How to get freeview on an analogue tv

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › How to get freeview on an analogue tv

johnrambo

12 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#105450 4-Jul-2012 18:14

I have an old analogue tv and am wanting to try and connect it up with freeview.

Can I get any satellite receiver and connect it to the analogue tv via AV cables and that's all?

Any tips on things to look for in satellite receivers? I've been looking at budget ones on trademe like this: DVB-S86

gregmcc

2173 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 836

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#650814 4-Jul-2012 18:19

johnrambo: I have an old analogue tv and am wanting to try and connect it up with freeview.

Can I get any satellite receiver and connect it to the analogue tv via AV cables and that's all?

Any tips on things to look for in satellite receivers? I've been looking at budget ones on trademe like this: DVB-S86

Do you already have a satellite dish on your roof? if not you'll need one.

Mybe you already have a UHF aerial on your roof, you could get a DVB-T receiver, with the added advantage of some channels/programs in Hi-def. If you go down the DVB-T path, get a tivo, it has dual tuners, you can record 2 channels at once.

bfginger

1330 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 191

#650816 4-Jul-2012 18:24

DVB-T means terrestrial broadcasts received by UHF aerial. They need a terrestrial receiver.

Most satellite receivers on Trademe are poor quality.

What model television do you have?

Jaxson

8172 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1332

Trusted

#650817 4-Jul-2012 18:24

Don't buy via trademe, head along to your warehouse etc and buy a receiver there would be my recommendation. The official ones scan for channels very easily etc and have a nice basic guide that displays well on older TV's. They're fairly cheap.

As above, freeview comes in two flavours. Satellite to all of NZ and terrestrial/land based/freeview HD which is beamed from towers to certain parts of NZ. The terrestrial service is better, though if you're after a basic unit to an older analogue TV then either will do really.

Satellite requires a satellite dish. freeview and SKY use the same satellite, so any old SKY dish can be reused. Terrestrial requires a working UHF aerial...

johnrambo

12 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#650840 4-Jul-2012 19:00

Thanks for the replies thus far.

TV is a Panasonic TX-32F250A

I don't currently have a satellite dish on the roof but am looking at getting a small satellite dish that I can attach to the side of the house.I could do the same with a UHF aerial I guess.

I'm wanting to do all the installation myself. I have this concept that it's quite hard to install an aerial on the roof. I'm sure getting the right angle and reception is easy enough, just the secure mounting and how to connect a cable through the roof is a bit of a puzzle.

re quality of trademe satellite receivers being poor, what is poor about them? I don't mind tinkering a bit more to get things working but if they are genuinely bad I'd like to know why.

kiwiharry

1064 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 476

ID Verified

Subscriber

#650862 4-Jul-2012 20:02

Before you decide on the DVB-T (UHF) option, you'll need to check that you are in a DVB-T transmission area.

The Freeview website has a address checker. http://www.freeviewnz.tv/coverage.aspx

If you can't laugh at yourself then you probably shouldn't laugh at others.

johnrambo

12 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#650889 4-Jul-2012 20:39

Have checked using the address/coverage checker tool. I can get freeview via either satellite or UHF

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

trig42

5889 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2094

ID Verified

#650893 4-Jul-2012 20:43

Satellite will be harder to set up yourself than UHF - you would need a satellite finder and the dish has to be secured just as firmly as an aerial (if not more so - if a dish moves, reception gone)

Jaxson

8172 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1332

Trusted

#650899 4-Jul-2012 20:47

Yeah, if you are in a terrestrial reception area you should aim for this method of freeview reception.

Where in NZ are you.

Do you have any TV aerial on your roof currently? I mean how are you getting analogue reception currently?

johnrambo

12 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#650900 4-Jul-2012 20:50

There's no tv antenna attached to the roof currently. Just have an analogue tv for use with dvds and videos. I'm in Wellington near the airport.

bfginger

1330 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 191

#651434 5-Jul-2012 17:02

That is a good TV so you'd want Freeview UHF connected to it through component cables, also known as YPbPr. A composite AV connection would look terrible. You can also add a satellite receiver if you want satellite only stations.

The 32F250A model should be able to display an enhanced definition progressive mode when given a 576p signal over component. In the Picture menu there'll be a Scan mode setting where you can select either 100Hz, Progressive or Auto. Hooking up to a Freeview or MyFreeview UHF receiver that can output 576p over component may be worthwhile exploring.