Our TV was served by the Bilsdale transmitter which suffered terminal fire damage on 10/08/21. Despite much publicity about re-jigging relay transmitters and faffing around, there is no signal to be had when retuning. Our Youview set-top box doesn't seem to have a means of delivering live Freeview down its Internet connection so I think I need a box or a stick to get Freeview. Our TV, predictably, isn't smart. I bought a Manhattan box and was dismayed to see it had aerial connections; sure enough, the thing won't set itself up if it can't tune into a terrestrial signal.
I have heard that a Roku thingy will work but I have also heard that it doesn't have an app to get Freeview. I've just about had my fill of recordings of Silent Witness and Endeavour and seeing Formula 1 involves connecting my old laptop to the TV since the palaver at Channel 4 ensured there was no F1 on More 4.
Please suggest a means of getting Freeview on the Internet that a simpleton like me can cope with and I'll be lining up a few virtual ales on the bar of the last remaining pub in the village.
Arqiva are in the process of replacing the 314 metre fire-damaged transmitter with an 80 metre temporary thing. Anyone who's still awake may like to comment on the likelihood of this working at all or would a few bent coat-hangers be a better solution?
As always, TIA.
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>>Please suggest a means of getting Freeview on the Internet
www.freeview.co.uk/help/watch-freeview-online
>>Anyone who's still awake may like to comment on the likelihood of this working at all
Technically very clever people are Arqiva and I know the people in charge of this. If they say it will work, it will work. However, you should ask if it will work for your post code. An 80 metre aerial will behave differently and will be running at different power.
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>> >>Please suggest a means of getting Freeview on the
>>
>> Technically very clever people are Arqiva and I know the people in charge of this.
>> If they say it will work, it will work. However, you should ask if it
>> will work for your post code.
>>
Despite my unfounded doubts, terrestrial TV is restored to both hawkeye towers and the neighbouring holiday home, the aerial of which we share via an amplifier and a 30m underground cable. Well done Arqiva. Thanks to all who contributed.
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I don't think you can get Freeview on the internet.
Roku is similar to a Firestick but is, I think, more aimed at the US market. I have a number of Firesticks around the house now, and I bring one out to Portugal so I can get the usual stuff here (over a VPN). But it doesn't have the nice electronic programme guide like (I think) Freeview, Sky and Virgin have. I.E. you can't just go to one screen and see what's on all the channels now, or later. You have to look at each app (BBC iPlayer, ITV hub etc etc). Unless I'm mssing something!
Freesat would be an option, I believe it's the same as Freeview but via a satellite dish rather than an aerial. Of course you'd need a satellite dish and a box (though some TVs have Freesat built in, but yours may not) which won't come free! You can get boxes which rfecord.
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Firestick from roughly £30 upwards will do the trick.
A wee bit hobbled in changing channels but it works.
CEX sell 2nd hand Firesticks which are cheaper
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>> I don't think you can get Freeview on the internet.>>
>> Freesat would be an option, I believe it's the same as Freeview but via a
satellite dish rather than an aerial. Of course you'd need a satellite dish and a
box (though some TVs have Freesat built in, but yours may not) which won't come
free! You can get boxes which record.>>
You certainly can get Freeview via the Internet - there's a Freeview app for Android. I have it on my phone.
Freesat is, as you say, received via a Sky dish or a TV with a Freesat tuner as well as the standard Freeview version.
However, Freesat is not quite the same programme wise. It does, of course, offer most or all the normal TV channels, but also some that are not available on Freeview.
It also has the additional benefit in that you can easily tune in to BBC and ITV stations all over the UK if you wish to receive local news from other areas. These channels start from 949. The means by which you normally receive your area's signals are due to the fact you provide your postcode in the Settings.
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>> You certainly can get Freeview via the Internet - there's a Freeview app for Android.
>> I have it on my phone.
