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UK Digital switchover ends - Northern Ireland completes on 24th October 2012

If you live in the Brougher Mountain, Divis, or Limavady transmitter areas - you will need to perform a 'first time' retune on your Freeview TV or set-top box when you get up for breakfast on this Wednesday morning.

If you live in the Brougher Mountain, Divis, or Limavady  trans
published on UK Free TV
Starting just after midnight on Wednesday 24th October, the next switchover of 2012 will see the number of homes with digital-only terrestrial reception in the UK go up by 647,500 from 97.54% to completed.

Viewers in Northern Ireland who use the Brougher Mountain, Divis, or Limavady "full Freeview" transmitters (and about 43 smaller relay transmitters) will have no analogue television from Wednesday 24th October 2012. Unless you use cable or satellite to watch television, if you don't use a Freeview box or set, your screen will be blank.

Do not expect ANY FREEVIEW television service from midnight until 6am - or a late as mid-afternoon on some relay transmitters (see below for timetable). This means you will not be able to record Freeview programmes overnight. --- but you can watch online here - Watch live UK TV channels and listen to live radio now.

Most people need only perform a "full retune" (or "factory reset" or "shipping condition") on their Freeview box or TV, but it would be impossible with five million homes covered by the transmitters, for no-one to have a problem.

RTE One, RTE Two and TG4

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 RTE1, RTE2, TG4 special mini-multiplex from 24 October. Most other viewers will be able to watch services directly from transmitters in the republic. You will need the correct equipment:

Set top box compatibility for Freeview, Freeview HD, Saorview and the NIMM



Coverage Maps







From Wednesday 24th October 2012 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.

You will be served by the Freeview HD service from Wednesday, but please see this six-point checklist to ensure you really are watching in high definition: Are you really watching free TV in high definition?

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 10th October 2012 - you will have to do it again on Wednesday 24th October 2012.

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 with no Freeview at all will now have Freeview Light

If you had no Freeview service before, you will have the BBC channels digitally from Wednesday 10th October 2012. 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 Wednesday 10th October 2012 then you may need a new aerial.

If you are served by a public service (relay) transmitter, which are:

Armagh (9am), Ballintoy (3pm), Ballycastle (9am), Banbridge (noon), Bangor (noon), Belcoo (noon), Bellair (9am), Benagh (3pm), Black Mountain (6am), Buckna (noon), Bushmills (noon), Camlough (9am), Carnmoney Hill (9am), Castlederg (9am), Claudy (3pm), Conlig (6am), Cushendall (noon), Cushendun (9am), Derrygonnelly (3pm), Draperstown (9am), Dromore (3pm), Ederny (noon), Glenariff (3pm), Glenelly Valley (2pm), Glynn (2pm), Gortnageeragh (6am), Gortnalee (3pm), Kilkeel (noon), Killowen Mountain (9am), Larne (7:30am), Leitrim (3pm), Lisbellaw (9am), Londonderry (6am), Moneymore (3pm), Muldonagh (noon), Newcastle (noon), Newry North (noon), Newry South (3pm), Newtownards (9am), Plumbridge (11am), Rostrevor (9am), Strabane (7:30am), Whitehead (11am)

...you now need, from around from 9am (unless shown otherwise) on 24th October 2012 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.

Overlap with other regions

Because of the location of the transmitters, some viewers will find that they can pick up the signal from other BBC and ITV 1 regional studios.

Those viewers with "Freeview HD" (or other so called D-Book 7) receivers will find they are presented with a menu to allow them to pick which BBC One region is shown on "button 1", and which ITV 1 regions appears as channel 3.



Viewers with older equipment may have to resort to doing a manual to get the correct signal for the desired transmitter.

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 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".

For more details, see: Digital Region Overlap


Originally published on 11th October 2012 at 00:00 by Brian Butterworth

Help with Freeview, aerials?
How do I get a test card with Freeview1
I would like to know if it is possible to receive UK terrestrial Freeview servic2
I have been told I would receive too much singal from my Freeview tansmitter as 3
Can my Freeview box receive more than one BBC and ITV region?4
Is it true that my 87 year old mother is entitled to a FREE upgrade when the ana5
In this section
Should the UK close down the TV networks to allow for more mobile broadband? 1
The last day of analogue television in the UK - goodbye PAL2
2 days left of analogue television - goodbye teletext3
3 days of analogue to go - goodbye to NICAM 7284
Changes to Saorview frequencies and power levels, 24th October 20125
Northern Ireland RTE1, RTE2, TG4 special mini-multiplex from 24 October6

Comments
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

10:03 PM

Kerry : Have you tried doing a manual scan on 21, 24 and 27?

When you go to the manual tune screen (assuming that the function is available on your machine) it might give an indication as to strength/quality on the channel before you press the button to scan/add channels.

Is there a booster you can try removing?

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Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
J
Jordy
sentiment_satisfiedGold

10:24 PM

Brian just want to say a quick thank you for all your hard work over the years and now the whole thing is over I just want to wish you all the best for the future. I apologise I haven't been an active contributor as much as I want to be but business circumstances, contracts and new family arrivals! Have put pain to some things.
All the best mate take care Jordy

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Jordy's 1,827 posts GB flag
Friday, 26 October 2012
L
Lynda
4:51 PM

My father lives between Portadown and Armagh and has lost his UTE channels. Does anyone know what he needs to do to get them back?

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Lynda's 1 post GB flag
K
Kerry
10:28 PM

Dave, I have tried the manual scan. It says I have 39% signal but 0% quality. As far as I know we don't have a booster connected.

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Kerry's 6 posts GB flag
L
Linda
10:33 PM

Dave Lindsay: it's a Samsung video and dvd recorder

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Linda's 5 posts GB flag
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

10:52 PM

Kerry : The transmission power of the COM channels is greater than they were before switchover.

Try a set-top aerial (as a test) if you have one. Being on the side of the building which faces the transmitter is best. Perform a manual tune on the three COM channels and see what it gives.

Knowledge of your location may be useful, this being the form of postcode or postcode of a nearby location such as a shop. This will allow a check of the predicted levels of signal in your area.

What are the signal strengths on the PSBs? (28(BBC One), 22(UTV) and 25(HD))

Ensure that if there is a booster setting within the box/TV that it is set to off. Conversely, if it is off you could always try it on for the COMs and see if the signal reading is better or worse.

link to this comment
Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

10:53 PM

Linda: Does it have built-in Freeview? If it doesn't then it will be more tricky scheduling recordings.

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Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
Saturday, 27 October 2012
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

9:52 AM

Rob James: Thank you very much. It always very encouraging to hear that the site is appreciated.

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
L
Linda
7:42 PM

Dave Lindsay:The tv is a hisence with built in freeview and the video/dvd combo recorder is samsung.the tv tuned in okay but was unable to tune any channels into the video/dvd combi.have tried swapping scart leads etc.but no joy.any ideas would be great thanks!

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Linda's 5 posts GB flag
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

9:39 PM

Linda: What I am trying to get at is does the Samsung Video/DVD Combo Recorder have Freeview built into it? A model number would allow this to be checked upon. If it doesn't then you won't be able to tune in any channels because it will be scanning for analogue channels and there aren't any any more.

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Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
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