Advice please on tv/freeview

[Denise4]

I know there seem to be a lot of posts on this subject but please help. At Easter on our first trip we took our tv and could not get any picture. The van has a status 315 omni-directional antenna. My question is.. is the status any good and would it be better if I got a freeview box and used that with the TV.Thanks Denise.

 

[cooky1]

Freeview still needs a signal from the aerial, so if the reception is poor it doesn't matter if you have normal tv or digital. Some sites I have stayed on have a built in booster system in the electric points which you just plug a long lead into.

Maybee the omnimax couldn't get enough signal.

 

[Denise4]

Freeview still needs a signal from the aerial, so if the reception is poor it doesn't matter if you have normal tv or digital. Some sites I have stayed on have a built in booster system in the electric points which you just plug a long lead into.

Maybee the omnimax couldn't get enough signal.

Thanks Graeme, the site we are going to next week says the pitch has tv hook up - does this mean we will get a picture!!

 

[rob_jax]

Denise,

The status omni-directional aerial is not the best TV aerial in the world, their direction aerial (which you need to turn to get the best picture) seems to be reasonably OK.

Freeview needs the best possible signal to work properly, so the last aerial I would use is the Status omni-direction.

But since your next site has a TV hook up, all you'll need is a long TV aerial cable with plugs on both ends. The TV points are usually on the site power poles - so you will need a TV aerial cable at least as long as your site power hook up lead.

You may also want to buy a double-ended adaptor for the TV aerial lead in case the site has a plug or a socket on the power pole - a trip to B&Q should get all the stuff you will need.

Robert

 

[Denise4]

Thanks Robert, silly question the long tv lead that you are talking about, does it have to go out of the window to plug it into the sites hookup. I'm beginning to think it would be easier to leave the tv at home. We only take it for the children and it is useful if you want a bit of peace & quiet from them. Denise

 

[cooky1]

Denise,

The status omni-directional aerial is not the best TV aerial in the world, their direction aerial (which you need to turn to get the best picture) seems to be reasonably OK.

Freeview needs the best possible signal to work properly, so the last aerial I would use is the Status omni-direction.

But since your next site has a TV hook up, all you'll need is a long TV aerial cable with plugs on both ends. The TV points are usually on the site power poles - so you will need a TV aerial cable at least as long as your site power hook up lead.

You may also want to buy a double-ended adaptor for the TV aerial lead in case the site has a plug or a socket on the power pole - a trip to B&Q should get all the stuff you will need.

Robert

Denise, the last site we stayed on at Wooler in Northumberland had the boostre built into the electric bollards and the site office sold the cable all made up with connectors on both ends. It was about 25m long and cost about

 

[Denise4]

Thanks Robert, silly question the long tv lead that you are talking about, does it have to go out of the window to plug it into the sites hookup. I'm beginning to think it would be easier to leave the tv at home. We only take it for the children and it is useful if you want a bit of peace & quiet from them. Denise

Thanks I think Graeme has already answered my question. Denise

 

[craigmurray]

denise, i have one of those omni directional status ariels and i think there rubbish.....in the end i bought an external digital status ariel that attaches to the side of the van, with this it means if i cant get a signal with it in its horizontal position i can turn it vertical to get a great reception.....i am lucky tho i have an external ariel socket in my battery compartment so no wires need thru windows....i also run 2 free view boxes and wouldnt be without them, admittidly on one site we go to we get limited channels but what we do get are better than the snowey picture with the ariel....we are surrounded by trees....hope it may of been help?

 

[Nick_5113309]

Although it does not look so nice, a house type chimney aerial on a pole is usually the most effective. However you can just be in a poor signal area between two transmitters.

Freeview is unlikely to work well. Even if you get a picture, you will be subject to frequent picture breakdowns.

A good alternative is a Maplins satellite. On offer at 60 quid.

There is a forum on this subject

Nick