Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Can't get any channels on the TV. Help?

Options
  • 15-02-2021 11:02am
    #1
    linopo
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭


    Hey everyone,

    I used to have a Virgin TV bundle and it worked perfectly. I had a coaxial connecting the TV plug on the wall and the Virgin box, then I had an HDMI cable connecting the Virgin box to the TV.

    However, I've recently cancelled by Virgin TV subscription. I've tried connecting the coaxial to the TV plug on the wall directly to the TV but after attempting to use the TV channel configurator I couldn't find any channels.

    Is there anything I'm missing in order to get access to the free TV channels?

    Thanks!
    Tagged:


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    dubrov
    Registered Users Posts: 3,549 ✭✭✭dubrov


    There are no free channels on virgin cable.

    You'll need to connect an aerial (for free Irish channels) and satellite (for uk free channels).

    Depending on location, you might get away with a cheap indoor aerial.


  • Options
    #3
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,484 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    linopo wrote: »
    Is there anything I'm missing in order to get access to the free TV channels?

    An aerial, an indoor one might work depending on signal quality.


  • Options
    #4
    linopo
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭linopo


    dubrov wrote: »
    There are no free channels on virgin cable.

    You'll need to connect an aerial (for free Irish channels) and satellite (for uk free channels).

    Depending on location, you might get away with a cheap indoor aerial.

    I thought terrestrial TV was accessible via connecting to the TV plug on the wall. What's it for then? Just to connect to TV subscription services?

    What exactly is an aerial? Is it a service I have to buy or a device? Where would I be able to get one?


  • Options
    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,121 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    The socket on the wall could be connected to different things - to Virgin Media, to a sattelite dish, to an aerial.

    Yours was presumably for VM.

    These are aerials:
    https://www.did.ie/tv-accessories/aerials
    Depending on your local signal strength you might get away with the a small one by your TV.

    Or you might need a big one in your attic.

    This would be for the RTE and Virgin Media free to air channels.

    Depending where you are you would probably need a separate sattelite dish and possibly a box to get the free UK channels BBC, ITV etc.


  • Options
    #6
    linopo
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭linopo


    Deleted User wrote: »
    The socket on the wall could be connected to different things - to Virgin Media, to a sattelite dish, to an aerial.

    Yours was presumably for VM.

    These are aerials:

    Depending on your local signal strength you might get away with the a small one by your TV.

    Or you might need a big one in your attic.

    This would be for the RTE and Virgin Media free to air channels.

    Depending where you are you would probably need a separate sattelite dish and possibly a box to get the free UK channels BBC, ITV etc.

    I'm located in the Dublin, Dundrum area. Is there anywhere I could check the signal coverage?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,121 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.saorview.ie/en/get/coverage
    This will show coverage generally but won't allow for your home specifically.


  • Options
    #8
    linopo
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭linopo


    Deleted User wrote: »
    This will show coverage generally but won't allow for your home specifically.

    Also, I still have the virgin box and connecting it to the TV wall socket will allow me to see some channels, but I can't find RTE. Is there any configuration I would need to do in order to user the box to view the free channels?


  • Options
    #9
    dubrov
    Registered Users Posts: 3,549 ✭✭✭dubrov


    linopo wrote:
    Also, I still have the virgin box and connecting it to the TV wall socket will allow me to see some channels, but I can't find RTE. Is there any configuration I would need to do in order to user the box to view the free channels?

    Are you saying that you can view some UK channels when using a virgin box without a subscription?

    If so, are you sure the signal is coming from the virgin box's hdmi cable?


  • Options
    #10
    bennyineire
    Registered Users Posts: 2,466 ✭✭✭bennyineire


    linopo wrote: »
    I'm located in the Dublin, Dundrum area. Is there anywhere I could check the signal coverage?

    Dundrum is very close to Three Rock, and indoor aerial should do the job. Point it towards the Wicklow mountains

    Go to your local DID store and ask the sales guys about this one (There is one in Stillorgan)

    https://www.did.ie/one-for-all-amplified-indoor-tv-aerial-black-sv9420-sv9420-prd?cmp=cel&trigger=ac


  • Options
    #11
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,990 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    linopo wrote: »
    Hey everyone,

    I used to have a Virgin TV bundle and it worked perfectly. I had a coaxial connecting the TV plug on the wall and the Virgin box, then I had an HDMI cable connecting the Virgin box to the TV.

    However, I've recently cancelled by Virgin TV subscription. I've tried connecting the coaxial to the TV plug on the wall directly to the TV but after attempting to use the TV channel configurator I couldn't find any channels.

    Is there anything I'm missing in order to get access to the free TV channels?

    Thanks!

    Contact an installer and get a quote for whatever Free TV channels you wish to receive ........ Irish and/or English.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    bronkobilly
    Registered Users Posts: 223 ✭✭bronkobilly


    linopo wrote: »
    I'm located in the Dublin, Dundrum area. Is there anywhere I could check the signal coverage?

    if u a re in dublin dundrum area u could try an indoor ariel for saorview as u are near three rock thansmitter


  • Options
    #13
    winston_1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,685 ✭✭✭winston_1


    bennyineire wrote: »
    Dundrum is very close to Three Rock, and indoor aerial should do the job. Point it towards the Wicklow mountains

    Go to your local DID store and ask the sales guys about this one (There is one in Stillorgan)

    https://www.did.ie/one-for-all-amplified-indoor-tv-aerial-black-sv9420-sv9420-prd?cmp=cel&trigger=ac

    That is a horrible aerial. You want one that looks like an aerial not a bit of plastic. Try a Euro shop.


