This is where it all started for CleerVu back in 1973, fitting aerials of all shapes and sizes for some of the first colour TVs on the Isle of Man, with rigger and owner Tam MacLaren out and about in the van. We are proud of our long membership with the CAI (Confederation of Aerial Industries) since 1977 to the current day. The supply and fit of Aerials continues to be a mainstay of our business and we undertake many installations for premises across the Island of varying type of installation.
UHF TV signals vary across the island dependent on where you live, and in some cases we will use alternative television transmitters which are commonly used in the UK and Ireland. We ONLY use high quality, durable, aluminium aerials suitable for the worst weather we experience on the island!
Obviously some areas are notably worse than others, whereby we may have to use extensive bracketry and a large mast. However, there are many instances whereby an aerial can be fitted in the roof space, saving time, wear and tear, and maintenance costs. For what we call ‘Fringe’ areas, where reception can vary we would fit a larger high gain aerial, giving you a far better chance of getting a CLEERVU!
Not only do we supply and fit UHF TV aerials, we also have FM/DAB radio aerials in stock, for use with any tuner you have with an external connection.
Since the launch of Freeview in 2002, and after seeing that this was a platform that was here to stay a few years later, we recognised what we had to do. For analogue transmissions, the UHF bandwidth was split up in to different categories, where different transmitters would only transmit from a certain band, either group A, B or C/D. Dependent on where you live, we would have fitted an aerial to suit your ‘group’, which worked very well at that time. However, with Freeview, although the majority of the channels were within the correct group for your area, other sought after channels were placed outside your ‘group’, due to lack of bandwidth space.
Although at the time none of our local transmitters were any where near being capable of transmitting digital, in 2004 we started using aerials which could receive all groups, known as a ‘wideband‘ aerial. At the time this was unprecedented on the Isle of Man, and deemed unnecessary by some. However, the last thing we wanted to be doing was taking down nearly new aerials at the time of digital switchover scheduled for 2009 – there is a lot more you can learn about the digital switchover on our site, which may help you know if you need any work carried out.
At present our local transmitters will give households the basic BBC1, BBC2, ITV1 and Channel 4, however this is due to change for the better, starting from mid 2009, with the Island one of the first places in the UK to have a complete analogue switch off, leaving us with the exciting prospect of Freeview.
Digital TV is a recently introduced way of transmitting to the home the pictures and sound which make up a TV programme, together with other services like Digital text and interactivity. It gives many advantages over the analogue transmission that we have been using for nearly 70 years.
Because the information needed to make up the TV signal is coded into a digital stream of ones and noughts– like the way a computer works—the technical quality can be much better and more consistent. The digital stream takes up much less capacity in the airwaves, so that the space needed in the past for just one analogue channel can now carry up to seven different programs. This means a much greater choice for the digital viewer.
In order to receive Freeview, and assuming that your aerial is in a good enough condition and capable of receiving the digital signal, you will need one of the following:
One of the easiest ways to receive Freeview. It sits nicely with your existing TV and connects easily via a single scart lead. Perfect for the bedroom and makes a great gift.
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The Freeview+ digital TV recorder gives you up to 48 digital TV channels which you can pause, record and rewind at the touch of a button. And the real plus is that there is no subscription or contract in sight.
All digital TV recorders with the Freeview+ logo have achieved a quality standard to ensure you get the best TV experience with Freeview. You may also find some products with the Freeview Playback logo which is the old name for Freeview Plus.
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Many new digital TVs come with Freeview already built-in. Just connect it to your aerial for full Freeview service. Digital TVs come in widescreen plasma or LCD format, too, making them perfect for any location in your home. All of the TVs stocked in our Showroom come with Freeview built-in.
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