Virgin Media - 2nd Television options

npg · 06-01-2010, 23:00

Hi all. I have a subscription to Virgin media M+ cable tv, the cabling for which comes into my lounge. I want to view basic tv (freeview) on a another tv in one of the bedrooms in my flat. The problem I have is that we do not have a group external aerial, so the virgin media service is the only source of reception I have. I have tried an internal freeview aerial but the reception is awful where I live (I purchased an amplified indoor aerial which offered up to 43db but barely provided a picture). I have also tried sending a wireless signal from the main television via a Digisender. This had quite a good signal but still not really good enough for the nice new TV I have in the bedroom! So i'm wondering what options are available. I have thought about getting a second virgin box which I believe is Â£35 installation and Â£10 a month, but i'd like to try to avoid an additional monthly cost if possible. Any help greatly appreciated!

Digital Fanatic · 07-01-2010, 01:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by npg

Hi all. I have a subscription to Virgin media M+ cable tv, the cabling for which comes into my lounge. I want to view basic tv (freeview) on a another tv in one of the bedrooms in my flat. The problem I have is that we do not have a group external aerial, so the virgin media service is the only source of reception I have. I have tried an internal freeview aerial but the reception is awful where I live (I purchased an amplified indoor aerial which offered up to 43db but barely provided a picture). I have also tried sending a wireless signal from the main television via a Digisender. This had quite a good signal but still not really good enough for the nice new TV I have in the bedroom! So i'm wondering what options are available. I have thought about getting a second virgin box which I believe is Â£35 installation and Â£10 a month, but i'd like to try to avoid an additional monthly cost if possible. Any help greatly appreciated!

Hi and

to the forum

1st of all... what type of box do you have? Is it a V-box or V+ and what model i.e Samsung etc?

Matth · 07-01-2010, 17:00

You could run a co-ax cable from the RF out, but you wouldn't get stereo.

If you were thinking of an extra box, look at V+ as well, you may be able to add that at a cost not much over a second ordinary box.

Freesat? - Cost a bit for kit and fitting, but no further monthly charges. Looks like the Sky pay once bargain is no more.

I guess the other option is to consider a loft mounted antenna, (if that would get enough signal), or a roof mount, but if it's a difficult area for freeview, then if you're paying to have something put up, Freesat would be a better bet.

zola69 · 08-01-2010, 15:28

hi guys my first post to

,
i to have the problem that npg has,i want to add a nice flat screen freeview tv
to upstairs bedroom. i tried a digisender on tv in there now and yeah it was ok but had a bit of interference from wireless phones,so pic wasnt 100%.

i have virgin media standard v box in lounge,with a splitter taking another cable
upstairs to give me my cable modem in spare room.plan was to add another splitter to modem buy suitable adaptors for tv and cross my fingers i pick up cable tv. ? what you think a non starter?
have rang virgin and they said Â£75 for an engineer to do the job.i guess that means 4 way splitter downstairs and just wiring upstairs-i can do that.

also rang a sat company and he said come in from loft.get a amplifier for Â£60,labour Â£50,and cable @ Â£1 a meter.

i do want to consider this option of going through the modem for a signal thou as it will be the easiest for me.

anyways thanks for reading.

pete

Digital Fanatic · 08-01-2010, 15:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by zola69

hi guys my first post to

,
i to have the problem that npg has,i want to add a nice flat screen freeview tv
to upstairs bedroom. i tried a digisender on tv in there now and yeah it was ok but had a bit of interference from wireless phones,so pic wasnt 100%.

i have virgin media standard v box in lounge,with a splitter taking another cable
upstairs to give me my cable modem in spare room.plan was to add another splitter to modem buy suitable adaptors for tv and cross my fingers i pick up cable tv. ? what you think a non starter?
have rang virgin and they said Â£75 for an engineer to do the job.i guess that means 4 way splitter downstairs and just wiring upstairs-i can do that.

also rang a sat company and he said come in from loft.get a amplifier for Â£60,labour Â£50,and cable @ Â£1 a meter.

i do want to consider this option of going through the modem for a signal thou as it will be the easiest for me.

anyways thanks for reading.

pete

Hi Pete and

You won't get anything from the modem cable without a Official Virgin Media box from Virgin, so forget about that option unless you are willing to pay for an extra box to mirror your main box subscription...usually Â£9.99 a month

Don't bother with adding another splitter via Virgin (see my first point above)

If you don't want to pay anything after installation then you are best going down the loft route.

