Free view in Waterford?

Neilinhio · 02-09-2012 10:23pm #1

Hi, just wondering if anybody knows if I can pick up uk free view in Waterford. I've read here that it can be picked in the south east but I'm not sure on how far from the east coast it can be received. I'm in mid Waterford ish. Thanks

coylemj · 02-09-2012 11:38pm

The answer to that question can probably be provided by your neighbours, do any of them have aerials pointing east? Last time I was in Rosslare there was a heap of aerials pointing over to Wales.

Johnboy1951 · 03-09-2012 8:23am

I have seen setups in East Waterford ..... Dunmore East etc but never noticed anything much west of that.

Some years ago someone was relaying FTA channels in the Dunmore/Woodstown/Passage area, so the signals were getting that far at least.

Sorry have no knowledge of anything further west.

Neilinhio · 03-09-2012 8:59am

Thanks lads, I'll just have to have a poke around with the aerial to see what I get. Most people in the area have dishes from what I can see, it was a bad area for the old analogue so most people went with a dish, but I tuned saorview for my parents recently and it's coming in perfect so now im just curious to know can I get the uk channels so they can drop sky.

Peter Rhea · 03-09-2012 9:23am

coylemj wrote: »

Last time I was in Rosslare there was a heap of aerials pointing over to Wales.

Rosslare is in Wexford, right out on the east coast. Anywhere in Waterford is more than 20 miles further away from the Preseli transmitter.

Peter Rhea · 03-09-2012 10:21am

Should also add that this week wouldn't be the best time to be investigating conditions for permanent reception, as the high pressure weather will probably bring in signals from all over the place, but they're liable to disappear within a short time.

Ronnie Raygun · 03-09-2012 12:26pm

Neilinhio wrote: »

... im just curious to know can I get the uk channels so they can drop sky.

They can drop Sky anyway: the Sky box will still get the FTA UK channels with epg or they can replace it with a satellite receiver of their choice, or add more receivers, provided there are lnb outputs available.

IIRC, the only channels exclusive to Freeview are Dave, Quest & Yesterday. Dave, I believe is reruns of old panel shows & Top Gear, Quest is Discovery channel stuff, presumably from a while back, Yesterday has documentaries along with a lot of Last of the Summer Wine & Antiques Roadshow repeats ...

Neilinhio · 03-09-2012 12:58pm

Peter Rhea wrote: »

Should also add that this week wouldn't be the best time to be investigating conditions for permanent reception, as the high pressure weather will probably bring in signals from all over the place, but they're liable to disappear within a short time.

Didn't know that, thanks will keep that in mind when I get round to doing it.

You are right I'm a long way from rosslare, probably 10 miles or so west of Waterford so I'm guessing I'm probably too far. Back in the old days we would have got the bbc through a deflector so we are probably out of range

Neilinhio · 03-09-2012 1:05pm

Ronnie Raygun wrote: »

They can drop Sky anyway: the Sky box will still get the FTA UK channels with epg or they can replace it with a satellite receiver of their choice, or add more receivers, provided there are lnb outputs available.
...

That's the plan if I can't pick them up, but the epg makes it awkward by including all channels. I'd like to have all the Irish and uk channels on the same channel list.

Just a thought but can sky boxes have the epg altered? Or are the boxes locked?

Ronnie Raygun · 03-09-2012 2:06pm

You can't change the epg, but all the worthwhile free channels will fit in a "favourites" list, which can be accessed as a kind of mini epg, or you can flick through the channels using the blue button (on the older boxes anyway, the newer ones are the same afaia).

Gerry Wicklow · 03-09-2012 2:16pm

A sky box wont give you the Irish channels without a sub. If you really need the Irish and Uk channels in one simple list a combo box is the easiest route. This uses an ordinary aerial for Irish (Saorview) and the dish for UK. It will not give a full epg for UK only now/next and may need a slight re-tune from time to time. There are other minor details also.

Neilinhio · 03-09-2012 7:49pm

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

A sky box wont give you the Irish channels without a sub. If you really need the Irish and Uk channels in one simple list a combo box is the easiest route. This uses an ordinary aerial for Irish (Saorview) and the dish for UK. It will not give a full epg for UK only now/next and may need a slight re-tune from time to time. There are other minor details also.

If it came down to it, I'd just leave the sky box rather than buying a new box

jabarrett35 · 04-09-2012 7:59am

It depends where you are in Waterford if you are on the coast you can get UK Freeview some of the time, but it is'nt reliable. I live in Tramore and have an aerial for Preseli which is great in the spring summer and autumn, but winter is very hit and miss. The other issue is if you rely on Saorview the large aerial brings in a lot of weaker transmitters and this cancels out Mt Leinster and Suir Valley. Mt Leinster should be ok from the end of October when it moves from ch 45.

Neilinhio · 04-09-2012 9:16am

I am not too far from tramore and the coast so maybe I might pick up something

jabarrett35 · 04-09-2012 9:39am

Neilinhio wrote: »

I am not too far from tramore and the coast so maybe I might pick up something

If you are not in a valley you'll get reception a lot of the time. You need a good band B aerial and amplifier. I wouldn't rely on it though I have Saorview and Freesat. I just like terrestrial TV it's more of hobby.

Neilinhio · 04-09-2012 9:51am

How do you distinguish a band b aerial?

jabarrett35 · 04-09-2012 10:03am

Neilinhio wrote: »

How do you distinguish a band b aerial?

Band B are yellow at the end of the aerial. You would need a large aerial to get reception. I've a 100 element aerial by Blake. It needs to be professionally installed.

Peter Rhea · 04-09-2012 10:41am

They don't all have the yellow bung in the end & it's unlikely anyone buying one will have to identify it by sight anyway.

jabarrett35 · 04-09-2012 10:47am

Peter Rhea wrote: »

They don't all have the yellow bung in the end & it's unlikely anyone buying one will have to identify it by sight anyway.

True.

marclt · 05-09-2012 2:48pm

There used to be very large aerials around Youghal pointing east - was that a deflector or signals coming in from Preseli... wonder if anyone can pick up freeview there now?

I occasionally get Mullaghanish from my location with an aerial pointing to Mt. Leinster. Amazing how signals travel, but not good if you want a reliable signal.

A SD freesat box could cost no more than £30, add a similar amount for a dish and DIY install and you could be on to a winner.

Free view in Waterford?

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