Digital Region Overlap
The old analogue TV signals provided lots of nations and regions for the public service channels, and these have large areas of overlap. Places like Yeovil, Basingstoke, Colwyn Bay, King's Lynn, York and Berwick could choose the BBC and ITV services they watched.
The old low power digital TV signals were at very low levels and reception of signals from more than one transmitter was a rare event.
All Freeview boxes automatically scan the available broadcast frequencies looking for channels, and they do this from C21 to C69. Whilst scanning, if a duplicate version of a channel is found, such as another BBC One region, they are placed in the 800-899 channel range.
The 800-899 is easy to access by pressing CH- from 1, and in most programme guides is just a single scroll up.
The transmitters in Wales also put Channel 4 on "logical channel number" 8, because the fourth position is reserved for S4/C.
Quite a few people that use the Winter Hill or Mendip transmitters (or one of the relay transmitter) will probably find that they will now have:
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What can I do about this?
There are basically three options.
OPTION 1: Live with it. If the signals are strong enough you get a few extra channels (S4/C has English subtitles). There are techniques for sorting out the channel numbers below, but any future automatic scan will restore the channels to the order you now find them in.
OPTION 2: You can clear the all of the channels from the box and manually scan for the multiplex from only one transmitter. For the details, see the transmitter pages
OPTION 3: If the Freeview box has no "manual add" option, the only technique left is to pull out the aerial, start the automatic scan and insert the aerial just before the lowest channel number appears. For example, Winter Hill this is C54.
Some Freeview boxes will show a "percentage complete" as they scan, under this scheme C21 is "0%", C22 is "2%", C42 is "42%", C54 is about "66%".
Even if you manual scan, many boxes will scan during the night for new channels and may still add channels in the 800-899 range.
11:12 AM
Bob W. NEW7 does not exist at present, if it ever will. The whole question of local tv services is still under discussion, there is serious doubt as to whether it would be viable.It is also worth noting that in the event of additional services becoming available they would be transmitted at much lower power than the other muxes, and targeted at specific areas. The gain curves for tv aerials show a K band peaks around C52 so would be better than a wide band aerial of similar size for receiving NEW7 if it did become available in your location.
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7:40 PM
My mistake, it would seem the aerial in place is a band A, and the missing channels are on mux COM5 ArqA C45
1 PICK TV, 19 Dave, 25 Dave ja vu, 29 E4+1, 32 Big Deal, 36 Create and Craft, 37 Price Drop TV, 44 PICK TV +1, 82 Sky News, 87 Community Channel, ....., 108 SkyText, ..., 306 Channel Zero, 723 talkSPORT
(List edited for those of a nervous disposition :-))
COM4 SDN C42 variable strength 25 - 35
COM6 ArqB C39+ solid strength 40+
Had the installer carried out the instructions given to him 2 years ago, fit a band K, I wouldn't need to replace the aerial. :-(
Bob W
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as an engineer covering herefordshire and west glos, I notice that digital uk postcode checker shows increased power levels post june 2012 for Mendip Oxford and some other 6 multiplex main transmitters. Is there a 'final' powerup that we have not been told about ? It is not related to adjacent main transmitters , so is it a 'final power up ' or what ?
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bernard's: mapB's Freeview map terrainB's terrain plot wavesB's frequency data B's Freeview Detailed Coverage
bernard Hunt:
Mendip: "Mendip SDN and Arqiva A will temporarily operate on channels 62+ and 56+ respectively (both at 10kW ERP) until September 2011. Final DSO channels will then be adopted, though ERP levels will remain limited until early 2012. Arqiva B will operate on channel 59+ (10kW ERP) until January 2011, when it will move to channel 67 at 26kW ERP until September 2011. Arqiva B's final DSO channel will then be adopted, though ERP will remain limited until early 2012."
Oxford: DSO2 is Wednesday 28th September 2011. However, "Arqiva A will temporarily use channel 34 (10kW) between the first and second stages of switchover at Oxford.
SDN, ArqA and ArqB restricted to 12.5kW after switchover until further notice."
June 2012 is when the "Meridian" region switches over, freeing up frequencies for the COM multiplexes, see UK Digital switchover simulation | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
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5:29 PM
Ongar
I am located at CM5 0PH. I have an LG plasma screen with built in Freeview and PVR with a relatively new aerial mounted on a mast on the roof. I normally receive the Alexandra Palace feed, but since Sudbury switched over it is overpowering the London feed.
I have tried manually retuning to put london BBC back in the normal places on my epg, but it keeps reverting to Anglia. This would be a minor irritation except that the mix of signals coming in appears to be upsetting the the TV software which freezes regularly. The set will continue showing the current programme, but will not change channel or show the epg.
Does anybody have any ideas how I can stop this problem or am I stuck with it until London switches over?
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Andy's: mapA's Freeview map terrainA's terrain plot wavesA's frequency data A's Freeview Detailed Coverage
5:39 PM
Ongar
Sorry guys, I wrote Alexandra Palace in my post and meant Chrystal Palace
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Andy's: mapA's Freeview map terrainA's terrain plot wavesA's frequency data A's Freeview Detailed Coverage
6:15 PM
Ormskirk
Andy do an auto retune on your lg with the aerial out this will find no channels when the tune is finished plug the aerial back in and then do a manual tune in , if this works try it with you pvr.
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Mazbar's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
6:42 PM
Andy Thomson: It sounds like your TV has an automatic retune function. Check in the manual to see if there's a way to turn this off. Then, as Mazbar says, tune in manually.
Also, talk to LG about whether they will make an update available that allows you to select the region you want to use. Newer equipment is now doing this.
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6:34 PM
I easily get two regions and three transmitters with digital perfectly. This is pre-dso, thus it will be interesting post
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5:43 PM
Leicester
can i get someone to help me to retune my old manual grundig TV. i really go blank and do not know what to do :-( i cant watch TV at all since the retune
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J.ahmad's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage