Switchover starts in Hampshire, West Sussex coast plus Brighton and Hove

If you live in the Rowridge (Southampton, Portsmouth, Poole, Worthing) and Whitehawk Hill (Brighton and Hove) transmitter areas your digital switchover starts this week

^{Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV 5th March 2012 at 18:47}

This week sees the first stage of the digital television switchover for 721,393 homes in Hampshire and West Sussex plus the 118,500 homes in the city of Brighton and Hove.

From 6am Wednesday 7th March 2012, you must perform a "first time installation" retune (sometimes "Factory Reset" or "Shipping Condition") on your Freeview box or television set if you use the Rowridge, Salisbury or Whitehawk Hill full service Freeview transmitter.

This is because the old low power "multiplex 1" BBC service will be replaced by the high power BBCA multiplex on the old analogue BBC TWO frequency:

• Rowridge (starts midnight, ends by 6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes on C24, Mux 1 closes on C34, BBCA starts on C24.
• Salisbury (starts midnight, ends by 6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes on C63, ITV 1 analogue moves to C60 from C53, Mux 1 closes on C55, BBCA starts on C57.
• Whitehawk Hill (starts midnight, ends by 6am) - BBC TWO analogue C60 closes. ITV 1 analogue swaps to C63 from C60. Multiplex BBCA starts on C60. Multiplex 1 C66 closes. Mux A moves from C55 to C66.

On Wednesday 7th March 2012 if you use the Bevendean (noon), Bovington (noon), Brading (noon), Brighstone (noon), Brighton (Central) (noon), Canford Heath (2pm), Cheselbourne (noon), Coldean (3pm), Corfe Castle (9am), Donhead (6am), Findon (9am), Hangleton (noon), Horndean (9am), Luccombe (9am), Lulworth (noon), Luscombe Valley (9am), Millbrook (noon), Ovingdean (3pm), Patcham (9am), Piddletrenthide (3pm), Poole (6am), Portslade (9am), Poulner (11am), Saltdean (9am), Shrewton (9am), Singleton (6am), Sutton Row (9am), Till Valley (noon), Ventnor (9am), Westbourne (noon), Winterbourne Steepleton (9am), Winterbourne Stickland (9am) relay transmitters you will be able to receive the BBC Freeview services (with the exception of HD) for the first time, and you will no longer be able to view BBC TWO on analogue.





Remember, this is the last two weeks viewers in Brighton and Hove will be part of the BBC "South Today" region, as the transmitter will now move to the BBC "South East Today" region (as they are already on Sky and Freesat) - see Brighton transmitters will be in BBC South East from March 2012.



You MAY find that old equipment will no longer work - see TVs and boxes that do not support the 8k-mode

Another common problem at switchover is the increase in signal will overload amplifiers and over-the-top aerial installations. If this is the case you will have to remove the booster or amplifier from the system, or perhaps fit an attenuator if you have no amplification. - see Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you.



On Wednesday 21th March 2012 will see the second stage of switchover, which provides the final Freeview configuration, including Freeview HD for all transmitters in this region.

On this date, you will need, once again, to do a "first time installation" as indicated above.

If you are over 75, you should already have been supplied new equipment by the Switchover Help Scheme.