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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
Thursday, 7 October 2021
R
ROGER CULLINGHAM
10:41 AM
Callington

My reception on both TV and recorder is good in the morning.In the evening TV is OK recorder pixelates.any suggestions please? Post code PL17 7LZ. We live in a valley and the ariel points south and not west to Caradon Hill.The problem varies and is not constant.

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ROGER CULLINGHAM's 1 post GB flag
ROGER's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

1:20 PM

ROGER CULLINGHAM:

Recent (and some current) weather conditions can cause TV signals from distant transmitters to travel further and so cause interference when the wanted signal from a local transmitter is already marginal, which could be part of what is happening with you.

The fundamental problem with you is that the aerial is not pointing at (or even nearly at) the transmitter and even in a valley that will cause you to have a weaker signal than could be available!!
Your location is only 5km from Caradon Hill and whilst reception predictors aren't always 100% accurate, Freeview's does not predict reception from any other transmitter and suggests very good reception from Caradon Hill.

Your aerial should be pointing at a bearing of 234 degrees for your locale (approx. marginally S of WSW) and the rods (or squashed Xs) should be horizontal.
I suggest you look into repositioning your aerial!

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Chris.SE's 4,101 posts GB flag
Friday, 15 October 2021
B
business web design
3:02 PM

I keep listening to the news broadcast speak about getting free online
grant applications so I have been looking around
for the most excellent site to get one. Could you advise me please, where could i acquire some?

link to this comment
business web design's 1 post US flag
Saturday, 16 October 2021
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

1:33 AM

business web design:

This is a UK website and probably not the place to help with your query.

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Chris.SE's 4,101 posts GB flag
Sunday, 17 October 2021
C
Cartridgeon Wheels Reno
7:08 AM

Acer travel mate series provides a mixture of ultra portability and performance.

However, they've neither the pace of thermal printers
nor the low costs of dot matrix printers. Keep your entire household knowledgeable by using your Smart - Phone
plus a video streaming application to call home stream important events.

link to this comment
Cartridgeon Wheels Reno's 1 post US flag
Thursday, 18 November 2021
P
Peter White
11:59 AM

I am having problems with Freeview can only get 8 TV channels from 3 days ago. 15th Nov.
Is this due to the engineering works, does anybody have the same issue
I am located at Billingborough, NG340QX ?

Have tried retuning procedure but no joy.
Peter

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Peter White's 3 posts GB flag
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

2:14 PM

Peter White:

I'll reply to your posts on the Waltham transmitter page.

link to this comment
Chris.SE's 4,101 posts GB flag
Monday, 22 November 2021
H
Helen
7:59 PM
Keighley

We live in Cowling and having Issues with HD channels, either pixelating or no picture at all. Loewe TV with aerial in loft using Cowling transmitter. Tried all the retuning advise. We have also notice that the car stereo has outages approaching home which didn't happen before.

link to this comment
Helen's 4 posts GB flag
Helen's: mapH's Freeview map terrainH's terrain plot wavesH's frequency data H's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Tuesday, 23 November 2021
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

1:57 AM

Helen:

Freeview nor the BBC are reporting any problems with the Cowling transmitter and it's not currently listed for Planned Engineering. How long have you been having problems with the HD channels? (I assume you mean 101-105 ?).

Check that your aerial hasn't been disturbed and is still pointing at the Cowling transmitter with its rods (or squashed Xs) vertical.

Check in your TV's tuning section that you are correctly tuned to Cowling's UHF channels C42, C45 but especially C39 for the HD multiplex.

Check all your coax plugs and connections behind your TV. Make sure you don't have any HDMI leads running close to your aerial lead or any flyleads especially if the latter aren't quality double screened types. HDMI has been known to cause interference.

With the radio problem is this FM or DAB and which stations?
There aren't any reported problems with BBC DAB stations, but if it's FM BBC Radios 1-4, this comes from the Holme Moss transmitter and has been having major ongoing engineering since the end of June with periodic reduced power.

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Chris.SE's 4,101 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 24 November 2021
S
Stanley Rae
8:23 PM

Digital TV drops out at 20 the hour causing loose of recordings and loose of signal for short time

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Stanley Rae's 1 post GB flag
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