If you want to watch the same programme as the main V-box downstairs then you could get a rf splitter and run the wire yourself to the bedroom?

HTH

zola69 · 08-01-2010, 16:03

thanks for reply digital fanatic, do you mean one of the plastic rf splitters that would go into back of vbox where outside ariel is coming in.

ok the modem thing-i just got a portable tv to test this out,i unplugged the virgin cable coming from downstairs to modem,added the correct adaptor for tv
and didnt recieve a picture apart from a very grainy thing you wouldnt recognise.i would of thought i would of got a single as it was coming straight from the virgin cable....i guess it needs to go through the vbox first hence your idea of a splitter?
....will take portable downstairs and do what you suggested as havent got 8metres of cable just yet!

cheers

Digital Fanatic · 08-01-2010, 16:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by zola69

thanks for reply digital fanatic, do you mean one of the plastic rf splitters that would go into back of vbox where outside ariel is coming in.

ok the modem thing-i just got a portable tv to test this out,i unplugged the virgin cable coming from downstairs to modem,added the correct adaptor for tv
and didnt recieve a picture apart from a very grainy thing you wouldnt recognise.i would of thought i would of got a single as it was coming straight from the virgin cable....i guess it needs to go through the vbox first hence your idea of a splitter?
....will take portable downstairs and do what you suggested as havent got 8metres of cable just yet!

cheers

you wont get anything from the Virgin Media cable without the V-box or V+ box!

Use the RF out on the v-box (even without a splitter if you don't use it on your tv)

zola69 · 08-01-2010, 16:29

[QUOTE=Digital Fanatic;34941246]you wont get anything from the Virgin Media cable without the V-box or V+ box!

yeah i was thinking that!! but a small part of my brain-the part that considers crap options said to me "pete you have a virgin signal coming through wall and going upstairs to give you the www...how does it know if you dont want www but tv instead" hence i posted and i get a very knowledgeable guy stating the obvious...cheers again..will take portable down and see if i can get cable on it-then its off to ebay to order 100metres of cables

Digital Fanatic · 08-01-2010, 16:34

[QUOTE=zola69;34941254]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

you wont get anything from the Virgin Media cable without the V-box or V+ box!

yeah i was thinking that!! but a small part of my brain-the part that considers crap options said to me "pete you have a virgin signal coming through wall and going upstairs to give you the www...how does it know if you dont want www but tv instead" hence i posted and i get a very knowledgeable guy stating the obvious...cheers again..will take portable down and see if i can get cable on it-then its off to ebay to order 100metres of cables

ha ha... no worries... post back if you need any more help

zola69 · 08-01-2010, 16:39

will do thanks again,oh 1 more thing what do you think of freesat? my ma lives in an area that cant recieve freeview,was thinking of buying her a freesat box n dish.

Digital Fanatic · 08-01-2010, 16:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by zola69

will do thanks again,oh 1 more thing what do you think of freesat? my ma lives in an area that cant recieve freeview,was thinking of buying her a freesat box n dish.

A good option... is she in a cabled area? She could get FREE tv pack with a Virgin Telephone?

Link!

zola69 · 08-01-2010, 16:54

yup she has virgin in the area-i will pass on the link to her..cheers again

zola69 · 20-01-2010, 15:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

you wont get anything from the Virgin Media cable without the V-box or V+ box!

Use the RF out on the v-box (even without a splitter if you don't use it on your tv)

used rf out socket with a y splitter and 15metres of cable to take it to second tv,no joy!! had a snowy reception on channels 1-5 and couldnt find cable reception at all...odd

Digital Fanatic · 20-01-2010, 18:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by zola69

used rf out socket with a y splitter and 15metres of cable to take it to second tv,no joy!! had a snowy reception on channels 1-5 and couldnt find cable reception at all...odd

Did you have the V-box powered on with a channel selected? You will only get the channel you are tuned to on the v-box via this method... put the V-box on to something like BBC News (601) and then try tuning in on the 2nd tv again.

zola69 · 21-01-2010, 20:37

yup i had a cable prog on and picked up sweet fa...will try again over weekend,
i know im doing all the right things! maybes i missed the cable channel as they was having an advert or summin obvious. trouble with cable channels is they show 23mins of adverts in a 30min prog