  • Options
    #14
    Ger Roe
    Registered Users Posts: 2,106 ✭✭✭Ger Roe


    winston_1 wrote: »
    That is a horrible aerial. You want one that looks like an aerial not a bit of plastic. Try a Euro shop.

    Absolutely right Winston.

    I often wonder about these funny shaped and plastic enclosed 'aerials'. They never seem to specify the actual antenna design that they supposedly made to (dipole, beam etc).

    If it doesn't actually look like an aerial of required size and design for the frequencies being received, then you are heading for heartache trying to get it set up.

    Two correctly cut lengths of wire attached to a flying end of coax and correctly polarised, will often perform better than the junk being packaged up as indoor aerials these days.

    As Winston says, buy a cheap telescopic dipole in the euro shop and give it a go. For €1.50 you have nothing to loose and could be pleasantly surprised. Note your required polarity and adjust the length of both sides to see what you can get. In Dundrum, you should have a strong signal to play with.


  • Options
    #15
    linopo
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭linopo


    winston_1 wrote: »
    That is a horrible aerial. You want one that looks like an aerial not a bit of plastic. Try a Euro shop.

    Hey, I've got two TVs, one modern Samsung (small TV from 2015) and an old Panasonic (large TV from 2008) and I bought an aerial, but once I tried setting it up on each TV only the Samsung TV worked.

    I've tried configuring in every way, but the Panasonic TV just doesn't capture any channels at all, but the Samsung TV works just fine.

    I've got an One-for-all SV9360 aerial to try.

    My Panasonic TV is a Viera TH-50PY80.

    Any suggestion on why it might not be working?


  • Options
    #16
    linopo
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭linopo


    sugarman wrote: »
    Given its age, it probably has an MPEG2 tuner which isnt compatible with Soarview.

    In the instruction manual it says the aerial connection is VHF/UHF, does this mean it's an MPEG2 tuner?


  • Options
    #17
    linopo
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭linopo


    sugarman wrote: »
    That's for Analogue TV. Any mention of a Digital tuner in the manual? Maybe DVB-T2? Or Freeview?

    It might not even have a digital tuner.

    No, just this description, which refers to the coaxial socket on the back of the TV.

    What does this mean? How would I be able to get free TV on this machine?


  • Options
    #18
    linopo
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭linopo


    sugarman wrote: »
    You will need a separate set top box. They're not that expensive, €20-30 for a basic one.

    Ah, I see! What would these boxes be called? How would I search for one?


  • Options
    #19
    Ish66
    Registered Users Posts: 462 ✭✭Ish66


    linopo wrote: »
    Ah, I see! What would these boxes be called? How would I search for one?
    You are winding us up ! Whats an Ariel ?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZOJMZEITzg


  • Options
    #20
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,484 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    linopo wrote: »
    Ah, I see! What would these boxes be called? How would I search for one?

    Here's one that connects via a spare HDMI port on the TV - https://www.satworld.ie/blazer-hd703-mini.html


  • Options
    #21
    bronkobilly
    Registered Users Posts: 223 ✭✭bronkobilly


    linopo wrote: »
    Hey, I've got two TVs, one modern Samsung (small TV from 2015) and an old Panasonic (large TV from 2008) and I bought an aerial, but once I tried setting it up on each TV only the Samsung TV worked.

    I've tried configuring in every way, but the Panasonic TV just doesn't capture any channels at all, but the Samsung TV works just fine.

    I've got an One-for-all SV9360 aerial to try.

    My Panasonic TV is a Viera TH-50PY80.

    Any suggestion on why it might not be working?

    The Samsung has a saorview tuner the Panasonic has not u would have to get a saorview receiver for the Panasonic TV to work on saorview


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    linopo
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭linopo


    sugarman wrote: »
    You will need a separate set top box. They're not that expensive, €20-30 for a basic one.

    Quick question, would I be connecting the coaxial wall socket to the set top box and set top box to the TV or do I still need an external aerial antenna connected to the set top box for it to work?


  • Options
    #23
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,990 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    Contact an installer and get a quote for whatever Free TV channels you wish to receive ........ Irish and/or English.


  • Options
    #24
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,484 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    linopo wrote: »
    Quick question, would I be connecting the coaxial wall socket to the set top box and set top box to the TV or do I still need an external aerial antenna connected to the set top box for it to work?

    Aerial always required for Saorview, the Virgin media cable network is a closed network owned and operated by them, it did have 1 or 2 digital channels in the clear in the past that could be tuned in using a TV's cable tuner, if it had one.

    Saorview website here - https://www.saorview.ie/en/get


  • Options
    #25
    winston_1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,685 ✭✭✭winston_1


    Ish66 wrote: »
    You are winding us up ! Whats an Ariel ?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZOJMZEITzg

    That is washing powder. What he asked was:

    What exactly is an aerial

    You are doing the winding up.


Advertisement