TV aerial not working?
Discussion
Just moved into my new student digs and there isnt a coax socket on the wall in my room 
So, off I trotted down to Argos and bought one of these:
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/1...
Took it home, unpacked it, plugged it into the wall socket and into the TV coax socket. Put it in the window, turned it on, extended the aerial, adjusted the variable gain to about half (as recommended in the manual) and set the TV to autotune.
Nohing.
Moved and waggled the antenna position a bit, turned the gain up to full, and retuned the TV. Still nothing.
Now, I refuse to believe that a sizeable aerial with a 36dB gain, stood in a window in a tower block in the middle of Liverpool, cannot find a bloody signal! However, I also believe Argo wouldnt be so brazen/stuipid as to sell me something that doesn't do as advertised. Therefore, before I traipse all the way back into town and return it, can anyone suggest something I might have missed or be doing wrong?
So, off I trotted down to Argos and bought one of these:
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/1...
Took it home, unpacked it, plugged it into the wall socket and into the TV coax socket. Put it in the window, turned it on, extended the aerial, adjusted the variable gain to about half (as recommended in the manual) and set the TV to autotune.
Nohing.
Moved and waggled the antenna position a bit, turned the gain up to full, and retuned the TV. Still nothing.
Now, I refuse to believe that a sizeable aerial with a 36dB gain, stood in a window in a tower block in the middle of Liverpool, cannot find a bloody signal! However, I also believe Argo wouldnt be so brazen/stuipid as to sell me something that doesn't do as advertised. Therefore, before I traipse all the way back into town and return it, can anyone suggest something I might have missed or be doing wrong?
Aside from the hilarity that an antenna like that could have a gain of 36dB (that's 4000 times), you should be able to get something. The big question is: Is it trying to find an analogue TV signal? Because you won't find one of those where you are. You should be searching for a digital signal, and it should get something. Even my USB tuner stick gets a signal on the crappy tiny bundled antenna.
Next thing to try: Ask the neighbours. They might let you use your antenna on their TV (no retuning needed) or your TV on their antenna. Get it tuned, that way you will at least know it is tuned in and will produce a signal when the antenna works.
Of course, you might be on the side of the flats facing away from the transmitter.
Next thing to try: Ask the neighbours. They might let you use your antenna on their TV (no retuning needed) or your TV on their antenna. Get it tuned, that way you will at least know it is tuned in and will produce a signal when the antenna works.
Of course, you might be on the side of the flats facing away from the transmitter.
When you auto tune first, as suggested, check you're in DVB/Freeview mode. Make sure you're doing a fresh instal rather than just updating the channels. Then check you are scanning the UK channel list. Also check if there's a setting for PAL, you need to be on PAL I.
If there's still no signal then you need to look at another option. How are other's getting a TV picture?
If there's still no signal then you need to look at another option. How are other's getting a TV picture?
Depends where you are located and which way you are pointing it. In parts of south Liverpool espcially on the Calderstones side of Woolton Hill that you could never get a decent signal form the old Winter Hill transmitter
So the only option was to point to North Wales.
You could also ask your neighbours how they are setup.
So the only option was to point to North Wales.
You could also ask your neighbours how they are setup.
Hi guys, thanks for the replies. I have tried everything, there is no menu on my tv to change the dvb search settings so it should work just like it does when plugged into the aerial socket at home and told to search.
After an extensive bout of wiggling and another search, I got it to display 3 itv channels in extreme pixellation with no sound. Seems like it is just a crap aerial after all!
AFAIK none of the rest of my flat have got tv's set up so there is nothing to compare to. I really dont want to go and buy a really expensive portable aerial just for the few months of the year I'm at uni, but I dont really want to do without tv either. Are there any cheap but good systems? If it makes any difference, my window faces to the east and as said looks out onto another block of halls
After an extensive bout of wiggling and another search, I got it to display 3 itv channels in extreme pixellation with no sound. Seems like it is just a crap aerial after all!
AFAIK none of the rest of my flat have got tv's set up so there is nothing to compare to. I really dont want to go and buy a really expensive portable aerial just for the few months of the year I'm at uni, but I dont really want to do without tv either. Are there any cheap but good systems? If it makes any difference, my window faces to the east and as said looks out onto another block of halls
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