My aerial reception is really bad, what are my options?

Frances63

The TV aerial reception in my area is pretty useless due to giant trees in the way.

I do have a Digital Set Top Box, which does help reception on some channels, but Ch4 is completely missing, and about half of their 'extra' channels are not available to me. Also, the picture, whilst it's clear most of the time, breaks up every time a motorbike goes past, and I live right on a main road.

I don't really want to get a dish put on my house for satellite tv either.

There is a Virgin fibre optic cable already fitted (previous owners used this) and I thought my only real option was to sign up to a Virgin package, (which I may still do).

However, when I called BT to find out about cancelling my landline rental with them (in order for Virgin to take over) I was told that I can have a BT package with the TV reception coming down the land-line (so no need for an aerial!). Is that right? I've never heard of that before. Or do they use Virgin's cable connection for a BT TV service.

How good would the reception be coming down the phone line?

JasX

I believe they call it BT vision, Tiscali also do somethign similar called Tiscali TV where they pipe TV on demand down a broadband net connection to your (eg BT) set top box. All are fairly technically sound so best to look around for some reviews and decide which of the three (+others?) offers a channel package / price / level of customer service hassle that is best for your circumstances

Phantom_Flan_Flinger

Info about BT vision here.

Tiscali TV here.

devon_guy

You will get "on demand" content downloaded via your broadband connection with BT Vision, however if you want to watch BBC, ITV etc they just use freeview through your aerial so that won't solve the problem.

Your only option is either Virgin or Sky. Having had both I would recommend Virgin.

markdavey

Frances63 wrote: »

I was told that I can have a BT package with the TV reception coming down the land-line (so no need for an aerial!). Is that right? I've never heard of that before. Or do they use Virgin's cable connection for a BT TV service.

How good would the reception be coming down the phone line?

I'm afraid that is not completely correct. BT Vision relies on Freeview reception for the terrestrial channels and streams movies and tv on demand over the broadband line. You will very much still need an aerial for BT Vision (and this is something that BT do not make completely clear when pitching BT Vision as an alternative to Sky/Virgin).

Basically the BT vision box is a Freeview PVR with TV on demand capability via your BT Broadband line.

If your Freeview reception is currently poor, BT Vision will not help this.

Frances63

markdavey wrote: »

I'm afraid that is not completely correct. BT Vision relies on Freeview reception for the terrestrial channels and streams movies and tv on demand over the broadband line. You will very much still need an aerial for BT Vision (and this is something that BT do not make completely clear when pitching BT Vision as an alternative to Sky/Virgin).

Basically the BT vision box is a Freeview PVR with TV on demand capability via your BT Broadband line.

If your Freeview reception is currently poor, BT Vision will not help this.

You're right BT do not make this clear at all. In fact I was categorically told I would not need an aerial at all! The whole point was that I was changing to Virgin for the cable connection as my aerial reception is rubbish & BT then tried to put me off cancelling by telling me the 'telephone' reception would solve it.

Thanks so much to you all, I could easily have been duped! I love this site, you just saved me the heartache of finding that out too late.

How can they get away with blatently lying?

In truth I only really want the terrestrial channels, I'm not interested in having 40+ channels that I would never have time to watch. Just want to be able to actually see my 5 channels properly....so BT would have been a total waste of money.