Improving TV aerial reception

LeafGreen

I realise our current configuration is probably not optimal, but I'm unsure of how best to proceed in order to improve things.

So we have 2 recorder boxes + the TV… the aerial cable from the wall goes to recorder box 1, another cable goes from there to recorder box 2, and finally yet another cable from there into the TV.

Generally, both recorder boxes work fine, although occasionally recorder box 1 won't show some programs in it's program listings and recorder box 2 will occasionally fail to record a program. But the main issue is the TV itself has started to not tune into anything when we run a scan (although it used to work, and I'm not aware of anything significant that has changed). As a work around, when watching live TV, we do it through one of the recorder boxes.

So I'm wondering if this situation could be improved somehow. Might an aerial booster help?

On the wall, there actually appear to be 2 aerial sockets… might these be equivalent, therefore enabling a cable to go from the spare directly to the TV? (I guess I can get in amongst all the cables and see if the existing cable from recorder box 2 to the TV can be used for this purpose - I'm not sure whether it has the correct male/female connector or if a new cable will be needed).

I will try to attach a photo of the wall connectors for reference. Honestly I have no idea what the 2 extra ports on the right are for - apparently the house had some kind of setup for Sky TV (which we've never had) so maybe something to do with that. There are additional aerial sockets in 2 of the upstairs bedrooms.

If there is anything I might not have thought of I'd love to hear your ideas.

Cheers everyone!

EssexExile

The two on the right are indeed for satellite TV. With the other two, normally one would be TV and the other FM radio. I'd just plug into the empty one and see what happens, you can't hurt anything.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6673987/improving-tv-aerial-reception

The pair on the right, as above, are for satellite (or possibly cable). Does your TV have built in FreeSat? If so it will have a port that looks identical to the wall ones with a screw thread. FreeSat and FreeView are very similar but not identical. FreeSat does have more channels but there are some FreeView ones that arent on FreeSat.

Im more shocked at the idea there could be two programmes on at the same time that someone wants to watch that arent going to be on iPlayer etc. Cant remember the last time I wanted to record anything let alone two things at the same time.

Are the PVRs also connected to the TV by HDMI or are you playing back recordings over the arial too?

Having a direct connection is probably going to be better than daisy chaining them, if the second arial port works you could try a cheap splitter and see if that helps else you could buy a powered splitter that will also gain the signal

dnpark38

Freesat gives a better picture than Freeveiw so use Satelite if you can.

PS

Freely is better picture than both. Freely uses broadband.

debitcardmayhem

Have you got a splitter/booster/distribution box on the aerial or in loft? I had problems with my cable from the wall plate and loft which was hard to diagnose.

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82048648#Comment_82048648

Can we assume that there is a dish on the roof?

LeafGreen

Thanks everyone!

We don't have a satellite dish so assume that would be a relatively pricey option, but something to consider if all else fails.

I will try the "other" aerial connection and report back in a few days. Yes, both boxes are connected to TV via HDMI cables.

Not sure what, if anything, is in the loft (apart from the aerial itself). I will take a look when things have cooled down a bit.

I had not heard of Freely before - looks very good but seems you need a special TV?

Between my wife and I, we do record quite a lot, 3 at the same time is not unheard of, and for the non BBC stuff it's handy to be able to skip the ads we're not interested in.

So I will

1. try aerial in other wall socket straight to TV and see if that does anything
2. have a look in loft for anything that looks interesting
3. try an aerial booster
4. consider other options if none of the above help.

dnpark38

Some budget TVs have Freely built in but higher price makes do not so a box such as the Manhattan Aero can be bought.

SiliconChip

I'd get an aerial booster. My cable is split in a box on the roof close to the aerial, the setup was damaged in a winter storm and when the fitter came out and repaired the damage neither of my TVs were able to receive anywhere near a full signal. He was mystified as there was no booster in place so he didn't know how it had worked before, but once he fitted a booster the signal was fine for both TVs. Mine is a Wolsey, but I expect other brands are available.

Rodders53

PLEASE Don't bother with a booster (aerial amplifier). Each PVR has a booster built in (to allow splitting the signal to its internar tuners and passing one on to the RF out port. So the signal to the TV has been amplified twice already.

Check that both PVRs are not set in any ECO mode or "power saving in standby" that switches off that aerial pass-through signal. {Ensure both are ON when next trying to tune the TV, and if then setting one or other to standby causes the TV problems it suggests that that PVR is stopping passing the UHF signal on…}

DO bother with fettling the aerial cables and connectors. Dodgy connections are the cause of many reception problems. Cheap moulded plug aerial leads may be worth replacing with quality all copper cable hand made jobs… https://www.aerialsandtv.com/knowledge/cable-connectors-and-leads#tv-coax-fly-leads is worth reading and Justin sells good quality leads made to order.

Do try the aerial direct into the TV rather than through the PVRs as a test… when no recordings are due, of course!! If the TV tunes all in OK then _DO NOT RETUNE AGAIN_ but restore normal connections and see if the channels are OK or distorted or whatever…

Ideally take signal level / quality measurements on all 6 multiplex frequencies on the TVs meter when direct to aerial and repeat when through both PVRs… It's possible the amps are overloading the TV's tuner like that. (Unlikely but possible). My money is on a dodgy/poor connection.

Neil49

Just be aware that you can't record Freely transmissions.

You can buy a separate Freely box and there are some pvrs that have both Freeview and Freely built in but even then you can only record Freeview transmissions.