Onsite TV service

[Gafferbill]

IMO satellite TV is only worth it in the UK if you are subscribing to SKY and want their paid for channels.
Freeview TV is a lot easier and cheaper with no line of site problems in positioning a dish.
Trees near your pitch can block your signal.
Nearly all modern caravans come with a Status aerial that picks up Freesview digital.
We have also given up taking a satellite system abroad due to the smaller footprint of the latest satellites in terms of receiving UK channels.

"Each to their own"...of course.

 

[Buckman]

IMO satellite TV is only worth it in the UK if you are subscribing to SKY and want their paid for channels.
Freeserve TV is a lot easier and cheaper with no line of site problems in positioning a dish.
Trees near your pitch can block your signal.
Nearly all modern caravans come with a Status aerial that picks up Freeserve digital.
We have also given up taking a satellite system abroad due to the smaller footprint of the latest satellites in terms of receiving UK channels.

"Each to their own"...of course.

Even Freeview will suffer loss of signal if trees in line of sight or if you are in a dip as digital is mainly "line of sight".

 

[Woodentop]

Freeserve? Surely you mean Freeview?

Even Freeview will suffer loss of signal if trees in line of sight or if you are in a dip as digital is mainly "line of sight".

Why, pray, should digital signals work any differently to analogue signals? If your incoming signal is good enough the signal may suffer dips, but in terms of the format, DVB-T is significantly more resilient than analogue, and the HD version DVB-T2 is even ore so!
A friend and former colleague lives in N Yorks not far from Jervaulx Abbey and is (or rather was) line of sight to Bilsdale (remember, the one that burnt down a few years ago?) However there are three mature trees in line between the reception site and the broadcast mast - and it killed the signal dead. He now uses satellite. He lives in a small hamlet albeit on top of a bit of a hill and the likelihood of him getting fibre is near nil - his broadband is slow to say the least. He contacted the County Council who put him in contact with Superfastnorthyorkshire. They get EE in who installed a cellular interface and external aerial and he now gets about 33MB from a cell site around 4 miles away but line of sight.

 

[Buckman]

Freeserve? Surely you mean Freeview?

Why, pray, should digital signals work any differently to analogue signals? If your incoming signal is good enough the signal may suffer dips, but in terms of the format, DVB-T is significantly more resilient than analogue, and the HD version DVB-T2 is even ore so!
A friend and former colleague lives in N Yorks not far from Jervaulx Abbey and is (or rather was) line of sight to Bilsdale (remember, the one that burnt down a few years ago?) However there are three mature trees in line between the reception site and the broadcast mast - and it killed the signal dead. He now uses satellite. He lives in a small hamlet albeit on top of a bit of a hill and the likelihood of him getting fibre is near nil - his broadband is slow to say the least. He contacted the County Council who put him in contact with Superfastnorthyorkshire. They get EE in who installed a cellular interface and external aerial and he now gets about 33MB from a cell site around 4 miles away but line of sight.

I do not recall stating that digital work differently to analogue? Not sure where you got that bit of incorrect information.

However by the same token when going in a dip i.e. across River Severn etc my digital signal drops out, but if using FM no issue?

 

[Dustydog]

IMO satellite TV is only worth it in the UK if you are subscribing to SKY and want their paid for channels.
Freeserve TV is a lot easier and cheaper with no line of site problems in positioning a dish.
Trees near your pitch can block your signal.
Nearly all modern caravans come with a Status aerial that picks up Freeserve digital.
We have also given up taking a satellite system abroad due to the smaller footprint of the latest satellites in terms of receiving UK channels.

"Each to their own"...of course.

As a Sky Subscriber I fully agree. However I still find numerous Sites including CLs where the digital tv signal is listed as poor. So pleased we still take our dish , it keeps SWMBO quiet 🤪😉

 

[Woodentop]

As a Sky Subscriber I fully agree. However I still find numerous Sites including CLs where the digital tv signal is listed as poor. So pleased we still take our dish , it keeps SWMBO quiet 🤪😉

I think that is largely because the CMC have been too lazy to get the signals checked/remeasured! We have stayed at sites that are listed as poor but the transmitter mast is visible/line of sight!
Mind you, you've only got to look around the site to see how many different aerial directions (and polarities) can be used on a caravan!!

 

[RogerL]

IMO satellite TV is only worth it in the UK if you are subscribing to SKY and want their paid for channels.
Freeserve TV is a lot easier and cheaper with no line of site problems in positioning a dish.
Trees near your pitch can block your signal.
Nearly all modern caravans come with a Status aerial that picks up Freeserve digital.
We have also given up taking a satellite system abroad due to the smaller footprint of the latest satellites in terms of receiving UK channels.

"Each to their own"...of course.

Freeview DTV, via a caravan Status aerial, has it's limitations - for those who caravan near towns it's fine but for those of us who caravan in remote areas with very low population then Freesat or Sky become a necessity.

