Telewest Signal help

[sohail789]

Hi,

I currently have analogue signal coming through my telewest services, yes I know I haven't upgraded, I use the signal to tune the channels in directly into the TVs, (telewest staff showed me how to do it), the problem is I have a very poor Ariel signal quality therefor I am forced to use this method for the TVs in the bedroom, I am planning on upgrading to telewest digital, will I still be able to tune the channels in directly via telwest cable?

or if I leave it analogue and purchase a digital freeview box that would give me digital freeview channels via telewest would this work?

As far as I'm aware, you cannot tune channels into the tv if the signal is digital and I will not be able to run digital freeview box if I have analogue?

Help.

Sohail

[Quam256]

What services do you have at this time ?
The signal does not change from Anologue to Digital ,the signals are there for both already.But what is happening is that the analogue signals are over a period of time being switched off to make way for more digital transmissions.

If you plug a Freeview Box onto a cable feed you wont get anything from a Digital or Analogue Signal.

At the worst you will be causing ingress (noise) on the cable network and if traced back you will be disconnected until the problem is resolved.

Originally Posted by sohail789

Hi,

I currently have analogue signal coming through my telewest services, yes I know I haven't upgraded, I use the signal to tune the channels in directly into the TVs, (telewest staff showed me how to do it), the problem is I have a very poor Ariel signal quality therefor I am forced to use this method for the TVs in the bedroom, I am planning on upgrading to telewest digital, will I still be able to tune the channels in directly via telwest cable?

or if I leave it analogue and purchase a digital freeview box that would give me digital freeview channels via telewest would this work?

As far as I'm aware, you cannot tune channels into the tv if the signal is digital and I will not be able to run digital freeview box if I have analogue?

Help.

Sohail

hi

At present the cable carries an encrypted analogue signal, an encrypted digital signal & channels 1-5 unencrypted.

The job of the set top box, analogue or digital, is to decode the encryption and output the result as an analogue feed - you do not need a new telly, your existing one will work just as it does with your analogue set top box.

For Freeview reception you need a suitable aerial, but again, the Freeview decoder receives the encrypted transmission & outputs the result as an analogue signal - no problem with your existing TV.

Obviously if you have 4:3 aspect TV's they won't display widescreen 'as intended', but it will still work.

The analogue channels 1-5 may be a different matter, though, taking these from the cable requires a set top box with a 'bypass' unit fitted, and I have heard that new installations aren't including these due to these channels being switched off, soon. Once these channels are switched off, you won't be able to tune them in at all - even with an analogue set top box.

Because of the latter point, I, personally, would go for a new aerial & Freeview for the upstairs TVs, then you just have to decide if you want to change to digital on the cable, downstairs.