New house - TV cable and setup question

[redrabbit29]

Moved into a new house yesterday. The previous owner was a BT Broadband customer, and I believe may have also used TV too.

The area where the TV should go has a Co-ax TV (shown below). This doesn't work on my own TV for some reason - it is about 12 years old so maybe that's why? It searches for DVB channels but can't find any of them.



There is also a Sky dish and the cables (shown below) are there. I plugged them into my sky box that I brought with me and it just says it can't receive any signal. I would have thought it would have got freeview like I had in my last house.



I can't really find where the Co-ax cable goes that easily as it's wired into the wall and goes up somewhere. I've looked in the loft but can't see it there



The kitchen has a TV aerial port so I'm going to buy a cable today to test the TV there too.

Anything here which really stands out as being an immediate issue or something to try?

[megaphone]

If the Sky box is Q then it won't work on an older HD set-up, and vice versa. Same dish is used but you need the correct LNB on the end.

I expect there is an aerial distribution somewhere, find that and work from there. Can you see the aerial?

[Road2Ruin]

With regards to the dvb aerial cable, it's possible that it goes to a masthead amplifier, especially if there are other TV points in the house. If this is the case the power supply is missing. Often people take it with them because they don't realise the house needs it. They are cheap to buy from screwfix etc though.

[Mr Pointy]

Road2Ruin said:

With regards to the dvb aerial cable, it's possible that it goes to a masthead amplifier, especially if there are other TV points in the house. If this is the case the power supply is missing. Often people take it with them because they don't realise the house needs it. They are cheap to buy from screwfix etc though.

Many TVs & PVRs can supply the masthead amplifier power - it's often a selectable option in the setup menu.

OP - can you see the terrestrial aerial cable in the loft so you can follow the cable? Is there a cupboard somewhere which might have an amplifier or splitter in it? Since you have two outlets there's almost certainly a splitter somewhere. Try looking in the TV menu to see if there's an option to turn on 12v power on the aerial input.

[redrabbit29]

Spoke to the previous owner today who told me the old aerial is not connected and never has been

My Sky box is an older one - just a normal Sky HD box, not one of the new Q ones.

Looking at options now:

1) BT TV which is fairly cheap with internet. I know the internet has critics but a lot of people here use it - including the previous occupant. Download speed is about 25-30mbps, can't get anything faster than that unfortunately.

2) Sky TV - reluctant to do this as it's bloody expensive and I feel ripped off every time I've gone with them

3) Just getting someone to fit the aerial

[megaphone]

BT TV needs an aerial as it's a Freeview/Youview box with extras.

[Mr Pointy]

redrabbit29 said:

Spoke to the previous owner today who told me the old aerial is not connected and never has been

My Sky box is an older one - just a normal Sky HD box, not one of the new Q ones.

Looking at options now:

1) BT TV which is fairly cheap with internet. I know the internet has critics but a lot of people here use it - including the previous occupant. Download speed is about 25-30mbps, can't get anything faster than that unfortunately.

2) Sky TV - reluctant to do this as it's bloody expensive and I feel ripped off every time I've gone with them

3) Just getting someone to fit the aerial

That's a real pain: if the satellite cables are connected to a dish you could get a Freesat receiver & use that (there's no Sky subscription required). I'd look into getting an aerial installed but you're going to need to find where the existing cabling goes or you'll be ripping walls apart. The outlets must be cabled to somewhere - although it might be best to check that there is actually a cable on the back of the outlet.

[Road2Ruin]

Mr Pointy said:

Road2Ruin said:

With regards to the dvb aerial cable, it's possible that it goes to a masthead amplifier, especially if there are other TV points in the house. If this is the case the power supply is missing. Often people take it with them because they don't realise the house needs it. They are cheap to buy from screwfix etc though.

Many TVs & PVRs can supply the masthead amplifier power - it's often a selectable option in the setup menu.

OP - can you see the terrestrial aerial cable in the loft so you can follow the cable? Is there a cupboard somewhere which might have an amplifier or splitter in it? Since you have two outlets there's almost certainly a splitter somewhere. Try looking in the TV menu to see if there's an option to turn on 12v power on the aerial input.

That's interesting, never come across it myself, but would be great if it works. Must have a look at my TV.