TV Aerials

[Demongirlie]

I've just gotten a new dvd player which his has ruined my tv reception. I live quite near to Heathrow which disrupts the signal as well. I bought a digital freeview box and aerial to improve the signal, but no such luck. Does anyone know how I can correct this or what kind of aerial I need ???

[Buenchico]

We might need some more information here because it's not clear what type of equipment you were using before the problem arose. Were you already getting decent Freeview reception or did you only have analogue reception?

I'll assume that you already had digital TV, with an aerial feeding to a Freeview box, which in turn fed a signal into the back of your TV. My second assumption is that you were getting good reception with that set-up. Lastly, I'll assume that your reference to a 'DVD player' means exactly that, and not a DVD recorder.

If all of that is true, and introducing the DVD player into the 'chain' has ruined your reception, the solution is obvious: Take the DVD player out of the chain.

No, I'm not suggesting that you throw it away! Instead, go back to your old line-up (Aerial>Freeview box>TV) but insert a Scart switch box between the Freeview box and the TV. (So the line-up is now Aerial>Freeview box>Switch box>TV). Then plug the DVD player into the other side of the switch box.

Maplin Electronics sell several suitable switch boxes, e.g.:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=9 7936
but you might find something suitable cheaper in Asda (or possibly Tesco Extra).

If I've got it wrong, and your line-up is different from that which I've assumed, please post again with further details. However, if it comes down to using a better aerial, this is the model which is most frequently recommended here on AB (as well as in several technical magazines):
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=2 2523

Chris

[Demongirlie]

thanks for the info Chris, very helpful. you're right I should have gone into more detail.

I have a grundig vcr player and a Panasonic analogue tv which when connected via scart socket, the reception was perfect with the use of my indoor aerial. I used to have a, AS dvd player (not recorder) and the reception was just fine. DVD player died and it was replaced with an Asda brand DVD player (a gift) which when plugged into my vcr, ruined the reception. I bought a Pacific digital freeview box to help improve the signal but I keep getting the message that there's no signal.
My previous dvd player had a metal casing and the new one has a plastic one, do you think that is what is effecting my reception ?????

[Buenchico]

(2-part post):

Thanks for the reply.

All television transmissions (whether analogue or digital) are intended to provide good reception, throughout their broadcast area, to people who've got a good quality outdoor aerial. People close to the transmitter might be able to get a reasonable signal by only using an indoor aerial but this certainly shouldn't be regarded as the norm.

Digital (Freeview) transmitters are currently operating at considerably less than full power, in order to avoid interference with analogue transmissions. They'll only be switched to full-power when the analogue transmitters are turned off. So by introducing a Freeview box into your system you've switched from using an inefficient aerial to try to receive a fairly strong analogue signal, to using the same inefficient aerial to try to receive a fairly weak digital signal. So it's hardly surprising that you can't pick anything up with your Freeview box.

Unless you install an outdoor aerial, you've no chance of getting Freeview until the signals are at full strength. Even then, it's quite likely that you won't be able to get digital TV with an indoor aerial.

[Buenchico]

If you stick with your indoor aerial, you're restricted to analogue reception until the analogue transmitters are turned off. After that, you might get Freeview but it's probably more likely that you'll not be able to get any television reception at all with just an indoor aerial.

So put the Freeview box to one side for now (or install a decent outdoor aerial to provide it with a proper signal).

I doubt that the type of casing of your DVD player is relevant. It would still seem simplest to keep your devices (i.e. the VCR and the DVD player) entirely separate from each other by using a Scart switch. i.e. plug the switch box into the TV's Scart socket. Then plug the VCR into one side of the switch input and the DVD player into the other. (Plug the aerial into the VCR). I noticed a suitable switch box in a 'discount' shop for �4.99 yesterday but, as I suggested before, you can also pick them up cheaply in places like Asda.

Chris