Freeview on your laptop

Smickan

I have a Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Pro Pi1505 laptop. This christmas I received 2 'watch freeview on your computer' dongles.

I've only opened the one from the brother - as the other was from mum and she said not to upset him as he's very strange tantrum wise, and tried that one on four different ariels and nothing has shown up - not that I can say I'm surprised.

Is there anything I can do/buy to optimise the chance of it working, or is it something to give up on?

The one from my brother is this one


Thanks

Smickan

Yep, I checked on the site - we're okay to recieve it.

Smickan

We don't have freeview, we have sky digital, and can't take the ariel out of that cos it takes forever to get it on

Thank you very much for all your help, I'm currently trying the one mum bought and this one has a light on it so you can see either way if it's working or not, unlike the other I'm hoping this one works to avoid extra expense

Smickan

Just as a quick update...

it didn't work :rolleyes:

jamstaruk

it wont work unless you have an ariel to plug into it

GreenNotM

Are you using Media Centre XP or just Xp home/pro ?

Have you updated the dongles' drivers via the manufacturers web-sites and your laptop via MS Update ?

Smickan

GreennotM - XP Home and yes to the updating on all accounts

Jamstaruk - I've tried four different ariels on it, including an outside one that was taken from the roof when we had the chimney re stacked that's been standing in my room ever since and none of them have picked up even the slightest flicker

GreenNotM

Full reboots ?

Aerial needs to be vertical and approimately 30cm in lenght (or 60 cm) if you can cut one down. Is laptop near a window facing the transmitter ? And or can you "point" the laptop towards your transmitter within the house ?

Smickan

The ariel-from-outside is resting on the windowsill to try and pick up the signal, and I'm sat on the settee by the window.

GreenNotM

seems a freeview signal is best recieved from an aerial that is vertical as the freeview wave is vertical etc and in line of sight of the transmitter

Can you go upstairs ?

You will find where your transmitter is here http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe? and what aerial is recommended and where to "point" it

Here seems to have plenty of info... http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/reception.html

chriswuk_2

Do you get an analogue signal with your tv with the aerial plugged in ?