How much should a decent TV aerial replacement cost?

[sleep envy]

£180 for mast, digi aerial, 4 way amp and 3 outlets in NW London

I already had power in the loft and had run conduit in the walls for the co-ax so it was half a day's work for him

[Mr_S]

I live is SE London, got a local aerial company to come and do it.

Cost £200 and took about 30 mins

Aerial probably cost about £60 in a shop though

[deckster]

Legend83 said:

Sixpackpert said:

Get a freesat box. Get a video signal sender for the bedroom telly.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=22828...

How does this work?

In my experience, very very badly. Picture and sound quality both absolutely terrible.

Plus of course you have to watch the same thing in both rooms. Complete waste of money IMHO.

[Sixpackpert]

deckster said:

Legend83 said:

Sixpackpert said:

Get a freesat box. Get a video signal sender for the bedroom telly.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=22828...

How does this work?

In my experience, very very badly. Picture and sound quality both absolutely terrible.

Plus of course you have to watch the same thing in both rooms. Complete waste of money IMHO.

Thanks for the info. The one I have seen worked fine. The idea is that I can watch tv in bed while the Mrs watches a DVD downstairs, or vice versa. May give it a miss, we'll see.

[aclivity]

Are you in a cabled area? Install for Cable is £30, or at least was when I last looked. Get two outlets installed, same cost for installation.

[Legend83]

aclivity said:

Are you in a cabled area? Install for Cable is £30, or at least was when I last looked. Get two outlets installed, same cost for installation.

Virgin Media?

[deckster]

aclivity said:

Are you in a cabled area? Install for Cable is £30, or at least was when I last looked. Get two outlets installed, same cost for installation.

True but as far as I know there's no free way to get channels with cable like there is with Sky. You'd need to subscribe to their Medium channels package to get Freeview.

[aclivity]

deckster said:

aclivity said:

Are you in a cabled area? Install for Cable is £30, or at least was when I last looked. Get two outlets installed, same cost for installation.

True but as far as I know there's no free way to get channels with cable like there is with Sky. You'd need to subscribe to their Medium channels package to get Freeview.

Yes there is, if you get a phone, you can get a free TV package, which also includes free catch up on demand (iPlayer, plus other channels).

ETA linky

Virgin Media said:

TV Size: M is free when you take a Virgin Phone line for £11 a month.

Edited by aclivity on Friday 13th March 12:04

[Legend83]

Super Slo Mo said:

Just as a matter of interest, who's told you it's an 'analogue' aerial?

An aerial is an aerial. Gain and tuning (frequencies they work best at) vary, but both will receive digital and analogue transmissions just fine.

If your signal strength is good and the aerial/cable is in good condition, then going to the expense and trouble of having another fitted probably isn't worth it.

Your antenna might be corroded/damaged, and your cable from it to your TV might not be up to scratch which, if it's old, might well be the case.

Best way to test what is crap and what is not? Before I embark on expensive replacements?

[deckster]

aclivity said:

deckster said:

aclivity said:

Are you in a cabled area? Install for Cable is £30, or at least was when I last looked. Get two outlets installed, same cost for installation.

True but as far as I know there's no free way to get channels with cable like there is with Sky. You'd need to subscribe to their Medium channels package to get Freeview.

Yes there is, if you get a phone, you can get a free TV package, which also includes free catch up on demand (iPlayer, plus other channels).

ETA linky

Virgin Media said:

TV Size: M is free when you take a Virgin Phone line for £11 a month.

Clearly we have a different definition of 'free'!

[aclivity]

deckster said:

Clearly we have a different definition of 'free'!

I kind of assumed you would have a phone line, most people do.

£11 / month plus £30 installation. Compared to £150 for an aerial, and say £30 for a DTT box - still takes more than a year for the aerial & DTT to become cost effective. Added to that the free iPlayer & catch up TV that you get on cable?

[Legend83]

Sixpackpert said:

If they had Sky then the dish and cable are still there??

Why don't you get Freesat?

http://www.freesat.co.uk/index.php?page=products.M...

Or I have a non-HD receiver going cheap as I've just bought the Humax HD recorder.

Edited by Sixpackpert on Friday 13th March 09:25

Just realised - is this a false economy given both my TVs have Freeview built-in?

[GTIR]

I bought an digital aerial from Maplin, about £30, hired a proper roof ladder for £12 and stuck it on the roof myself.

Much better than paying £150!

[Legend83]

GTIR said:

I bought an digital aerial from Maplin, about £30, hired a proper roof ladder for £12 and stuck it on the roof myself.

Much better than paying £150!

If you have the nerve to do it then go for it! I have severe vertigo so will be leaving it to someone far braver.