Norfolk sees the end of analogue TV as high power digital starts
Tonight, the last switchover of 2011 will see the number of homes with digital-only terrestrial reception in the UK goes up by 387,500 from 64.1% to 65.6%.
Viewers in the Norfolk and North Suffolk area who use the Tacolneston transmitter (and 16 relay transmitters) will have no analogue television from Wednesday 23rd November 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 387,500 homes covered by the transmitters, for no-one to have a problem.
From Wednesday 23rd November 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 3pm on relay transmitters (see below for timetable).
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 "national retune day", September 30th 2009, see Freeview Retune - list of manuals.
If you can't recall the procedure or find the manual, please see generic clear and rescan procedure.
If you scanned during the first phase of switchover on Wednesday 9th November 2011 - you will have to do it again on Wednesday 23rd November 2011.
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.For full details, see: Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you.
Homes without Freeview now have Freeview Light
If you had no Freeview service before, you will have the BBC channels digitally from Wednesday 9th November 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 9th November 2011 then you may need a new aerial.
If you are served by a public service (relay) transmitter, which are:
Aldeburgh at 10am, Bramford at 1pm, Burnham noon, Bury St Edmunds at 6am, Creake at 3pm, Gorleston on Sea at 2pm, Great Yarmouth (new transmitter) at 11am, Kings Lynn at 9am, Linnet Valley at noon, Little Walsingham at noon, Lowestoft (new transmitter) at 8am, Norwich Central at 9am, Overstrand noon, Thetford at 9am, Wells next the Sea at 9am or West Runton at 9am
...you now need, from around from 6am (unless shown otherwise) on 23rd November 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.
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. 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.
For more details, see: Digital Region Overlap
Freeview HD
Freeview HD will start on Wednesday 23rd November 2011 from Tacolneston and all 16 relay transmitters. You will need a Freeview HD - DVB-T2 receiver to watch the channels. An HD "Ready" TV set with Freeview is not enough.Help with Freeview, aerials?
In this section
Friday, 25 November 2011
J Daglass: Do you know where your aerial is pointing?
Norwich Central is to the north of you and Tacolneston is south west.
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J Dagless: Sorry, the above posting should say that Norwich Central doesn't broadcast ITV3. It DOES carry ITV2 (as do all transmitters in the country).
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J
J Dagless11:25 AM
Norwich
We have all the chgannels perfectly other then the ones on mux/COM6.
They rate at 99% signal strength and zero quality. All the other muxs come in at 99% strength and 99% quality.
We had a new antenna put up 18 months ago specifically pointing to Talconeston due to the Norwich Central being useless.
The channels on COM6 were fine a week ago.
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J's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J Dagless: Ah right. I guess you're in a block of flats with a communal aerial (based on photos on Google Streetview).
Have a look at this page:
Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
99% strength could indicate too higher signal level.
If you're in a block served by a communal aerial, can you ask others what their Freeview reception is like now?
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J Daglass: What I would say is that if the problem is too higher signal level and you're served by a comunal aerial system (and you haven't installed your own booster) is that it is the responsibility of the landlord to have the problem put right.
There shouldn't be any need for you to use an attentuator to reduce the level of signal coming out of the wall socket.
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J
J Dagless12:28 PM
Norwich
Thanks for the comments.
Have tried a 6dB attenuator to no effect. Well instead of lines/pixles of image we just get a black screen on COM6 channels.
Neighbours downstairs cant get the channels either.
Everything else is perfect. Hohum.
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J's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
J Dagless12:31 PM
Norwich
Yes others have now said Viva/Film4/ITV4 and Yesterday etc. are no go.
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J's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J Dagless: As others are experiencing difficulties, I would get on to your landlord.
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J
J Dagless2:19 PM
Norwich
But why would one mux not work when all the others do and all are at a more level setup now?
Plus it was working fine a week ago?
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J's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Saturday, 26 November 2011
J Dagless: Prior to switchover, different channels were transmitted at different powers, which meant that the different signals reaching your comunal aerial were at different levels.
It is possible the aerial system has been setup to amplify those weaker ones more so as to bring them up to the same sort of level as the stronger ones.
For example, Channel 5's analogue signal was lower than the other four analogue ones and perhaps the system was setup to amplify this one more than others. Clearly such a system needs attention now that the broadcast signals are of the same level.
On 9th November the frequency that previously carried BBC2 analogue was replaced by the BBC digital signal. Only on Wednesday 23rd did the multiplex you're having difficulties with appear on the scene.
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