TV, Broadband and Telephone Set-Up Options

[AlanHo]

The Problem

Possibly moving to a house in a new location with the consequent need to determine how to obtain suitable TV, telephone and broadband internet services

Known Conditions.

There is a BT telephone line serving the house

There is a Telewest cable serving the road.

There is a small brick built study set apart from the house a distance of 10 feet. (It used to be the garage)

The house lacks a TV aerial or aerial cabling.

Freeview TV reception currently not available in the area.

I require the following services :-

Telephones

Telephones in the hallway (with answerphone), lounge, bedroom and outside study.

I presume that Telephones are perhaps best done with a DECT digital base station/answerphone in the hallway and DECT cordless phones elsewhere.

Computer and Broadband Internet

Broadband internet to be connected to my WiFi enabled laptop which I wish to use in the lounge, study and possibly elsewhere in the house.

I assume a broadband modem is required at the incoming point of the BT phone line or Telewest cable as appropriate – but how do I connect it to my laptop in the various rooms. Can I for instance, buy a wireless router which will not be hard wired to the laptop or any other computer. Also – how do I get my inkjet printer and laser printers, which would be located in the study, to connect to the laptop. Some sort of wireless connection or what? If so – how.

Televisions

A TV in the lounge and bedroom with the facility to accept digital broadcasts when available. It would be nice to be able to re-use two existing TV’s until such time as HD TV is generally available. Also required is a TV recording facility in the lounge – perhaps a hard disc recorder.

Since Freeview is not available in the road (as confirmed by the Freeview web site post code search) does this mean that future digital broadcasts will also not be available? If so - I assume I have to go for either Sky or Telewest cable to receive digital TV for which I will need a TV set top box for each TV hard wired back to the cable incomer or satellite dish. I assume the TV recorder will connect between the set top box in the lounge and the TV. With this set-up I guess you cannot watch one channel and record another.

I would be interested in learning about the set-ups of other Forum members to help me make a cost effective decision that will stand me in good stead for the future.