TV cabling question

[petersemple]

I hve just moved house. The new place is wired up with Foxtel, which we don't want to subscribe to. Next to the Foxtel sockets are standard coax sockets marked FTA. That's what I want. Only problem is that the reception for digital FTA TV is not good through those sockets. Rabbit ears are better. Now, I know none of you have seen the place, so can't tell me how it is wired, but a few guesses would be good. Main question is that I can't see any standard TV aerial on the house at all - just the Foxtel satellite dish. Am I supposed to be able to get FTA through that dish? If so, how. If not, then I imagine I have cabling somewhere for a FTA aerial that goes nowhere, and I'll need to install an aerial and hook it up to the cable. WHere would I look for the cable? I am guessing either in the roof space or attached to the eaves somewhere.

[seriph1]

if rabbit ears are better than plugging in your TV to the FTA outlets and you can see the Mt Cootha TV towers from your roof .... and you can't see any antenna, then you have no antenna. If you are in or near Redcliffe I know a good bunch who kn ow what they're doing and are reasonably priced. Other than that, get an antenna specialist in to fix you up ... by your explanation, buying an antenna and trying to get it right on your own will not help as you need a signal meter to do it right. I paid less than $200 for a new antenna to be supplied and fitted for my mum's place.

[petersemple]

SO there's no possibility that the Foxtel dish could also be delivering FTA digital signals?

[seriph1]

none - other than with the assistance of a foxtel or austar decoder.

[Sparhawk]

You may have an antenna fitted in the roof cavity (that is where mine is).

[seriph1]

wouldn't the TV work then?

[TP1]

The Foxtel outlets will not give you a FTA signal unless they are diplexed together, in which case you will need a diplex filter to split the signal. Depending on space availability or other factors, installers may sometimes do this because Foxtel IQ requires 2 cables and outlets and combining one with FTA solves a few problems.

However, if there is no antenna anywhere, then you will need a new one.

[petersemple]

Odd thing is that last night I plugged an old analogue TV into the FTA sockets and got a clear signal with no snow or anything. Just can't get good digital. Looks like an antenna guy might be among the other tradies we need to call in (shed guy, fence guy, security guy at last count).

Thanks

Peter

[TP1]

Was the signal strong on all channels? If so you should be getting a good digital picture as well. Does your digital TV connect directly to the FTA outlet or do you connect via an STB or VCR?

[petersemple]

My digital TV is a computer with 2 digital tuners running mythtv and outputting to a large monitor, so it a slightly unusual setup. Works very well though. I must admit I didn't check all analogue channels. The digital signal will lock on and give a picture, but there is a lot of audio and video glitches, and sometimes it just locks up and only gives the audio. The signal strength is fine, but signal to noise ratio is only about 2dB. I am assuming a proper aerial will give better signal gain and therefore less noise.

Peter

[Sparhawk]

I have heard (I'm not sure if it is true), that some older analog antennas do not pick up digital signals very well. You might want to head over to the whirlpool forums, they might be able to help as well.

[petersemple]

I was wondering too if analogue comes down the satellite but not digital.