FAQ's
Aerials
Q:
How many TV’s can run off my aerial?
A:
With the right equipment the answer is as many as you want, or will need. The important part is having the signal in the first place to redistribute it. Amplification may also be necessary as every time and the more times a signal is split, signal is lost. We have been responsible for working on systems where one single aerial has fed over 300 flats. But for the majority of cases in the home environment TV signals can easily be distributed to 16 TV’s (for example) with only three bits of equipment. The aerial, amplifier and/or splitter and down leads to each TV position and there is no reason why this concept can’t be extended further. It does become trickier however with the more points required and long cable runs as more care has to be taken managing the signals but one TV aerial should be more than enough for as many TV’s that you require. More info can be found on our blog post here. http://smartaerials.co.uk/blog/how-many-tvs-can-i-run-off-one-aerial
Freesat
Q:
Is there High Definition (HD) on Freesat?
A:
Yes free High Definition TV can be received through Freesat. Although no alterations will be necessary to the satellite dish or connecting cables. A Freesat HD compatible set top box or receiver will be required as Freesat HD is broadcast using a different standard (DVB-S2). It is also vital when using a set top box that the TV be connected via a HDMI lead to get High Definition on the TV.
Q:
What size satellite dish do I need to Freesat?
A:
It is recommended that for Freesat you use a 45cm satellite dish for the south of the UK and a 60cm satellite dish for the north of the UK.
Q:
Can I use my Sky dish for Freesat?
A:
Yes you can use the exactly the same satellite dish for Freesat as Sky, they can even run side by side. The only thing you may have to alter since to release of Sky Q is the attached LNB as many Sky Q LNB’s are not backwards compatible with Sky+HD and Freesat. Having said that, there are now hybrid LNB’s on the market which can be used for both Sky Q and Freesat
Q:
What satellites does Freesat use?
A:
Freesat primarily uses the receives from the Astra 2 satellites at 28.2E, but also receives transmissions from Eurobird at 28.5E. These are the same satellites that deliver Sky TV to the UK.
Q:
What is Freesat?
A:
Freesat is a subscription free and unencrypted TV service delivered via satellite and received via a satellite dish. It is a joint venture provided by the BBC and ITV.
Freeview
Q:
Why can I not get all my Freeview channels?
A:
Well there could be a problem with your TV system but that’s not necessarily to say that there is! Assuming that your aerial is working as it should and there is still channels missing. This could be down to the transmitter that you are receiving Freeview from. Many transmitters serving a smaller number of homes only broadcast Freeview Lite. Approximately half of full Freeview. This is because as the audience from that transmitter is smaller it is not always worth the expense for the commercial operators to broadcast on and there also not often the space to fit them in. Popular channels that are lost in this situation are Dave, Yesterday and many of the +1’s amongst others. Often it is possible with an aerial re-alignment or replacement to receive your Freeview from different transmitter or combination of two to get the full service. Failing that there is also Freesat. To find out how many channels your transmitter broadcasts full channel lists can be found on the UK free TV website.
Q:
Why is my Freeview signal breaking up?
A:
If your Freeview picture is breaking up, freezing, pixelating or no picture at all. Then it is most likely that there is a problem with the incoming signal. As digital signals work effectively in an all or nothing basis, known within the trade as the ‘cliff effect’ and it is very difficult to diagnose reception problems by the picture alone, (a lost art from the analogue days) your problem could be anything from too little or too much signal, interference, faulty equipment amongst many other things. Ensure that you have a high quality lead feeding your TV as many shop bought leads are simply not up to the job. If you picture is frozen. Try unplugging the device for the mains electrical supply for a few minutes and reconnecting. It amazing how often this works.
Q:
Why can I not get Freeview HD?
A:
Although in fault conditions there could be many reasons why not are not receiving HD content through Freeview. (In fact owing to compression techniques Freeview HD needs a slightly more robust signal for satisfactory reception) But undoubtedly the most common reason why Freeview HD is not received is owing to the viewing equipment. If your TV is not compatible with ‘Freeview HD’ then it will not work, even the TV is Freeview compatible and a HDTV (Full HD, HD etc) with all other channels working fine, you will not pick the channels up and this is because Freeview HD uses a different compression technique to Freeview. The signal may be great but if the TV cannot understand it, it cannot give you the picture.
Q:
Do I need a digital aerial for Freeview?
A:
Well the short answer is no, but you could need a new aerial. During the build up to the digital switchover amidst the confusion through different circumstances, speaking in ‘Layman’s terms’ and sadly miss-selling, arose the term “digital aerial”. Although there is no such thing as a digital aerial and there is nothing to make an aerial digital exclusive, there are aerials that a better suited for digital signals. We would always recommend an aerial with an integrated balun or log periodic design for your installation. Look out for the CAI benchmark.
Interference
No items found.
Satellite
No items found.
Sky
Q:
what satellite does Sky use?
A:
Sky, SkyQ and Sky+ HD all primarily receives transmissions from the Astra 2 satellites at 28.2E, but also receives transmissions from Eurobird at 28.5E. These are the same satellites that deliver also deliver Freesat TV to the UK.
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