How does television work these days??

[Golden Fox]

This might rank up there with most stupid questions asked, but a bit of history:

 

I moved down to Cambridge from Leicester in 2006 & bought a Freeview box that connected through a TV aerial & that did the job for 8 years.

Then moved house in 2014 & in the frenzy of moving house signed up for Virgin, which did broadband, landline & TV box, which was all installed in 1 go when I was at work & that has done the job for 8 years.

 

With CityFibre just being installed on our street & realizing how much we've been getting screwed by Virgin, I'm going to switch broadband, but I haven't had to think about how to get a television service for 16 years, and not sure where to turn for some sensible (and not so sensible) advice! I'd rather buy a freeview box up front & no monthly fees (and with a recorder), but that can also will give access to iplayer, Disney+ etc  

 

So first question: does freeview come through TV aerial or broadband? I'd thought that analogue services were all being discontinued so TV aerials were becoming obsolete, but from what I can gather, it looks as though freeview is connected to an aerial and boxes that go through broadband are being discontinued. I'm confused by this, as how would Disney+ etc come through the aerial, or does need connecting in to a broadband, or is that now done through a wifi connection as well as the aerial?

 

Second question: how does Virgin TV come in? I think this is wired in through the front (so from a cable in the street) and straight into the box - so I think this comes into the house separately from the broadband? (But will just lose connection as soon as I cancel).

 

Third question: if TV does come from the ariel - whats the best way to check if I have a working aerial? I've an old portable TV somewhere and I think there is an old aerial point still in the wall - would plugging this show if it works - or would I need to play around once I have a freeview box?

 

As I'm now officially an old codger that doesn't understand modern technology and you stop laughing at the question, would appreciate help from anyone a bit more up to date than me!

[Bellend Sebastian]

Freeview is a digital signal that comes down the aerial. The analogue signal was switched off years ago.

 

You need a digital tuner to receive them, either in a Freeview box (which a lot of folk had to buy when the digital switchover happened) but pretty much all TVs in the post Cathode Ray Tube era have them built in- cannot remember the last time I saw any sort of LCD or flat screen telly without one - they've been standard in all new tellys since about 2004.

 

How old is yours? Assuming it has a digital tuner, no additional box needed for Freeview - if the aerial works the telly should be able to autotune if there is a usable signal

 

 

Edited 11 July 2022 by Bellend Sebastian

[pleatout]

At the risk of confusing the issue (please ignore me if it does)

 

Almost everything is available online. bbc iplayer/ITV Player/4OD/My5 plus the chargeables like Disney/Netflix/AmazonPrime

 

However live tv - football etc is often a little behind realtime due to the "lag" on the internet.  Few seconds to some minutes depending...

 

And so you'll get closer to realtime either through an aerial - freeview or cable tv - virgin or sat dish sky - if you're paying, freesat is erm... free! (no sky though)

 

All of these need a set top box - Sky Q, Virgin Media, Freeview, Freesat (some tellys have them built in but lets ignore that for now).  Some (most) set top boxes feature "extras" - recording, access to online tv services bbc iplayer/ITV Player/4OD/My5 plus the chargeables like Disney/Netflix/AmazonPrime and other bells and whistles but you'll need broadband as well as a dish/aerial/cable

 

Then there are specific online streaming devices like Amazon firesticks and NOWTv boxes which are really just a set top box for specific online chargables.

 

Just to be confusing I have freesat and broadband and freeview built into my telly.

 

I can watch BBC 1HD on tv via

freeview,

freesat,

Iplayer on freesat box,

Iplayer on amazon firestick,

iplayer on Nintendo WII

on my phone,

tablet

laptop.

 

And theres STILL nothing on!!!

 

All in all its convinience and what and how you want to watch that counts.

[The Quick Brown Fox]

4 hours ago, pleatout said:

At the risk of confusing the issue (please ignore me if it does)

 

Almost everything is available online. bbc iplayer/ITV Player/4OD/My5 plus the chargeables like Disney/Netflix/AmazonPrime

 

However live tv - football etc is often a little behind realtime due to the "lag" on the internet.  Few seconds to some minutes depending...