Freesat also makes it easier to get local programmes where the terrain and regional boundaries gives the wrong region on DTV - the Solway Firth and Bristol Channel are both areas where the DTV signal may come from the wrong country.

 

[Saxo Appeal]

Thanks to everyone on here for their input, after keeping the kids entertained during last part of our holiday and much needs relaxing after waking miles in Scarborough and York, I’ve finally been able to test the Sat and it works a treat !

I’m doing a scan right now and it’s connected directly from the Sat to the Sat In on the back of the TV, next test will be through the Sat in at the battery box.

We’re at 47% and currently have 429 channels searched, wonder if these will all be foreign 😂

 

[Saxo Appeal]

Hmm

Presume now we just go through all the 782 channels and make favourites, this is going to take ages 😂 Lots of duplicates also

Shame there wasn’t a filter to filter out all the channels which are just black (Sky Channels) and the word ‘scrambled’ scrolls across the screen.

 

[Saxo Appeal]

Ok this is a turn up for the books.

Connected the Sat dish directly up to the TV and was able to scan many, many channels,

Then I tried connecting the same Sat black cable which came with the Sat to the battery box inlet, then using the white coaxial cable from the coaxial in using a converter to Coaxial-in and for No Signal on TV

Then I used the same cable to the Sat-in and same No Signal on TV

I then used my V8 finder and connected to the Sat output inside the caravan and getting 95% green quality signal, so it’s the cable I’m using does not allow a SAT signal on it, presume I’ll need to buy actual sat cable, not coaxial.

 

[Buckman]

As suggested previously I think there could a fault with the internal cabling in the caravan? Good luck.

 

[Saxo Appeal]

Don’t think it’s that Buckman, or I would not have been able to use the Sat-in and Coaxial to the TV at last place

I have previously been able to use a Coaxial cable with converter adapters at the last place we stayed. which went from the post to the Sat-In at the battery box, then I had an RF converter plug convert to coaxial cable inside the caravan to the TV and that worked.

Also using the coaxial input in the caravan with the indoor (push up) aerial to the TV worked, so both are working

Last night I also tested the Sat-In input with the V8 finder and signal was coming through with quality 95% as pictured above.

So that leaves me to suggest it was the cable I was using from the Sat-In to the Sat input on the TV which was using normal Coaxial cable, when I should have been using a proper Sat cable (can anyone recommend one?)

The cable which I received with the Satellite is a thinner type, and that worked a treat direct from the Sat to the Sat-In on the TV giving me over 700+ channels, all be it duplicates and Sky which I can’t watch.


Just to confirm, say I returned this and purchased the SkyQ (only) Sat from Falcon, we are able to use our Sky box but can’t record as it only has one LNB? And if we travelled out of UK we can’t use it because Sky is locked to the UK?

This was the cable I used inside from the Sat-In inside the caravan to the back of the Sat-In on the TV, so not sure why this didn’t work as it looks ok.

 

[Woodentop]

Has the OP look at the presentation of cables near the aerial amp. The cable from outside to inside is for use in either direction, so if it is intended for use on satellite there must be a routing/connection part way along the cable - likely adjacent to the aerial amp.
As I said in a earlier post the satellite signal must NOT be routed through the aerial amp for various technical reasons.

 

[Saxo Appeal]

Has the OP look at the presentation of cables near the aerial amp. The cable from outside to inside is for use in either direction, so if it is intended for use on satellite there must be a routing/connection part way along the cable - likely adjacent to the aerial amp.
As I said in a earlier post the satellite signal must NOT be routed through the aerial amp for various technical reasons.

Hi Woodentop,

Last night I went from the Satellite to the Sat-In beside the battery using the cable provided with the Satellite, then inside the caravan I went from the Sat-In (which presumably skips the Amp) to the back of the Sat-In on the TV using the white cable as pictured above and I got ‘No Signal’ on the TV when before using direct from Sat to the TV wa showing BBC one.

Will take a photo of the Amp soon

 

[borderbilly]

Hi Woodentop,

Last night I went from the Satellite to the Sat-In beside the battery using the cable provided with the Satellite, then inside the caravan I went from the Sat-In (which presumably skips the Amp) to the back of the Sat-In on the TV using the white cable as pictured above and I got ‘No Signal’ on the TV when before using direct from Sat to the TV wa showing BBC one.

Will take a photo of the Amp soon

When I plug in I get no signal coming up, I just retune the TV.

 

[woodsieboy]

One thing I have found is that you need to be careful when connecting the sat cable, make sure the central wire is lined up in the centre of the receiving socket, I spent ages trying to tune mine in recently only to find the central wire was bent to one side and thus not making contact,With regard to sat cable, you can buy short lengths with connectors either end from Amazon

 

[Buckman]

Hi Woodentop,

Last night I went from the Satellite to the Sat-In beside the battery using the cable provided with the Satellite, then inside the caravan I went from the Sat-In (which presumably skips the Amp) to the back of the Sat-In on the TV using the white cable as pictured above and I got ‘No Signal’ on the TV when before using direct from Sat to the TV wa showing BBC one.

