Hello, apologies in advance for ignorance!

Ok so I have an Isis tv, it has built in freeview. The aerial wire plugs into the wall.

I can get the channels but the picture and quality is really terrible, some channels I can barely get at all no matter how much I move the aerial around!

Is there any kind of device I can get to improve the quality? The fault isn't with the tv or aerial, I got them brandnew! Could be the reception in my apartment block but id prefer to find a simpler way to solve.

Thanks!

The 'fault' is most probably with the aerial, but you give no details - but if you're in an apartment block why would you need an aerial anyway?.

The aerial lead plugs into the wall, but you move the aerial around? That sounds a bit contradictory. Is the aerial in the room or on the roof?

Ok I'm really confused!

- the,aerial cable = the aerial (in my head) I twist it and move it around to try make the picture better.

- why does living in apartment block change things? I mean I live in a flat in a block of flats

It goes

TV---------------> aerial socket ••••••> roof aerial

The ----------------> being the cable

But I twist the cable around and move it on top of the tv etc to give better pic!

The aerial is the thing up on the roof. The cable connecting it to your TV should be doing nothing more than conveying the signal the aerial receives to the TV with minimal degradation.

If moving the cable around is affecting reception that implies the cable is crap. A cheap and nasty cable could be letting in loads of interference which could vary in effect as you move the cable around.

The first thing I would do is get a good quality cable to connect the TV to the wall socket. Make sure it is not too long as well, eg don't use a 10m cable if the TV is only 2m from the socket. Also keep the aerial cable physically separate from other cables as much as possible. It has been mentioned on DS that HDMI cables can cause interference into poor quality aerial cables for example.

You're a genius - the dirt cheap cable is literally 5m long (only one in stock that day) and the tv is less than a metre from the wall socket!

Going to buy a new one tues. Seriously I've had some v clever mates look at it and none of them even considered this as a possibility! Many thanks!

As I say replacing the cable is one thing to try. It may or may not cure the problem. Don't go for the cheapest and nastiest cable you can find. Check the specs and look for fully screened or double screened.

Best of all would be to buy a length of good quality double screened cable, often described as satellite grade, and a pair of good metal plugs and make the lead up yourself.

There's also a good chance the aerial distribution system is faulty, it's a frequent problem in these kinds of cases.

Yes that sounds the most likely. The cable is most likely acting as an aerial so moving it around affects reception.

Christ - I wouldn't know where to start! But thanks for the suggestion

What does that mean?

If it helps, my neighbours' tvs work finr

Yeah I must say I've never had to use cable as aerial in prev houses..

Would an indoor aerial help if replacing cable doesn't?

So gutted I am missin apprentice final cos of this. It's the main reason I have a tv :---(

It means that the socket in your room 'might' be faulty - a common occurrence. We fit a LOT of TV's, many where people are just moving in - and it's amazing how many aerial points don't work.

I presume you have retuned the TV? - it's probably on a different transmitter to where you are now?.

Yeah retuned it Nigel! Oh dear - hope the aerial point does work else I'm just going to give up on tv altogether n just use it for dvd