Large ugly TV aerial on the front of a house - why do people have them?

[CatAndHisKit]

Looking to buy currently and saw a nice terraced house, but unlike any other house on the long terrace, this one and the next door both have these large vertical pipes on facades, attached but two holder piped slight away from house. Both an eyesore on otherwise nicely painted two houses.

I never had any aerial as I use digitial, but apparently they have BT digittial in house, no sky - so what is the benefit of having this? Or can be they have both sky and digital?

Has anyone had these removed, is it easy, and I wonder what the cost would be and who would do it? There wouldn't be much damage to the front of house though slight touch up would be needed where the 'hands' come off' but it's a heavy structure and quite high up so who would it (on a ladder I assume)?

It will be bolted to the wall and so should only leave a few bolts holes when removed.

The aerial itself will be fairly light but just awkward to manœuvrer. Any TV aerial company should be able to remove for about £50.

"Vertical pipe" does not sound like TV.

If there is no chimney or suitable way of putting up an Ariel they pipe may have been the only solution to secure it in the past.

If you buy and decide to remove you could invite next door to get theirs done at same
Time or pay for it of it bothers you that much.

Thank you all for replying.
PigletJOhn, it's a vertical pipe that is then bolted to the wall, hte aerial itself is on top of the pipe, I think.

I just don't know why they haev it if it's digital they use - I thought maybe it adds some benefits / extra channels from sky so there's both?

Akire there's achminey I think but might be on the cusp/on next door roof.

TwoLeft but would they do it only of ot used to be their aerial - and how do I know which co? I just can't imagine anyone would agree doing it especially if so cheaply (50 pounds) - it's very heavy and bulky for ome person to handle. Two probably enough.

quite likely it is in a hilly area and they need the aerial higher to get nearer Line of Sight to the transmitter.

Maybe it is still needed, maybe it isn't

In some districts a loft aerial works fine. In a few districts even a set-top or room aerial works.

You can get a map that tells you the direction and orientation of aeral you need. Freeview needs an aerial even though it is a digital srevice

BTW there is no such thing as a "digital aerial"

But digital still needs an aerial. You don't if you are only watching on the internet or via satelite. So presumably the house needs a tall aerial to pick up a good signal.

The aerial belongs to the house, not a particular company. Just look up tv aerial installer to find one locally.

If it is an aerial it will belong to the property not the company who put it up. I think that will apply to dishes too. They don't come round and remove them. They've been costed into the original subscription. If you just want it to be removed almost any handy person(s) could do it. I`ve assumed you don't want an aerial at all?

this tells you the nearest transmitter. I can't find a link for aerial orientaion.

oh, here it is, but I don't suppose you need it. It would be of interest if you wanted a new aerial, but your local installer should know.

The old aerials might have been put up years ago, and might or might not be in the best positions now.

I thought BT Digital was via broadband and so one didn't need an aerial. Maybe that is not the case?

www.oneforall.co.uk/support/faq/all-aerials-what-difference-between-analog-and-digital-aerial

or, as Freeview says:

www.freeview.co.uk/help/do-i-need-aerial

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles

I thought BT Digital was via broadband and so one didn't need an aerial. Maybe that is not the case?

yes, you can watch some services over your internet connection without needing an aerial, and you can watch Freeview over your aerial without an internet connection.

I have both but mostly use the Freeview programmes

I thought maybe it adds some benefits / extra channels from sky so there's both?

Are you confusing a satellite dish with an aerial? Sky comes through a satellite dish.

Gosh this is all revelation to me as I've never dealt with any aerials before.
Thank you for the map PJ, and TwoLeft for the link, i'll have a look at it properly.
What I don't get is, where do most houses have them - as I've never seen one attached to the outside where I lived or in the many (!) houses I viewed over years. Is it because they aer usually hig up on the roof and out of sight? I know you said in the loft, PJ, so possibly that.
I've no idea wher my aerial is in my current house where I use VIrgin digital!
NotDT not a dish, I do know that sky needs a dish - I just thought maybe it's a version of Sky connection.
I suppose they couldnt attach it to the roof - but it's just strange that these aree the only two in the street, though many do haev Satt dishes instead.
So the conclusion is, it can't be removed unless it was installed long ago and can now e upgraded to something smaller indoors, as I understand. If not, needs to stay that way.

I've always preferred a loft aerial. Out of sight, protected from the weather so lasts for decades, easy to work on. The downside is that the roof construction reduces the power of the signal, so unsuitable in areas with poor reception. I don't know if digital is better or worse.

Installers can now get very accurate compass bearings to aim the aerial, and can also measure the signal received, so (should be) able to get the best possible reception. Mine is propped up on a bit of wood in the loft, aligned with a pencil mark.

Apparently, in the early days of TV, owning one was such a status symbol that owners liked to have a big aerial prominently displayed above the roof, and I've seen reference in old magazines to aerials being fitted to houses even when the occupants couldn't afford a TV.

interesting. PJ.
Haha, regarrding the people using the as status symbol even with no tv indoors!
By the way - it is a hilly area. Not as steep a street as some though.
So I assume I could ask someone to visit from an aerial installers and they could tell me whether they could move it and where to. I hope the whole thing isn't too expensive?

Modern aerials, and modern cables, will be to some extent better, but it might be that your has to bew high to look over a hill.

If you go to the "details" section of the mapping webpage, it will give you compass bearings of the most likely, and alternative transmissions. With a map or a compass you can look and see if you are doomed to be behind a hill.

Mine is 33 miles away but most of that is sea.

Because we like watching TV.

Plenty of reasons someone might want to keep the Freeview aerial even if they also have internet TV. For one, BT TV won't let you have more than two boxes! Then there's internet dropouts and slowdowns, people who don't like modern gadgets, possible different channels available.

And even if they don't use it any more, they might just not care to remove the aerial.

safari I wasn't questioning why have aerial at all - I watch TV (Virgin) a lot myself. But I've never came across a huge contraption bolting the aerial to the facade of a small-ish terraced house!
So my question was, why havent they attached it more incospicuusly, the loft etc, lime most of the street.

PigletJOhn explained a bit - it's ahill but not such a huge hill, the whole city os hilly but not many have a strap on aerial to the facade. It probably is the case of 'could move it but dodn't bother' as they are selling afetr about 7yrs there.

*come across