Setting up to receive terrestrial tv without damaging walls. UPC currently installed.

Jerry138889

Hi.

We currently have UPC installed in our house (the lines only, not subscribed to the tv channels, but are subscribed to broadband) and we receive 17 (poor signal) analog tv channels inc the Irish ones, utv, bbc and one of the setantas (like this guy - boards thread id is 2057208365 - as I'm a new user I cannot post links....)

I want to be able to watch the world cup in HD on RTE. We currently have Sky Go via the Xbox which keeps us ticking over for the rest of the season for Sky Sports.

Anyway, I live in an apartment so cannot drill any holes in the wall to install a regular satellite. We do have a south facing balcony which we could use for a satellite, if there was some way to transmit the signal from the satellite to our living room (through that one wall) without actually having to install anything that would deface the walls inside (if there was a wireless satellite for example).

I've searched on here but can't find a solution to this. Has anyone got any suggestions?

Ger Roe

If you absolutely can't drill even a small hole in a window frame or a wall to pass coax from the dish through, you could try a flat coax adapter to bring the feed through a window. In most cases, the flat cable will pass through a closed frame when the window shuts on it.

See an example here
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Flat-Satellite-or-TV-Aerial-Coax-Cable-Caravan-Window-/160590721336?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item2563f3f138

This short flat length is joined at both ends to standard coax (round), one side from the dish and the other (passing under the window frame via the flat section) to the receiver.

If the entry location is inconvenient, you could put the satellite receiver wherever the cable enters and then use a video and remote control sender to connect wireless to another TV - but you will not get HDTV through a video sender.

If looking for RTE services on satellite, you will need to go through Sky and subscribe to a package. RTE is not available free to air on satellite.

Ger Roe

Just reading this again.....

If your objective is to receive RTE as a terrestrial signal (from mountain site = Saorview), then the flat coax could still be used to take a signal from an outdoor terrestrial antenna, through to a Saorview enabled receiver. What type of antenna you may require will of course depend on your location and line of sight availability from your balcony to the transmitter site. If you have, or can borrow a saorview receiver (tv or box) you could experiment with an indoor antenna - very much depends on your location and aspect, but you might be lucky.

You need to decide your best option for receiving RTE - satellite (Sky) or terrestrial (antenna) and work from there.
You might even consider doing a variation of both. Saorview for RTE and free to air satellite (not Sky) for the UK services (ITV BBC, and more).

ei9go

"but you will not get HDTV through a video sender"

Video senders have moved on since analogue transmission.

Have a look on Amazon or any of the usual places.

Search for "DigiSender XD HDMI".

With something like this you could set up your sat system by the balcony and transmit the hD signal to your TV. Add a Saorview Box there and a HDMI switch and you are sorted,

Ger Roe

I stand corrected on the HDMI video sender....thanks.
It has been a while since I last purchased one

Jerry138889

So I'm confused.

Can I or can I not receive RTE if I set up a satellite without subscribing to Sky (not going to subscribe).

My balcony is 5m from my tv, and I have a window sill 1m from the tv.

If I got one of those DigiSender yokes, would I plug one into the antenna/satellite and one into the tv - is that what you mean?

I'm in Dublin 2 and have a decent line of sight from the balcony. It looks like Three Rock is where the terrestrial signal is coming from which is south which suits my balcony/window.

To get both ITV and RTE I'd need to set up an antenna and a satellite is that right?

Would something like this tvtrade.ie forwardslash saorview-combo-kit.html be suitable and would I be able to put the dish and the antenna just sitting on a chair on the balcony (assuming for a second that they won't blow over)?

Johnboy1951

Jerry138889 wrote: »

So I'm confused.

Can I or can I not receive RTE if I set up a satellite without subscribing to Sky (not going to subscribe).

Not from the same Sat as the other English channels.
You 'could' set up a Saorsat special satellite receiver, but you would be better off with a terrestrial aerial, IMO.

My balcony is 5m from my tv, and I have a window sill 1m from the tv.

If I got one of those DigiSender yokes, would I plug one into the antenna/satellite and one into the tv - is that what you mean?

I'm in Dublin 2 and have a decent line of sight from the balcony. It looks like Three Rock is where the terrestrial signal is coming from which is south which suits my balcony/window.

To get both ITV and RTE I'd need to set up an antenna and a satellite is that right?

Yes (from the Astra satellite), unless you subscribe to Sky.

Would something like this tvtrade.ie forwardslash saorview-combo-kit.html be suitable and would I be able to put the dish and the antenna just sitting on a chair on the balcony (assuming for a second that they won't blow over)?

