Switchover starts in North East England on Wednesday 12 September 2012

If you live in the Bilsdale, Chatton, Pontop Pike or Fenham transmitter areas your digital switchover starts 12th September. If you already use Freeview you will need to retune - if you have never had Freeview, you will get the standard definition BBC services - switchover will complete in two weeks later.

^{Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV 30th August 2012 at 22:33}

This 12th September the first stage of the digital television switchover 1,420,000 homes in the North East of England.

From 6am Wednesday 12th September 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 Bilsdale, Chatton, Pontop Pike or Fenham full service Freeview transmitters.

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:

• Bilsdale (6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes on C26, Mux 1 closes on C34+, BBCA starts on C26. (MuxC from 12 to 26 September 2012, services will be provided on C34 at 6,000 Watt)
• Chatton (6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes on C45, Mux 1 closes on C40+, BBCA starts on C45.
• Fenham (6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes on C27, Mux 1 closes on C30-, BBCA starts on C27.
• Pontop Pike (6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes on C64, BBC One analogue moves to C64 from C58, Mux 1 closes on C48, BBCA starts on C58.

On Wednesday 12th September 2012 if you use Aislaby (3pm), Allenheads (noon), Alston (9am), Bainbridge (9am), Bellingham (9am), Berwick (6am),Blaydon Burn (6am), Byrness (noon), Castleton (9am), Catton Beacon (6am), Durham (3pm), Esh (6am),Eston Nab (3pm), Falstone (noon), Felling (noon), Grinton Lodge (9am), Guisborough (9am), Haydon Bridge (3pm), Hedleyhope (noon), Humshaugh (6am), Ireshopeburn (6am), Kielder (3pm), Limber Hill(noon), Morpeth (6am), Newton (9am), Peterlee (noon), Ravenscar (noon), Romaldkirk (6am), Rookhope(3pm), Rosedale Abbey (3pm), Rothbury (9am), Seaham (9am), Shotleyfield (6am), Skinningrove (noon),Staithes (3pm), Sunderland (9am), Wall (noon), Weardale (9am), West Burton (noon), Whitaside (noon),Whitby (9am), Wooler (6am) 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.

Coverage Maps

On these maps, the full-service six-multiplex transmitters are shown with the "red star" Freeview logo. The public service three-multiplex masts are shown with a brown indicator. The green areas on the maps, are the areas where the strongest signal is from the shown transmitter region, with the light blue showing overlap areas where signals from other regions are stronger.

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 26th September 2012 will see the second stage of switchover, which provides the final Freeview configuration, including Freeview HD for all transmitters in this region - see UK Free TV soon for full details.

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.