Getting Irish channels

When setting up our smart TV 7 years ago we set it up as a UK TV. This is linked to a satellite dish. We still have an old analogue TV aerial in the attic.

My wife and I were okay with not having Irish channels, we could use RTÉ player. We do have Netflix, but not sky.

The kids are now looking to get Irish channels. I'd prefer not to get a sky package or the like. What would be the best option to get free to air Irish channels?

Thanks

whomitconcerns

[Deleted User] wrote: »

When setting up our smart TV 7 years ago we set it up as a UK TV. This is linked to a satellite dish. We still have an old analogue TV aerial in the attic.

My wife and I were okay with not having Irish channels, we could use RTÉ player. We do have Netflix, but not sky.

The kids are now looking to get Irish channels. I'd prefer not to get a sky package or the like. What would be the best option to get free to air Irish channels?

Thanks

Get a digital aerial and stick it on the roof. Dtt done!

Ten Pin

We still have an old analogue TV aerial in the attic.

Plug it in to the aerial port on the TV and scan for terrestrial channels. If no reception, then put aerial outside, up high (safely) and scan again.

If still no reception then get a new compact wideband UHF aerial and use that, try it in attic first and then outside if reception is poor in attic. Check distance and direction of nearest transmitter...

https://www.saorview.ie/en/get/coverage

....if you're within 20 miles then it will probably work in attic, depending on what kind of insulation is under the roof. Put aerial on same side of attic/roof as transmitter.


https://powercity.ie/product/LP20FH

https://www.freetv.ie/black-wide-band-uhf-aerial/

Wabbit Ears

Ten Pin wrote: »

Plug it in to the aerial port on the TV and scan for terrestrial channels. If no reception, then put aerial outside, up high (safely) and scan again.

If still no reception then get a new compact wideband UHF aerial and use that, try it in attic first and then outside if reception is poor in attic. Check distance and direction of nearest transmitter...

https://www.saorview.ie/en/get/coverage

....if you're within 20 miles then it will probably work in attic, depending on what kind of insulation is under the roof. Put aerial on same side of attic/roof as transmitter.


https://powercity.ie/product/LP20FH

https://www.freetv.ie/black-wide-band-uhf-aerial/

https://www.freetv.ie/wide-band-grid-uhf-aerial/

TBH I prefer the look of these and use one myself to pickup the Irish terrestrial. Note that you'll also probably need mast amplifier of you don't have one already.

Will go to shop in the next couple of days to get the aerial. And see how it goes, can always get the mast amplifier if required.

Thanks

coylemj

Deleted User wrote: »

Will go to shop in the next couple of days to get the aerial. And see how it goes, can always get the mast amplifier if required.

OP, do not buy a new aerial until you have tested the existing aerial. If the old aerial picked up the analog signal from your transmitter than chances are that that it's perfectly capable of picking up a digital signal without the need for a replacement or a masthead amplifier.

There is no such thing as an 'analog' or a 'digital' aerial, it simply picks up a UHF signal and whether the the underlying TV signal is analog or digital is neither here nor there. If you'd posted this thread over in Terrestrial, you would have been told this by now in no uncertain terms.

If your existing aerial can't pickup the digital signal, it's because the chanels being broadcast by your local transmitter have changed to a different range, outside what your aerial is optimized for, nothing to do with analog vs. digital. If it's a wideband aerial and you have a decent signal, chances are that you will not need a new aerial.

If your TV is 7 years old then it almost certainly has a digital tuner so just plug the aerial into the back of it, set the country to Ireland and do a scan for digital channels.

Have bought a 1.5m co axial cable for €6 in Woodies. Curry's were selling a 4m for €60! Will try it out tonight.

But, coylemj, what you said has given me pause for thought. Not sure if I can reset the TV back to Ireland. Have tried to do that before (now that you mention it) and it didn't let me (IIRC). We'll see. Thanks.

The Cush

If the aerial has to upgraded I would avoid the 2 aerials mentioned above as they also cover a range now allocated to 5g mobile services.

This https://www.freetv.ie/grey-group-k-uhf-aerial/ , is the new wideband aerial recommended for Saorview, it covers the terrestrial frequency range 470-694 MHz (UHF 21-48).

JDxtra

Deleted User wrote: »

Have bought a 1.5m co axial cable for €6 in Woodies. Curry's were selling a 4m for €60! Will try it out tonight.

But, coylemj, what you said has given me pause for thought. Not sure if I can reset the TV back to Ireland. Have tried to do that before (now that you mention it) and it didn't let me (IIRC). We'll see. Thanks.

Best leave country as UK. If you change it to Ireland, you'll lose the Freesat features (organised list of UK channels and 7 day guide).

JDxtra

JDxtra wrote: »

Best leave country as UK. If you change it to Ireland, you'll lose the Freesat features (organised list of UK channels and 7 day guide).

Back from work late, then caught up with Liverpool match...

Well, that works a treat. Just stuck the co axial into the back of the TV. Went to Air (as opposed to the Satellite) and tuned in the channels. The aerial in the attic is vertical even though I think in my area it should be horizontal... signal for the 12 channels is 9 by 9

Thanks, I totally over complicated this and should have done it years ago :rolleyes:

The Cush

Deleted User wrote: »

Just stuck the co axial into the back of the TV. Went to Air (as opposed to the Satellite) and tuned in the channels. The aerial in the attic is vertical even though I think in my area it should be horizontal

Saorview coverage checker here https://www.saorview.ie/en/get/coverage

jdon72

JDxtra wrote: »

Best leave country as UK. If you change it to Ireland, you'll lose the Freesat features (organised list of UK channels and 7 day guide).

I had set up my LG smart TV as Ireland. If I set it up as UK, would I get the freesat features?

JDxtra

jdon72 wrote: »

I had set up my LG smart TV as Ireland. If I set it up as UK, would I get the freesat features?

Yes, should do.

Good to see this pop up again. Question...

I had more free view channels, but overnight they went to black screen. I redid the channel search on the TV and it reduced to 7 channels. The signal strength seems grand for the channels I can get. Any reason for the drop in available channels?

For example I've only got Virgin 3 and not Virgin 1 or Virgin 2.

mackersdublin

jdon72 wrote: »

I had set up my LG smart TV as Ireland. If I set it up as UK, would I get the freesat features?

Providing the TV has a Sat input (not all LG TVs have them) and it's connected to a satellite dish