[TV] Smart TVs

[Perkino]

As a novice to most tech I need to know about tv ariels and smart TVs.

Due to an extension being built my tv ariel will need to be removed/moved and I'm trying to decide if I need to pay for it to be moved. Once the works are completed we will be upgrading our tv to a smart tv so my question is do I need an analog ariel to make the most of a smart tv or is everything transmitted via the Internet?

 

[Is it PotG?]

Depends if said TV is set up with FreeSat, FreeView or both.

Don't even think that there are any analogue channels anymore, all digital isn't it?

The Smart aspect connects the TV to internet for things such as iPlayer.

FreeSat will need a dish, FreeView a decent aerial.

 

[happypig]

I'd also advise to run an ethernet cable to it. Wifi isn't as reliable in many situations.

 

[Perkino]

I'd also advise to run an ethernet cable to it. Wifi isn't as reliable in many situations.

That is a sensible suggestion, thank you very much

 

[dazzer6666]

As a novice to most tech I need to know about tv ariels and smart TVs.

Due to an extension being built my tv ariel will need to be removed/moved and I'm trying to decide if I need to pay for it to be moved. Once the works are completed we will be upgrading our tv to a smart tv so my question is do I need an analog ariel to make the most of a smart tv or is everything transmitted via the Internet?

Digital aerial (for freeview) or satellite dish, plus a decent (as suggested ideally cabled) internet connection for all the online services. No point in an analogue aerial now - signals were mostly switched off years ago......(your existing aerial must be digital already)

This blog is quite helpful

https://www.smartaerials.co.uk/blog/do-i-need-a-tv-aerial-for-my-smart-tv

 

[Bold Seagull]

As a novice to most tech I need to know about tv ariels and smart TVs.

Due to an extension being built my tv ariel will need to be removed/moved and I'm trying to decide if I need to pay for it to be moved. Once the works are completed we will be upgrading our tv to a smart tv so my question is do I need an analog ariel to make the most of a smart tv or is everything transmitted via the Internet?

Most of the ‘smart’ stuff will be internet connection, so all the iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon, Disney apps etc. will run off your internet connection. Broadcast programming though, you will need an aerial, or freesat (dish) connection. Given you’re talking about an existing aerial, I would say yes you need to get it re-fitted and connected to the TV to access freeview channels.

 

[beorhthelm]

as well as Ethernet, i'd have satellite and TV cable routed even if you dont think you'll use it for now, easy to do during works.

you'll need TV coax for regular freeview (digital), satellite for Sky or freesat and the ethernet for additional online services. the smartness means the latter will be built-in and not have to use set top boxes/consoles.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Digital aerial (for freeview) or satellite dish, plus a decent (as suggested ideally cabled) internet connection for all the online services. No point in an analogue aerial now - signals were mostly switched off years ago......(your existing aerial must be digital already)

This blog is quite helpful

https://www.smartaerials.co.uk/blog/do-i-need-a-tv-aerial-for-my-smart-tv

I might have this wrong, but any aerial will do with a coaxial cable. In my house here that hadn’t been touched for 40 years, the existing aerial and coaxial from a bygone age still receives the digital signal.

It’s the box/tv that sorts the digital signal out, even old aerials still pick up the signal.

 

[Notters]

Digital aerial (for freeview) or satellite dish, plus a decent (as suggested ideally cabled) internet connection for all the online services. No point in an analogue aerial now - signals were mostly switched off years ago......(your existing aerial must be digital already)

This blog is quite helpful

https://www.smartaerials.co.uk/blog/do-i-need-a-tv-aerial-for-my-smart-tv

is an analogue aerial different to a digital one?! I thought they were the same but this may explainwhy I can't get TV channels on our new TV in the kitchen which is connectedtoan aerial in the loft.

 

[dazzer6666]

is an analogue aerial different to a digital one?! I thought they were the same but this may explainwhy I can't get TV channels on our new TV in the kitchen which is connectedtoan aerial in the loft.

Yes - you need to upgrade the aerial to get digital channels.............I'm not a technician but you can't get digital signals through an analogue aerial.

Edit - apologies - [MENTION=16159]Bold Seagull[/MENTION] is correct - although needs to cope with the digital signal range though....

https://www.switchhelp.co.uk/faq_aerial.html

 

[Weststander]

With a quality wireless router (Netgear in our case), I find there's no need for any cabling to the TV for Amazon Prime for example.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Yes - you need to upgrade the aerial to get digital channels.............I'm not a technician but you can't get digital signals through an analogue aerial.

Edit - apologies - [MENTION=16159]Bold Seagull[/MENTION] is correct - although needs to cope with the digital signal range though....

https://www.switchhelp.co.uk/faq_aerial.html

I'm no expert, but I don't think that is correct. There was no need to change aerials at the digital switchover a few years ago. That's not to say if its an old knackered one it won't benefit from upgrading, but I'm pretty sure there is no fundamental difference.

