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Trying to sort freeview
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Old 01-09-2017, 21:05   #1
newbie1985
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Trying to sort freeview

Hi all,

Hope i'm posting this in the right area.

I've just signed up to VM broadband with the 3.0 hub and phone line, but no tv. I was under the impression that the tv signal was sent down the same line, so if this was connected to a freeview box, I should get tv, but I don't.

How I've done my set up, The white VM cable from VM box in the wall into my splitter then 1 cable into my broadband hub 3.0, and the other cable from my splitter into my freeview box. I've done scans on my freeview box and not found 1 channel. What have I done wrong? How can I fix this?

I'm happy my new cables i've bought work as I've used these direct from the white VM box on the wall to the VM broadband hub and my internet works.

Thanks in advance for any help.
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Old 01-09-2017, 21:12   #2
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

If you don't pay for VM TV you don't get VM TV. You need an aerial.
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Old 01-09-2017, 21:30   #3
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

VM cables don't carry Freeview signals. Speak to VM Customer Services and see what deal they'll do you for the lowest TV package.
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Old 01-09-2017, 21:36   #4
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

Hi newbi and welcome to the forum.

If you don't want to subscribe to VM TV then, as Taf says, the TV signal that comes through the VM cable can only be used by a VM TV box and unless you subscribe to VM TV the signal is of no use to you. An aerial will provide you with the signal that carries Freeview with out you having to pay a monthly subscription.
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Old 04-09-2017, 00:24   #5
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

Quote:
Originally Posted by newbie1985 View Post
Hi all,

Hope i'm posting this in the right area.

I've just signed up to VM broadband with the 3.0 hub and phone line, but no tv. I was under the impression that the tv signal was sent down the same line, so if this was connected to a freeview box, I should get tv, but I don't.

How I've done my set up, The white VM cable from VM box in the wall into my splitter then 1 cable into my broadband hub 3.0, and the other cable from my splitter into my freeview box. I've done scans on my freeview box and not found 1 channel. What have I done wrong? How can I fix this?

I'm happy my new cables i've bought work as I've used these direct from the white VM box on the wall to the VM broadband hub and my internet works.

Thanks in advance for any help.
In the analogue days I believe that people could connect their VM cable straight into their TV to receive channels 1-5.

If your TV has a built in cable tuner you may be able be able to tune into the FTA channels, is this what you were thinking of?

This, however, is against VM t&C's and others have said that this may cause noise to go onto the network and affect your neighbours.

You get less than Freeview anyway, so if I were you I'd do as others have said and connect your TV to an aerial.

As you have a phone line from VM, I believe that you can have the basic TV service for free, however, as you'd have to take a TiVo PVR this would usually cost an extra £5 per month.

As SP says, maybe give them a call to see if they will do you a deal as you already get two services from them.

Let us know how you got on
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Old 04-09-2017, 14:37   #6
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

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Originally Posted by RichardCoulter View Post
In the analogue days I believe that people could connect their VM cable straight into their TV to receive channels 1-5.

If your TV has a built in cable tuner you may be able be able to tune into the FTA channels, is this what you were thinking of?

This, however, is against VM t&C's and others have said that this may cause noise to go onto the network and affect your neighbours.

You get less than Freeview anyway, so if I were you I'd do as others have said and connect your TV to an aerial.

As you have a phone line from VM, I believe that you can have the basic TV service for free, however, as you'd have to take a TiVo PVR this would usually cost an extra £5 per month.

As SP says, maybe give them a call to see if they will do you a deal as you already get two services from them.

Let us know how you got on
The cable was never fed direct to the TV. The analogue cable converters had a PSB bypass adaptor on the back that took the standard UHF channels 1 - 4 to the TV along with any alternate BBC/ITV region. Judging by the amount of times this bypass "blew" during thunderstorms I was rather glad it wasn't connected directly to the TV.

Cable tuners on TV's are designed for open type systems used in Europe, where there is some free content & the CAM slot on the TV is used for subs channels. Virgin is a closed system & requires an STB so they have more control over possible piracy. It also means you have to rent the box.
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Old 04-09-2017, 19:36   #7
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

From what i've read, the cable tuner can still technically be used to pick up the FTA channels on VM, although they don't like you doing it for the reasons give above. Not tried it myself.