You certainly can not get "Freeview" on your android phone. Its merely a place holder for all the other broadcaster apps, as I explained quite some way up the thread.
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>> You certainly can not get "Freeview" on your android phone. Its merely a place holder for all the other broadcaster apps, as I explained quite some way up the thread.>>
Rubbish. Try using the Watch Now feature.
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>>
>> >> You certainly can not get "Freeview" on your android phone. Its merely a place
>> holder for all the other broadcaster apps, as I explained quite some way up the
>> thread.>>
>>
>> Rubbish. Try using the Watch Now feature.
Its not rubbish there IS NO one freeview app. Try watch now for Blaze, try watch now for Forces TV, try watch now for yesterday, Its a mere subset. How about watch now for paramount, etc etc.
Go back and tell me how many channels are missing from watch now. (without adding supplementary apps) Then you might be better informed.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 5 Oct 21 at 19:06
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>> Its not rubbish there IS NO one freeview app. Try watch now for Blaze, try watch now for Forces TV, try watch now for yesterday, Its a mere subset. How about watch now for paramount, etc etc.>>
I see what you mean but, as far as I'm concerned, the channels I might/do want to watch when out and about are readily available providing there's wi-fi or using Mobile Data. Those not available are but a fraction of Freeview's output.
I also, of course, have the All4, My5 apps etc on my phone, desktop and tablet
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You can't get "Freeview" on line as you know it, but you can get most of the channels using their broadcasters apps
Like iPlayer, 4od etc etc
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How about pointing your aerial at a different transmitter?
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How about getting a sat dish fitted and going Freesat. Worked very well with a Humax box for me a few years ago when I became a Sky refusnik.
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I get Freesat in the crossover camping vehicle, using a portable dish on a tripod. Some local Freeview transmitters don't carry all the mux's
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>> I get Freesat in the crossover camping vehicle, using a portable dish on a tripod.
>> Some local Freeview transmitters don't carry all the mux's
>>
Our Freeview is crap. BBC channels are all right, but during high pressure or stormy weather all the others either refuse to appear at all or are jerky and pixilated. We also get a cut down number of channels.
Hence Freesat, which I'd recommend to anyone.
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I usually watch the idiots lantern via a 10 year old Humax Foxsat but last night we had heavy rain here, which is unusual in godforsaken Cornwall (or Wales)
I couldn't get the beeb at all at all, and 4 & 5 were heavily pixelated.
*Freeview is purrfect here, as I can actually see the trans mitter @ Callington, so I'll probably update the Humax wivva Manhatten T3-R
*Ariel just chucked in the loft - not pointing at the trans mitter (previous bods had Sky)
Last edited by: Dog on Tue 5 Oct 21 at 08:26
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>> How about pointing your aerial at a different transmitter?
Works if there's one 'in sight' and the aerial has the requisite receive bandwidth.
Oddly, Bilsdale on 405 lines VHF was receivable in the Ilkley area in the seventies. School friend could watch stuff like Joe 90 that Yorkshire TV didn't show.
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>> Arqiva are in the process of replacing the 314 metre fire-damaged transmitter with an 80
>> metre temporary thing. Anyone who's still awake may like to comment on the likelihood of
>> this working at all or would a few bent coat-hangers be a better solution?
When was the last time a main transmitter failed that comprehensively?
I don't think it's happened since ice and wind dragged down the Emley Moor mast in 1969.
A temporary mast went up in pretty short order but Health and Safety wasn't the thing then it is now. A writer in Radio User a couple of months ago referred to the "Board of Trade Hoops" that allowed one to lean back and rest while climbing an open ladder up a mast; useless if you lost your footing.
It worked in some places - large parts of the Aire Valley had a line of sight to the mast. We could see it from the upper floor of primary school on rising land on the opposite side of the valley. Others had poor quality snow until the still extant concrete mast was finished in 1971.
UHF is basically line of sight so a lower mast will be visible from a reduced area, Bilsdale's fringes will not get a useable signal. Being digital it'll be either on or off.
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Older tech, but Chromecast worked well on our previous dumb TV.
Anything you can get on your phone/tablet/laptop is transmitted via wifi to The TV.
Ours cost £20 from Tesco some years ago.
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>> Older tech, but Chromecast worked well on our previous dumb TV.
>>
>> Anything you can get on your phone/tablet/laptop is transmitted via wifi to The TV.
>>
>> Ours cost £20 from Tesco some years ago.
That would presumably rely on I-Player and other broadcaster's streaming services.
It won't directly replicate Freeview but it will, assuming you've got the internet bandwidth, allow you to watch TV.
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As I said earlier, with all of these services what you are missing is a consolidated electronic programme guide. Most solutions ther than Sky, Virgin, Freesat/view and I think Silicon Dust (and maybe Plex) don't have this.
That's the main thing which has prevented me getting rid of the TiVo.
Last edited by: smokie on Tue 5 Oct 21 at 10:59
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...whilst Freesat isn't quite the same channel mix as Freeview, the majority of the availability is the same.
Depending on how long you're going to be deprived, and how much you're prepared to pay, then it seems to me that Freesat is the most viable solution for live TV much as you are used to.
A permanent installation would require a house-mounted dish, and either a Freesat capable TV, or a Freesat Digibox to connect to the existing TV. This might be a good idea if you're out in the sticks and stand a chance of losing signal again. Self-install of the dish is not particularly difficult, but only if you know what you're doing, otherwise professional install drives the cost up somewhat.
With the Digiboxes at under £50, however, a "camping" satellite and tripod such as Z (and myself) use, would not push the total much above £100. You'd need someone who was adroit at aligning it, a clear view roughly South (line of sight to the satellite - big trees can be a problem) and a way of getting the satellite lead inside. Once set up, it should need no further intervention.
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Anyone remember the website "TV Catch Up"?
Gone now by the looks of it. Basically it broadcast whatever what was on Freeview (with a slight time lapse), and not what the name actually suggested. i.e. it wasn't a catch up service.
EDIT - it was a catch up service in its early days according to Wikipedia.
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 5 Oct 21 at 12:58
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£100?
With a bit of careful shopping a used Sky HD Box £10, a useed dish and LNB maybe £20 and an app on your smartphone to set up the dish free The only thing you have not got is a record ability.
The SKY prog guide is pretty good.
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Thank you for the replies.
I admit to being confused by the 'yes you can get Freeview on the Internet', 'no you can't' exchange.
Point the aerial somewhere else? Advised not to do so by Arqiva; just retune from time to time as they rejigged the relay stations. When they switch the new mast on in a few days, I'll have to retune and see if I'm in a 'notspot'. Then I'll start to look at Freesat. www.arqiva.com/news-views/news/update-on-incident-at-bilsdale-mast . I'm pretty sure I'll be in a notspot because the aerial we have needs an amplifier.
The Manhattan box went back to Currys and I swapped it for a Firestick. 'Can I get Freeview on this?', 'Yes you can', said the techie.
Turns out that I can't. I can get an Australian Freeview app but ...
I'll be investigating Freesat if the switch-on in a few days doesn't give me a signal. I'm assuming I'll have to fight for a dish as we're in a Conservation Area.
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>>'Can I get Freeview on this?', 'Yes you can', said the techie.
Turns out that I can't. I can get an Australian Freeview app but ...
You can get BBC I-player, ITV player, All4, C5 .................. what you cannot get is Freeview but the Firestick turns NOTELLY into SOMETELLY.
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Since this started (I was interested because we were staying in Leyburn shortly after the incident) the various news updates I've seen quote the fact that Arqiva are prepared to provide either Freesat or Internet TV to those people who remain in "notspots" after the temporary mast is fully functioning.
