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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.

If you live in the Bilsdale, Chatton, Pontop Pike or Fenham tra
published on UK Free TV

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.

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Comments
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
D
David Brooks
10:16 AM

Just retuned my digital receiver with set top aerial after Tyne Tees area switchover.I now have good signal on BBC1,2,3,4 Pick Tv, Dave and some others but very low or no signal (unwatchable) on Itv1, Ch4,Ch5, ITV2,3,More4.
Also low signal but just watchable on Yesterday, Film4, ITV4.
Dont understand the wide variation in signal strength from the same aerial using presumably the same Bilsdale transmitter

Is this likely to get better or am I now stuck with this situation unless I can get a better indoor aerial ? Cant get access to an outside aerial due to the room location.

Appreciate any advice

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David Brooks's 4 posts GB flag
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

10:29 AM

David Brooks: The switchover only affected BBC standard definition services. All others increase in power in two weeks' time.

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J
Jan
10:37 AM

I live in the whitby area but get my signal from here and now have no signal at all HELP

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Jan's 4 posts GB flag
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

10:47 AM

Jan: Which transmitter are you using are there are a number that serve various parts of the Esk valley?

See this page on Digital UK's site:

http://http://www.digital…imes

It says that the first stage of switchover has completed at the Castleton and Whitby transmitters, but that Aislaby and Limber Hill won't be on until "mid afternoon".

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J
Jan
10:49 AM

Im using Bilsdale and now have just got 4 bbc channels and nothing else

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Jan's 4 posts GB flag
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

11:03 AM

Jan: Today was the first stage of switchover. BBC Two analogue is now unavailable. BBC One, ITV Tyne Tees, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are still being transmitted in analogue. Also, only BBC standard definition TV (and radio) have switched. That means that they are being broadcast on high power and the other digital channels remain as they were. The rest switch in two weeks' time.

Did you have a Freeview receiver prior to switchover and did you manage to receive any digital channels? If you didn't, then the only thing that has changed overnight is that BBC standard definition should be available to you now. You will have to continue to watch Tyne Tees, Channel 4 and Channel 5 in analogue.

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D
David Brooks
11:44 AM

Dave Lindsay

Many thanks for your response. I had thought that all channels were to be on full power as of this morning so its a relief to know that I'll be in better shape in two weeks

thanks again

Dave Brooks

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J
Jan
1:15 PM

I was receiving all channels on free view no problems untill today :-(

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G
geoffrey jagger
1:32 PM
Harrogate

while doing a rescan on my second tv it stuck on channel 34 and froze i could not get out of re scanning and why can i not get itv 1 but can get all the other channels? on my tvs

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geoffrey's: mapG's Freeview map terrainG's terrain plot wavesG's frequency data G's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

1:34 PM

Jan: Have you carried out a full retune?

Failing that, you may have to try a factory reset (or similar), although be warned that this may revert back other settings such as if it is a TV (not a box) then picture settings might be returned to square one.

What types of "reset" is available depends on the model. What is the make and model?

Which BBC channels do you have?

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