TV reception.: Motoring Non-motoring forum

Non-motoring > TV reception.	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Ted	Replies: 25

Tue 5 Nov 24 15:18

TV reception. - Ted

Some weeks ago, the aerial for our kitchen telly blew down and since then, We've been having a lot of pixilation and missing channel problems with whatever setup I've tried. The set is on a wall bracket, if you're getting a good channel and move it an inch or so, it all starts with the pixels, etc. I wonder whether it's caused by the new co-axial cables, which seem thinner than the old " braided " type. It will also be affected by the route of the cable in the room ! I'm not allowed up the ladders now, by order of the domestic fuhrer so I've been trying indoor aerials, some USB powered. I've also diverted the cable that feeds the front bedroom telly, with extensions, to the kitchen temporarily . Both aerials were fixed to either lower ends of the gable and pointed at our local mast, Rivington Pike.

I've been trying to get an aerial fitter but all can find are roofers. I suppose specialist fitters are few now due to cable, etc.

One idea is to buy a WiFi set, the booster is 10ft away in the same room. The other, is to use the Virgin cable. Would this work via a cable ( Ethernet ? ) from the modem to the set ? If so, I'd need about 30ft of cable from where the modem is fixed although there is a Virgin box ( ex Nynex ) on the outside wall about 15 ft from the telly. I guess a Virgin engineer would be needed to do anything there. It.s almost impossible to actually get in touch with them. I've forgotten my memorable word years ago. I'm not very good with Asian voices and that's all I get when I ring. Iust end up angry, although I don't have a go at them !

Any ideas from any on here ? Please. If I was boss, I wouldn't have a telly in there !

Ted

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Tue 5 Nov 24 16:09

TV reception. - Manatee

Amazon fire stick, if the TV has HDMI input?

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Tue 5 Nov 24 22:11

TV reception. - bathtub tom

Does SWMBO let you in the loft Ted? In my last place, I screwed a broom handle to a rafter and hung an aerial from that. Perfect reception, but then I did have line-of-sight to the transmitter.

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Tue 5 Nov 24 23:31

TV reception. - Ted

I tried the loft Tubby. We have a room up there so I've been crawling round in the void. I think it may be the cable as FC says. I had this problem in the caravan, using 6ft of pre-made cable to connect set to roof aerial...world of Pixels !

Firestick sounds a good answer, how does it connect to Internet ...WiFi ?

Ted

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Tue 5 Nov 24 23:53

TV reception. - zippy

>>Firestick sounds a good answer, how does it connect to Internet ...WiFi ?
>>

Yes

It is reasonably powerful given its size and may need a USB adapter to power it.

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Tue 5 Nov 24 22:38

TV reception. - Fullchat

I found the bought coax cables - TV to wall plate to be carp. Much better were my own home made ones with a decent bit of coax.

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Wed 6 Nov 24 06:25

TV reception. - martin aston

I have a Fire stick. I use it mainly to access ITV X as my smart TV is too old to include the ITV X app. It’s often on offer and Black Friday is due.
It was easy to set up following some simple onscreen steps. It has a power adapter as the power from using just the signal connection cable might not be enough. It recognised TV and the soundbar but the remote is very basic so you end up with (yet) another remote.
Maybe it’s the way mine is set up but you can’t access all live TV from one onscreen guide. BBC channels for example need you to go through the iPlayer App and guide. This means a bit of faffing about if you are channel hopping. It’s not the end if the world, and maybe you improve with practice, but I would find it tiresome if I had no direct aerial for live terrestrial.

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Wed 6 Nov 24 09:00

TV reception. - tyrednemotional

I suspect it won't account for the issues, but it's always worth checking the transmitter information.

That for Winter Hill (Rivington Pike) currently shows engineering work, annotated as potentially causing "Pixelation or flickering on some or all channels".

Last edited by: tyrednemotional on Wed 6 Nov 24 at 09:00

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Wed 6 Nov 24 12:23

TV reception. - Bobby

The fire stick isn’t a TV that has an aerial connected that has all the channels.
The fire stick is a device that allows apps to be installed, like iPlayer and ITVx, and you then view their channels through that app.
There are all sorts of unofficial apps that you can get that do let you see all the channels etc but usually need to pay someone to get them and they usually include sports, films etc and are pretty much “illegal”

Incidentally, can’t stand ITVx, think it’s awful and just constantly interrupted by adverts. I am too used to recording things on my Virgin box and fast forwarding through the adverts.

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Wed 6 Nov 24 14:46

TV reception. - Manatee

>>Incidentally, can't stand ITVx, think it's awful and just constantly interrupted by adverts

And the ITV app on my firestick frequently just stops. Fortunately the ItvX app on the Apple box I was given actually works, and also fortunately we don't use it much because you're right about the ads!

I think you can probably watch live TV on it.

I also used to watch everything on a HDD recorder. But we lost it in the fire. That was when we started streaming instead. The drawback is the adverts, against that I don't have to remember to record things off air.

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Wed 6 Nov 24 15:33

TV reception. - Dog

I have an olde Humax Foxsat which I've used every day for 11 years. I'd be lost if it went TU as I just don't do ads.

An hour-long program often contains 15 minutes of ads - stuff that.

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Wed 6 Nov 24 16:02

TV reception. - Ted

I agree with you Perro. The ads are a pain...most of them are of no relevance to me. Worst are the Classic FM, and maybe other, radio ads in which the end finishes with some demented speed reader rattling off the so called ' legal ' bit so quickly that they make your brain hurt. Everyone knows that it's only because air time costs money ! Makes me want to stamp on the radio set !

