Sparky7 Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Hi O helpful forum members:I have an Avtex 16" digital TV/DVD, Model W164DR which was prefitted in my Nuevo motorhome. This has the ordinary disc shaped status aerial, and I have also transferred my sat dish and box from my previous motorhome. The tv works well on sat dish and aerial in England, but only on sat dish in France. I tried to tune it from the aerial (yes, I did set it for France) to get some French telly, and only got one awful channel for about 5 minutes before the message 'No CI AVAILABLE' appeared. I tried tuning to analogue and continued to try to tune in as I moved about France. I kept getting the same message.Avtex (who seem to be having difficulty knowing what to do about it) tell me CI stands for Common Interface module which is some sort of card thing which I don't have. I know there are lots of free channels in France, and surely others watch French tv with the same set up as I have. What is the problem with mine, please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJB Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 We have an Avtex (but I think the question applies to all TVs) with a Status directional aerial. It picks up the local (most are digital now) channels all over Northern Europe including Scandinavia...except in countries where a set top box (CI?) is required. But....Sorry never been to France! More and more countries are going the 'set top box' route ie. 'Freeview' in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambukashot Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 From my short time in France i just tuned in and got about 15 stations, they are on the similier system to the UK (Digital) the CI or common interface should not be needed, mind you im not expert! will be in France next week so will have another play around and report back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocro Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 As in uk directional aerial and digital needed, most LCD TVs are multi-standard nowerdays and should work fine. Our cheapy Bush LED TV worked in France last month,around 8 channels in Calais just like the UK all rubbish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Strachan Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Hi Sparky, I would consider changing your omni-directional aerial, for a directional one Status 550, or similar. You should also be aware that the signals may be horizontally or vertically polarised. France is just like here it has changed completely to digital, so no point in trying an analogue search. Like here some areas get more channels than others, I,ve had up to about 70 in some places and down to 5 in others. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 ....only used our Avtex TV once on our recent trip to France, to check weather forecasts on the one occasion we hadn't been able to get WiFi. I have a directional aerial, and it managed to pull in what looked like a comprehensive set of channels, a subset of which were available to view. Be aware that the French digital terrestrial TV provision includes a number of "pay" channels, which my TV tuned quite happily, but would not allow me to watch (blank screen and a message). For this, you would need the appropriate CI module (as flagged in the OP), and an associated subscription. It looks likely that you had managed to tune, and select, at least one such station - I wonder whether you tried others which should have been FTA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildi Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Hi Sparky, We are in France and have Avtex TV with Status 530 and an easyfind signal booster so you just push up the arial and turn it till the light goes green and then tune tv. Not had any problems getting French TV but don't think you are missing anything if you can't. Mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Aerial inadequate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky7 Posted May 18, 2013 Author Share Posted May 18, 2013 Many thanks for all the hints and tips - especially as Avtex haven't bothered to get back to me after 2 weeks. I have a couple of different aerials to try when I go back to France shortly.Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 If your satellite system works OK why are you messing about trying to pick up local French stations, especially considering changing the aerial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 If your satellite system works OK why are you messing about trying to pick up local French stations, especially considering changing the aerial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Oh bolboy, you went there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Sparky7 - 2013-05-18 12:18 PMMany thanks for all the hints and tips - especially as Avtex haven't bothered to get back to me after 2 weeks. I have a couple of different aerials to try when I go back to France shortly.Thanks againHi I have the Avtex 185DR on which I can receive French channels very well. At the moment it is in the house and connected to an ordinary aerial on the chimney but in the motorhome I have a very old-fashioned aerial on the roof so connect to that for digital tv and connect the Sky box via HDMI tuned in to analogue. Works perfectly now all of France is digital. If the weather is bad, like today, Sky is affected (particularly channel 5 and associated channels) but no problem with the French programmes.I am surprised that you are having problems with Avtex. I have had to phone them twice this week, first time one minute before 5.30 (didn't realise the time and apologised) and he was very helpful. I had two problems: one, I could not record on the memory stick and two, much more serious (!) I managed to get a brand new DVD stuck in (this in fact could actually be a DVD and a CD - how dopey is that!). So I phoned again two days later and said that their advice hadn't worked. He then told me how to pack the TV when back in England and it would be collected by a courier for repair. Couldn't have been more helpful so I would try phoning and choosing the tech people on the menu. I have to say I found a geographical number as I would not use an 08 from France.As another poster said, don't bother with analogue except for tuning in Sky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Your post encouraged me to try to record on the stick again which I accomplished but could see no way to play it back. The only thing that lights up on the menu is delete and I had to turn the TV off to stop the recording so something seems to be wrong here. However, when I was looking for a channel for the experiment I happened upon iCI which turns out to be my local Clermont-Ferrand channel. Before going digital Channel 3 was the local channel wherever you were in France. This might answer your query. