Services for TV/Aerial/Satellite
Hi, we have for each category of service, compiled relevant information that you may find useful.
Please note: All information contained within this section is for guidance only. It is best that you check current sources of information.
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Please note: All information contained within this section is for guidance only. It is best that you check current sources of information.
If you would like to contribute or make a suggestion, please click here.
TV / Aerial / Satellite
Services
Useful Links
Products
Jargon Buster
Areas covered under this Category are as follows:
- Additional Satellite TV Outlet
- Additional TV Outlet
- Cabling
- CATV
- Communal Aerial
- FM Radio Aerial
- Foreign Language Satellite System
- Home Cinema
- Install
- MATV
- Relocate a Satellite Dish
- Remove
- Repair
- Servicing
- Sky Satellite Dish
- SMATV
- TV Digital Aerial
- Video Playback
- I am looking for an expert - Register to Request a Service
- I am an expert - Register to Provide a Service
Confederation of Aerial Industries - www.cai.org.uk
Registered Digital Installers Licensing Body (RDI-LB) - www.rdi-lb.tv
- Screwfix
- B&Q
- Wickes
- Homebase
- Sky
- Labgear
- Triax
- Technomate
- Grundig
- AviLynx
A to B
- Amplier: TV/Radio Signal amplifier/booster.
- Analogue: when a signal is directly represented bypictures and sound, whereas a digital signal codes the pictures and sound into 'computerised' data.
- Antenna: term for an aerial.
- Attenuator: reduces Signal Strength.
- Bandwidth: the range of frequencies used for transmitting a signal.
- Booster: TV/Radio Signal amplifier/booster.
- Broadband: Refers to a system that can carry signals over a wide range of frequencies.
- Bandwidth: the wider the bandwidth, the more information that can be carried..
C to D
- CATV (Community Aerial TV): covering a set Neighbourhood/Town/City/County.
- Coax coupler: used to join together 2 Coax Plugs.
- Coaxial cable: aerial lead to appliance.
- Combiner: combines two or more aerial leads into one single aerial (coaxial) lead.
- DAB aerial: enhances DAB reception.
- DAB: Digital Audio broadcast.
- Decoder: device that unscrambles digital signals and turns them back into sound and pictures. It may come as a set-top box, or be built into a TV set or PVR.
- Digibox: way of referring to a digital set-top box.
- Digital aerial: capable of receiving the new digital signal, providing more channels and enhanced services for the UK.
- Diplexer: combines two or more aerial leads into one single aerial (coaxial) lead.
- Dipole: this element connects to the aerial downlead, receiving signals from the director and reflector elements.
- Director element: forward of the dipole, these are a series of tuned elements.
- Distribution amplier: when sending signals to two or more TV's or Radio, this is the signal booster.
- DLP (Digital light processing): a technology used in rear-projection flat-panel TV screens.
- DOG (Digital on-screen graphic): a channel identification logo, usually seen in the top left-hand corner of the TV screen.
- Downlead: this is the cable which connects the aerial or dish to TV, radio or set top box.
- Dsat (D-SAT): digital satellite: digital TV received via a satellite dish.
E to F
- Ensemable: digital radio term for a single frequency that contains a number of radio channels.
- F connector: terminates coaxial cable for insertion to appliance.
- F coupler: enables 2 f connectors to be joined.
- FM aerial: boosts FM radio reception.
- FTA: a programme or service that you don't need to pay a subscription to receive.
G to H
- Ghosting: repeat image(s) on analogue TV sets, caused by a reflected signal.
- Grid aerial: a TV aerial with 2 or more dipoles and a grid reflector.
- Grouped aerial: a TV aerial that will receive a segment of UHF (terrestrial TV) channels.
- HDMI (High-definition multimedia interface): digital connection using a single cable for high-quality video and audio.
I to J
- IRS (Integrated Reception System): system providing UHF, Sky and radio, which also enables connection of individual Sky boxes.
K to L
- LNB - Quad: this is a dish mounted device, which converts Sky signals to send the reception through to multiple (2 - 4) Sky boxes via the Coaxial (Aerial) cable.
- LNB - Quattro: this is a dish mounted device, which converts Sky signals to send the reception through to multiple switches.
- LNB - Solo: this is a dish mounted device, which converts Sky signals to send the reception through to a single Sky box via the Coaxial (Aerial) cable.
- Loft mount: internal aerial mounting.
M to N
- Magic eye: device which the Sky box can be controlled from another room.
- MATV (Master Aerial TV): a UHF (terrestrial TV) reception distribution system.
- Multi-switch: one Sky dish receives the signal for multiple Sky boxes, usually used in apartment buildings & hotels.
- Multiplexer (MUX): this is where groups of Freeview channels are broadcast on a single UHF channel. This is known as a multiplexer.
O to P
- Pixel: short for picture element - a single dot on a TV screen (or computer screen or digital photo). Thousands of pixels make up the picture, and the more pixels the better the picture. High-definition TV has up to four times as many pixels as standard-definition TV.
- Pixellating: caused by a defective signal which produces a mosaic or frozen image on the screen.
- Polarity: the UHF signal is transmitted on either horizontal or vertical polarities.
- PPV Pay-per-view): an individual programme or series that you pay to receive.
- Pre-amplifier: the signal booster is installed directly on the aerial, with a power supply unit which is required.
- PSU: this converts the mains voltage to 12v, and is used to energise the pre-amplifier via the downlead.
Q to R
- Reflector element: rear element of an aerial.
- RF (Radio frequency): an RF connector is used to feed a TV signal from an aerial to a TV, video recorder, etc.
S to T
- SCART: the type of connector most commonly used to connect TVs, video recorders, DVD players and set-top boxes.
- Set back amplier: sits next to the TV and boosts TV reception signal.
- Set top box: sits on top of the TV set - usually a Sky box, Freeview box, DVD player or VCR.
- Smart card: also called a viewing card: a plastic card inserted into a slot in a set-top box or TV that decodes signals and allows you to receive digital services such as Sky and Top Up TV Anytime.
- SMATV (Satellite Master Aerial TV): Sky/UHF reception distribution system.
- Splitter: splits signal to two or more TV's.
- Tetra filter: blocks interference from Tetra transmissions.
- Top-up TV: Pay as you view Digital TV.
U to V
- UHF: terrestrial TV reception.
- VHF: Frequency bands 1, 2 & 3. Part of Band 3 is now used for DAB.
W to X
- Wideband aerial: TV aerial used to receive UHF channels 21-68.
Y to Z
- Yagi: TV aerial that has a dipole, director and reflector elements.