Edit - sorry, I see you already said that as an edit

 

[dazzer6666]

I'm no expert, but I don't think that is correct. There was no need to change aerials at the digital switchover a few years ago. That's not to say if its an old knackered one it won't benefit from upgrading, but I'm pretty sure there is no fundamental difference.

Edit - sorry, I see you already said that as an edit

I thought at the time we had ours upgraded the aerial guy told me a new one was needed, he must have just meant the one I had was too old and decrepit to work properly Pretty sure though that on old one in the loft won't be good enough........

 

[Weststander]

I'm no expert, but I don't think that is correct. There was no need to change aerials at the digital switchover a few years ago. That's not to say if its an old knackered one it won't benefit from upgrading, but I'm pretty sure there is no fundamental difference.

Edit - sorry, I see you already said that as an edit

We’ve found that a powered aerial picks up far more Freeview channels.

 

[father_and_son]

As a novice to most tech I need to know about tv ariels and smart TVs.

Due to an extension being built my tv ariel will need to be removed/moved and I'm trying to decide if I need to pay for it to be moved. Once the works are completed we will be upgrading our tv to a smart tv so my question is do I need an analog ariel to make the most of a smart tv or is everything transmitted via the Internet?

Storm last winter shifted our aerial enough to stop any signal.
Have a sky box and a smart TV in the lounge. Have everything we need on Sky and Netflix (and on a freebie at the moment, Amazon) on the TV (can do Netflix through Sky but easier on the TV).

Daughter has a NowTV box to access Netflix and iPlayer etc. Son uses XBox for everything.

We have no TV aerial and don't miss/need it at all but only because we have Sky. Without that I'd be getting someone in to fix the aerial.

 

[Bodian]

We started having a stove fitting, then lockdown came along, so we haven't used our living room for two months now. We're living in the conservatory, and I can tell you that a bit of wire and an old coathanger is not nearly as successful as it used to be in the 'good old days'. Some nights we can get most of Freeview, some nights just bits, and some nights only the BBC channels.

 

[southdownswolf]

We started having a stove fitting, then lockdown came along, so we haven't used our living room for two months now. We're living in the conservatory, and I can tell you that a bit of wire and an old coathanger is not nearly as successful as it used to be in the 'good old days'. Some nights we can get most of Freeview, some nights just bits, and some nights only the BBC channels.

I see your problem...
when it was just BBC, you could bend the coathanger into a circle to get a picture.
In the 1980's, when we had 4 channels, then you needed to bend it into a rectangle.
With all these channels now, it doesn't work unless you bend it into a hectagon.

 

[GOM]

is an analogue aerial different to a digital one?! I thought they were the same but this may explainwhy I can't get TV channels on our new TV in the kitchen which is connectedtoan aerial in the loft.

Check the direction the aerial is pointing, a lot of the old ones used to point towards the Tyne Tees transmitters pre digital in the Guiseley and surrounding area.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

For Freeview [terrestrial] TV, aerial requirements are criticality dependant upon the location of your nearest transmitter.
For me, the Wrekin transmitter is clear line-of-sight and just 2 miles so my terrestrial TV aerial is fixed in the loft - I can even pick up a weak signal with just the coax wire hanging out the back of a TV - not tried a coat hanger.
But if your nearest transmitter is further away - when I lived in Saltdean, it was the Isle of Wright, you'll need a decent digital roof aerial and probably a signal amplifier [booster] too.
One other further consideration, the length of your coax cable between TV and aerial needs to be as short as practically possible and signal fades of lengthy cable.
If you're going Freeview, might with worth getting a technician round as they have meters to measure signal strength and will confirm aerial / aerial siting / cable length / booster requirements.

Sky and Internet are a very different kettle of fish.
Interesting re the comment about using Ethernet cable. I have Virgin 200 MBs broadband and several fixed [in the wall] Ethernet sockets and Gigabit switches around the house. I did a speed test last week after installing a couple of free Virgin WiFi range extenders and all my Ethernet connected devices were able to get just shy of 100 MBs but my Wi-Fi devices [using 801.11ac] were achieving close to 200 MBs download speed. So, as long as the smart TV is located close enough to the WIFi broadband source, cabling might not be beneficial. Mind, most Ethernet TV / streaming will happily run at 20 MBs so this is all a bit academical.

 

[Notters]

Check the direction the aerial is pointing, a lot of the old ones used to point towards the Tyne Tees transmitters pre digital in the Guiseley and surrounding area.

Thank you, I will have a look! All the neighbours seem to be pointing roughly Emley-Moor wards.

Whereabouts are you based?