A bonus of the Firestick, if it works, is that the telly can be moved around the room and the ugly wall mounting and all the cabling removed prior to re-decorating in a couple of weeks time. We have a 15inch Alba spare telly which doesn't need a stand and has an HDM1 port. I've ordered one off Amazon, should come tomorrow. £40, so not too bad in the context of the national debt !

PS. Just treated myself to another ' Classic Car' for a bit of fun. Have a guess.

Ted

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Wed 6 Nov 24 16:29

TV reception. - Fullchat

Jowett ? :)

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Wed 6 Nov 24 16:40

TV reception. - Dog

Trabant?

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Wed 6 Nov 24 22:19

TV reception. - bathtub tom

>>PS. Just treated myself to another ' Classic Car' for a bit of fun. Have a guess.

I thought you were considering getting rid of the Jowett and LE?

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Wed 6 Nov 24 23:59

TV reception. - Ted

Indeed Tubs, I have to sort the brakes on the Jowett...fluid all gone and I need to get the LE started, battery, plug clean and fuel should do that. Also a good clean. Been prioritising taking all the black, rotten, powdered wood out of the front of the caravan and rebuilding it prior to sale. Unfair punters now arm themselves with damp meters but its all dry now Still work to do but New Year probably better to sell.

The RAV4 will go as well, leaving us with SWM's 1200 Auto Micra and my new motor.....wait for it ! A bright red 1969 Triumph Herald 13/60 Convertible. Solid and tidy with newish hood and a reasonable re-spray. I will improve it over time but not concours...Just nice for the shows and fun....it has the obligatory boot rack as well, and I have a wicker hamper to go on it ! It's a pretty car, not too girly...I'll post a pic when it's home next week.

Ted

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Thu 7 Nov 24 08:14

TV reception. - Dog

>>A bright red 1969 Triumph Herald 13/60 Convertible

Nice, my very first jamjar was a 948cc Herald convertible, dark blue with a rather dirty white hood which I had replaced with black by The Car Hood Co. in west lunden somewhere.

Oh, and the car had twin SUs!! .. I only paid firty knicker for the car, and spent another £30 getting the chassis welded but, the injun was cream crackered so it had to go in the end, part exed for a cream Zephyr 4 with leopard skin seat covers.

:o}

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Thu 7 Nov 24 08:42

TV reception. - Zero

>>.wait for it ! A bright red 1969 Triumph Herald 13/60 Convertible.

I bet the bottoms of the doors are sticking out.

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Thu 7 Nov 24 09:17

TV reception. - Runfer D'Hills

I had a girlfriend who had a Triumph Herald convertible. Surprising how much room there was in it, if you left it in gear with the handbrake off…
;-)

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Thu 7 Nov 24 09:17

TV reception. - bathtub tom

>>A bright red 1969 Triumph Herald 13/60 Convertible

I had an early 2 litre Vitesse (with swing axles) for a little while. I'd always wanted one and what a load of trouble it was.
Welding, broke gearbox, broke diff, blew head gasket, welding, cracked exhaust manifold, drove cooling fan into rad, u/j and did I mention welding! Although it was a hoot to drive.

They've no roll over protection and will flatten down to the tops of the doors if rolled, even the hard tops, as the roof's only bolted on.

Enjoy.

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Thu 7 Nov 24 09:33

TV reception. - Zero

Undoubtedly, one of the prettiest cars to come out the UK in that era. Also undoubtedly one of the most shoddily built things ever to roll off a production line, none of the panels fitted properly from new at any time during its build run.

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Thu 7 Nov 24 16:12

TV reception. - Ted

The chassis and body are both fine, the doors don't stick out. Interior has a few bits that let it down but there's a full one on ebay at £130, so they are still around. It'll be a rolling improvement project. You can sit on a wheel to fettle the engine rather than crawl about on the cold concrete for a flat four !

I had a Wedgwood blue 1200 convertible in '66, it was 3 years old and had 1 0wner from new...a now famous North West actress. It had a white hood and tonneau and I thought I cut a real cool 20 yr old in it during that lovely Carnaby Street era My private plate, on retention, will go straight on it.

Ted

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Thu 7 Nov 24 20:07

TV reception. - zippy

Sound like it's going to be a lot of fun Ted! Triumph made many excellent looking cars and that's one of the best.

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Wed 6 Nov 24 17:35

TV reception. - Zero

>>
>> Some weeks ago, the aerial for our kitchen telly blew down and since then, We've
>> been having a lot of pixilation and missing channel problems with whatever setup I've tried.

So did the aerial that blew down get replaced?

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Wed 6 Nov 24 18:00

TV reception. - Ted

No Z. Erin won't let me up the ladders. I tried to get an aerial rigger but the trade seems to be gone now with cable. that's where Yellow Pages was so useful. All I got from my enquiries was roofers this time !

Ted

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Wed 6 Nov 24 18:20

TV reception. - Zero

>>
>> No Z. Erin won't let me up the ladders. I tried to get an aerial
>> rigger but the trade seems to be gone now with cable. that's where Yellow Pages
>> was so useful. All I got from my enquiries was roofers this time !
>>
>> Ted

Clearly then, the place where your TV is a sheisse signal spot, and without sticking a new aerial in the air, only running an aerial distribution splitter/amp from your known good antenna (if you have one) or a wifi solution (firestick, wifi, internet ready). will fix it.

mikeharrisaerialandsatellite.co.uk/manchester-tv-aerial-installation/

The intention of the UK broadcasters is to phase out terrestrial TV broadcast and deliver it all over t'tinternet, bout 10 to 15 years down t' line. Satellite Ditto.

Last edited by: Zero on Wed 6 Nov 24 at 18:22

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