Boosting freeview signal

[IDB1]

Having a major problem with this..

Apparently I need a signal booster as close to the aerial as I can put it.

Is there an inline booster than doesn't need a power supply?

Thought I could put something like that up in the loft (where I'd struggle to run a mains powered one) close(r) to the aerial and then run the plug in one down near the freeview box..

Might be able to get more than half a dozen channels then :roll:

 

[legrandefromage]

I've just did a quick Google and unfortunately its awash with advice saying 'use a booster' which is not technically correct.


With Freeview a signal booster will not work in the conventional sense as if you are receiving digital gunk, the booster will simply boost the gunk.

Freeview delivers its information via packets - you can have a very low signal strength, but still have full signal 'quality'

Its the quality part that is important.

Check your receiver for signal quality in the menu, this should tell you what/ where/ when.

I'll try and find my old reference material from my previous job to explain further.

**edit**

freeview aerials need to be perfectly aligned and are prone to interference from other electrical devices such as (ironically) plasma TV, Wifi transmitters and fluorescent lighting. So your aerial needs to be up and away from these sources of interference to receive a good quality signal.


Existing loft and external aerials can sometimes have been installed for decades and suffer from cable degradation through corrosion and dampness. Sometimes the only fix is to get a new aerial fitted.

I am in 'line of sight' of my local Freeview transmitter yet can only get a decent signal from a bedroom aerial and not the two high gain aerials in the loft because their cable is knackered (40 years old)

check your postcode too, you may be in a fringe area:

http://www.freeview.co.uk/

 

[IDB1]

Cool.. ta..

I osrt of got a few snippets a while back but only retained fragments of it..

I get good quality on things like CBBC and on a clear day (like today), get a lot more..

The advice I got before suggested adding a booster near the telly was unwise because you are just boosting a crappy signal (which ties in with what you've just said lgf)..

I know it's a freeview aerial up there, possibly a cheapish one (I didn't put it up) but it's on the roof and I'm not getting another..

There's also a few metres of unnecessary cable up there.. I thought if I could get something to plug in up in the loft, I could remove extra cable and clean up the signal at the same time.

With a cleaner signal coming in, the booster near the telly might just make a little difference..

I've just been reminded there is a mains light up in the loft so I could perhaps wire something in...

 

[legrandefromage]

Cool.. ta..

I osrt of got a few snippets a while back but only retained fragments of it..

I get good quality on things like CBBC and on a clear day (like today), get a lot more..

The advice I got before suggested adding a booster near the telly was unwise because you are just boosting a crappy signal (which ties in with what you've just said lgf)..

I know it's a freeview aerial up there, possibly a cheapish one (I didn't put it up) but it's on the roof and I'm not getting another..

There's also a few metres of unnecessary cable up there.. I thought if I could get something to plug in up in the loft, I could remove extra cable and clean up the signal at the same time.

With a cleaner signal coming in, the booster near the telly might just make a little difference..

I've just been reminded there is a mains light up in the loft so I could perhaps wire something in...

any good quality TV aerial should pick up Freeview if in the reception area - the term 'digital ready' used to flog equipment is a bit of a misnomer as if you'd had a decent aerial fitted 20 years agon and its still in good nick and in the right direction, you;ll get full services without any need for modifications.


Have someone look at the signal quality in the menu whilst you faff around in the loft - get them to yell at you when the bar goes up as high as possible

ignore strength - always go for quality over quantity

 

[IDB1]

There's nowt in the loft matey, except the cable. . . the aerial in bolted to the chimney..

That's why I was hoping I could cut t'cable, add a gizmo, and improve things greatly. . .

The freeview box we have only has a strength meter thingy.. not a quality one..

It's quite an old box (but much better than the one it replaced - from a receiving channels aspect) I think it was bought when freeview first came out (my Sis gave it to me a while back). . .
Could a more up to date/better box make things a whole lot better too??

 

[legrandefromage]

There's nowt in the loft matey, except the cable. . . the aerial in bolted to the chimney..

That's why I was hoping I could cut t'cable, add a gizmo, and improve things greatly. . .

The freeview box we have only has a strength meter thingy.. not a quality one..

It's quite an old box (but much better than the one it replaced - from a receiving channels aspect) I think it was bought when freeview first came out (my Sis gave it to me a while back). . .
Could a more up to date/better box make things a whole lot better too??

If the aerial is bolted to the chimney, it may simply be pointing in the wrong direction - a signal booster would be pointless!

Argos do a good indoor aerial, try one of these.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/p ... d+boosters

Later set-top boxes will be less prone to obsolescence when software updates come along and kill off 30,000 boxes at a time...

 

[IDB1]

A while back I google'd my socks off for an indoor aerial for the kids telly, so they could get freeview..

Bought what was supposed to be a very good one.. tried it downstairs and it's not great..

We are in an area with poor signal strength on most things and even the terrestrial telly gets interference from mopeds and the neighbours (whatever it is they do in there :shock: ) at times. . .
Channel 5 is a hit and miss affair....

Last week, in the evenings, we lost all telly completely..

 

[Lysander]

Dearer option, but mebbe not so much when compared to the endless arsing about trying to boost freeview is to get a dish and Freesat box.

 

[legrandefromage]

Dearer option, but mebbe not so much when compared to the endless arsing about trying to boost freeview is to get a dish and Freesat box.

Yup, and or Sky - I'm sorry, but Murdoch's empire is the best way of receiving TV these days if: A, you have naff Freeview or B, dont have Virgin cable nearby.

Freview is piss poor picture quality and I abandoned it 18 months ago because of all the problems I had with it. Plus the boxes themselves were forever going wrong.

 

[legrandefromage]

A while back I google'd my socks off for an indoor aerial for the kids telly, so they could get freeview..

Bought what was supposed to be a very good one.. tried it downstairs and it's not great..

We are in an area with poor signal strength on most things and even the terrestrial telly gets interference from mopeds and the neighbours (whatever it is they do in there :shock: ) at times. . .
Channel 5 is a hit and miss affair....

Last week, in the evenings, we lost all telly completely..

sounds like the cable from your existing aerial is knackared - time to get a ladder out or get a man in a van round.