How to get Saorview HD

Hi guys, hoping some of you can help me out. The house I'm currently living in has an old UPC tv connection, just a standard arial wire that gives us 20 odd channels. We recently got a Saorview HD tv and the channel scan doesn't reveal any Digital channels.

I'm in Dublin City Center so I'm assuming a small indoor arial would be enough to get the digital channels but then I wouldn't have any of the other UPC channels as there is only one arial connection. Is there any way to get the digital channels through a scart connection or does anyone have any other ideas about what I could do? I'd really like to have RTE in HD for games and the likes. Thanks for any advice anyone can give.

The Cush

KeepTheFaith wrote: »

I'm in Dublin City Center so I'm assuming a small indoor arial would be enough to get the digital channels but then I wouldn't have any of the other UPC channels as there is only one arial connection. Is there any way to get the digital channels through a scart connection or does anyone have any other ideas about what I could do?

Y splitter, like this into the TV aerial socket. Aerial and UPC cable into the splitter.

The Cush

The Cush wrote: »

Y splitter, like this into the TV aerial socket. Aerial and UPC cable into the splitter.

And then a scan will pick up stations from both? Great stuff it seems like I was overcomplicating the problem! Thanks a million chap.

The Cush

KeepTheFaith wrote: »

And then a scan will pick up stations from both?

Provided the indoor aerial can receive an adequate Saorview signal.

So, I got myself a splitter like the one linked to above and I also got a small indoor arial. Tried a new channel scan with both the UPC and indoor arial plugged in but only the UPC channels came through. I rescanned with just the indoor arial and got Saorview.

So it seems as soon as I plug the UPC connection into the splitter it overrides the Saorview arial and the channels won't work. Is this due to the quality of the splitter? Would a higher quality splitter allow me to have both together? If so can anyone recommend a cheap option? I'm in Dublin 6 if that makes any difference to the answer.

iba

KeepTheFaith wrote: »

So, I got myself a splitter like the one linked to above and I also got a small indoor arial. Tried a new channel scan with both the UPC and indoor arial plugged in but only the UPC channels came through. I rescanned with just the indoor arial and got Saorview.

So it seems as soon as I plug the UPC connection into the splitter it overrides the Saorview arial and the channels won't work. Is this due to the quality of the splitter? Would a higher quality splitter allow me to have both together? If so can anyone recommend a cheap option? I'm in Dublin 6 if that makes any difference to the answer.

Trying to come up with a suggestion here for you but I dont really understand how you can receive a UPC feed without having a UPC Set Top Box.

Im also wondering that perhaps you might have to change inputs on your TV - I think for the Terrestrial aerial you will have to select DTV input - go to the Inputs and go through them all and see if that helps.

I dont think the splitter is the poblem.

Basically we just have a little UPC box on the wall with a standard arial wire coming from it which gives us 20 odd channels. No set top box or anything and I don't particularly want one.

I don't think it has anything to do with the input. Both will work separately when plugged in but the UPC overrides the arial when plugged in together, without changing any input settings.

Ronnie Raygun

Can you find out the UHF channel or frequency that Saorview is on? (Most likely ch.30, 546 mhz).

Do the same for the UPC analogue channels, there may be a conflict.

I don't know how to find that out to be honest.. I'm in Dublin 6 and my nearest Saorview site is Three Rock does that help? I can switch over and back if needs be but it would be great to get it all working together.

Ronnie Raygun

Yeah, Three Rock uses channel 30. It's possible one of the UPC channels does too, or close to it. (There have been threads like this before, but nobody seems to have bothered to post a list of UPC analogue freqs.) It was no problem working this combination when Three Rock used ch. 54.

Do any of the UPC channels show "snow" type interference when the Saorview aerial is connected?

The Cush

UPC analogue Channel 4 was transmitted on UHF Ch.30 when I lived in Dublin some years ago, not sure if it still does. Did it move frequency last July when Saorview changed frequency at Three Rock from Ch.54 to Ch.30?

If Saorview and UPC analogue Channel 4 share the same frequency this could kill the Saorview signal if both are connected at the same time.

Can anyone confirm what frequency/UHF channel no. is analogue Channel4 using now?

EDIT: UPC analogue Channel4 was still active on UHF Ch.30 when the frequency change happened at Three Rock last July according to this post. If this is still the case this would be the reason you can't get Saorview when both cables are connected.

Johnboy1951

Something like this might be the answer ...

http://tv.about.com/od/hdtv/qt/ABswitch.htm

So looking at other threads I came across this http://www.tvtrade.ie/triax-uhf-diplexer-tfc-3537.html Do any of you think it would sort my problem?

Peter Rhea

The diplexer won't be any use in this case. If Channel 4 (or anything else) is still on the Three Rock Saorview frequency, then the A/B switch mentioned above would be a tidier solution than plugging cables in & out.

The Cush

KeepTheFaith wrote: »

So looking at other threads I came across this http://www.tvtrade.ie/triax-uhf-diplexer-tfc-3537.html Do any of you think it would sort my problem?

No, the problem is both Saorview and analogue Channel4 share the same frequency/UHF channel on 2 different transmission systems (terrestrial and cable) when combined with the splitter and the strongest overrides the weaker signal.

That diplexer combines 2 aerial feeds on different frequencies onto 1 aerial feed.

The AB switch link posted by Johnboy1951 is an option or UPC moving analogue Channel4 off UHF Ch.30 which would remove the conflict with the Saorview multiplex from Three Rock.

I see. Thanks for the advice lads. Pardon my ignorance but when you say Channel4 do you mean Channel4 the TV Station? I suppose there's no option as simple as deleting the Channel4 on analogue and rescanning the digital channels..

The Cush

KeepTheFaith wrote: »

Pardon my ignorance but when you say Channel4 do you mean Channel4 the TV Station? I suppose there's no option as simple as deleting the Channel4 on analogue and rescanning the digital channels..

Yes, Channel4 the TV channel and no option to delete it. Maybe in a few years when UPC decide to switchoff all analogue cable channels.

Sam Russell

KeepTheFaith wrote: »

So looking at other threads I came across this http://www.tvtrade.ie/triax-uhf-diplexer-tfc-3537.html Do any of you think it would sort my problem?

If you can tune in Kippure, that would work for you. That splits at ch35, so Saorview aerial on the high side would give Kippure if you can get it which you should be OK with if you have a good, suitable, aerial. An indoor aerial would be no good for you.

Johnboy1951

I would be inclined to look at a A/B switch with remote control ..... operate it from a universal remote maybe ...

This might give you some ideas ..... not recommending this particular one, just posting as an example .....

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049643