Wonky aerial, crummy digi signal?

frivolous_fay

Hello,

Hopefully just a quick one!

We've just moved, and bought a digital TV for the first time. The signal's not too bad (one or two channels have flaky moments) but more annoyingly, we're missing a few channels we'd like. (Such as film4) We've scanned for channels quite a few times.

We have a strong feeling the problem is something to do with the TV aeriel, which is skewy, and pointing directly at the roof. So, we figure we need a Man with a Ladder to go up there and twiddle with it.

The question is... might there be an advantage to replacing the aerial while he's there? I'm not sure what kind we have at the moment, but I understand they're not very expensive.

The other point... we still have a sky dish stuck on the side of the house, with the cable lying around inside looking untidy. Is there any way we could use this without forking over money to Murdoch & Co?

Any suggestions appreciated

craig777

The channels you're missing is probably due to weak signal/being too far from the nearest digital transmitter to receive them. Might just be a case of re-positioning the aerial and maybe install a taller mast to get it higher up in the air. Failing that, it'll be a new high gain digital aerial and if I was getting a new aerial fitted, I'd get the cabling re-done too while your at it.

As for the sky dish. You'll need to get your hands on a sky digi box which are cheap as chips on ebay. Then you'll need a free-sat card from sky which will cost £20. You'll then get a similar amount of channels as you would with freeview, but not exactly the same, so check before making a decision.

CELTIC_YOB

If you buy a sky box you will lose some free view channels, E4,MORE4,HISTORY CHANNEL,DAVE.
However you will gain other programs 6 film channels, and a lot more, hard to say if you will watch them.
If you pay £20 for the sky card it will enable you to receive channel4 channel and sky, the rest you will receive without the card.
I have both, and where I live I find sky more reliable.

Ralph.