Digital switch-over problems
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV The Sutton Coldfield transmitter that serves Birmingham is having all the current analogue and digital services moved to a second temporary mast. This work was due to be completed last month, but the bad weather has not allowed the "air work" to be completed quickly.
With the power level reported to be about an eighth of normal, this has caused many people reception problems in second largest city in England.
Despite being close to the first digital switch-over in Whitehaven, it seems that people using the Bleach Green transmitter are unable to scan for Freeview services. However, they do work if the viewer manually tunes their box toC53, C57 and C60. "Digital UK says they are now working with Ofcom and the broadcasters to fix the problem".
Down in Cornwall, the Redruth transmitter is stuck in limbo. Cornish people can now watch digital TV from the transmitter and relays, but the commerical multiplexes are on the old power levels and old frequencies until 30 September 2009.
It would appear that the 30 September Freeview retune will be an important date nationwide.
Help with Freeview, aerials?
In this section
Thursday, 9 June 2011
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Mike Dimmick12:37 PM
Mrs C M Syne: You have to retune all your digital equipment. Make sure you use the Full Retune/Full Reset/Default Setting/First Time Installation option (it's called different things on different boxes), because otherwise it may simply ignore the channels that it already knew about.
If you've already done this, it may be a case of too much signal. If you have a booster, try without, or turn it down. Different equipment will have different thresholds before distorting, so the TV could be fine while the PVR has problems.
There is still another step of switchover at the Craigkelly mast and its relays, next Wednesday - you will need to retune again.
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Sunday, 3 July 2011
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Robert M10:09 AM
We live in Lanarkshire, Scotland and are noticing problems since the switchover.If we pause live tv on our dtr, and then resume playback, the programme jumps and sticks, making the programme virtually unwatchable. It is the same situation when we try to watch programmes we have recorded. We would appreciate any help.Thanks.
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jb3811:41 AM
Robert M: Some devices do not take kindly to 8k operation no matter what their specification might state, and likewise can start being a bit erratic in various ways, what you mention being just one of them, maybe you could come back with the model of the device you are referring to.
That said though, it could also be caused by the unit itself developing a defect, the likelihood of this more accurately assessed once the model is known.
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Robert M8:17 PM
Hi JB38. Thanks for your reply.The unit is a Hitachi HDR 082.I might just add that I am no expert when it comes to these things, but these problems were not evident before the switchover. Thanks again.
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jb389:11 PM
Robert M: Thanks for the update requested, however its almost certain that your problem is caused by what I had mentioned, i.e:- 8K operation, as one of my own devices even uses a later chassis than yours and it has also been prone to bouts of similar behaviour since receiving 8K signals, something that is not rectifiable!
Its pity really as these PVR's are super user friendly, much more so than some of the more modern ones.
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Wednesday, 6 July 2011
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Jim11:50 AM
i am receiving perfect freeview signal through my Grundig TV which has built in freeview facility. However, my Liteon DDA110 DVD recorder cannot find any of the channels that I am able to view. Any suggestions would be welcome, thanks.
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Mike Dimmick1:09 PM
Jim: Looking at the specifications in the manual for that device, it looks like it only has an analogue tuner, not a digital one. It *might* be possible to record the programme you're watching by selecting the SCART input, but it's not exactly clear how to do that, and you might need to check that the TV is outputting the received pictures on the SCART connection. (SCART was originally designed to send signals to an external box to decode teletext subtitles and send them back to the TV to be displayed, so it has some pins designed to carry signals from the TV to the box and some from the box to the TV.)
Otherwise you would need to add a Freeview set-top box, to decode the TV signals before sending them to the DVD recorder. Connect the Freeview box to the upper SCART socket on the recorder as shown on p14 of the manual.
If you don't have the manual, you can download a copy from http://www.liteonit.eu/en/firmware-and-other.html . Select Category: Audio/Video then Model Number: DD-A110.
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Mike Dimmick1:10 PM
Robert M, jb38: The Hitachi HDR082 is a rebadged Vestel T825. These are known to have problems with 8K mode with a negative offset. There was a firmware update available, broadcast last year, but your box may not have received it. See Unofficial Vestel PVR Information (UK) - T825 Freeview+ for more information.
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Thursday, 7 July 2011
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jb387:43 AM
Mike Dimmick: Thanks for the link, as I was unaware that a firmware update had been provided back then, the box in question possibly missing it for some reason or another, although I will have a check on this.
Hitachi being the box very much preferred by my wife because of its straightforward logical user friendliness of operation, her using it to record Flog it and Bargain hunt on a weekly basis, however when its intermittently erratic behaviour after a "fast advance" or "pause" caused her to miss a few auctioneers final gavel prices on a few items it was time to put it into hibernation for a while until I investigated further into the matter.
When I get around to it I will give the procedure a try, her not being too pleased at having to use one of my pair of Humax 9200TBX's boxes due to their less than friendly menu systems, my other device (Foxsat HDR) being kept purely for things such as Midsomer Murders, Taggart, Heartbeat, The Royal and such likes, to give away our age group!
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Sunday, 10 July 2011
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Jim5:20 PM
I have an Grundig TV and I am looking to buy a DVD recorder. I like to watch one channel whilst recording another one. Do I need a DVD recorder with built in freeview.
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