Replacement for Roof Aerial

graham101 · Post by **graham101** » Sat Feb 24, 2024 10:31 am

Having our roof repaired and also getting the troublesome chimney removed, so as we use BT Vision (now called EE Vision) we still need an aerial don't we?

We are 30 miles away from the main transmitter (Memdip) and do usually get a good signal as not much in the way.

My question is are they any modern options for aerials these days; for the loft the direction means pointing through the gable end (cavity wall); I have seen but do not understand the rectangular inside aerials, but are they suitable for our use?

Or should I just install a SSL 48 Element Tri Boom Very High Gain Freeview HD TV Aerial on the apex of the roof and be done with it.

Comments most welcome.

Regards,

Graham.

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Sat Feb 24, 2024 11:31 am

I would look at an internet connection to your TV. Obviously, a smart TV is needed and you can get the main TV and Freeview stuff on that. They are cheap now under £200 for a 50" smart TV. Add a Freeview Box and you can record and download stuff. Broadcast TV will gradually diminish as the move to fibre broadband advances. If you do not have internet it can be not a lot more than a landline costs these days. I have a Sky dish on my Sky Q box but I feel most of the programmes come through the internet. The new TV would cost less than the aerial.

DWD

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sat Feb 24, 2024 11:40 am

Aerials are still used, but bear in mind that a lot of aerials for TV use have hype and BS built into the name/description, such as freeview, HD and digital.

BT vision (EE vision) is just a mixture of freeview and internet TV, so a normal aerial will work fine, so long as it's pointing in the correct direction.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sat Feb 24, 2024 11:49 am

dewaltdisney wrote: ↑Sat Feb 24, 2024 11:31 amThe new TV would cost less than the aerial

Not being pedantic, but I don't see how. :dunno:

Cheapest 50 inch TV

currys £270
AO £246
Argos £250
Amazon £250

TV aerial £21 (Screwfix)

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Sat Feb 24, 2024 12:10 pm

Plus the cost of the bloke to fit it. Yes, the TVs are more than I said but a decent size TV for £250 is really cheap. An aerial will only give the basic transmitted stuff whereas internet connection brings a whole range of possibilities.

DWD

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sat Feb 24, 2024 12:54 pm

dewaltdisney wrote: ↑Sat Feb 24, 2024 12:10 pmwhereas internet connection brings a whole range of possibilities

Yes, yes it does.

Freesat is good too, no subscription to pay, loads of channels (Most of what you get on Sky, except sky movies, Disney, and a minority of others, quite a lot of film channels, watched Dr who and the Daleks yesterday)

stevei · Post by **stevei** » Sat Feb 24, 2024 12:58 pm

BT has changed the name to EE TV. We have the BT TV box Pro which doesn't need an aerial. It streams live TV from the internet. I'm assuming that you are connected to the internet to have BT TV. If so, get in touch with them either through your online account or phone them up to upgrade to the Pro box. They are doing special offers all the time. The Pro box will record two streamed channels at the same time. Through a terestrial aerial you can record 4 channels at once but to be frank I have never come across 4 programmes that are on at the same time that I would like to watch.

wine~o · Post by **wine~o** » Sat Feb 24, 2024 1:51 pm

Someone-Else wrote: ↑Sat Feb 24, 2024 11:49 am Not being pedantic,

Yes you are.

Nothing wrong with being a Pedant

graham101 · Post by **graham101** » Sat Feb 24, 2024 6:00 pm

Just an update, we are getting BT Fibre next week and I think that includes a new TV box as current contract is ending.

So can ask about the aerial then.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sat Feb 24, 2024 7:44 pm

Is that full fibre? (I have fibre, not full fibre)

graham101 · Post by **graham101** » Sat Feb 24, 2024 8:02 pm

Someone-Else wrote: ↑Sat Feb 24, 2024 7:44 pm Is that full fibre? (I have fibre, not full fibre)

I assume so as it's coming from a new telegraph pole direct to the house. The old copper cable is underground and will slowly fade away.

stevei · Post by **stevei** » Sun Feb 25, 2024 2:17 pm

I could be wrong but I don't think fibre is fed from poles. That could be why so many roads and pavements are being dug up by Openreach and their sub contractors.

wine~o · Post by **wine~o** » Sun Feb 25, 2024 2:41 pm

stevei, I can assure you that it can and often is fed from poles. It certainly is on the road where I live. If it wasn't chucking it down with rain I'd pop out and take a couple of photos.

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Sun Feb 25, 2024 2:46 pm

They recently put plastic fibre junction boxes at the top of the poles in My Close. I am not sure what happens next?

DWD

graham101 · Post by **graham101** » Sun Feb 25, 2024 2:55 pm

On our estate built in the late sixties all the telephone cables are deep underground and not well documented. Good idea at the time but now too expensive to upgrade to fibre. We are now seeing poles going up and fibre cables darting out from them. Not pretty but everyone wants fast broadband.

I did hear on another estate the pavements being dug up several times as I understand they must be 3 providers; in my area this usually means BT, Virgin and Wessex Internet or Jurassic Fibre. This estate was built in the late 70's and so has pavement BT boxes and known cable routes.

Graham.