just seems I am paying £500 a month in rent to sit in my bedroom *sigh*
Claire
My housemate.
He is *the* most ignorant person I have ever met, so no I want the freeview box in my bedroom. At the moment the DVD player is in the living room along with my stereo, until I get another unit to put them on and then they are in the bedroom with me.
But thats another story, just seems I am paying £500 a month in rent to sit in my bedroom *sigh*
Claire
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