Was the bypass adapter the same as 'analogue passthrough' that I've seen people mention? I've only ever had digital cable myself.
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Old 04-09-2017, 20:43   #8
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

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Originally Posted by RichardCoulter View Post
Was the bypass adapter the same as 'analogue passthrough' that I've seen people mention? I've only ever had digital cable myself.
Yes, the same thing. They were available with some of the digital boxes until about 2006 too.
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Old 05-09-2017, 11:56   #9
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

Quote:
Originally Posted by nodrogd View Post
The cable was never fed direct to the TV. The analogue cable converters had a PSB bypass adaptor on the back that took the standard UHF channels 1 - 4 to the TV along with any alternate BBC/ITV region. Judging by the amount of times this bypass "blew" during thunderstorms I was rather glad it wasn't connected directly to the TV.

Cable tuners on TV's are designed for open type systems used in Europe, where there is some free content & the CAM slot on the TV is used for subs channels. Virgin is a closed system & requires an STB so they have more control over possible piracy. It also means you have to rent the box.
In the analogue days if you weren't a subscriber, but your cable was still connected at the cab, you could plug the cable directly in to your TV and receive, at the very least, the 5 PSB channels. A number of others were often also there. We used to get BBC3 and, bizarrely, Live! TV. Analogue cable used a wider frequency range than terrestrial but, in Hemel Hempstead at least, the PSBs were within the range a TV's analogue tuner could receive.

IIRC In some of the new towns the local cableco was obliged to provide a basic free service.

However to answer the original question, you can't do this with digital and a Freeview TV or box must be connected to an aerial, not Virgin Media cable.
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Old 06-09-2017, 00:02   #10
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

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Originally Posted by Chris View Post
In the analogue days if you weren't a subscriber, but your cable was still connected at the cab, you could plug the cable directly in to your TV and receive, at the very least, the 5 PSB channels. A number of others were often also there. We used to get BBC3 and, bizarrely, Live! TV. Analogue cable used a wider frequency range than terrestrial but, in Hemel Hempstead at least, the PSBs were within the range a TV's analogue tuner could receive.

IIRC In some of the new towns the local cableco was obliged to provide a basic free service.

However to answer the original question, you can't do this with digital and a Freeview TV or box must be connected to an aerial, not Virgin Media cable.
The ones originaly in the UHF range in Hemel were BBC1 & 2, ITV London, ITV Anglia (a legacy from the British Relay cable system), Channel 4, West Herts TV (the first local cable channel in the UK) & the channel guide. When channel 5 was launched, this replaced WHTV which was then only available via the converter. The reason BBC3 & Live TV appeared was mainly due to capacilty running out on the Band III (VHF) channels the converter used. Hence remaining "gaps" in Bands IV & V (UHF) had to be utilised meaning you could recieve the channels direct as well as when selecting them on the converter.
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Old 06-09-2017, 02:43   #11
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

If you've just signed up, then you don't have the "thinking of leaving us" option.
So it's either:
1. Add TV with VM (on bundle builder, its actually dearer with 50 than 100)
2. Get a freeview antenna, try Wolfbane for an idea of what you'd need.
http://www.wolfbane.net/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?
"Log periodic" I think is the minimum antenna suggestion, I get that and can achieve adequate results with a set-top antenna.
3. Consider installing a Freesat system - some channels that are not on freeview, but some channels missing that are on freeview - possibly some extra FTA channels that can be added but are not indexed by the EPG
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Old 06-09-2017, 09:30   #12
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

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Originally Posted by Matth View Post
.
3. Consider installing a Freesat system - some channels that are not on freeview, but some channels missing that are on freeview - possibly some extra FTA channels that can be added but are not indexed by the EPG
There is very little of interest on Freeview that you can't get on Freesat now. All the UKTV channels went FTA during the course of this year and now all have a slot on the Freesat EPG.
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Old 06-09-2017, 11:32   #13
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

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Originally Posted by Chris View Post
There is very little of interest on Freeview that you can't get on Freesat now. All the UKTV channels went FTA during the course of this year and now all have a slot on the Freesat EPG.
Matth does have a point, as people who either have to use a Freeview Lite relay station, or as in my case cannot receive COM 7 & 8 muxes which carry channels I want to watch have no alternative but to use Freesat.
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Old 12-09-2017, 10:50   #14
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

Hi all,

thank you for your help, i went with the freeview aerial at a cost of £135 fully fitted. VM seem to have a tight system where as sky's system is a lot more open and can simply plug a freest box in and all works.
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Old 12-09-2017, 14:00   #15
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Re: Trying to sort freeview

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Originally Posted by newbie1985 View Post
Hi all,

thank you for your help, i went with the freeview aerial at a cost of £135 fully fitted. VM seem to have a tight system where as sky's system is a lot more open and can simply plug a freest box in and all works.
Nothing to do with Sky. The satellites just happen to be in the same general direction so you can use the same dish.
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