The satellite dish needs to be solidly fixed as very small variations will cause loss of signal.

SpaceTime

If you're in a strong signal area a well positioned, good quality indoor antenna should be able to pick up SaorView's DTT signals.

If you pick up or borrow a UHF indoor antenna and some coax to give you a bit of flexibility, you could test it out.

You can't really check signal availability without trying it out.

You could try threatening to leave UPC and see if they'll do a deal on digital TV for you too.

Jerry138889

Alright cheers for the help! Really appreciated.

Any particular indoor antenna that you'd recommend? Even any particular shape (flat kinda shape or classic +++++)?

Gerry Wicklow

The ones that look like small roof aerials are best. Have a look in your local €2 shop. They might have something that suits and if it doesn't work it's no great loss. Don't bother with loop types or powered/amplified ones.

SpaceTime

It's largely about position relative to the transmitter and what the building is made of.

If you check the 2RN (RTE transmission networks) website they might have a map.

Most urban areas will have repeaters and generally quite good reception.

There are load of different types of antennas for indoor use and they're pretty cheap. There are plenty of locations where the RTE transmissions could nearly be picked up on wet string never mind a purpose built antenna.

I'd just suggest buying something cheap and going fishing for signals in your apartment.

If you know the location of the transmitter, just point the antenna in its direction. If you've a window facing that direction point it at that window.

Out it up as high as you can too so that you're not likely to be blocking the signal as you walk past.

Then just run the auto tuner in the setup menu of your TV.
If you find channels, that it - sorted.

If not, move the aerial around and try again.

Jerry138889

One last thing - if I buy an aeriel do I need a saorview box too? My tv has a digital tuner in it already...

Johnboy1951

Jerry138889 wrote: »

One last thing - if I buy an aeriel do I need a saorview box too? My tv has a digital tuner in it already...

That depends on the tuner ..... which depends on the TV in question ...... what model?

If it is Saorview approved then the tuner is definitely suitable.

SpaceTime

In general, if it's a reasonably new television it should be fine.

Saorview is just a marketing trademark for the digital terrestrial broadcasting system in Ireland. It *is* the standard for receiving TV over the air here so any TV sold here must be capable of receiving it.

The boxes are for old TVs that lacked digital tuners or that were the wrong spec. eg older British spec non HD freeview TVs may not work

If your TV finds channels but only displays blank screens or only audio, you'll need a box as its likely a first generation UK MPEG2 TV.
Some of these were sold here before saorview officially launched.

winston_1

Jerry138889 wrote: »

Hi.

Anyway, I live in an apartment so cannot drill any holes in the wall to install a regular satellite.

You cannot install a satellite. They are 23,000 miles above the equator.

Jerry138889

My TV is a Philips 40pfl8664h On the back it says Dvb-mpeg2/4 and it says dvb-c beneath that too.

This was a top of the line model when I got it in 2010 but I got it in Belfast.

winston_1

Jerry138889 wrote: »

My TV is a Philips 40pfl8664h On the back it says Dvb-mpeg2/4 and it says dvb-c beneath that too.

This was a top of the line model when I got it in 2010 but I got it in Belfast.

DVB-T MPEG4 is what Saorview uses so should be OK. No mention of HD though but probably OK.

DVB-C is used on cable (UPC) ? but I guess it is encrypted.

Jerry138889

Aye, it's full 1080p. Cheers for the help everyone!

SpaceTime

winston_1 wrote: »

DVB-T MPEG4 is what Saorview uses so should be OK. No mention of HD though but probably OK.

DVB-C is used on cable (UPC) ? but I guess it is encrypted.

Yeah, DVB-C on UPC and very definitely encrypted. In some other markets they offer a CAM module you can just insert into your TV.
Very handy if you don't want a box.

kooga

Jerry138889 wrote: »

My TV is a Philips 40pfl8664h On the back it says Dvb-mpeg2/4 and it says dvb-c beneath that too.

This was a top of the line model when I got it in 2010 but I got it in Belfast.

that tv will be fine for picking up saorview channels but you have to set the country to UK and your channels will be from 801 upwards. you will have a full epg and text

The Cush

SpaceTime wrote: »

In some other markets they offer a CAM module you can just insert into your TV.
Very handy if you don't want a box.

In those markets the TV must be CI+ compatible. In Holland and Switzerland UPC offer a basic package of channels in unencrypted DVB-C to move subscribers over from analogue, allowing the channels to be viewed on any DVB-C receiver (TV or STB) in the house.