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Old 8th Mar 2018, 2:59 am   #1
cheerfulcharlie
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Default Nice Surprises.

Anyone had those days you thought was going to be bad ..but turned out rather good?

After moving into my new home (1960s build) I turned my attention to the TV facilities,coming through the window was a rather limp looking coaxial cable.

I followed the cable out and discovered there was no aerial on the roof I could see. So I opened the loft up to see if one was up there.... and was rather despondent to see...a full VHF rig from the 60s -and that weedy looking coaxial cable dated from those days as well, anyway somebody had cut the cable at the ITV/BBC joining box and joined in another cable which I followed to the apex of the roof to see a little 9 element UHF aerial which was pointing directly into the chimney wall.
Climbing down I thought I would plug in a Freeview box to see what a popcorn popping disaster the reception was going to be .....Freeview box said no problem and promptly loaded up about a 160 channels including HD ones, all running lovely-no popcorn- no drop out.
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Old 8th Mar 2018, 10:05 am   #2
MrBungle
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Default Re: Nice Surprises.

I have yet to experience something as serendipitous. Usually problems are met with more problems. Even on my relatively new installation, freeview was a problem!
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Old 8th Mar 2018, 10:43 am   #3
cheerfulcharlie
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Default Re: Nice Surprises.

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Originally Posted by MrBungle View Post
I have yet to experience something as serendipitous. Usually problems are met with more problems. Even on my relatively new installation, freeview was a problem!
Yes I know what you mean....in past places Freeview has never been straightforward, I have had to make compromises- use the best cable I could get- change an aerial to wide band etc ..and even then some channels would go pop occasionally.
I have since installed some lights in the loft. It was while I was fixing up the fluorescent battens...I suddenly thought..these are going to affect the signal..but they haven't.
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Old 8th Mar 2018, 11:49 am   #4
The Philpott
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Default Re: Nice Surprises.

You may have chosen the 'correct' technology for the batten- i am suspicious of the newer high frequency ones, and they certainly can't be run from the same switch as an iron ballasted fitting otherwise they may flicker.
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Old 8th Mar 2018, 12:09 pm   #5
paulsherwin
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Default Re: Nice Surprises.

Freeview is very robust if the signal is strong enough. It got its bad reputation in pre DSO days when the transmitters were using unrealistic power levels.
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Old 8th Mar 2018, 2:23 pm   #6
Lloyd 1985
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Default Re: Nice Surprises.

When we moved into our house there was no aerial either, there was a sky dish, but we had nothing to plug it into. I dug out an old indoor aerial that was entirely useless at our last house and was surprised to be able to tune the tv into all the freeview channels, even better was my tv upstairs, I hadn’t got another indoor aerial so I stuffed a coat hanger in the aerial socket, that worked perfectly too!! One day I might actually get round to putting up a proper outdoor aerial.

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Old 8th Mar 2018, 3:01 pm   #7
Nuvistor
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Default Re: Nice Surprises.

Surprising how many ”round to it “ jobs most of us have.
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Old 8th Mar 2018, 3:15 pm   #8
cheerfulcharlie
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Default Re: Nice Surprises.

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Originally Posted by The Philpott View Post
You may have chosen the 'correct' technology for the batten- i am suspicious of the newer high frequency ones, and they certainly can't be run from the same switch as an iron ballasted fitting otherwise they may flicker.
Yes good old fashioned florries.

I'm afraid the jury is still out for me on the modern replacements.

My last loft ones had BC bayonet ended tubes LOL and although put out to grass in the loft ...never any problems.
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Old 8th Mar 2018, 5:57 pm   #9
Julesomega
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Default Re: Nice Surprises.

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Originally Posted by cheerfulcharlie View Post
My last loft ones had BC bayonet ended tubes LOL and although put out to grass in the loft ...never any problems.
I've just weighed in a few of those, having replaced the last old choke ballast fittings with HF ones - Hooray, no starter changes for years now, and tubes seem to last longer. Anyway, I was able to salvage just one starter from the BC-ended units in case you want it (no guarantees though)

Still have a pile of the polyprop (?) shades so shout now if you want any
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