TV Antenna Services
- Antenna repairs and upgrades
- Digital antenna installation
- Foxtel free to air channels fix
- Running coaxial cables
- TV antenna socket outlet repaired
- Troubleshooting TV reception
- Strata MATV systems repaired
- Free calls to Sydney Northern Beaches
- AV installations
Is repair or a new TV antenna required?
The need for a new antenna depends on the issue and the location. Often, the problem is inside the house, so getting on the roof and installing a new antenna is only sometimes necessary. Even old analog antennas may get digital TV channels without issue. Antenna repair price starts from $150.
Weak TV reception locations
Thanks to digital TV technology, good reception is now possible anywhere in Sydney. But some locations at Sydney Northern Beaches present a challenge. Areas such as Narrabeen, Bayview, Palm Beach, Church Point and along McCarrs Creek Rd, north of Mona Vale, may require the best digital antenna parts and precise antenna orientation for a stable TV picture.
Foxtel free to air
In metropolitan areas, Foxtel does not generally deliver the full set of Australian free to air channels via its satellite service. On iQ4 and iQ5, free to air can be delivered in two ways - via a connected terrestrial TV antenna, or for some channels via internet (IP) streaming where available. If the antenna is not connected or is faulty, the box may show a "no free to air signal" style error for aerial sourced channels, while IP sourced channels may still work if the internet connection is working.
For complete free to air access and consistent HD quality, a properly installed antenna remains the most reliable solution. Manly Electronics can repair or integrate antennas into existing Foxtel installations to minimise upgrade costs.
Foxtel boxes difference
| box type | Paid channels | Free to Air | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| IQ3 | Cable | Cable | 3 at once |
| IQ4 | Cable or Internet | Cable or Antenna | |
| IQ5 | Internet | Antenna | 2 at once |
| Foxtel Now | no | ||
| Foxtel Go app | No |
In other words, you do not need cable starting from IQ4. If the IQ box is connected to WiFi, you can disconnect the coaxial cable and even move it to a different room - paid channels should still work. Nevertheless, the antenna is now necessary for free to air channels.
Streaming HD requires at least 7 Mbs of internet speed. Although NBN and wireless are much faster, a small percentage of Australians are still on slow internet, where the satellite is required for Foxtel.
Watching Foxtel without a box
Go works with an eligible Foxtel subscription and does not require a Foxtel set top box.
It is available on compatible iOS and Android devices, and on selected Smart TVs and Android TV or Google TV devices. It is not available on Apple TV, but content can be streamed to Apple TV using AirPlay.
You can register up to five devices and stream on two at the same time. Recording features remain exclusive to Foxtel iQ boxes.
Switching Foxtel to the free to air antenna
Have you disconnected Foxtel or moved to the new house, but the free to air antenna is not working? We can fix it. There is no need to run new antenna cables. We can utilise Foxtel cables to get antenna signals through the house. Foxtel cables are the same RG6 type as TV antennas. New homes usually have coaxial cables running everywhere. But not all cables are used as you'd have to pay for a Foxtel box in each room. The tricky part is to sort out which cable is which, repair or install a new TV antenna if required, and feed signal to the coax cables. It may take only an hour to fix, and you can watch free to air channels.
The NBN may come through the same coax cable as pay TV. In some houses and strata units, Foxtel and free to air TV antenna signals run through the same cable by design. But more often, NBN comes through the telephone line and is separate from coax cabling. We'll make sure the NBN or remaining pay TV services are uninterrupted.
Typical antenna faults and fixes
A good antenna should provide all available channels in the area and never give pixelation. The antenna system usually consists of a fly lead from the TV to the wall, coaxial cables in the wall and roof, a splitter, a TV antenna amplifier and a power supply. In apartment buildings, it may also have distribution amplifiers and diplexers. TVs can also have problems with reception. One of the typical TV problems is a broken or loose antenna input, which we can fix.
Typical TV Antennas faults in Northern Beaches
- Corrosion accelerated by saltwater and humid air coats antenna surfaces and corrode antenna masts, joints, coaxial cables, and outlets. Most antenna parts are made of aluminium alloys; corrosion makes the antenna and cables brittle and the connection unstable.
- Stronger winds and storms damage antennas.
- Hills at Northern Beaches can limit the line of sight to the TV broadcast tower.
- Boosted TV signal interferes with mobile towers.
Troubleshooting antenna problems
Start by checking fly leads from the TV to the wall and the power adapter for the antenna. The antenna may have a power adapter inside the house or on the roof. Here, our specialist will save you time. If replacing fly leads did not help, check the following fault descriptions. That will help the technician solve the problem over the phone and estimate the antenna cost.
No signal
It can be any antenna system's component. If you last used the antenna a long time ago or recently switched from Foxtel, you may need to install a new antenna or connect an old one.
TV channels disappear at night
That can be poor antenna quality and interference from mobile networks. The timing of the issue is related to people coming home and starting to use mobile phones in your area. Mobile towers increase the power for better phone reception, interfering with TVs when the antenna is not very good. The problem can develop gradually or happen overnight. A quick fix may be possible, but antenna and amplifier upgrades may also be required.
TV channels drop out during bad weather
The antenna or external cables need to be replaced.
Switching over to digital TV
Australian TV switched to digital in 2013. Old antennas should receive digital just fine. Antenna fixes become necessary only when television channels are pixelated or missing.
To watch a digital free to air TV broadcast, you'll need one of the following:
- A digital TV
- A digital set-top box
- A digital DVD HDD Recorder
- Optus Fetch
- Foxtel IQ3-5 or Now
Are you tuning the TV or repairing the antenna?
Find the direction of your TV antenna to the transmitter tower, channels, and frequencies at Sydney Northern Beaches.
Antenna repairman makes free calls to Sydney Northern Beaches.
Antenna service Sydney-wide and other NSW locations can also be arranged. The technician, an electronics engineer with over 20 years of experience and fully insured, is usually available for an inspection and repairs within 24 hours.