Freeview through sky digibox

[thomas1516]

Hi,

We have recently replaced a few TV's at home to LCD with built in freeview. The main tv is still the old analogue type but with sky connected. I also had an old aerial connected to the sky box and then out from RF2 to a Global T140 tv link amplifier and so could watch sky and analogue channels on all other tv's. I have also changed the roof aerial to a better digital one.
The problem I have is with the new aerial connected to the sky digibox I can't get a freeview digital picture on my other tv's. Reconnect the old aerial and it will allow me to watch analogue tv ok. If I connect the LCD TV direct to the new aerial I have perfect freeview reception.

Thanks

 

[stardanny]

Hi.

I have the same setup. The aerial cable goes into RF in of Sky HD, and RF1 out goes to main tv. RF2 out goes to amp and spilt in 4 way to each tv with freeview. All work.

It may be your amplifier that not letting freeview signal. Try with the aerial plug in sky RF in, plug in from sky RF2 out in to small LCD and see if it work. Is your amplifier suitable for freeview?

Dan

 

[ericmark]

The same pre-amps will work for digital and analogue TV. However the power output from the analogue transmitters is much higher than that used for digital so until the change over, also the digital transmissions are spread all over the band so they need a wide band aerial which is over twice the size of the old colour coded ones for the same gain.
So pointers are to fit the pre-amp as close to the aerial as possible on the mast is best.
The other big problem is not getting digital and analogue on same channel numbers. The sky box uses an analogue channel if this is the same channel as used by one of the six digital channels then you will have problems.
I would note all digital and analogue channel numbers and see if any conflict with each other.
I don’t know where you aim your aerial but in North Wales mine is aimed at Winter Hill an English transmitter as no channel 5 and channel 4 is in Welsh at Moel-y-parc transmitter. Because the wide band aerial is able to receive more bands though I can pick up Central, Moel-y-parc and Winter Hill so 6 x 3 plus 5 x 2 plus 4 x 1 equals 32 channels already in use. 68 – 21 = 47 channels available minus the 32 in use leaves only 15 free channels the chances of finding these by luck is slim there do need selecting. I will guess South Wales is similar.
Eric

 

[GaryMo]

I can confirm that the Global T140 works perfectly fine with Freeview.
My main aerial goes to Sky HD box, RF2 out to T140 and four feeds to other digital tuner TV's. All work perfectly fine with freeview and Sky via the analogue tuner.

 

[ericmark]

If you go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/transmitters/tv/ and click on dot it will give analogue channels and http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=ST110742 will give digital Transmission frequencies again clicking etc. Sorry not easy I know but until switch over there will be problems and even after there will still be some. And each area will be different.
Eric

 

[thomas1516]

Thanks all, some good pointers and checks to be carried out on Sunday morning before I go for a beer. Will let you know how I get on

 

[Click-Sure]

When noting all the channels in use, also rule out any channel that is 8 above or below and 2 above and below any one channel.

There is a strange reason for this, but its been a while since I've been in the aerials trade!

I point at Sutton Coldfield, but get channel 5 off Lichfield and i've worked it out that there only about 3 good channels that I can actually make use of when tuning up RF modulators in distribution systems than are not screened from open-circuit television, even though, its no exact science!

 

[radioredcat]

I have to use Ch69 as it's not used for tv and where i am every channel has something on it


andy