How to get TV with no outside aerial

jterry9992

Hi There,

I am looking to get a TV for my flat. At the minute i use my laptop to watch Netflix or iPlayer. Theres not an aerial in the property and the mobile phone signal is really poor.

Was just wondering what the best route would be. I've seen Apple TV box and smart ready TV's. I don't want to get into monthly contracts and would rather buy a unit straight out. Does anyone have any advice on how to watch freeview etc?

Also i will be looking to possible get another one for my living room in the next 6-months so need to have an option that would work on both if possible.

Thanks!

Jo :):)

marleyboy

Get yourself an indoor digital areal with a built in booster, freeview should work just fine for you.

PlutoinCapricorn

A lot depends on how close to a transmitter you are.

I have a TV with Freeview HD box and the signal from the transmitter, which I can see from my window, is so good that I get everything even when my indoor aerial isn't plugged in. I am quite high up...

jterry9992

Hi There,

Thanks very much for your advice, will look into indoor digital aerials. I'm not very techie and would like to stream Netflix through it, would i need anything specific to do that?

Jo

Moneymaker

marleyboy wrote: »

Get yourself an indoor digital areal with a built in booster

There's no such thing:
http://www.paras.org.uk/02-myths.shtml

And a "booster" is only useful for amplifying a signal to combat losses in a long cable run.
http://www.google.com/search?&q=will+an+amplifier+help

So-called "indoor" aerials have inherently low gain (size matters) and are usable only in a strong signal area. In a medium signal area your best bet is something like a V10-040 Vision Focus aerial.

Any aerial indoors will work only if there's minimal obstruction so point it through a window towards the transmitter if possible. Keep it well away from sources of interference such as TV sets and fluorescent lights.

macman

If you want decent Freeview TV, then the odds are that you'll have to invest around £100 on a decent external aerial. End of.
Or go the Freesat route with a minidish and Freesat box-which will add to the cost.

preable

just get sky siiiimples

Missli

I had one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/digiTop-Amplified-Performance-Freeview-Wideband/dp/B001ACV7E0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1340747552&sr=8-2

After checking my signal coverage was recommended a more expensive one, but only after positioning the aerial in exactly the right place managed to get all freeview channels in a poor reception area.

I would recommend, as worked perfectly (once I'd found a signal). You must plug into the mains, and perhaps turn the gain to high to benefit.

whitelabel

jterry9992 wrote: »

Hi There,

Thanks very much for your advice, will look into indoor digital aerials. I'm not very techie and would like to stream Netflix through it, would i need anything specific to do that?

Jo

netflix is an internet system not over the air through an areial....

to watch netflix on your tv you either need a games console (ps3, xbox or wii (avoid wii) ) or connect your laptop via a hdmi cable to your tv

my flat has only virgin not external cable but i dont use it, i use an internal aerial which has powered gain. depending on your location to transmitter, it should be decent for most if not all channels.
I use this one and get all channels with only occasional interference if a large lorry goes past.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/One-For-All-Digital-Amplified/dp/B000QUQFO4/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1340749060&sr=1-3

dont forget youll also need a tv licence now..

alternatively depending on your internet speed and laptop )if it has hdmi) you could get a large monitor or cheap tv and not tune it in to free view
and watch netflix and bbc iplayer but not live time channels and other catch up tv, without having to buy a tv licence
depends on your tv viewing needs really

marleyboy

Moneymaker wrote: »

There's no such thing:
http://www.paras.org.uk/02-myths.shtml

And a "booster" is only useful for amplifying a signal to combat losses in a long cable run.

Funny that, the television with built in Freeview that I have works tremendously with the indoor digital areal with built in booster...



Strand Set Top TV / FM Indoor Aerial with built-in signal booster

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strand-Indoor-Aerial-built-booster/dp/B000HE1NV4


Maybe its a figment of my imagination

OP, they cost between £10-20, and work just fine for freeview, however I would recommend one with built in booster as a standard indoor areal had no chance of getting me any channels.

almillar

Point being, marleyboy, that there's not such thing as a 'digital' aerial. No matter what the product says on it, an aerial can't be 'digital'.
Maybe it's designed to be best for UK Freeview, maybe the amplifier doesn't mess the digital signal up like older ones could, but there is no such thing as a digital aerial.