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Sudbury transmitter group switchover "ends".

Essex and parts of Suffolk complete digital switchover, 20th July 2011.

Essex and parts of Suffolk complete digital switchover, 20th Ju
published on UK Free TV

Viewers in Essex and parts of Suffolk will have no analogue television from Wednesday 20th July 2011. Unless you use cable or satellite to watch television, if you don't use a Freeview box or set, your screen will be blank.

Most people need only perform a "full retune" on their Freeview box or TV, but it would be impossible with 460,700 homes covered by the transmitters, for no-one to have a problem.



From Wednesday 20th July 2011 you MUST have a digital television device to watch TV. If you do not have a digital receiver, from Wednesday will have a blank screen.

Do not expect a terrestrial television service from midnight until 6am - or a late as lunchtime on relay transmitters.

Switchover help scheme

If you are over 75, get (or could get) Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance or mobility supplement; or have lived in a care home for six months or more; or are registered blind or partially sighted and need assistance, please see The Switchover Help Scheme.



Cable and satellite

Cable (Virgin Media) and satellite (Sky, Freesat, fSfS) viewers are not affected by the changes. Remember, however, that you may be using analogue TV to watch on a second or third set and it might need a Freeview box.

Existing "full" Freeview users

If you already use Freeview, and can receive all the channels now, check your TV or box is not listed here - TVs and boxes that do not support the 8k-mode. If it is, you will need a new Freeview box.

If you are not on the list, you should scan your box from around 6am.

When you now rescan, you MUST do a "first time installation" or "factory reset" scan (sometimes called "shipping state"), not a simple "add channels". Do the procedure you did on September 30th 2009.

If you can't recall what this was, please see generic clear and rescan procedure.

If you scanned during the first phase of switchover on Wednesday 6th July 2011 - you will have to do it again on Wednesday 20th July 2011.

Restrictions on SDN, Arqiva A and Arqiva B multiplexes

The SDN multiplex will temporarily operate on channel 49 (at 14kW ERP) from the first stage of Sudbury's switchover until mid-2012. Arqiva A will remain on its pre-switchover channel (C54) from switchover until mid-2012. Arqiva B will remain on its pre-switchover channel (C50+) until late 2011, and then temporarily move to channel 63 (at 2.2kW ERP), before adopting its final allocation of channel 56 during mid-2012.

Using Freeview with Windows Vista

Please see Switch over and PC-based systems because you need some updates for your system to work.

Boosters and amplifiers

If you live close to the transmitter, you may have to disconnect any "boosters" from your aerial system. The new, more powerful digital signals may overload any amplifiers and result in no reception! When looking for them include a check for distribution amplifiers, loft boxes, set back amplifiers, bypass Amplifiers, hidden masthead amps in a loft space and any dodgy active splitters.

Homes without Freeview now have Freeview Light

If you had no Freeview service before, you will have the BBC channels digitally from Wednesday 6th July 2011. This is a single multiplex of the BBC channels (radio, television and text) for most people.

However, if you were on the fringes of reception from one of the main Freeview transmitters, you will now get all the Freeview channels.

If you didn't get this limited Freeview service on 1st June 2011 then you may need a new aerial.

If you are served by a public service (relay) transmitter - Felixstowe, Ipswich Stoke, Somersham, Wivenhoe Park or Woodbridge relay - you now need, from lunchtime on 15th June 2011 to rescan, and you will get a second Multiplex with ITV 1, ITV 2, ITV 1 +1, Channel 4, Channel 5, Channel 4+1, E4 and More4. And that's your lot if you have a standard Freeview receiver, see Freeview retune - poor public service transmitters.

In addition there are three new Freeview Light transmitters at Burnham on Crouch, Clacton, Rouncefall.

You may wish to install Freesat for more channels, see Compare Freeview Light and Freesat TV.

Everyone who has digital-only terrestrial TV now has the ability to receive Freeview HD, see below.

Digital regional overlap

The old analogue TV signals provided lots of nations and regions for the public service channels, and these have large areas of overlap.

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. Most older Freeview boxes will, if a duplicate version of a channel is found whilst scanning, such as another BBC One region, placed it in the 800-899 channel range.

Some of the latest Freeview boxes will pick the strongest signals for the "primary" number positions, and some will detect the different regions providing a choice when you perform a "scan for channels".

The 800-899 is easy to access by pressing CH- from 1, and in most programme guides is just a single scroll up.

Freeview HD

Freeview HD will start on Wednesday 20th July 2011 from Sudbury and all the relay transmitters. You will need a Freeview HD - DVB-T2 receiver to watch the channels. An HD TV set with Freeview is not enough.

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
Should the UK close down the TV networks to allow for more mobile broadband? 1
UK Digital switchover ends - Northern Ireland completes on 24th October 20122
The last day of analogue television in the UK - goodbye PAL3
2 days left of analogue television - goodbye teletext4
3 days of analogue to go - goodbye to NICAM 7285
Changes to Saorview frequencies and power levels, 24th October 20126

Comments
Monday, 8 August 2011
A
andyboy
9:50 AM
Benfleet

hi andyb oy is ss7 3ra thanks

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andyboy's 16 posts GB flag
andyboy's: ...
D
David Rose
10:37 AM
Clacton-on-sea

My postcode is CO15 6NS and since the changeover I can now only receive 30 Chs. Looks like those on Ch's 41,44 & 47. On tuning it pauses on ch48,49 and 52 with acceptable strength but no channnels are stored. I had 89 channels before July 20/11. No setups etc have been altered. Comments please.