See the bottom of the following BBC news story from yesterday:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-58821271
I think I'd be abandoning any idea of provision over the internet myself, and chasing Arqiva for the Freesat solution which should give you a permanent result.
Edited to add:
Arqiva are providing information via the following website:
www.bilsdalemast.co.uk/
Last edited by: tyrednemotional on Thu 7 Oct 21 at 11:51
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We have a late cancellation on a place just outside Leyburn near the end of the month and was informed that TV was having 'issues'.
Hope something is resolved before then. Not a TV addict but its nice to have.
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>> the month and was informed that TV was having 'issues'.
>> Hope something is resolved before then. Not a TV addict but its nice to have.
Take extra gin to ease the withdrawal symptoms.
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>> The Manhattan box went back to Currys and I swapped it for a Firestick. 'Can
>> I get Freeview on this?', 'Yes you can', said the techie.
>>
>> Turns out that I can't. I can get an Australian Freeview app but ...
Dont get bogged down by "freeview".* There is no such thing as "Freeview" on internet devices so dont try.
You can get get your tv channels on your firestick, but you need to use the broadcasters apps, they are all there. Iplayer, All 4( 4od) , My5, etc etc.
All "freeview" is, is essentially a Broadcast TV guide (EPG) that links to broadcasters channels conveniently. You have approach it differently over the net.
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>>All "freeview" is, is essentially a Broadcast TV guide (EPG) that links to broadcasters channels conveniently.
100% spot on. Though to be fair it (DTVSL) is also responsible for marketing.
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>> I'll be investigating Freesat if the switch-on in a few days doesn't give me a
>> signal. I'm assuming I'll have to fight for a dish as we're in a Conservation
>> Area.
Easy enough to check, Anyone else go one? You need a clear view of the southern sky. If thats the back of your property, chances are you'll be ok conservation area wise.
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Sky Glass will be available from £13 per month for the 43" screen, but consumers will also need a Sky TV subscription, taking the cost to £39 per month.
The 55" screen is available for £17 a month, and the 65" screen for £21 a month on top of the Sky TV subscription, and all three will begin retailing from 18 October.
The full price is £649 (43"), £849 (55") and £1049 (65").
I wonder how many folk will be able to afford that after paying their energy bill and losing the £20 UC top-up?
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Thank you all for your input. I think I've got more of an idea about TV provision through the Internet, eventually. Wednesday is Bilsdale switch-on day. We'll see what happens after a retune on Thursday.
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We’re staying this week in a lodge (posh static caravan) betwixt Leyburn and Aysgarth. Someone who stayed in Coverdale last week had a result by just retuning. Alas not for me. There is a satellite dish and an internal faceplate.
If I’d have realised I could I could have brought my old Sky HD box (swapped for Sky Q last week) and a suitable connection wire for the faceplate.
I didn’t so it’s a case of trying to use the internet.
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Here in Portugal I am using Freeview with a VPN on my Firestick to reach the main services (BBC, ITV). The internet connection is adequate (I', guessing 30 meg) but suffers during the early evening.
BBC is mostly adequate to good but ITV Hub suffers from buffering quite a bit (as well as annoyingly long advert breaks). Although it's fine when it's working it's quite a long way from perfect. I am going to try setting up a hotspot on my phone over my 4G to see if it's better, if I can be bothered!:-)
I did watch the F1 over the weekend on a legit internet Sky connection and that was mostly OK. (I also went to watch some live motor racing at Portimao over the weekend - 4hr race, the final of the European le mans 2021 series but that's another story!
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I'm in the CCV at a site in Romney, on the edge of the Marsh, got an excellent full set of free view mux's from the big tower at Dover, cocky gitte that I am I tuned them in manually and selectively.
Surprisingly decent weather here for the time of year
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>> Surprisingly decent weather here for the time of year
>>
I had a bike ride round Rye Harbour Nature Reserve on Sunday. The car park was almost full.
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Help requested to get Freeview without an aerial - No FM2R
