Ideas for extending TV aeriel, wirelessly if possible?!

frivolous_fay

We had a digital aerial installed a while ago, and they gave us a bit of slack on the cable so we could 'move the TV' if we wanted to. That's all very well, but the amount of slack would only allow us to move it a metre or two :rolleyes: Anyway, we'd like to move the TV to the opposite side of the room (more than a couple of metres away, natch)

The difficulties are:

- The digital signal can be a bit ropey at times, which we ascribe to a slightly wobbly fixing on the roof (bad weather or high winds and we get corruption) and also to a slightly dubious connection on the aerial cable where it plugs into the TV.

- We don't really want to further reduce the quality of the signal by extending the lead, or bringing an extra connection into the equation by adding an extension lead. If we did, the route the cable would need to follow is stupendously visible and complicated.

- We don't really want to have to cut a channel in the floor, or take the ceiling down, to make a cable invisible!

- The cable is currently entering the house through the wall on the end of the terrace. The position we want the connection is beneath the stairs, on the wall adjoining the neighbour's

Sorry to waffle. Bearing in mind all the above...

- Is there a wireless option that could suit us better? We haven't been able to find a gadget that does the job and has good quality reviews
- Should we give up on Freeview, and go with some other paid for service which might give a more consistent signal?
- Can anyone think further outside the box than we can, and suggest another genius option that we haven't thought of?

Many thanks in advance....

weegie.geek

Your options (unless you want 5 channels) are satellite, freeview and cable.


Out of those, cable will/should give the most stable signal. Satellite's probably no-no as it'll require another cable run, and if you were happy with another cable run you could just fit a longer cable for the freeview.

If you're fine with the limited selection of channels freeview has sort the wobbly aerial. Maybe get shot altogether and get a good aerial up there.

Fix the slightly dubious connection where it connects to the TV.

The moving the tv issue is less easy, but perhaps with a better aerial/more secure aerial your signal will be sufficiently better that you can add an extension of a few metres and it won't degrade noticeably?

If you can, try a signal booster as close to the aerial as possible.

Aerial > short cable > signal booster > long cable > tv.

superscaper

loaner wrote: »

Wireless video senders are available, but not a particularly good solution.

I always got interference when I tried some (no matter the channel). I suspect the explosion in WiFi networks and every man and his dog's gadgets using 2.4 GHz probably doesn't help.

espresso

frivolous_fay wrote: »

We had a digital aerial installed a while ago.............

The digital signal can be a bit ropey at times, which we ascribe to a slightly wobbly fixing on the roof...............

Well get the cowboys back to install the aerial correctly then!

:rolleyes:

fwor

Fixing a wobbly aerial can be very easy if it's just that the fitter used the thinnest available pole. Mine used to whip around all over the place in high winds, but going up to the next larger diameter pole fixed that and none of the fittings needed changing.

Also bear in mind that freeview signal strength will be going up at switchover - though you may need to wait a few years for that depending on where you are.

If money were no object, you could solve your issues completely with a MythTV setup, but that would cost several hundred pounds to do and you'd have 2 more boxes to hide... And I'm not sure if it would work well over a wireless network - I've only ever used it over a wired LAN.

frivolous_fay

espresso wrote: »

Well get the cowboys back to install the aerial correctly then!

:rolleyes:

I agree, but it bother my O/H more than it does me, so he's in charge of ringing 'em And he's the type of man you need to do things for or they don't get done

I think the problem is (excuse my lack of aerial jargon know-how) is that where the wire runs into the base of the post - with the post fixed to the roof - to gain extra height, the post has been positioned higher, and has less support against the roof. So it rocks backwards and forwards in the wind.

Hiding boxes wouldn't be hard (under the stairs) - it's just 6+ metres of cable that'd be awkward If we didn't have a TV that we're quite fond of and is less than a year old, a projector would do the job

Inactive

No such thing as a " digital " aerial..;)

I would get the " Roy Rogers " installers back to fix their naff job, or find a way of stopping it from moving.

frivolous_fay

Hm, well the old one wouldn't work with Freeview and was falling off the roof, so we got the new one.

I do know it's not high gain, they said it wasn't necessary.

wacko911

It might be a bit overkill but a digital video sender and a freeview box would allow you to wireless'ly transmit the freeview siganl across the room to the TV. (£30-£40)

something like this http://www.letsautomate.com/10773.cfm shop around and you can get them cheap

superscaper

wacko911 wrote: »

It might be a bit overkill but a digital video sender and a freeview box would allow you to wireless'ly transmit the freeview siganl across the room to the TV. (£30-£40)

something like this http://www.letsautomate.com/10773.cfm shop around and you can get them cheap

That is the exact same product I had worst problems with susceptibility to interference with as I mentioned above. I got no customer support either.

Fifer

I've tried a wireless video sender. Not a good idea in a house with a wireless network or DECT phone (or with neighbours who have either or both).

The aerial installers sound like cowboys. Their excuse is just that - an excuse. If the installation is unsatisfactory (as it obviously is) then they need to fit a more robust pole. If that causes cable routing problems, then it's their job to re-route the cable too. Wind and high locations isn't unusual in their profession. It's their job to provide a solution that works. Buying other equipment to overcome their bad job is not moneysaving.