Can I buy a wireless TV aerial router?

[Aulus]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times but I cannot find a clear answer. I have one roof aerial, supplying front room TV. Other TVs in the house use small indoor aerials, & whilst reasonable for analogue, useless for DTV, even with a signal booster.

Running cables isn't an option. Does anyone make a router for TV aerials?

Or do they not exist because it would be classed as 'broadcasting' & therefore maybe illegal under the Telecommunications Act?

 

[big-all]

i have one here its called an x sender
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/sis.html?_nkw=X+SENDER+WIRELESS+DIGISENDER+HI+FI+VIDEO+SENDER+SYSTEM
still in the box unused as my father who bought it never used it

 

[Aulus]

Thanks, I didn't know about these. On reading it seems these plug into a digibox or decoder, but transmitting/boosting the aerial signal straight from the coax is what I'm after. All my TVs are Freeview sets, just in poor reception areas.

 

[OwainDIYer]

It would be classed as broadcasting.

Why isn't running cables an option?

 

[Aulus]

Cables would either be chased in, which is a huge amount of effort, mess & redecorating, or running coax all over the skirting boards & door frames.

If indeed rebroadcast signal is illegal (pathetic), then maybe I should get the chisel ready....

 

[digitaly]

My suggestion is...
Get a freeview box
Plug it to an antenna anywhere in the house.
Go to maplin and buy a video sender (i suggest you the 5.8ghz one as it doesn't get upset by microwaves, internet routers, cordless phones and such).

or better get one of those connect it to your existing setup and get an extra remote control and that's it!!! you have what ever is in you other room everywhere in the house...

 

[Aulus]

Thanks digitaly for the recommendation but still doesn't fully resolve problem.

I think I need to look at this as a bigger multimedia plan rather than a quick fix. So:

My setup is thus (& some of the kit was from a move so I didnt buy stuff in the knowledge it wouldn't work!):

front room - DTV, good signal, roof aerial
kitchen - DTV, poor signal, indoor aerial (SLX Gold)
bedroom 1 DTV, extremely poor signal, indoor aerial (SLX Gold)
bedroom 2 DTV, poor signal, indoor aerial (generic)
study ATV, reasonable signal, indoor aerial (generic).

Perversely we don't actually watch TV that much, but if we do you can guarantee it's all at the same time, but different channels!

Any suggestions?

 

[digitaly]

What about replacing your old aerial with a very good one ? you can put inside the loft space if you live in a strong signal area (and you won't be risking your neck).
To point it you can use a freeview box with a signal level indicator and a small TV.
Just make in sure that you have 1 junction box and split all the cable from there for each room.
then run all the cables from the side of the house (for the lower floors) and right inside the loft for the upper level floors...
Then one day when you would want to redecorate the house chase all the cable nice and neat .

 

[ChrisFrost]

I think the best solution is to bite the bullet and run the cables or have them run for you.

 

[ericmark]

It is possible but expensive. will transmit a channel and alter any digi-box to program required by infra-red red link. Also will need digi-box.
Can't find any with digi-box built in.

The other is this seems a bit on expensive side and a little big of a bed room. But yes you can do it. Well they can in USA I expect there is or will be a UK version.

 

[ChrisFrost]

But again both of those solutions broadcast an AV signal rather than the wideband RF signal. It means that only one channel can be watched at once. Or to put it another way, you couldn't use a Freeview PVR next to the TV because it wouldn't be getting the same signal as comes direct from the aerial.

It's been said before, rebroadcasting wideband RF for TV reception is illegal.

As long as the compromises involved are acceptable then putting a digibox after the aerial and using a 5.8GHz wireless TV link to send a tuned signal is the most practical solution for wireless. As always though, running cable from an aerial distribution point gives the greatest flexibility and best signal quality.

 

[digitaly]

This could work!!! I'm not sure if I undestood the specs of it right though http://www.nextag.com/Rf-Systems-5-8GHz-537129482/specs-html


Rebroadcast (reapeting) UHF/VHF on a different frequency (like 5.8, 2.4, 900,) should not be illegal.
Or other option would 1 freeview box x room in placed the loft with a different frequency wireless video sender, and in each room a wireless reicever.
But that is going to hit your electricity bill as each device will drain upto 50w if left on constantly.

 

[ChrisFrost]

This could work!!! I'm not sure if I undestood the specs of it right though http://www.nextag.com/Rf-Systems-5-8GHz-537129482/specs-html


Rebroadcast (reapeting) UHF/VHF on a different frequency (like 5.8, 2.4, 900,) should not be illegal.
Or other option would 1 freeview box x room in placed the loft with a different frequency wireless video sender, and in each room a wireless reicever.
But that is going to hit your electricity bill as each device will drain upto 50w if left on constantly.

Again several problems with that solution...

1) designed for the American NTSC market, so the built-in TV tuner is useless in the UK. (also, would the device be approved for use in the UK, and would the adapters be 110V only for US or multi-voltage???)

2) I think you'll find that CATV that this system is also designed to work with is TV delivered via cable

3) being American, the funding for their TV service follows a different model to the UK, therefore what can be done in the US is also different to the UK.

4) UK properties receiving a TV signal need a valid TV Licence. Using any device that enables a neighbour to pick up the wideband RF signal and so tune in to any analogue or DVB channel without paying for a TV licence of their own contravenes the TV Licensing laws. This is why rebroadcasting is illegal.

5) The power consumption figures quoted above are wildly inaccurate. A set top box consumes about 4-5W operating and about 1W in standby. I'd be amazed if both transmitter and receiver combined draw more than 10W. That would equate to something like 3p per day running cost for 24/7 operation. Hardly what I'd call a massive hit on the electricity bill



OK, this topic has been done to death now. The answers are all clearly laid in this and the earlier posts above.

 

[Aulus]

Thanks to all for the varied input. I guess cables it is then, unless the DVB signal is stronger when switched over & solves the problem.

It did occur to me that another reason for not developing an RF resender is most people seem to have cable or satellite, I just want the bog standard terrestial stuff (OK, with maybe Quest and BBC4).

 

[dangerousdave78]

I think I've seen them in maplin the brand is 'sundar'