Could do with some advise with digital TV

[David Liddle]

Hey everyone

I've just moved into a privately rented house, not thinking about it going to have any problems I hooked my TV up (built in freeview box that works) and scanned for channels, unfortunately it found nothing, not even analogue channels

This confused me (lol) and started checking on the digitaluk.co.uk website for more information, this told me I should be-able to pick up channels from 4 masts (one I can see! its less than 5 miles away and is visible!!).
I have been told from a person that lives in the street behind me that its impossible to get any channels and go with sky (cant afford it so not doing it)

I bought a indoor aerial with booster and now I can pick up 4 analogue channels with the booster turned fully up and two with the booster turned off, better than nothing I suppose!

The aerial on the roof though is what looks like a high gain aerial definitely not a standard aerial, but its not picking anything up, it is not facing the way of the closest mast (berwick) rather at a guess chatton (would be my preferred choice) or selkirk (I dont really know tbh).

I was just wondering on what advise I could gather from this community really on what I should be checking and what would be the way forward to maybe pick digital channels up. Below is a map of my location and the masts (from digitaluk.co.uk)

Thank you in advance for any help that you can give me

Link and postcode removed [Admin]

 

[satelliteman]

Welcome to the forum.

As you mention the property having a TV aerial in place, it's very possible there maybe a mast type pre-amp [normally on the mast but sometimes placed in the loft] which will require powering. If the previous tenant has taken the power unit with them, you will get no signal output from the amplifier.

It's advised and requested for your own security not to post your address/postcode in open forum, thanks.

 

[rolfw]

As satelliteman says, there is a fair chance that there is a masthead amplifier which requires power. Best initial step is to call the letting agent and advise that the aerial doesn't work. If your TV has an amplifier power setting, you could try turning it on, if not and the landlord won't do anything, you'll need to check the mast for an amplifier, or look in the loft to see if there's one there.

 

[Barometer]

How many other rented units in the same building? Are they all having the same problems?
Is there a wiring fault in the socket in the wall that is easily sorted?

If you can see a mast (are you sure it's the right one?) then reception should be OK, perhaps the 'high-gain' antenna on the roof is not correct for where you are?

If reception in your area is so bad, then a SKY box courtesy of eBay (£25) and a dish (£45 for your location) would be your best alternative.
Either that, or a Freesat box.


But I'd double-check local terrestrial reception conditions at a local dealers and ask them.

 

[David Liddle]

Hi thanks for your replies.

I've been in touch with the landlord and they said they used a booster on the aerial while they were living here, I've tried this and nothing again. The coax from the aerial runs from the mast and straight into the sitting room (down roof and along inside the guttering :s)

There does seem to be a black box on the side of the mast but cant get close to it as I don't have a cat walk and ladders.

Could the cable possibly be damaged from water in the guttering? I don't know how long its been in there.

(p.s sorry for posting link, just thought it would be better to post all the information I had to try and get help!)

 

[David Liddle]

Sorry for double post, the loft is converted into a bed room and makes it difficult to get around to check but I'm 90% certain there's no plugs or anything coming in from the mast

 

[Barometer]

The Black Box would indicate an amplifier of some sort.
Amplifiers need power.

I would suggest that is the landlord's responsibility to provide you with a TV antenna feed.

You may well not be allowed to put a dish on the property, push the landlord again.
Check local TV dealers / antenna installers and see what they advise.
best of luck!

 

[Analoguesat]

If the landlord cant/wont fix the aerial, you dont need to go with Sky via satellite. You can go with Freesat instead - a good range of channels (HD & SD) with absolutely no subscription costs.

Our house is satellite only now - The aerial fell down about the time of DSO round here and I never bothered replacing it.

 

[David Liddle]

Thanks for your replies again, I will see what the landlord says and then go from there

 

[satelliteman]

Sounding very much like a simple 12vdc power unit required. No need to go satellite route if this is the case.

If you can take a picture of the black box on the mast and upload it, either myself or Rolf will be able to confirm ;)

 

[Analoguesat]

David remember that if you are on a relay transmitter you will get "Freeview Lite" (half a service) - and depending on exactly where you live and what the DSO situation is there the relays may not even be active yet.

 

[rolfw]

Hi thanks for your replies.

I've been in touch with the landlord and they said they used a booster on the aerial while they were living here, I've tried this and nothing again.

Unfortunately the average home owner will not know the difference between a booster and a power supply unit, they are both little white or grey boxes with a cable in and out, the only difference being that if an amplifier/booster is removed, you will normally be left with some signal, if a power supply is removed, the masthead amplifier acts as an attenuator and you will have next to nothing.

 

[satelliteman]

Forgot to mention earlier; also worth noting that some masthead amplifiers do not function with 5vdc provided by some IDTV's, PROception to name one. Looking forward to the picture

 

[David Liddle]

Hey,

Sorry about the delay, there should be an attachment added of a pic of the actual aerial and box (apologies about quality its not very nice weather here at the moment)

The closest transmitter (I could actually take a photo of that too, maybe on a clearer day, can just see it today through the clouds) is a relay and it does state on ditiataluk that it has only 18 channels (but its 14 more than I have now so yeah) but the transmitter I would prefer is where the relay comes from with 69 channels.

 

[Terryl]

If you cant get to the antenna due to lack of proper access equipment then it would be better to get one of the local TV antenna installers to take a look at the system, its better to spend a bit of money on them then several months in a cast. (or worst)

Lack of signal could be due to the in-line amp is without power or dead, the coax could be too old and its outer jacket has cracked in the sun and let water in, the connection at the antenna or amp could be loose or corroded, and a list of many other things could be wrong.

If you haven't done this before and don't have the proper tools then the best advice I could give you is to find someone to help you that has, we don't want to hear about any accidents.

P. S. Is that antenna pointing at that tower you can see?

That looks like it is a directional antenna, it needs to be pointing at the TV transmitter tower to get a good signal.

 

[David Liddle]

Ive kinda done this before, just not via roof (but its a bungalow) but usually on the side of buildings ;) I just wanted some advise before doing a 60 mile round trip to get cat walk and ladders

No the aerial is not pointing at the transmitter I can see (near enough the opposite direction) I believe (without getting compass out and checking) that its actually pointing at the transmitter I want, but I would have imagined I would have got signal off the back of the aerial, as my last house I would get 2 of every channel auto tuned on analogue.

 

[satelliteman]

That's a Triax pre-amp.

Your going to need a 12vdc power unit ;)

Unless worse luck it's a Tetra filter.... coat

Certainly a Triax product anyhow.

 

[PaulR]

but I would have imagined I would have got signal off the back of the aerial,

Not if the amplifier isn't working I would have thought.

 

[David Liddle]

That's a Triax pre-amp.

You'll need a 12vdc power unit ;)

Unless worse luck it's a Tetra filter.... coat

Certainly a Triax product anyhow.

Back into the loft I go lol

Thanks for the info

 

[satelliteman]

Back into the loft I go lol

You just need to attach the power supply to the outlet / cable entering the main room and then the output from the unit to TV. It's a line powered amplifier system.