Forum Topic

TV signal problems

Anyone else found their TV reception has degraded in recent months? This is due to building work near you, if so. Mine has dropped off to the point that analogue signals are no longer watchable (sound only, the picture is so badly 'ghosted') and digital varies from fine to jumping badly like a scratched DVD depending on the channel and weather conditions.The cause is mostly the Waitrose residential tower development – I live near West Ealing station with it and other tall new developments directly between me and the Crystal Palace transmitter in Bromley. This fact came to light through a helpful email conversation with the BBC's technical department. Well, I say helpful – in fact it seems there's nothing I can do with the knowledge. Apparently, as the tower block is a very shiny, featureless, flat-surfaced building (it's hideous), the reflections off it are the worst possible, especially when it's wet. Clearly I shall have to get cable.At least the path to the Croydon transmitter is clear, so I get perfect TV (even analogue) on the one station that it carries: channel Five...

Stuart Maddison ● 6771d7 Comments

Stuart, Try "bill tower" in the search to access a previous thread.

Robert Darke ● 6771d

Why don't you try 'Freesat'Stuart? One off payment no suscription unless you want to subscribe latter. Only a small dish required 40cm. Can be mounted unobtrusivly below the chimney line if you get the right installer, once up and running no more to pay unlike Cable.

Colin Vaughan ● 6771d

Ah, the dreaded dish aerial! Is it possible to get good reception from a dish aerial when it's fixed inside one's roofspace?

Gerry Tan ● 6765d

No, not possible.Anyway if its mounted the way I describe you won't notice a 40cm Dish.

Colin Vaughan ● 6765d

Anyway, I think that if a company builds an edifice that blocks your TV signal, they should pay to have it sorted out by some means. If a test case won that right, it might make the perpetrators think twice before imposing such structures.

Colin Vaughan ● 6764d

Resonse to :- " Apparently, as the tower block is a very shiny, featureless, flat-surfaced building (it's hideous), the reflections off it are the worst possible, especially when it's wet."        xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx        Couldn't agree more. How on earth Waitrose agreed to such a monstrosity and to so boldly carry THEIR name on the side baffles me. And what's even more  surprising is how anyone can buy one, they ain't cheap. It's like a factory building, the cladding is not metal as far as I can determine, ( I have tapped it ) but could well resound to the pattering of heavy rain?. Overall it seems a cold  soulless fabrication. Called Luminosity Court, which seems appropriate in view of what you wrote earlier?. And the wind it causes on that corner!, on one occasion I had difficulty in walking upright. I call it " Windy Ridge "

Tony Price ● 6764d

Thanks all for your responses. Lots of interesting comment. I notice no-one defends the architecture!

Stuart Maddison ● 6758d