Setting up my TV

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Setting up my TV

danww

13 posts

Geek

#43102 16-Oct-2009 23:11

Hi there, people.

I've recently bought a TV with integrated Freeview, but can only tune in the analogue channels.

On my roof is a mast with both a VHF and a UHF antenna, each going into a box on the masthead, with a single cable out.
Also on my roof is a dish, which I only discovered today - we've just moved back into our house - the last tenants must have installed it.

I've taken a look up in the ceiling, which doesn't have much room, and it appears that the UHF/VHF cable is combined with the dish cable, and then they split off to the three antenna jacks around the house.

The wall sockets are plain old RF type.

I've never used a dish before, and so suspect I may need some sort of receiver unit to use it for Freeview satellite. Is this correct?

Also, how would I go about troubleshooting my setup to at least get Freeview|HD with my UHF antenna?

Cheers in advance,

Dan.

1 | 2

6732 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#264494 17-Oct-2009 10:05

Sorry if this sounds a bit Noddy, Dan....
I assume you are in an area that receives terrestrial digital TV?
Do the analogue stations you can tune include Prime?

Yes you will need a STB to be able to use the satellite dish. To my knowledge none of the mainstream TVs do satellite decoding.

And what model TV (in case there's something tricky for setting up your particular model)?

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

danww

13 posts

Geek

#264512 17-Oct-2009 11:26

According to the Freeview coverage checker says 'Very likely', but we can't get Prime analogue.

TV is a Samsung Series 6 32" LED LCD (UA32B6000VM)

andrewcnz

961 posts

Ultimate Geek

#264519 17-Oct-2009 12:09

If you can't get prime on analogue then you won't get freeview HD. You will need to get your aerial looked at.

Dingbatt

6732 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#264557 17-Oct-2009 14:08

As above.
It appears that your TV is not receiving a UHF signal from the aerial system which is essential to get digital terrestrial.
So I guess the problem could be anywhere between the UHF aerial through the two 'combining' boxes to the box that splits the signal again at the other end.
Maybe try bypassing some of the combining boxes (diplexors?) to give the signal a more direct path.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

turb

881 posts

Ultimate Geek

#264589 17-Oct-2009 15:20

Is the aerial lead is plugged straight into your TV, not going through a video recorder?

Interests: HTPC, Web App authoring.

danww

13 posts

Geek

#264592 17-Oct-2009 15:23

So I got up on the roof and clean and reterminated the connections on the UHF balun and the diplexor, but no change, alas.
I was only able to borrow a ladder for a few hours and don't have a decent length of spare cable, so haven't been able to test bypassing the diplexor.

I also borrowed a satellite receiver for a few hours to see if the dish signal was being fed through to the antenna jack, but no joy there either.

I'm almost at the point where I can't be bothered, and am tempted to just pay someone to sort it all out for me.

danww

13 posts

Geek

#264593 17-Oct-2009 15:24

Yes, turb, the aerial is going straight into the TV - I don't have a VCR at the moment.

Oh, and thanks andrewcnz, Dangbatt and turb for all your help!

Spyware

3718 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#264594 17-Oct-2009 15:27

Unlikely that sat dish is diplexed to antenna cable. If it is then you need a diplexor at the other end to seperate the two signals. Sat is typically run to F type terminations not belling lee.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

danww

13 posts

Geek

#264599 17-Oct-2009 16:06

Spyware: Unlikely that sat dish is diplexed to antenna cable. If it is then you need a diplexor at the other end to seperate the two signals. Sat is typically run to F type terminations not belling lee.

I may have to actually climb up into the ceiling and take a good look at what's happening up there, rather than just putting my head up the manhole and pointing a torch at it.

turb

881 posts

Ultimate Geek

#264638 17-Oct-2009 18:25

lol don't put your foot through the ceiling or you'll have more to worry about than freeview!

Interests: HTPC, Web App authoring.

andrewcnz

961 posts

Ultimate Geek

#264777 18-Oct-2009 11:19

On the roof you definitely have a diplexer not a masthead amp?

danww

13 posts

Geek

#264819 18-Oct-2009 14:01

How would I distinguish between a diplexor and an amplifier?

andrewcnz

961 posts

Ultimate Geek

#264857 18-Oct-2009 16:49

Diplexer is quite simple inside... http://www.hillssignalmaster.co.nz/pages/DIPLEXERS.html

Amp will have lots of electronics in it... http://www.hillssignalmaster.co.nz/pages/MASTHEAD.html

andrewcnz

961 posts

Ultimate Geek

#264861 18-Oct-2009 16:54

What I have seen happen is a masthead amp is installed then the people move and take the power supply with them. Most common result is vhf is good (as in most cases it's passed through) but nothing in the uhf band(as they were boosting this band with the amp).

danww

13 posts

Geek

#264932 18-Oct-2009 22:28

Andrew,

Thanks - based on those links you posted, I have determined that I have a combiner, and not an amplifier on my masthead.

Perhaps I need an amplifier, or a higher-gain UHF antenna?

1 | 2