 

And so you'll get closer to realtime either through an aerial - freeview or cable tv - virgin or sat dish sky - if you're paying, freesat is erm... free! (no sky though)

 

All of these need a set top box - Sky Q, Virgin Media, Freeview, Freesat (some tellys have them built in but lets ignore that for now).  Some (most) set top boxes feature "extras" - recording, access to online tv services bbc iplayer/ITV Player/4OD/My5 plus the chargeables like Disney/Netflix/AmazonPrime and other bells and whistles but you'll need broadband as well as a dish/aerial/cable

 

Then there are specific online streaming devices like Amazon firesticks and NOWTv boxes which are really just a set top box for specific online chargables.

 

Just to be confusing I have freesat and broadband and freeview built into my telly.

 

I can watch BBC 1HD on tv via

freeview,

freesat,

Iplayer on freesat box,

Iplayer on amazon firestick,

iplayer on Nintendo WII

on my phone,

tablet

laptop.

 

And theres STILL nothing on!!!

 

All in all its convinience and what and how you want to watch that counts.

Pretty much this, I have a Smart TV which has all of the Apps I need to watch TV without the need of a separate box. You do need WiFi connection for this to work. 

[Bellend Sebastian]

Amazon Fire Stick currently eighteen quid thanks to Prime Day.

 

You need wi-fi, an HDMI port on your telly (been standard since the 2000s) and an Amazon account (but not a Prime subscription).

 

Basically provides all the smart TV services. Great for prolonging the life of older non smart TVs, and for taking on holiday where they've got internet but the TV is a bit old/cheap

[jonthefox]

I use the Roku box.A £30 one off payment and has everything i need. 

[Golden Fox]

Thanks for advice everyone:

 

So @Bellend SebastianI now get that analogue and digital is about the technology that receives it rather than how the signal is transmitted - which is why old TVs with an aerial stopped working - but it wasn't due to the TV aerial bit!

 

9 hours ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

How old is yours? Assuming it has a digital tuner, no additional box needed for Freeview - if the aerial works the telly should be able to autotune if there is a usable signal

TV was the one from 2006 - I don't think it ever had freeview integrated: its due an upgrade, but have been waiting until the kids are a bit older as the scratches on the screen show what happens to stuff in our house with 3 kids around... But the key thing I'm interested in is having a recorder. I record stuff and finally get round to watching it over a year later, once its dropped off iplayer etc. and the kids like watching the same old stuff again rather than just streaming & after 16 years of being used to recorded stuff, I'm reluctant to change!

 

2 hours ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

Amazon Fire Stick currently eighteen quid thanks to Prime Day.

 

You need wi-fi

I wasn't sure what Fie Sticks are - but that looks to be alternative to TB aerials: with the downside being no recording features? 

 

But it looks as though my current Virgin is through cable, so the choices are:

- pay a subscription for cable, such as Virgin or Sky

- get it free with a fire stick which will come through the broadband & wifi: but won't give without recording ability

- get it free with a box to record through a TV aerial - so next steps are to investigate if I have one that works and get someone in if not!

 

3rd option probably favorite at this point, but is expensive up front if a box needed, and a aerial fitted.

 

I think the clouds have started to lift: why isn't this written down in plain english anywhere?? 

Edited 12 July 2022 by Golden Fox

[davieG]

42 minutes ago, Golden Fox said:

Thanks for advice everyone:

 

So @Bellend SebastianI now get that analogue and digital is about the technology that receives it rather than how the signal is transmitted - which is why old TVs with an aerial stopped working - but it wasn't due to the TV aerial bit!

 

TV was the one from 2006 - I don't think it ever had freeview integrated: its due an upgrade, but have been waiting until the kids are a bit older as the scratches on the screen show what happens to stuff in our house with 3 kids around... But the key thing I'm interested in is having a recorder. I record stuff and finally get round to watching it over a year later, once its dropped off iplayer etc. and the kids like watching the same old stuff again rather than just streaming & after 16 years of being used to recorded stuff, I'm reluctant to change!

 

I wasn't sure what Fie Sticks are - but that looks to be alternative to TB aerials: with the downside being no recording features? 

 

But it looks as though my current Virgin is through cable, so the choices are:

- pay a subscription for cable, such as Virgin or Sky

- get it free with a fire stick which will come through the broadband & wifi: but won't give without recording ability

- get it free with a box to record through a TV aerial - so next steps are to investigate if I have one that works and get someone in if not!