Will take a photo of the Amp soon

I am beginning to think that maybe you created a lot of trouble for yourself by not using a Sky box in the first place? LOL!

 

[otherclive]

I am beginning to think that maybe you created a lot of trouble for yourself by not using a Sky box in the first place? LOL!

We never had a Sky or Freesat box but used a box supplied by the sat system seller. Must admit though I never had anything like the hassle Saxo has had. I even used a budget sat finder again provided by the supplier.

 

[Saxo Appeal]

Ach it’s all a learning experience 😂

 

[Buckman]

Can it’s all a learning experience 😂

Extra steep learning curve going around in circles. However by the time you get around to watching TV it will be time to pack up to go home. LOL!

 

[Saxo Appeal]

Ok, just looked under the seat and want I thought was the Amp is the Sergeant Alarm,

Any idea where the Amp is @Woodentop 🤔

 

[Buckman]

Generally I think the sat amp/splitter is powered by the Sky or Freesat box, but no idea when it is plugged directly into a TV.

 

[Woodentop]

Ok, just looked under the seat and want I thought was the Amp is the Sergeant Alarm,

Any idea where the Amp is @Woodentop 🤔

Having only ever been a Bailey user I cannot answer your last question.

However one other thing does occur to me. Have you checked in the TV set-up that there is power set to on to feed the satellite socket? If you have a DVM and can measure between the outer thread of the sat socket (-ve) and the centre core (+ve) you should find around 13V or 19V.

Explanation: satellite signals come in two frequency bands, one just below about 10.7GHz and the other just above. The signals radiated by the satellite are also polarised, vertical and horizontal. Switching between vertical and horizontal polarity the box will send 13V on the cable for vertical and about 19V for horizontal. To get the higher frequency band there will also be a 22KHz audio tone on the cable - the tone is absent for the lower frequency band. The LNB (the box on the end of the dish stalk) converts the GHz frequencies down to 950-2000MHz which can more easily be handled.

The frequency bands for aerial use are 88-108MHz for analogue FM radio band. DAB (and DAB+) are transmitted between 175MHz and 240MHz. In the UK frequencies up to around 210MHz are used for mobile radio so only the upper half of the DAB band can be used. Freeview TV in the UK occupies the 470-790MHz band (channels 21-48). Satellite downlink occupies 950-2000MHz so obviously will not work through a terrestrial TV band aerial amp. DAB and DAB+ occupy the same frequency band but use different modes of modulation.
FM radio uses mixed polarity on main stations and vertical on local stations for better use in vehicles: ALL DAB transmissions are vertically polarised, and Freeview can be horizontal (generally main transmitter sites) or vertical on relay sites - with a few exceptions.

 

[Saxo Appeal]

Having only ever been a Bailey user I cannot answer your last question.

However one other thing does occur to me. Have you checked in the TV set-up that there is power set to on to feed the satellite socket? If you have a DVM and can measure between the outer thread of the sat socket (-ve) and the centre core (+ve) you should find around 13V or 19V.

Explanation: satellite signals come in two frequency bands, one just below about 10.7GHz and the other just above. The signals radiated by the satellite are also polarised, vertical and horizontal. Switching between vertical and horizontal polarity the box will send 13V on the cable for vertical and about 19V for horizontal. To get the higher frequency band there will also be a 22KHz audio tone on the cable - the tone is absent for the lower frequency band. The LNB (the box on the end of the dish stalk) converts the GHz frequencies down to 950-2000MHz which can more easily be handled.

The frequency bands for aerial use are 88-108MHz for analogue FM radio band. DAB (and DAB+) are transmitted between 175MHz and 240MHz. In the UK frequencies up to around 210MHz are used for mobile radio so only the upper half of the DAB band can be used. Freeview TV in the UK occupies the 470-790MHz band (channels 21-48). Satellite downlink occupies 950-2000MHz so obviously will not work through a terrestrial TV band aerial amp. DAB and DAB+ occupy the same frequency band but use different modes of modulation.
FM radio uses mixed polarity on main stations and vertical on local stations for better use in vehicles: ALL DAB transmissions are vertically polarised, and Freeview can be horizontal (generally main transmitter sites) or vertical on relay sites - with a few exceptions.

Seeeeesh here was me thinking I wasn’t that bad at geeky stuff, then you go mention a heap of words and numbers and my brain is already fried 🤯😂

 

[Saxo Appeal]

As mentioned previously while doing a scan on the Satellite, I was able to tune in over 700+ channels. But a lot of these were Sky (black screen) and duplicates.

I would presume my next task would be to go through each one and make the live channels, which we want to keep, select as a favourite for future use, or would I need to scan once again at a new site and all my favourites would be lost?

Also using the Falcon QuickSat QS65, I see it searches SD and HD channels, I would much prefer to watch HD channels for the better clarity picture for watching 👀