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Hi Sparky sending you a PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 I'm assuming you have a signal strength meter, absolutely essential for Digital broadcasts, and although we do not have an Avtex have no problem picking up TV in France. Here's the meter I use, it's very good for finding the signal. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philex-SLx-27867R-Digital-Strength/dp/B001GXQUNQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky7 Posted May 19, 2013 Author Share Posted May 19, 2013 It must be me then...I emailed Avtex tech bods as soon as I got back from France and got no reply so I phoned them. I was told by the bloke to whom I spoke that he'd seen my email but didn't know what to suggest, so he'd passed it on to a colleague, and to leave it with him. I resisted the temptation to ask why he hadn't just sent a brief reply to my mail to let me know what was going on. After not hearing back for two weeks, I thought I'd ask the Forum (don't know why I didn't start there in the first place!). You have all been very helpful as usual. I am not fitting a new aerial; just taking a couple of stand-alones I already have. I am not a great fan of French TV but do like to watch the news now and again, and also try to improve my French. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Is the avtex aerial any good? as I need a new one and it seems pretty compact Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Sparky7 - 2013-05-19 9:58 AM It must be me then...I emailed Avtex tech bods as soon as I got back from France and got no reply so I phoned them. I was told by the bloke to whom I spoke that he'd seen my email but didn't know what to suggest, so he'd passed it on to a colleague, and to leave it with him. I resisted the temptation to ask why he hadn't just sent a brief reply to my mail to let me know what was going on. After not hearing back for two weeks, I thought I'd ask the Forum (don't know why I didn't start there in the first place!). You have all been very helpful as usual. I am not fitting a new aerial; just taking a couple of stand-alones I already have. I am not a great fan of French TV but do like to watch the news now and again, and also try to improve my French. Sparky7 forgive me for saying, but how ever you are managing to use the font and size that you are in your post, it does not help when reading them. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-05-19 10:24 AM Is the avtex aerial any good? as I need a new one and it seems pretty compact When I bought my Avtex the consensus of opinion was that their aerial was a waste of time. The TV works perfectly from the old sputnik style aerial and I have never needed to use a "finder" once all French and UK stations were on digital. I use the Camos Dome for the analogue Sky box. Both analogue and digital need tuning in of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-05-19 10:24 AM Is the avtex aerial any good? as I need a new one and it seems pretty compact I use an Avtex STH1000 aerial - it's built in amplifier is powered from my Avtex TV so the installation is very neat and self-contained. It will work with other TVs that don't have an aerial power-out facility and the necessary power supply and wiring are supplied. Mine is mounted in the truck out of sight and therefore does not represent a leak waiting to happen and is safe from being ripped off by vegetation etc. In spite of the price it seems to work as well as the Status directional aerials I've previously used. To be sure though they'd have to be tested side by side. Not sure how internal mounting would work out on a PVC. There may be too much metal around. They are very flexible in terms of mounting options though. In my experience, a jolly good product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 thanks Crinkley just what I wanted to know...can I stick it out heki and mount flat on roof, or does it have to be vertical? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 Hi Guys We are currently in France (a rather wet France in the Vienne) and have had no trouble with our TV (not a Avtec just one from Currys that happens to be 12v), can get all UK chanels with our Camos Dome. Moving south to-morrow, in the hope of finding some dry weather. PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 Hi Guys We are currently in France (a rather wet France in the Vienne) and have had no trouble with our TV (not a Avtec just one from Currys that happens to be 12v), can get all UK chanels with our Camos Dome. Moving south to-morrow, in the hope of finding some dry weather. PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-05-20 10:36 AM ...can I stick it out heki and mount flat on roof, or does it have to be vertical? All the literature states vertical but they come with so many mounting options, including a flexible mount / suction cup mount that it shouldn't be that hard to stick it outside to the van / windows and run a cable in. Mine is permanently mounted and hard-wired but part of the appeal is that they mount / dismount in seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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