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Switchover starts in Northern Ireland on Wednesday 10th October 2012

If you live in the Brougher Mountain, Divis, or Limavady transmitter areas your digital switchover starts 10th October. 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 Brougher Mountain, Divis,  or Limavady trans
published on UK Free TV

This 10th October the first stage of the digital television switchover 647,500 homes in the Northern Ireland.

From 6am Wednesday 10th October 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 the Brougher Mountain, Divis, or Limavady 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:

  • Brougher Mountain - BBC TWO analogue closes on C28, Mux 1 closes on C30+, BBCA starts on C28.
  • Divis - BBC TWO analogue closes on C27, Mux 1 closes on C29, BBCA starts on C27.
  • Limavady - BBC TWO analogue closes on C62, Mux 1 closes on C67, BBCA starts on C50.

On Wednesday 10th October 2012 if you use Armagh (noon), Ballintoy (3pm), Ballycastle (9am), Banbridge (noon), Bangor (6am), Belcoo (6am), Bellair (6am), Benagh (3pm), Black Mountain (6am), Buckna (noon), Bushmills (noon), Camlough (9am), Carnmoney Hill (6am), Castlederg (11am), Claudy (noon), Conlig (6am), Cushendall (noon), Cushendun (9am), Derrygonnelly (6am), Draperstown (6am), Dromore (3pm), Ederny (noon), Glenariff (3pm), Glenelly Valley (7:30am), Glynn (9am), Gortnageeragh (3pm), Gortnalee (9am), Kilkeel (noon), Killowen Mountain (6am), Larne (7:30am), Leitrim (3pm), Lisbellaw (3pm), Londonderry (6am), Moneymore (6am), Muldonagh (9am), Newcastle (9am), Newry North (6am), Newry South (6am), Newtownards (9am), Plumbridge (2pm), Rostrevor (6am), Strabane (7:30am), Whitehead (6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes, BBCA starts.

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 24th October 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.

Viewers with Freeview HD (DVB-T2) equipment who receive a signal from the Brougher Mountain, Black Mountain and Carnmoney Hill will also receive the "Northern Ireland Mini-Multiplex" and will receive RTE One and RTE Two and TG4. See Northern Ireland "mini multiplex" (NIMM)

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.

Originally published on 12th September 2012 at 09:00 by Brian Butterworth

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Comments
Friday, 31 August 2012
Josh
sentiment_satisfiedBronze

2:02 PM

DSO stage 1 in Northern Ireland will mark an important step in history - BBC Two becomes a digital only channel!

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Josh's 97 posts GB flag
P
Peter Henderson
10:01 PM

I wonder which transmitter in the province will be last to broadcast analogue on the 24th october, or will they all go simultaneously ?

No doubt it'll be a major news item on that day, whoever has the honour !

link to this comment
Peter Henderson's 15 posts GB flag
P
Peter Henderson
10:02 PM

Still, just a little over 6 weeks to go now !

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Peter Henderson's 15 posts GB flag
Sunday, 2 September 2012
Mark A.
sentiment_satisfiedGold

1:00 PM

Re: Josh
Northern Ireland will be the last part of the UK to show analogue TV and Ceefax/Teletext.

link to this comment
Mark A.'s 374 posts GB flag
Monday, 3 September 2012
Josh
sentiment_satisfiedBronze

11:09 PM

Mark A.: But I was just saying that between DSO stage 1 and 2 in Northern Ireland, there will be no BBC Two analogue anywhere in the UK!

link to this comment
Josh's 97 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
M
michael
5:26 PM

i am getting an unwatchable picture on UTV and channel 4 at the min - however BBC1 and 2 are perfect - what is wrong?

link to this comment
michael's 1 post EU flag
Friday, 21 September 2012
G
Gerry
sentiment_satisfiedBronze

11:21 PM

Limavady Main Transmitter -freeview

I brought brand new built in TV Freeview Hitachi and cannot get Liable TV (digital) Very weak signal indeed cannot get picture, Can you look into this for me and check and test this transmitter and if RTE channels will be on Freeview system in NI from the Limavady transmitter throw freeview -How many channels you receive and your signal strength will also depend on the transmitter.
Transmitter at limavady needs to boosted ASAP, Donegal viewers have to have a say on this issue under the realms of the Good Friday agreement.

link to this comment
Gerry's 21 posts IE flag
Sunday, 7 October 2012
H
Helen
9:26 PM

I have been told having researched this - For information,Company who runs TV Mast at Limavady is called - Arqiva they can be contact directly at www.arqiva.com or on +44 (0) 1962 823434.

I do hope that problem I highlighted is successfully resolved asap if any problems with switchover this is the place to contact above to report/issues/problems.

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Helen's 9 posts IE flag
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
N
Nigel
8:04 PM
Belfast

BBC2 Analogue (CH27) gone from Divis at 8PM 09/10/12.

link to this comment
Nigel's 5 posts GB flag
Nigel's: mapN's Freeview map terrainN's terrain plot wavesN's frequency data N's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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