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David Rose's 2 posts GB flag
David's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
Mike Dimmick
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

11:18 AM

andyboy: The change on 16 November, ArqB moving to C63 from C50, isn't expected to improve your reception of that multiplex.

Digital UK reckon that you will eventually get better results from Crystal Palace - London news - or Bluebell Hill - south-east news - once those transmitters switch over, if you have the appropriate aerial pointed in the appropriate direction.

Results from Sudbury are expected to remain variable even after the COM multiplexes go to their final channels and frequencies, on 27 June 2012. The problem might be adjacent-channel interference from Dover, so if your aerial is more directional than the model (it should be), you may be fine.

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Mike Dimmick's 2,486 posts GB flag
K
KMJ,Derby
sentiment_satisfiedGold

11:25 AM

David Rose: The Digital UK postcode checker predicts that you can currently receive C44 (MuxBBCA) from Sudbury and C48, C52 and C42 (the 3 PSB muxes) from the Clacton relay transmitter. If you have managed to store channels on C41, C44 and C47 from Sudbury the receiver will look at the Clacton channels but then ignore them as duplicates of the Sudbury channels already found. Regarding C49 (Mux SDN), from Sudbury, either the signal is slightly too weak or the quality is poor due to interference. You could try doing a manual tune on this frequency to see better what the problem is and possibly encourage the receiver to store the channels. It is worth mentioning that you will need a group E (preferably) or a wideband aerial to receive the COM muxes which switch to high power on 27th June 2012 and also use different frequencies from that date. You are then expected to be able to receive them with variable reception.

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KMJ,Derby's 1,811 posts GB flag
A
andyboy
1:49 PM
Benfleet

hi andboy again i have got two aerials one ponting at sudbury and one ponting at london iam get sudbury ok but london no good i can get the bbc 70% ok on sudbury but itv on sdbury are low power 55% no good can the london one can be blocking sinal on itv my post is ss7 3ra thanks


link to this comment
andyboy's 16 posts GB flag
andyboy's: mapA's Freeview map terrainA's terrain plot wavesA's frequency data A's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
Mike Dimmick
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

3:32 PM

andyboy: If you have two aerials close together, then they can interact with each other, the elements on one aerial reflecting signal onto the other or preventing it from reach the other. If you're going to fit two aerials they should be spaced a reasonable distance apart, say a bit further than the longest element on the larger aerial (this should be the reflector elements on the London aerial, for you).

If they're already a good distance apart, I'd look at whatever equipment you're using to combine the two aerials into one cable. You should really use a diplexer, basically a matched pair of filters that combines the lower frequencies from the London aerial and the higher ones from the Sudbury aerial.

Given your results, the diplexer's split point might be a bit too close to C41, reducing the level on that multiplex, or the roll-off might be too shallow. Consider swapping it for one with a split at C36 or C38: Online TV Splitters, Amps & Diplexers sales . This will harm analogue Channel 5 from Croydon, on C37, but that won't be around from much longer, and you'll get it from Sudbury if D3&4 is sorted out.

There's a chance that C31 to C38 might be used in future for new digital TV multiplexes, in which case you might find the diplexer knocks out a channel you need. You could try combining the aerial signals with a plain splitter, though you might find that you get ghosting on the analogue channels from Crystal Palace, from the small amount of signal picked up by the Sudbury aerial. Digital is much more tolerant of delayed signals.

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Mike Dimmick's 2,486 posts GB flag
D
Derek March
4:23 PM

I live in Dedham, which is just outside Colchester. The signal from Sudbury was always a "little variable" before the digital changeover. Now, after the changeover the signal is excellent. Something a noticed the other night, if you watch ITV1 + 1 on Freeview channel 33, some routing of the ITV programmes is incorrect in that the programmes are based on Meridian TV, and not our local Anglia TV. This means on ITV + 1 you get Meridian Tonight the local news and weather for the south coast, and not About Anglia, the East Anglia version. Has anyone also noticed this?

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Derek March's 1 post GB flag
Saturday, 20 August 2011
T
Tom Humphreys
10:30 PM
Chelmsford

Hi,I am in South Woodham Ferrers, CM3 5GS.
We have been receiving digital tv since the OnDigital days from Crystal Palace.
Since the Sudbury swithover we are now receiving all the BBC's and ITV's tuned to 800 through to 819 on our BTvision box.
All very nice but we are getting occassional interference on the London channels.
Should I consider turning the aeriel towards Sudbury and/or will it be correct for that broadcast.
Thanks in anticipation

link to this comment
Tom Humphreys's 1 post GB flag
Tom's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
K
KMJ,Derby
sentiment_satisfiedGold

11:27 PM

Tom Humphreys: The Digital UK postcode checker shows that Crystal Palace gives you better reception overall both now and after switchover. Mux1 and MuxC are currently shown as variable reception.After switchover all muxes from Crystal Palace are shown as good reception. In fact the East Anglia signals you are receiving are probably coming from Rouncefall.This transmitter is expected to give good reception at your location, but only transmits the 3 PSB muxes. The COM muxes for Sudbury currently have poor or no reception predicted. If your aerial is a group A type for Crystal Palace it would not be suitable for pointing at Sudbury or Rouncefall.

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KMJ,Derby's 1,811 posts GB flag
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