 

3rd option probably favorite at this point, but is expensive up front if a box needed, and a aerial fitted.

 

I think the clouds have started to lift: why isn't this written down in plain english anywhere?? 

One of the advantages of modern technology is it gives you so many more options no more only BT with a shared line.

 

On the downside side it makes it harder to understand and to keep up with all the developments and it enables a multitude of providers that'll cost you a fortune if you want them all.

[Bellend Sebastian]

3 hours ago, Golden Fox said:

Thanks for advice everyone:

 

So @Bellend SebastianI now get that analogue and digital is about the technology that receives it rather than how the signal is transmitted - which is why old TVs with an aerial stopped working - but it wasn't due to the TV aerial bit!

 

TV was the one from 2006 - I don't think it ever had freeview integrated: its due an upgrade, but have been waiting until the kids are a bit older as the scratches on the screen show what happens to stuff in our house with 3 kids around... But the key thing I'm interested in is having a recorder. I record stuff and finally get round to watching it over a year later, once its dropped off iplayer etc. and the kids like watching the same old stuff again rather than just streaming & after 16 years of being used to recorded stuff, I'm reluctant to change!

 

I wasn't sure what Fie Sticks are - but that looks to be alternative to TB aerials: with the downside being no recording features? 

 

But it looks as though my current Virgin is through cable, so the choices are:

- pay a subscription for cable, such as Virgin or Sky

- get it free with a fire stick which will come through the broadband & wifi: but won't give without recording ability

- get it free with a box to record through a TV aerial - so next steps are to investigate if I have one that works and get someone in if not!

 

3rd option probably favorite at this point, but is expensive up front if a box needed, and a aerial fitted.

 

I think the clouds have started to lift: why isn't this written down in plain english anywhere?? 

It was apparently 2008 when all TVs sold in the UK had digital tuners, but I'd still be surprised if yours didn't because the digital switchover was looming at the time. If you can see any reference to DTV on the remote or in the menus that's generally how it was referred to.

 

If you want to record, a freeview recorder (sometimes called a PVR) is the way to go but a quick search for these suggests there's not much of a market for them anymore. It's basically a freeview box with a hard disk in it (much like a Sky+ box) although it appears you can get them that will record stuff on to a USB stick.

 

I've got a Freesat (Freeview via a satellite dish, basically, used to have slightly different channels to Freeview, no idea what's on there now) recording box but to be honest I've probably not even switched it on in 5 years as the availability of on demand stuff now is such that the idea of storing something to watch at a later date just isn't on my radar anymore.

 

I still think having an aerial is a must. I like being able to turn the telly on and it just be there without the faffing.

 

I was babysitting for a neighbour the other day and he's got a really flash telly but not connected to an aerial. Watched BBC one live via the iPlayer, so you have to wait for the App to wake up, then broadcast takes a while for the picture quality to sort itself out and then it's still not as good as the down the aerial picture, and that's with fibre broadband in town. Just feels like hard work to me

[abc]

Quote

But it looks as though my current Virgin is through cable

Yep, Virgin dug up and laid their own cables, (fast fiber optic cables) so you will have a virgin cable that comes from your front path to your building and in to a 6" x 4" (ish) brown box on the outside of your wall. There will be a cable that goes from this box to your Virgin TV box, another one that goes to your Virgin internet router, and another 1 that goes to your virgin phone (if you have all 3 services). when you cancel your Virgin these cables will stop working.

Virgin used to be the only ones with fiber optic cables so were the only ones with quick speeds. Everyone else used the BT cables that came to your house, which were copper cables and the further you lived away from the exchange the poorer you internet was. In the last few years BT have been putting fibre cables in, so you can now get comparable speeds from the other suppliers as well via your BT telephone socket.

If you are checking a Sky subscription, then check out this thread..Click here for the Sky Special offers on Foxtalk

[urban.spaceman]

I just switch mine on and there it is

[String fellow]

Anyone with an old crt tv with an analogue tuner can still use it as a monitor, if they still have an old VCR connected to it via an RF cable. Also, if you own a scart to RF modulator, or maybe even a low-powered tv transmitter (which btw are illegal to use in built-up areas), they are other ways of making use of an old tv. Untuned, those analogue tvs also pick up static noise caused by CMB radiation, due to the Big Bang 14 billion years ago!