Digital receiver / freeview

sumeet

My parents cannot afford Sky or cable, does anyone know of the cheapest option to enable them to continue viewing the terrestial main channels post the analogue switch over to digital?

Inactive

A Freeview Receiver can be bought for around the £20 mark, Argos, Asda etc.

SandC

I've just bought an Argos value range set top box for £18.99. Has all the freeview channels which includes the main 5 your folks will be used to.

I haven't set it up yet but I had an equally cheap one before and it was simple - you attach it to the TV with a scart lead then plug the aerial into the digibox rather than the TV.

There is no charge other than the initial price you pay for the box. There are plenty of other options at varying prices but the reviews on Argos website seemed fine for this one.

moonrakerz

If your parents are short of money I would suggest that the carry on using analogue TV until it is switched off.

Reason: Digital TV is being transmitted on low power until the switch over (it will interfere with the present signal on full power). If they use a set top box now they might find they need a new aerial (£100+), if they wait until digital is on full power they might find they don't !

sagalout1954

We initially bought a Freeview box from Argos for £20 and a digital aerial for £50. Hubby put the aerial up himself in the attic and we got a great picture, didn't need to shell out more by getting someone to put install it on the roof. Did an on-line search for tips to get the best direction to point the aerial.

Have since moved on to a better Humax Freeview box so we could record etc. The cheap ones are fine for second TV's but a trifle basic for main viewing IMO, but if you really want the cheap option they do perfectly well. My Mum is happy with hers on her main viewing TV anyway.

frankie

No such thing as a digital aerial.

Biggles

frankie wrote: »

No such thing as a digital aerial.

No, but for those areas where the signal is weak they may need a high gain aerial, I assume that's what Sagalout meant.

googler

frankie wrote: »

No such thing as a digital aerial.

...and your point is?

frankie

googler wrote: »

...and your point is?

The point is, don't get fobbed off by cowboys offering you a digital aerial. As Biggles said, you need a high gain aerial in certain areas. There are some unscrupulous outfits out there ripping off unwary people with dodgy aerial installations.

sagalout1954

frankie wrote: »

The point is, don't get fobbed off by cowboys offering you a digital aerial. As Biggles said, you need a high gain aerial in certain areas. There are some unscrupulous outfits out there ripping off unwary people with dodgy aerial installations.

Biggles, absolutely correct, I DID mean 'high gain' not digital (I think the digital bit might have been something to do with the cabling).

Frankie, maybe instead of a rather snappy "no such thing as a digital aerial", you might have put your subsequent comments (above) instead! I did tell the OP I bought my stuff in Argos and hubby fitted it, I didn't tell them to employ someone to do it for them.

monkeyspanner

sagalout1954 wrote: »

Biggles, absolutely correct, I DID mean 'high gain' not digital (I think the digital bit might have been something to do with the cabling).

Frankie, maybe instead of a rather snappy "no such thing as a digital aerial", you might have put your subsequent comments (above) instead! I did tell the OP I bought my stuff in Argos and hubby fitted it, I didn't tell them to employ someone to do it for them.

This is quite important as there are rogue traders conning people into changing their aerial because they "need a digital aerial" which is not the case particularly in areas which have already switched to digital only