How to set up Saorview

Lamy5

Hi all, I haven't posted in Boards in years. Just moved into a house that has an aerial already, got a new Saorview TV and plugged into aerial. But when I scan for channels nothing comes up. I went outside and looked at the aerial and I notice that all the other houses have aerials about 3 times the size of the small one on my house. Is that why it is not working? People are telling me that I need to pay someone to come install the saorview is that true?

Digifriendly

Lamy5 wrote: »

Hi all, I haven't posted in Boards in years. Just moved into a house that has an aerial already, got a new Saorview TV and plugged into aerial. But when I scan for channels nothing comes up. I went outside and looked at the aerial and I notice that all the other houses have aerials about 3 times the size of the small one on my house. Is that why it is not working? People are telling me that I need to pay someone to come install the saorview is that true?

Which part of the country do you live in and do you know what transmitter the aerial is pointed at? Is it in the same direction as the other aerials are in?

Lamy5

Trim, Co Meath. The aerials are pointing toward Dublin.

Digifriendly wrote: »

Which part of the country do you live in and do you know what transmitter the aerial is pointed at? Is it in the same direction as the other aerials are in?

SPAWKER

Lamy5 wrote: »

Trim, Co Meath. The aerials are pointing toward Dublin.

If you're in Trim then the aerial's you talk about are most likely pointing towards the north for the Freeview channels from Divis.

Thurston?

Lamy5 wrote: »

... I notice that all the other houses have aerials about 3 times the size of the small one on my house. Is that why it is not working?

As already mentioned, the big aerials are probably for reception from Northern Ireland.

Does your own aerial look like this one? Or it might even be for MMDS, in which case it would look like a square-ish mesh dish or, a smaller type with a v-shaped metal reflector. (Mesh type not to be confused with UHF 'grid' aerial.)

Or it could be a VHF aerial. Maybe post a pic. if you want confirmation.

Lamy5 wrote: »

People are telling me that I need to pay someone to come install the saorview is that true?

An installer could at least give your existing aerial & associated cables etc. the once over, & see why things aren't working.

Lamy5

Yes Thurston? I have the aerial like that one you linked. But the other houses have the bigger higher gain aerials. I can take a pic later. I think I will call an installer this evening and find out why its not working. The cables look fine because I can see them the whole way from the aerial coming down into the living room.

Thurston?

Any small plastic box on the aerial mast? There could be an amplifier up there that's missing its power supply. (This would be plugged in indoors, & power is supplied on the aerial downlead.)

Lamy5

Oh wait this makes more sense now, I can't remember if there is a box on the aerial outside. But there is a box inside that you can plug the aerial lead into and it needs power too. I will try using that and scan again. Is it normal that there are two different aerial cables coming into the living room.

Thurston?

Lamy5 wrote: »

... Is it normal that there are two different aerial cables coming into the living room.

Right, I did notice you said cables plural in a previous post, but thought it was just a slip.

If they're both coming all the way from the aerial, & there's nothing else up there, it might just be a case of a lazy/rushed installer not removing an old cable.

Do they both have the same type of connector on the end? If there's no aerial for UK channels, one might suspect that there is or was a satellite dish serving this purpose.

Lamy5

I think im going to need the installer, this seems so complicated. Both of the cables are for aerials. I can see outside as well that there used to be a satellite but there are no cables where the satellite used to be. There is a little transformer box in the sitting room as well that must be needed for the aerial.

lgs 4

Lamy5 wrote: »

I think im going to need the installer, this seems so complicated. Both of the cables are for aerials. I can see outside as well that there used to be a satellite but there are no cables where the satellite used to be. There is a little transformer box in the sitting room as well that must be needed for the aerial.

have you tried channel scan to see if picking up anything ,are you near summer hill road

Lamy5

I have tried the channel scan and nothing comes up at all. Not one channel. Nope beside Athboy Road.

lgs 4

Lamy5 wrote: »

I have tried the channel scan and nothing comes up at all. Not one channel. Nope beside Athboy Road.

summerhill road is a bit of black spot for view free , best thing is asked some of your neighbors ,that i will give idea of what money you need to spend if any

Thurston?

Lamy5 wrote: »

Both of the cables are for aerials. I can see outside as well that there used to be a satellite but there are no cables where the satellite used to be. There is a little transformer box in the sitting room as well that must be needed for the aerial.

If you hadn't said both cables were running from living room to aerial, I would have assumed that 1 of them was, & the other was for feeding a TV in another room, with the 'transformer box' being either a distribution amplifier or a PSU for a masthead amplifier .

Lamy5

Update, a had the aerial man come out. He looked outside and saw that a cable to the aerial had been cut. He replaced it and then plugged in the tv to the aerial again and scanned. Hey presto saorview! only €20 and I wish I had found him ages ago! Thanks everyone for your help, advice and responses!