Future-proof house: SKY, Freview, TV aerial?

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markwolk

101 posts

Master Geek

#60296 23-Apr-2010 16:44

We are doing some extensions to our house (in Christchurch) and I would like to seize this opportunity to fit a TV in each room.

But what connection is the most future-proof?

I can have Sky installed in each room, but that forces me to pay $25 per month / per room. Free installation is tempting, though; and the $25 monthly is not a commitment - if the room is empty, I can opt out month after month.

I have no experience with Freeview. Is that the way to go? But high installation costs?

I imagine it is pointless to connect the TVs to the good old aerial, which is still sitting on our roof?

Any other ideas / suggestions?

Dunnersfella

4064 posts

Uber Geek

#322175 23-Apr-2010 17:59

I think a satellite dish would be the way to go.
Based on the simple premise that you can use it in conjunction with a STB to get both Sky (std and HD) and SD Freeview.
While a UHF aerial can get HD Freeview - unfortunately you can't use it to get Sky.
And with the potential for subsidised installation... the Sat dish option looks spot on in my books.

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sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#322186 23-Apr-2010 18:30

My suggestion is to read the newly updated TCF guidelines for household structured cabling

http://www.tcf.org.nz/content/dc07abcd-21f8-4288-b55b-6f861bdd4d02.html

boby55

1539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#322188 23-Apr-2010 18:43

Well you have sky wired in each room so you would only need a Freeview Sat STB to get SD freeview.

IMO if you can get Freeview HD reception, Wireup a UHF aerial as More and more tv's are comming out with built in Freeview HD so that would be truely "Future proofing"

But really it comes down to weither you are willing to spend the $$$ on a UHF aerial and cabling.

The benifit about that is, you can still run standard analog tv off the uhf aerial until it is switched off, then you can buy freeview HD STB by that time they should have come down even more.