TV help for newbie
Hi there, I am hoping that someone might be able to help me!
I am rubbish at technical stuff so please do bear with me. We are in the process of upgrading things in our ‘new to us’ caravan. The current tv aerial that came with the caravan is damaged and was leaking so it has been sealed with some mastic for now to stop the leak. However, we are going to replace the antenna and it’s associated signal booster box with a Status 570.
My question is, once we have got that all installed and sorted what will be the best way to get decent tv? I was wondering if it would be possible to use a Freeview box or if there is some other way to get good tv? We used a Fire Stick for our first trip away but it meant we couldn’t get live tv so would really appreciate some help please! Thank you so much!
Comments
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Your Status 570 should give you a good signal. If you get an upgraded amplifier, such as a Vision Plus VP4, it comes with a built in signal finder which helps. There are various apps availble which also help.
The ariel is directional so have a look on site at where all other ariels are pointed. However do your own tests as well.
I use a freeview box when in the van, to enable me to pause tv, record programmes and stream from iPlayer etc. However in poor reception areas I often find that the tuner in my LG tv picks up the signal better than the freeview box so rely on that.
If you are in a decent mobile signal area you can always stream live tv from a router or mobile phone set up as a hot spot.
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Once you get your aerial sorted I would advise bookmarking this site for TV transmitter locations and signal footprints. I have found it invaluable when using a TV away. I make a note of the compass direction of the best transmitter for our chosen site. When we arrive I sucker fix our Avtex aerial onto the side of the van or window, set the TV on auto-tune and that's it.
Full service Freeview transmitters | free and easy for 21 years
Colin
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We had the same Aerial on our motorhome and generally it gave a good picture. As mentioned by Simon100 the Vision Plus VP4 is a good option if not included in the installation and an easy after fit or swap.
You can get a Transmitter App for a Smart Phone which will show you the nearest transmitter and direction which helps. I often found that a look around the site to see where aerials were pointing was a good start although slightly confusing when they point different ways😲 Aerials on houses are the best guide. On some sites the picture is poor through an aerial because of a weak signal and they often have co-ax connections on the electric bollard, you will need to supply your own cable but these can often be purchased in site receptions, usually inexpensively.
David
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The signal finder on the VP4 is pretty good - all you have to do is turn the aerial until you get a bright green light on the amplifier. However, what it won't tell you is whether the aerial should be vertical or horizontal and that can make a massive difference to the quality of reception. I think I am right in saying that main transmitter signals usually need the aerial horizontal whereas slaves need it in the vertical position. I use an App on my phone called "Antenna Aligner" which uses your location to identify nearby transmitters and colour-codes them (traffic lights) in terms of quality of reception and gives you the compass bearing and aerial configuration.
Just bear in mind that on some Club sites, you will not get a signal whatever you do! In these instances, there is often an aerial point on the electricity bollard and you will need a long aerial lead usually available to buy at Reception. I felt a bit daft whilst on our recent trip to Chatsworth. I couldn't get a decent signal whatever I did but then I realised there was an aerial point on the bollard - not the usual white box but something hidden round the back more akin to a circuit breaker box. Plugged into that with the lead I keep in the van and - bingo - perfect reception. (Should have read the instructions before I set off there!!)
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Not sure you need a Freeview box. Our television like most has one built in and that is many years old. Most sets now have this feature.
The VP4 is very good and we have had signals in areas the hand book says the signal is poor. It is normally all or nothing though. The booster box should have a search facility showing a green light for the best signal direction and red for the wrong way.
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I would also get a phone app we use the "Antenna aligner" it will give the signal strength of the local TV transmitters and as the status 570 is a directional aerial it will give the compass bearing (don't worry the compass is part of the app) and of course if it needs to be vertical or horizontal
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we very rarely plug in our TV to our aerial, we have a smart TV and WiFi, so we just stream live tv or catch up via the relevant apps.
We use the TV, which is android and also often take our Roku Stick as the TV doesn’t have BBC.
(something to do with a dispute between playstore and BBC, rather than the TV)
It’s reliant on having a good signal on our WiFi, but we’ve rarely had a problem!0 -
As mentioned how the aerial performs is pretty much down to location. Directional ones like the Status 570 are pretty good but you really need to establish if the location demands a vertical or horizontal polarity to ensure best results. You don’t see many SAT dishes as in the past and WiFi/MiFi have superseded this older technology. Again, with WiFi location can have a significant bearing on reception. On a few remote sites the radio has come back into its own or a good book!
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I don't use an App, when I want terrestial TV, old habits are hard to break. I have always used >this web site< to obtain information on the best direction and what aerial to use.
peedee
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@airgirl
I use a simple signal finder that plugs into your aerial fly lead before I plug it into the rear of mt tv.You then twiddle the aerial up and down and around,until you get the most green led's illuminated.
Maplins used to do these devices,but readily available on Amazon ect.
Maxview MXL013 Digital Signal Finder Strength Meter0
