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Freeview intermittent interference

When you get occasional sound loss or picture freezes

When you get occasional sound loss or picture freezes
published on UK Free TV

There are several different types of interference that cause problems. This page deals with the situation where:

  • Freeview reception is perfect or near-perfect most of the time
  • The audio on TV and radio channels mutes momentarily a few times each minute
  • The picture on a Freeview channel freezes a few times each minute


There are two main causes of this type of intermittent interference:
  • 'Induction' interference
  • Mobile phone interference


Induction interference

Induction interference is caused by mains-powered household devices that contain a large motor, such as:
  • Washing machine;
  • Tumble dryer;
  • Central heating pump or combination boiler;
  • Fridge;
  • Freezer;
  • Power tools (drills, jigsaws etc)
  • Vacuum cleaners;
  • Water pumps;
  • Automatic doors


You can identify if one or more of these devices is causing the Freeview reception problem by powering off the devices.

If one of these devices is causing the problem, then the reception problem can usually be solved by using a mains filter device and use it on the Freeview boxes mains connection.



Such as device is this: Maplin: 6-Way Flat Screen and HDTV Surge Protector and Mains Filter.

Mobile phone interference

If you keep a mobile phone by your Freeview box or digital television, keep it further away!

This also applies to other transmitters such as baby monitors, video senders, walkie talkies, and portable phones.

Help with Freeview, aerials?
How do I get a test card with Freeview1
I would like to know if it is possible to receive UK terrestrial Freeview servic2
I have been told I would receive too much singal from my Freeview tansmitter as 3
Can my Freeview box receive more than one BBC and ITV region?4
Is it true that my 87 year old mother is entitled to a FREE upgrade when the ana5
In this section
Official aerial installers guide to the TV spectrum future1
Which free digital TV system will give me the most reliable reception?2
High pressure causing channel loss through "Inversion"3
Digital Region Overlap4
Freeview reception has changed?5
Two frequency interference 6

Comments
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
J
Justin
10:39 PM

Hello,
I have purchased a new digital arial, and have set this up with a television that used to work ok with a cable box. some of the time the sound is ok but i experience sound delay of about 3 seconds sometimes. If i turn the Tv off and turn back on it can right itself for a short while. Any ideas?

Thanks
Justin

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Justin's 1 post GB flag
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

7:18 AM

Justin: Have you checked everything at the top of the page?

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
T
Tony
3:10 PM

Hello the problem i am currently having is that my partners phone keeps interfering with the TV signal, but after awhile the interference happened when she wasnt recieving a text or call, was wondering would it be the mobile or the phone, the tv is on surge plugs, the tv is brand new and the phone is a good 7 foot away

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Tony's 1 post GB flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

3:15 PM

Tony: I would start by changing the aerial "fly leads" for better ones.

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
A
Alan Poole
5:35 PM

Hi,
I am having picture/sound breaking up since the Dover transmitter was worked on two months ago, the picture is unwatchable sometimes non the terrestrial channels but OK on freeview channels,it also seems to happen at certain times only which makes me think it is the Dover Transmitter problem, I have a new Panasonic flat screen tTV with Freeview built in. Any ideas please.

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Alan Poole's 1 post GB flag
Sunday, 10 April 2011
H
Hawke
sentiment_satisfiedBronze

9:08 PM

Alan Poole
Same trouble here, it seems that (possibly on high ground only) 2 sets of most multiplexes are being picked up, the set/box is placing the wrong ones in the standard positions - 1,2,3 etc. have a look at all found channels, and then by punching in the number on the controller try the duplicates.
In my Mothers case I had originally had to put in a booster, on removal of the booster and re-tuning all stations ended up in the right place.

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Hawke's 25 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
D
David Rogers
6:25 PM

Hi,
I am having a problem with Freeview reception on a Sony TV since connecting a Hitachi PVR yesterday. Several multiplexes drop from the TV Freeview list and re-tuning only works if I connect the Aerial cable directly into the TV instead of the PVR. Having got the full channel listing back on the TV, and then putting the aerial cable back into the PVR and connecting the PVR back to the TV, some of the Freeview channels dropped again, and then came back again later. Is there a fix for what seems like interference from the PVR? We're on the Wrekin transmitter which had the analogue signal switched off on 6th April.
Regards
David Rogers

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David Rogers's 2 posts GB flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

7:09 PM

David Rogers: You might be best advised to watch your Freeview using the PVR until next week when the final switchover happens. Just connect the aerial to the PVR only until then.

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
P
Paul Bertenshaw
6:00 PM
Ashby-de-la-zouch

How can I prevent on screen interference (freezing/pixilation, even on recordings on HDD) from passing mopeds/scooters etc? Other modes of transport such as cars, vans, buses or even motorbikes don't seem to cause a problem.
I suspect it is linked to inefficient suppression of electrical signals which leak from the ignition system of the bikes. If that is the cause, is the only solution to ask for the lads to get their bike suppressors checked out and adjusted?
Or will the problem disappear when the Freeview digital signal is boosted at switchover in September in our area (Ashby de la Zouch, Leics)?

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Paul Bertenshaw's 3 posts GB flag
Paul's: mapP's Freeview map terrainP's terrain plot wavesP's frequency data P's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

6:09 AM

Paul Bertenshaw: There is very little you can do about this. Ensure that your aerial is mounted up as high as possible and that you are using the best possible (satellite grade) coaxial cable.

The situation will not change at switchover.

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
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