freeview on the Motor home (1 Viewer)

duetto owner

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We have a bi directional arerial with booster think its call "omni" it struggles with signals had mixed advice.

that its very hard to get freeview due to low aerial.

I need to upgrade the arerial, but how can I tell if it will be any better before I buy?

The weather affects the signal as well as location been told to rescan at each location.

our home tv picks up excellent freeview but the van on the drive does not.

all tips and advice welcome.
 

pappajohn

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other will dis-agree but the omni derectionals are a total waste of roof space.

cheapest is a domestic aerial on a pole.

you need a directional aerial to get digital signals....something like Link Removed

not cheap but it will get a good digi signal.....just as good as your home aerial.

yes...you need to retune at every stop and need to know if the signal is horizontal or vertical in that area....you will recieve the signal from a different transmitter as you move from place to place and they use different frequencies.
 
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hilldweller

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We have a bi directional arerial with booster think its call "omni"

The little round "flying saucer one" ?

Slightly better than a wet string. *Will* grab a perfect digital signal if there is a good signal.

Same maker has a directional one for something like £130 which should be much better.

But as pappajohn has said, a £20 standard aerial is as good as it gets. But with some inconvenience.

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sinbad1

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I agree with john, I have the aerial that John links to no problem yet getting a signal ;however parked on my drive it picks up virtually nothing.

Take your van to an open space then try it.

Cheapest option is as Johns says an aerial on a pole.

Regards
 
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duetto owner

duetto owner

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Not got the storage space for a bulky stand alone aerial, may well consider the link provided by john.

going to try a few more locations this weekend for signals.

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pappajohn

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as Brian said.....

The little round "flying saucer one" ?

Slightly better than a wet string. *Will* grab a perfect digital signal if there is a good signal.


but note the last bit....if there is a good signal. usually means nothing at all in the way of the transmitter...buildings, trees, large hills etc will reduce the signal to a point where its useless.

best solution is a satellite dish, either pole/tripod or roof mounted and a free to air reciever box..:thumb: and you'll get one probably cheaper than the status directional jobby.

hundreds of channels most of which you dont get on digi freeview and you dont need to retune every time you move:thumb:
 
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Sundowners

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we tried some small/cheap digi aerials, but we are in a weak signal area, they were u s,
we have been using a home type one but don't have the desire to carry one around. We tried a folding sat, dish and got on well with it but again don't fancy carting it around, at Peterborough we bought a small "Multimo" and think it's great. It depends if you want to go on the sat. route or stick with digi.
Nigel & Pamala
 
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derekfaeberwick

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I recommend the Status Compact. About the size of a thin paperback and gets a good digi' signal most places. :thumb:

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hilldweller

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if there is a good signal. usually means nothing at all in the way of the transmitter.

But don't forget, digital is going to get a whole lot better pretty soon now when they turn off analogue and put some decent watts into the digital signal.

Here, south of Manchester we have terrible digital service.

Yet last year I was in the wilds of Deeside, Scotland and got a fabulous digital signal. Now I ask, since our Lords and Masters are notably Scottish is there a connection here ?
 
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Why is digital Freeview such a backwardrd step, I could go just about anywhere (over here) and get good reception with a coat hanger now I have to buy all new stuff, by the way, how does this help the environment.

:Angry:

Ralph
 
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Norrie

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Seems we have a couple of choices in the UK; namely Freeview or satelite.
We're planning to spend a lot of time in Europe so what's the better system for that?
 
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scotjimland

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Seems we have a couple of choices in the UK; namely Freeview or satelite.
We're planning to spend a lot of time in Europe so what's the better system for that?

Hi Norrie

If you want to watch UK TV abroad then you will need a Satellite and digital receiver.

I gave up on terrestrial TV years ago.. Satellite TV can be received anywhere, and there is no need to spend ££££££ .. you can buy a 60cm domestic dish and receiver from Maplins for around £60 , mount the dish on a tripod or rear ladder.. or even on a fence post.. worked for me before I bought the crank up.. still use the same receiver..

Jim

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hilldweller

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Why is digital Freeview such a backwardrd step,
Ralph

I don't think it is. It allows several TV programs to transmitted in the same bandwidth as a single analogue program. It brings TV closer to computers with all the benefits that can bring. For the first time those pesky French are using the same standards as the rest of us.

It really has been a treat across EU just scanning and watching digital.

Problem here seems to be money, they have digital on minimum power until analogue is turned off.

"We" certainly are addicted to TV, every nation. As we wandered from UK to Morocco and back were amazed at how close it was between an arrival and the satellite dish erection. How sad is that, drive thousands of miles to watch the same program you could watch at home in better comfort ?

OK - GUILTY - but we took DVDs instead of a dish.
 
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hilldweller

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mount the dish on a tripod or rear ladder.. or even on a fence post.. Jim

What a sight we saw in Morocco - usual run down camping, a tent was in use by a worker and behind this there was a dish stuck in the sand. Bottom 6 inches buried but obviously aligned. Beat that !
 
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scotjimland

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What a sight we saw in Morocco - usual run down camping, a tent was in use by a worker and behind this there was a dish stuck in the sand. Bottom 6 inches buried but obviously aligned. Beat that !

Hi Brian

Yeah, I've seen some real heath Robinson set ups in Morocco .. one day we were wandering around a mud hut village and I noticed some big sat dishes on roof tops, being a bit nosey, I looked into a house with an open door... a 42" TV standing on the tiled floor with a bunch of scruffy kids gathered around it . :roflmto:. I'm afraid that broke the Moroccan spell.. :Sad: (probably watching some crappy soap )

Jim
 
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hilldweller

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a 42" TV standing on the tiled floor with a bunch of scruffy kids gathered around it . :roflmto:. Jim

It's not funny, really.

TPTB must have realised long ago that sit the population in front of a machine that de-activates the brain and you have a population quite easy to control and manipulate.

OK, it's bitten them in the bum here just now but that's just a glitch they'll get over.
 
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Norrie

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Hi Norrie

If you want to watch UK TV abroad then you will need a Satellite and digital receiver.

I gave up on terrestrial TV years ago.. Satellite TV can be received anywhere, and there is no need to spend ££££££ .. you can buy a 60cm domestic dish and receiver from Maplins for around £60 , mount the dish on a tripod or rear ladder.. or even on a fence post.. worked for me before I bought the crank up.. still use the same receiver..

Jim

Jim,
Thanks for that. I'm begining to feel a wee bit thick....but how the heck do you find the satelites and align the dish?
Whilst I don't watch much TV I do like to follow all forms of bike racing (WSB, MotoGP etc). They'll be broadcast on local channels in many countries (maybe) so will I get those too?
Cheers,
Norrie

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Norrie

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It's not funny, really.

TPTB must have realised long ago that sit the population in front of a machine that de-activates the brain and you have a population quite easy to control and manipulate.

OK, it's bitten them in the bum here just now but that's just a glitch they'll get over.

Brian,
I couldn't agree more.
Norrie
 
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scotjimland

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Jim,
Thanks for that. I'm begining to feel a wee bit thick....but how the heck do you find the satelites and align the dish?
Whilst I don't watch much TV I do like to follow all forms of bike racing (WSB, MotoGP etc). They'll be broadcast on local channels in many countries (maybe) so will I get those too?
Cheers,
Norrie

Hi

setting up is one of these things that's easier to show than describe.. basically, you align the dish using a compass, elevation is set depending on where you are, there are satellite tuning aids that assist with finding the signal.. but rather than me waffle on, have a read of this excellent site first ...
www.satelliteforcaravans.co.uk
When you are on site there is always someone only too willing to help if you are struggling.. and with a bit of practice you will be up and running in a few minutes.. I promise :winky:

Not sure about the local stations abroad, but you will get all the usual UK free view stations and a lot more.. this information will be on the Astra site..

Jim
 
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