New aerial for digital?

Hi All,
I have seen adverts from aerial installers that say a new aerial will be
required to get full digital coverage
My present aerial has 7 horizontal elements with 2 elliptical at the
masthead, something like below, reception is fine on analogue.
It is mounted on the chimney and I reckon was installed in the 80's, It
is pointed at the Sandy Heath transmitter, my postcode is LU5.
Do you think I should replace it to receive a good digital signal?

Bazza


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On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:44:44 GMT, Bazza wrote:

I have seen adverts from aerial installers that say a new aerial will be
required to get full digital coverage
My present aerial has 7 horizontal elements with 2 elliptical at the
masthead, something like below, reception is fine on analogue.
It is mounted on the chimney and I reckon was installed in the 80's, It
is pointed at the Sandy Heath transmitter, my postcode is LU5.
Do you think I should replace it to receive a good digital signal?

I think you should check your postcode online for reception, and if it
should get it, buy a STB to see what reception you get before worrying
about upgrading an aerial.
--
Andrew, contact via http://interpleb.googlepages.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question.

Andrew wrote:
On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:44:44 GMT, Bazza wrote:

I have seen adverts from aerial installers that say a new aerial will be
required to get full digital coverage
My present aerial has 7 horizontal elements with 2 elliptical at the
masthead, something like below, reception is fine on analogue.
It is mounted on the chimney and I reckon was installed in the 80's, It
is pointed at the Sandy Heath transmitter, my postcode is LU5.
Do you think I should replace it to receive a good digital signal?

I think you should check your postcode online for reception, and if it
should get it, buy a STB to see what reception you get before worrying
about upgrading an aerial.

Postcode search on "Freeview.co.uk" says
"Great news, you should be able to get the whole family of Freeview™
channels*"
Looks good but do I need to upgrade my aerial?
Wasn't looking to buy an STB, but need to replace one of my TV's, so
looking at digital.

Bazza

On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:30:29 GMT, Bazza wrote:

Postcode search on "Freeview.co.uk" says
"Great news, you should be able to get the whole family of Freeview™
channels*"
Looks good but do I need to upgrade my aerial?

Impossible to tell until you try it.

Wasn't looking to buy an STB, but need to replace one of my TV's, so
looking at digital.

Can you borrow a STB from a friend?
--
Andrew, contact via http://interpleb.googlepages.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question.

Andrew wrote:
On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:30:29 GMT, Bazza wrote:

Postcode search on "Freeview.co.uk" says
"Great news, you should be able to get the whole family of Freeview™
channels*"
Looks good but do I need to upgrade my aerial?

Impossible to tell until you try it.

Wasn't looking to buy an STB, but need to replace one of my TV's, so
looking at digital.

Can you borrow a STB from a friend?

Sad git that I am I don't have any friends with an STB, they are all on
cable.
Just had delivered a freeview PVR, will connect it up and see what happens!

On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:50:31 GMT, Bazza wrote:

Andrew wrote:
On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:30:29 GMT, Bazza wrote:

Postcode search on "Freeview.co.uk" says
"Great news, you should be able to get the whole family of Freeview™
channels*"
Looks good but do I need to upgrade my aerial?

Impossible to tell until you try it.

Wasn't looking to buy an STB, but need to replace one of my TV's, so
looking at digital.

Can you borrow a STB from a friend?

Sad git that I am I don't have any friends with an STB, they are all on
cable.
Just had delivered a freeview PVR, will connect it up and see what happens!

If the aerial was put up in the 80's, chances are it is a group A
type. Digital from Sandy Heath needs a wideband aerial. You won't
get the full range of Freeview channels with a group A aerial.

Marky P.

Marky P wrote:
On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:50:31 GMT, Bazza wrote:

Andrew wrote:
On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:30:29 GMT, Bazza wrote:

Postcode search on "Freeview.co.uk" says
"Great news, you should be able to get the whole family of Freeview™
channels*"
Looks good but do I need to upgrade my aerial?
Impossible to tell until you try it.

Wasn't looking to buy an STB, but need to replace one of my TV's, so
looking at digital.
Can you borrow a STB from a friend?
Sad git that I am I don't have any friends with an STB, they are all on
cable.
Just had delivered a freeview PVR, will connect it up and see what happens!

If the aerial was put up in the 80's, chances are it is a group A
type. Digital from Sandy Heath needs a wideband aerial. You won't
get the full range of Freeview channels with a group A aerial.

Marky P.


Thanks for the info, What cost should I expect to have a new aerial fitted?

Mike Henry wrote:
In , Bazza
wrote:
Andrew wrote:
On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:44:44 GMT, Bazza
wrote:

I have seen adverts from aerial installers that say a new aerial
will be required to get full digital coverage
My present aerial has 7 horizontal elements with 2 elliptical at
the masthead, something like below, reception is fine on analogue.
It is mounted on the chimney and I reckon was installed in the
80's, It is pointed at the Sandy Heath transmitter, my postcode is
LU5.
Do you think I should replace it to receive a good digital signal?

I think you should check your postcode online for reception, and if
it should get it, buy a STB to see what reception you get before
worrying about upgrading an aerial.

Postcode search on "Freeview.co.uk" says
"Great news, you should be able to get the whole family of FreeviewT
channels*"
Looks good but do I need to upgrade my aerial?

Yes, it sounds promising but as Andrew heavily implied, that question
cannot be answered until you have tested your digital reception with
your existing aerial! Nothing short of testing it will provide the
answer.

Wasn't looking to buy an STB, but need to replace one of my TV's, so
looking at digital.

In that case just ask to borrow a Freeview box from a friend or
neighbour for an hour or so and play around with it, checking the
signal strength/quality menus if there are any. Argos specifically
exclude Freeview boxes from their 14 day money back offer, so you
can't use them.

At £20 each who cares if they take it back or not?

(kim)

"Mike Henry" wrote...
[...]
Argos specifically exclude Freeview boxes from their 14 day money
back offer, so you can't use them.

You can always order from an online source and send it back under
Distance Selling Regs.

Matti

In article , Marky P
scribeth thus
On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:50:31 GMT, Bazza wrote:

Andrew wrote:
On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:30:29 GMT, Bazza wrote:

Postcode search on "Freeview.co.uk" says
"Great news, you should be able to get the whole family of Freeviewâ„¢
channels*"
Looks good but do I need to upgrade my aerial?

Impossible to tell until you try it.

Wasn't looking to buy an STB, but need to replace one of my TV's, so
looking at digital.

Can you borrow a STB from a friend?

Sad git that I am I don't have any friends with an STB, they are all on
cable.
Just had delivered a freeview PVR, will connect it up and see what happens!

If the aerial was put up in the 80's, chances are it is a group A
type. Digital from Sandy Heath needs a wideband aerial. You won't
get the full range of Freeview channels with a group A aerial.

Marky P.


Quite.. Where are you in the Sandy service area?...
--
Tony Sayer