My high gain aerial can't get all the Freeview channels I expected
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV You need a "wideband" aerial rather than a high gain one (see all about aerials). Also, if you use a signal booster in the setup, this can cause problems with digital signals.
Can I suggest that you try the following:
1. Check that all the connectors are OK, in particular that there are no stray wires and that both the outer shield and inner wire are connected;
2. If you are using any signal boosters, turn them off;
3. Check to see if you have anything like a VCR connected via a UHF fly lead - sometimes these can changed to use channels such as 68.
4. If you have a wideband aerial, if you can try raising it up an additional metre;
See also all about aerials.
All questions
In this section
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
D
Davidj10:27 AM
St. Albans
Dave Lindsay: This correspondence has been most useful. With the digital change-over in our area we bought a new TV and we were not able to receive HD while my son who lives not too far away could and none of us could understand why. We can now see it is because he has a more expensive FreeviewHD TV and we haven't. We don't particularly want HD but this whole HD affair is much too complicated and misleading.
| link to this comment |
Davidj's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
Mike Dimmick5:39 PM
Nicky: The problem is that the "HD Ready" and "HD TV" logos were created (by EICTA) several years before the decision on how to transmit HD signals in the UK was made.
"HD Ready" just means getting an HD signal from another source. It didn't even have to include any kind of digital tuner, although other guidance at the time meant that they usually did. The tuners usually only have MPEG-2 decoding and usually only at 'main level' (i.e. enough memory and speed to decode SD pictures only).
EICTA's "HD TV" logo does require a digital tuner, and does require MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video decoding, but only requires the DVB-T standard. At the time the logo was created, DVB-T2 was still a couple of years away.
DVB-T2 allows about 66% more capacity per channel for the same coverage area: basically, able to carry five HD channels in the space that would only be able to carry three with DVB-T.
Other countries *have* launched HD services with DVB-T, and some using MPEG-2 compression (at High Level) rather than AVC. In those countries, e.g. France, Ireland, the "HD TV" logo is enough. Over here, you need Freeview HD-branded equipment.
I'd now like to see the 'HD Ready' and 'HD TV' logos removed from anything on sale that isn't Freeview HD compatible, though the manufacturers would no doubt argue that the packaging is printed for more than one country.
| link to this comment |
Monday, 30 July 2012
M
M jakes7:29 PM
Dorchester
Our post code is. Dt2 8jq we have an LG tv with freeview and hd ready and cannot get the 20 NBC channels our Aries is on the roof the T V is only 2years old can you help
| link to this comment |
M's: ...
Friday, 10 August 2012
H
hayley8:57 AM
We have moved into a new build property and have decided not to have sky this time. BT offer a service to fit an aerial for £120 but we thought we'd try and save some money and do it ourselves. We have bought a SLx Megaboost tv aerial kit for £45 from b&q and have installed it in the loft space pointing in the direction of the others in the area, but just can't get any channels! There are 5 aerials cables in the loft (2+3) and we have tried the aerial to each of these but nothing!! Any help would be much appreciated? Our post code is SN4 8FL
| link to this comment |
J
jb3811:50 AM
hayley: The aerial you purchased is an excellent device that can outperform much larger aerials, however where have you installed the power supply unit that came along with the aerial? as the coax from that "has" to go directly to the aerial and not coupled into anything else or it will short circuit the supply.
| link to this comment |
J
jb3812:13 PM
hayley: As far as reception is concerned, you are indicated as being able to have good reception from either Oxford (@ 35 miles / 60 degrees) or Mendip (@ 37 miles / 236 degrees).
By the way this is based purely on the post code supplied and which for some reason best known to Google Earth, places you right in the middle of a field to the SE of Broad Hinton. Of course Google Earth maps can be up to three years old, and you are in a new development.
There is another aspect you have to beware of with a loft mounted aerial installed in a "new" property, being that sometimes the roofing insulation has a metallic content which can seriously affect reception, but if there are other aerials installed in the loft then this is unlikely to apply.
| link to this comment |
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
J
Jack11:19 AM
I am only receiving 16 channels of the 65 on my freeview.
I have an indoor amplified aerial and i have a couple of HD channels as well, but the diference of 1 mile down the road and my friend with the same tv and aerial gets all channels.
Dunno what to do
| link to this comment |
Jack: In order to make a diagnosis, more information is required. Specifically your location (preferably in the form of postcode or nearby postcode, e.g. a shop) and the transmitter you are using. If you don't know which transmitter you are using, then your location and the direction of the aerial should allow this to be deduced. It may also be helpful to know whether your aerial is horizontal (elements flat) or vertical (elements up/down) as different transmitters use different polarisations.
Some transmitters don't broadcast all channels; the Commercial (COM) channels only cover around 90% of the population whereas the Public Service (PSB) channels cover 98.5%.
See this page and identify which of the PSBs and COMs you have and let us know what you find:
DTG :: DTT Services by Multiplex
| link to this comment |
Sunday, 23 September 2012
V
Val Howard4:22 AM
London
My ariel is digital and mounted on the chimney stack and goes directly into a scart freeviw plug in to tv. I had all freeview channels but have now lost half of them I have retuned tv on a daily basis and cannot get these channels what can I do
| link to this comment |
Val's: mapV's Freeview map terrainV's terrain plot wavesV's frequency data V's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Saturday, 10 November 2012
F
Frustrated new mover 7:25 AM
Your site looks very good so thank you. Hopefully we can find the answer we need soon! We have a hd freeview tv which we know works and can pick up hd channels because it worked in our last house. We have just moved into a new build, aerial in the loft space, 7 aerial leads coming out, when the tv is connected the HD channels are not there! Frustratingly too there is no aerial in the room we wish to have the tv in, 4 "male" leads coming from the wall and probably linked to the satellite dish. We don't really want to call in an aerial engineer, is our best option to go for freesat instead ? (Br3 postcode very close to crystal palace so reception should be excellent)
| link to this comment |
Select more comments
Your comment please