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Freecom DVB-T USB Stick
You can try http://www.freeview.co.uk/home where you can input your postcode to get simple information regarding freeview channels avaliable in your area.
And we have a report from a Forum user - KingJ - who advises the site at www.ukfree.tv provides a more detailed level of information.
Both sites are supposedly pretty up to date but, with the gradual switchover to digital, things will obviously changes from time to time. Even if it says "Yes, you can get digital," that still depends on you having access to the transmitted signals.
Digital signals are good....and bad....! Good in that, if you get a signal, you will get a full-quality broadcast, whether TV or radio (that does NOT mean that if you can get a signal you will automatically get every channel available in your area!). But digital signals are actually more fussy than the "old" analogue signals. With analogue, you could get a weak signal, which means poor-quality TV or Radio reception - but at least you'll get something - most of the time.. With digital, you either get the perfect picture/reception - or you get nothing! And digital does not "go round corners" either! To get a digital signal, your aerial must have direct line-of-sight to the transmitter, as digital signals travel in straight lines. A building in the way - even a large tree - can block digital transmissions reaching you.. So, if you know you have installed the USB DVB-T stick properly and the multimedia programme associated with it is also installed corectly - yet you still can't get a picture - suspect the signal quality!.
Be aware that the small portable internal antennae (which comes with the stick) is unlikely to be effective except in strong signal areas. In most cases you need a good external aerial, of the correct type, capable of receiving digital transmissions and properly aligned with the transmitter which serves your area. With a bit of digging about on the Internet, you can work out which transmitter serves your area and what direction it is from your home. Bear in mind that analogue transmitters, or Sky TV transmitters, may come from an entirely different direction than the Freeview channels your DVB-T stick hopes to receive.
Some folk are puzzled that they can receive freeview channels on a set-top box but can't get a signal on their Freecom DVB-T stick. Simple answer is that set-top boxes have signal-amplification built in so, even in poor reception areas, these boxes are often able to improve the signal sufficiently to get reception. Also, if you buy a freecom box, you are more likely to employ a proper installer, who will ensure your aerial is the correct type and is properly aligned with the transmitter (installers use a meter to ensure proper alignment and know the corrrect type of aerial for your area).
There is a report on the Forum of a set-top internal aerial, available from QVC. "Chloe" from the Forum reports:
"I came across an amplified indoor aerial claiming that it works for DVB-T Freeview, so immediately purchased it and it works fantastically well. It has 360 degree reception, so will pick up any signals flying around. It's made by One For All and is called a "Flat Indoor Antenna". The beauty is that if you purchase it on QVC and it doesn't work, you can send it back and be refunded".
No idea if that will work in your case but worth highlighting anyway as it clearly works for Chloe.
TV Licence?
Yes, in the UK, you do need a TV licence to receive freeview trasnmissions. And the funny vans with the big aerials stuck out of the top CAN actually tell whether you have TV reception in your home - even on a PC! You've been warned - go get a licence! Or get an 80 year old lodger ('cos they get free licences). But you can have as many TVs and other reception devices as you like,with only one licence per home .....
The Techie from Sneckie