No TV signal in basement flat

Kurtis_Blue

birkee wrote: »

No, they can't run extra cables from one aerial!
The signal from one aerial will not be strong enough if shared with several TV's, AND, if one TV gets an electrical fault that gets to the 'signal in' socket, (not likely, but has to be accounted for.) it could destroy everyone elses TV via the aerial lead.

To run multiple TV's, there is one lead from an aerial to an aerial amplifier, with feeds out for multiple televisions. (you need 7 o/p's. expensive device)
.

Depending on area one aerial could well feed multiple flats as is, but to boost it you would just use a masthead amplifier and ground feeds to earth, 8 way masthead amp can be had for <£40 with PSU.

The reason it probably wouldn't happen is any installer would want to up sell to another install if he could.

birkee

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

Depending on area one aerial could well feed multiple flats as is, but to boost it you would just use a masthead amplifier and ground feeds to earth, 8 way masthead amp can be had for <£40 with PSU.

The reason it probably wouldn't happen is any installer would want to up sell to another install if he could.

Agreed! One aerial would serve multiple flats, but not one aerial signal would. You DO NOT join TV's together which are in different residences. The amplifier is needed for isolation.

Kurtis_Blue

birkee wrote: »

Agreed! One aerial would serve multiple flats, but not one aerial signal would. You DO NOT join TV's together which are in different residences.

Yes one aerial signal can normally feed more than one TV unassisted, obviously the amount of TVs it can feed before amplification depends on the original signal, the same feeds can feed different flats you should just isolate by earthing each feed as stated.

Edit: The amp is not required for isolation, this can be done without any amp.

societys_child

It's turned into a discussion about how many TVs can run from one aerial. I run 3 from 1 very old piece of metal strapped to my chimney using only a couple of splitters .. and they all get freeview fine!

@clair If you're thinking about freesat, it's relatively simple to know where south is - roughly where the sun is at midday (or look where other satellite dishes in the area are pointing)

To answer your original question, it would seem that an aerial on the roof and coax all the way down to your flat is about the only way.

Owain_Moneysaver

Sky do an offer where they would cable a block of flats for satellite if a certain number of flats subscribed to a package.

See here here here

The other flats could use Freesat or Freesat-from-Sky.

macman

Put your postcode into Google Maps, it will show you exactly where south is in a few seconds.

davemurgatroyd

There is one further consideration here in that you would need the permission of the owner(s) of any flats that either a dish is mounted on or that cable is clipped to/passes over on its way to your flat.

techno12

Or you could use an indoor minidish if you're lucky enough to have a south-ish facing window. I used one for many years with no problems at all in 2 different flats, though obviously you can't close the curtains etc but as mine was in the kitchen that never bothered me.

I'd be using it in my current flat but there's a big tree in our garden blocking the satellite. I too am in a Victorian basement flat and get no signal with indoor aerial/booster, but thankfully we have a (slightly dodgy but it works) communal aerial.

Alternatively, just download everything and buy a device such as a Popcorn Hour that sits under the TV and is connected to the net and has a hard drive. I now never watch TV live unless it's the news as it's far better to download (as a lot of stuff is in HD, has no ads and takes just a few minutes to grab) and watch on the Popcorn.

telboyo

An alternative to popcorn is to set up a boxee system on your pc and feed that to your TV. You set it up to d/l automaticallyany programmes or use it to watch bbc iplayer 4od itv and Channel5 . It is a very good system and totally free.