Analogue and digital signal strength
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV Many people ask why they can receive an OK analogue picture, but need to upgrade their aerial to get Freeview, or sometimes get perfect Freeview reception when the analogue picture is very poor.
The digital signals are currently broadcast at low power (this will change as switchover happens) to prevent interference with the existing analogue signals. Thankfully most Freeview boxes can work with these weak signals. The following list shows the strength of the digital signal compared to the analogue for the 80 Freeview transmitters.
Expr2
Aberdare: 15%
Angus: 2000%
Beacon Hill: 1%
Belmont: 1.43%
Bilsdale: 1.15%
Black Hill: 4%
Blaenplwyf: 1.66%
Bluebell Hill: 8.88%
Bressay: 10%
Brierley Hill: 1.22%
Bristol Kings Weston: 4.5%
Bromsgrove: 1550%
Brougher Mountain: 0.5%
Caldbeck: 0.82%
Caradon Hill: 0.76%
Carmel: 2%
Chatton: 4.16%
Chesterfield: 1.8%
Craigkelly: 2%
Crystal Palace: 2%
Darvel: 2%
Divis: 0.49%
Dover: 1%
Durris: 2%
Eitshal: 0.8%
Emley Moor: 0.93%
Fenham: 1%
Fenton: 0.5%
Guildford: 1%
Hannington: 4%
Hastings: 18.3%
Heathfield: 1.2%
Hemel Hempstead: 2%
Huntshaw Cross: 3.66%
Idle: 2%
Ilchester Crescent: 4%
Keelylang Hill: 1%
Keighley: 0.91%
Kilvey Hill: 3.83%
Knock More: 1%
Lancaster: 1.83%
Lark Stoke: 416.66%
Limavady: 0.8%
Llanddona: 1%
Malvern: 10%
Mendip: 1.83%
Midhurst: 1.25%
Moel-Y-Parc: 0.41%
Nottingham: 1.85%
Olivers Mount: 9.1%
Oxford: 1.6%
Pendle Forest: 18.2%
Plympton: 9.15%
Pontop Pike: 1.93%
Pontypool: 6%
Presely: 0.83%
Redruth: 1.85%
Reigate: 1500%
Ridge Hill: 2%
Rosemarkie: 10%
Rosneath: 2%
Rowridge: 4%
Rumster Forest: 1.33%
Saddleworth: 1.8%
Salisbury: 6.9%
Sandy Heath: 1.83%
Selkirk: 6%
Sheffield: 1%
Stockland Hill: 1%
Storeton: 2550%
Sudbury: 2.01%
Sutton Coldfield: 0.8%
Tacolneston: 2.66%
The Wrekin: 1%
Torosay: 0.62%
Tunbridge Wells: 1%
Waltham: 1.8%
Wenvoe: 1.16%
Whitehawk Hill: 3.67%
Winter Hill: 1.83%
5:39 PM
Sudbury
Where do I check whether my box meets current standards? It's less than 2 years old so I'll be pretty hacked if it doesn't.
Manually tuned it yesterday. 5 channels are 100% quality. The 6th was all over the place. That's the one carrying C4, C5, More4 etc.
Other users have similar problems but use SKY to get round it.
Any way I can compensate for this without forking over a SKY subscription?
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Jerry's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
7:59 PM
... Sudbury digital TV transmitter | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
Jerry - you might do better asking here, as other locals may see it.
Looks like they are doing much mucking about prior to analogue switchoff in July, when power will increase and probably solve your problems. (LL145HD)
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8:03 PM
Wrexham
PS there is a list of bad boxes on here somewhere if you hunt around - though as yourse works some doubt if that's it - more of a yes/no issue!
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Steve's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Jerry Brett: The list of boxes that do not work after switchover are here - TVs and boxes that do not support the 8k-mode | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
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4:39 PM
Sudbury
Thanks guys. I did wonder if my problems had something to do with switch over fiddling and diddling. I checked my box on your link Brian and the 9200 is listed but the 9300 isn't. So I guess I may have to put up and shut up for now. At least the programmes I'm missing will probably be repeated after switch over and C5 repeats much of its content on 5USA and 5* a few days later and I can get both of those clear as crystal. Heigh ho...
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Jerry's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
11:24 PM
The 9200 definitely works after switchover and I don't see any reason why the revised and updated 9300 shouldn't. Your transmitter hasn't switched yet.
You're very close to a major transmitter - it's possible that you have too much signal. You say you don't have a booster - try adding an attenuator. You should aim for a maximum of 50% signal strength on these Humax boxes - the calibration is way off. Note that Sudbury post-DSO signal levels will be much louder than now.
Mux 2 transmits on two different frequencies, C56 and C68, which are transmitted in different directions. Try the other one. Your box might have tuned in C56 when you're in the C68 area, if it chooses the first version it finds. Look for another version around channel 800 in the guide - if that's better, see if you can swap them over.
C68 is right up at the top end of the frequency range. If you didn't have a Group E aerial fitted, it might not work very well - an original analogue aerial would be Group B and has very little or even negative gain at C68. You would need a Group E aerial to get all the services reliably after switchover as well.
Finally, if damp gets into cables, it increases the loss at higher frequencies much more than at lower ones. That could be causing a problem for Mux 2 but not the others.
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3:26 PM
Wrexham
Jerry - I know nothing about these things but wonder if a box 9300 might be a variant of 9200, so also bad. Think worth checking!
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Steve's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
8:22 PM
Hi, i recently built an extension and put a new digital samsung lcd in there. I ran a cable from my analogue booster in the attic to the t.v. This booster feeds all my digital t.v's in the house and all work fine. When i came to tune the new telly i found that it would not pick up any digital channels but picked up perfectly the analogue channel that feeds sky into the other t.v's. I checked the t.v is working by connecting it to a seperate room and it picked up all the digital channels and analogue sky channel. I'm confused, anyone out there going to brighten my day.
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9:40 PM
Wrexham
Rob - odd!
Have you tried one of the other TVs in the conservatory?
And tried disconnecting the sky feed?
If still nothing, suspect summat wrong with wiring or splitter.
Try switching the connections out of the booster and see if the problem moves.
| link to this comment |
Steve's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage