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I can't get Freeview yet, when will it start in my area?

I can't get Freeview yet, when will it start in my area?

I can't get Freeview yet, when will it start in my area?
published on UK Free TV

See Your analogue shutdown date

General:In the UK there are over 1,100 TV transmitters. Around 40 of these transmitters serve very large areas with a single strong signal. However the majority are smaller transmitters that "fill in" the signals where the terrain is hilly.

82 of these transmitters carry the Freeview service at the moment. From my understanding, there is still considerable discussion going on about the technical challenge and the cost of upgrading these to carry Freeview.

The reason for this is because it may be considerably cheaper for some areas that are served by a large number of low-power transmitters to switched off, and satellite reception be provided to each home in these areas.

The cost savings of removing the transmitter from service, possible resale to mobile phone companies, and the savings associated with not having to do an expensive transmitter upgrade can be used to fund the equipment and installations of the homes served.

However, this may not be practicable in some areas, because the Astra satellites appears to be lower down in the sky in Scotland than in the South of England. This makes satellite reception more problematic in the very areas it may be supposed to be "filling in".

Because the Freeview service has been developed using low-power signals of frequencies that could not have been used for new analogue services, this also makes adding in Freeview services a technical challenge.

For example, if the people living in your area were given a six-month timeframe to switch over everyone from analogue to Freeview what would happen? This may have to be done so that the frequencies used for the analogue TV could then be reallocated for Freeview services elsewhere.

If new set-top boxes were subsidized, for example, how could this be done in a fair way? There are not just the technical issues, but also general training and assistance for those who need it too.

So is not so much that some areas are "forgotten", more "not yet assessed". I suspect that we will have to await the outcome of the research in the next year from the various government departments and bodies that have been given the task of organising the switchover to digital TV.

Meanwhile, you can still get a digital satellite box from Sky for £120 without subscription, and get the £23.50 card for itv-1, Channel 4 and five.

North Cornwall: You may be well advised to consider digital satellite, because I suspect that it going to be a long time (if ever) that the areas around the north Cornwall coast get "filled in".

Eastbourne: Because of the Freeview frequency plan, the transmitters around the south coast are on very low power, because the signals cannot interfere with TV transmissions in France and Belgium. Therefore you can be quite confident that Freeview will not be available in this area for some time.



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Comments
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
J
Jim Read
11:04 PM
Chesterfield

Hello Brian,

My postcode is S45 9SP, I see on the freeview site that we will be able to get 4 HD channels in Sept but not the non HD ones.

However we can get lots of Freeview channels, albeit with some dropout, we have a High Gain aerial and a 10 db booster.

I understand, and please correct me if I am wrong, that the signal strength will be increased at the time of changeover and although we are in a weak reception area we will be able to receive all the non HD channels without dropout.

Is it possible for you to give any more information?

Kind regards - Jim

link to this comment
Jim Read's 1 post GB flag
Jim's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Thursday, 6 January 2011
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

7:37 AM

Jim Read: After switchover, 99.8% of UK homes will be able to receive Freeview HD plus the two main SD multiplexes, with a standard rooftop aerial.

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Monday, 10 January 2011
B
beth bridgeman
12:58 AM
Kettering

Hi please help

at the moment im having to use a set top aerial as i cant get a very good signal on terrestrial tv from my roof aerial. It has always been like this since i moved in 2 years ago.

I have just got a new tv with freeview built in and tried it on my roof aerial and set top aerial but it came up with database empty (its a jvc) and blank screen on both freeview and terrestrial settings.

I have checked and im not due for switch over till march and freeview signal is weak where i live apparently according to the freeview website .

Will i need to get a new aerial as i have always had problems with it? Or do you think it will be ok after the switchover?

Thankyou

beth

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beth bridgeman's 1 post GB flag
beth's: mapB's Freeview map terrainB's terrain plot wavesB's frequency data B's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

7:31 AM

beth bridgeman: Just hang on for 13th April 2011 - however, at Sandy Heath you won't get the commercial channels unless you upgrade your aerial to a wideband type.

The upgrade won't get you the additional channels yet, however, only after switchover.

You should get multiplex B at the moment from your rooftop aerial, so if you don't get that, you might want to get yourself a wideband aerial now, before the rush.

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
L
lorri
8:43 PM

hi
i am trying to get my mother sorted for the switch, and am getting very confused. she lives in northamptonshire and the freeview site is saying that she can only get three BBC channels on freeview. will she definately be able to get BBC and ITV chanels after the switch. also she ikes to record programmes what do you recommend she does ?

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lorri's 4 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

8:09 AM

lorri: Sorry, but without the postcode it is impossible to even speculate.

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

9:40 PM

lorri: OK. It depends on the transmitter you are using at NN7 3LW.

If it the Sutton Coldfield transmitter, then you will get four of the six multiplexes OK, but not SDN and ARQA, and these will get worse in 2013.

The Sandy Heath transmitter is a better choice, as this will, by 23 November 2011 provide all the services.

The public service ones will start on high power at 13 April 2011.

However, if you have not got a wideband aerial yet, you will need one for the commercial multiplexes.

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
L
lorri
10:50 PM
Northampton

sorry i dont understand all the tech and addreviations. at moment she has a regular aerial and uses sutton coldfield. am i right in assuming if she had a wideband she could tune into sandy heath ? also all she is interested in is channels 1 to 4 anything else is bonus but not a want. just want someone to tell me in plain speak how to get these channels for her. sorry but its all so confusing

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lorri's 4 posts GB flag
lorri's: mapL's Freeview map terrainL's terrain plot wavesL's frequency data L's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

11:27 PM

lorri: OK. If her ITV and BBC Region is "East Anglia", just buy a Freeview box and it will work now.

If the regional news is from Birmingham, wait until 21st September 2011 to install the box.

If you are not bothered about "extra channels", there is nothing else to do.

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
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