TV with Freeview Tuner

boardsie08

I bought a new tv recently and I've only just found out that it has a Freeview tuner. I'm a total newb when it comes to stuff like this so please bear with me..

Should the tuner be able to pick up the Freeview channels without the need of any additional equipment?

Or are these Freeview Tuners only of use to those in the UK?

I've searched through some other posts but I'm still at a loss

Anyone care to enlighten me?

tomslick

The one you have is called DVB-T meaning that it can only decrypt terresterial digital channels. These are not available in Ireland yet but if you live near the border you should be able to recieve them i.e some UKTV and History channels. It is no good for satelilte (DVB-S) or cable (DVB-C) decryption. Hope this helps.

Max-Power

You should be able to pick up the test digital transmissions for RTE1, RTE2, TV3 and TG4 along with some digital radio channels if you live in an area with a strong enough signal. If you live in a border county, you may be able to pick up the UK Freeview channels as well.

homer911

The test signal is currently MPEG2. It will be switching to MPEG4 at the end of July and become more intermittent (we believe). Not all TVs support MPEG4. If the TV does not, and if you have a CAM slot, I'm told an MPEG4 card will be able to decode the new signal. I've seen some on Ebay for £45 + postage (Nothing to try them against yet though)

radiofoot

tomslick wrote: »

The one you have is called DVB-T meaning that it can only decrypt terresterial digital channels. These are not available in Ireland yet but if you live near the border you should be able to recieve them i.e some UKTV and History channels. It is no good for satelilte (DVB-S) or cable (DVB-C) decryption. Hope this helps.

Are there any TVs on the market with Freesat built in?

mossym

panasonic have a few, i beleive they are the first

Aquos76

homer911 wrote: »

The test signal is currently MPEG2. It will be switching to MPEG4 at the end of July and become more intermittent (we believe). Not all TVs support MPEG4. If the TV does not, and if you have a CAM slot, I'm told an MPEG4 card will be able to decode the new signal. I've seen some on Ebay for £45 + postage (Nothing to try them against yet though)

Your spot on about mpeg2 and mpeg4

Consumers warned TVs may not be ‘digital ready’

11.07.2008
Irish consumers thinking they are buying digital TV sets capable of handling digital TV may end up with defunct technology as digital terrestrial TV (DTT), when it launches, will be on a new MPEG4 standard, it has emerged.

At present three consortiums – Boxer DTT comprising BT and Swedish broadcaster Boxer Group; OneVision consortium including TV3, Eircom, Setanta and technology firm Arqiva; and EasyTV Limited consisting UPC and RTÉ – have been shortlisted by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) for the three DTT licenses that will be awarded later this year.

Until lately, DTT trials in the Dublin and Dundalk areas have been based on the MPEG2 standard. However, a move to MPEG4 will allow providers to offer high-definition television and other interactive services.

The move to MPEG4, while described by broadcast enthusiast and web developer Brian Greene as showing foresight, will make most people who think their TVs will be ready for digital TV see their investment ruined.

“Anything on sale in Irish TV shops that claims to be ‘digital ready’ will no longer be after 31 July when RTÉ switch to MPEG4.

“As DTT in Ireland will be minimum standard MPEG4, all UK TVs that are Freeview-ready will be obsolete in Ireland as they won’t get a Freeview signal and Irish DTT will not be compatible.

Greene said when analogue TV is switched off at the end of 2009, the leftover spectrum should be used to allow for parallel broadcasting of MPEG2 so that people’s investments will be safeguarded.

Greene said it’s important that organisations ranging from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to BCI, RTÉ and various consumer bodies should be warning consumers not to buy products in the mistaken belief they are optimised for DTT just because they say ‘digital ready’.

“The state should warn retailers not to sell pig in a poke TV sets. If the set is not going to be Digital Ready (MPEG4), then stickers should be removed and shoppers should be warned that UK digital TV sets will not work here,” Greene warned.

By John Kennedy

Link

Sam Radford

boardsie08 wrote: »

Should the tuner be able to pick up the Freeview channels without the need of any additional equipment?

No. You'll need a suitable aerial.

boardsie08

Thanks guys for all the info, that's helped a lot!

How do I find out if my TV is MPEG4 enabled or not?

I've checked the specs and can't see any mention of this good, bad or indifferent.

This is the TV I have, can anyone work out if what I have is MPEG4 enabled or not based on the info in the link below?

http://uk.lge.com/products/model/detail/plasmatv_50pc56.jhtml#

Cheers!

dhaumi

From what I see on the link, there is no mention of freeview HD or MPEG4, so I'm afraid you won't be able to receive the irish Freeview (unless you have that cam slot thing mentionned above, but I can't see that in the specs either).

In reality, very few LCDs are Irish Freeview-ready at the moment. They are usually very recent like the Sony 40W4000, or the Panasonic TH42PZ81...

I have an "old" Sony 32V3500MP4 with a cam slot (bought in France to pick up Freeview HD), I didn't know I could have this option...hopefully it'll work well 'cause it does look fantastic (better than usual Freeview)..

Supercell

radiofoot wrote: »

Are there any TVs on the market with Freesat built in?

Some of the new Pioneer Kuro sets have DVB-S tuners in them, not sure whether they are compatible with SKY UK/Irl cards or Freesat ones either for that matter - http://www.pioneer.eu/eur/content/press/news/krpPlasma.html

Paul24

Guys,

I also have a small 15" with a built in freeview tuner. I currently Sky on my main tv in another room. If I change the single LNB to a quad LNB and run the second cable to my small 15" will it pick up the sky freeview channels or do I need to do or add something different.

Paul24

mossym

freeview is aerial, over the air transmissions. sky is satellite, they are totally incompatible

Paul24

Thanks Mossym,

I am right on the east coast in Meath looking at the sea. Is my best option to stick up an aerial and pick up the signal from the Uk. Any recommendations for a good aerial ?
I will probably have a go at sticking it up myself. I take it I will need to point it at wales somewhere.

Paul24

byte

Thread moved to Terrestrial forum.

sesswhat

Paul24 wrote: »

Thanks Mossym,

I am right on the east coast in Meath looking at the sea. Is my best option to stick up an aerial and pick up the signal from the Uk. Any recommendations for a good aerial ?
I will probably have a go at sticking it up myself. I take it I will need to point it at wales somewhere.

Paul24

You could try a good aerial and a mast-head amplifier, pointed at Wales or NI, but to be honest there is no guarantee that you would get the Freeview service, or you may only get some of the channel groups.

I've been picking up Freeview from NI here in Donegal for a couple of years but if I was starting from scratch now I would invest in Freesat equipment instead. At least you know what channels you will get and you have the option of a HD box as well. In fact as soon as the long awaited Humax Freesat PVR comes out I'll be looking at putting a dish up myself.