My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound o
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV To deal with the problem you must clear the channel list completely and then rescan - if your box has it in the menus, please the 'installation menu' to do an initial scan or a reset to factory settings or First Time Installation. You MUST delete the entire existing list of channels. On most boxes this technique can be also be used:
Try this:
1) unplug your Freeview box (or idTV) from the mains;
2) unplug the aerial from the Freeview box by disconnecting the cable from the 'RF in' socket;
3) wait 30 seconds;
4) plug Freeview box (or idTV) mains back in;
5) do a complete scan for channels - it will fail without the aerial. (This may be in the installation or initialization menu, and is distinct from any 'add channels option'). Once this is done your channel line up should be empty;
6) reinsert aerial by reconnecting to the 'RF in' connection;
7) do a complete scan for channels again.
The Freeview channel line-up provided by six "multiplexes" - each of which carry five or more TV channels, radio channels, text services and EPG data. In this diagram each ROW represents a multiplex. If you are still missing a whole multiplex (ie everything on the row) you may need to replace your aerial with a wideband type, purchase a larger aerial or you may have interference from a VCR, games console, Sky Digibox or similar.
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Friday, 17 June 2016
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Andy Parrett3:27 PM
My TV reception has deteriorated recently. (2 x TVs in house + DVD recorder) Aerial points to Tacolneston and has a booster. I have retuned after having unplugged everything and there's no improvement. I can get BBC-1 and 2, but no ITV, Ch4, Ch5 or HD. There's a smattering of other stations but most are unwatchable due to serious pixellation. Some come up with numbers in the 800s - but on trying to access there's no picture and "bad signal" message. There's nothing wrong at the transmitter according to the message on this site so do I assume that something's gone wrong with the aerial (or the booster - model by Antiference, has been in situ for many years)? nb I have looked at the aerial and can't see anything different.
Thanks
Kind regards
Andy Parrett
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Richard Cooper4:36 PM
Norwich
Andy Parrett: Hi, Andy. Let me see if I can help you. I too, use Tacolneston and I also use a booster. My booster is indoors, but my father has what's called a 'mast-head' booster outside near the aerial pole. In his case, there was water ingress over the years and so it had to be replaced. It rather depends whether your booster is indoors like mine or outdoors like my father's. It would be interesting to know the age of the aerial and its cable. Antiference is an excellent brand, however even its aerials don't last forever! Perhaps, if you aerial has been up for many years and hasn't been changed since digital switchover, that you could consider treating yourself to an upgrade! You don't want to keep channels numbered in the 800s because they are secondary to the channels that your receiver prefers and which should have the correct 'logical channel numbers (LCNS). Unwanted channels can usually be deleted easily. If you cannot get ITV, Channel Four or Five in standard definition (SD), then you have something seriously amiss! HD is a little different simply because many correspondents have had HD issues today, which could be down to broadcasters! Have you checked all aerial lead connections are tight (but NOT OVERTIGHTENED)? Come back with some more info and we'll see if we can give you further advice. what's your exact and full postcode by the way? All seven alphanumeric characters please if you are outside of Norwich city boundary! Regards, Richard.
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Monday, 20 June 2016
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LAURA MOSS6:29 PM
Borehamwood
Since my computer guy installed BT TV on my TV my itv2 and channel 5 stations keep becoming really hard to watch. it either comes up with a message this channel is scrambled or not available or keeps sticking so you cant hear the talking properly. it is so frustrating. ive tried buying a New and better aerial cable and ive tried resetting like you said and ive even disconnected the BT box completely and this still doesnt work. can you check what is going on please ASAP. thanks very much
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Andy Parrett6:34 PM
Richard Cooper: Thank you for your reply, Richard. My postcode is: IP295NR. My booster is in the loft and the aerial is fixed outside to the chimney. I'm afraid I don't know how long it's been up - must be in excess of 10 years. The only other thing I can add is that when I retuned (I've tried it several times) the stations that I have are showing 'signal' at about 7 out of 10 and 'quality' at about 3 out of 10. Since we used to be able to get pretty well all stations (except ITV-4 when I wanted to watch the cycling Tour of Britain last year!) it seems to me that something's gone wrong in the last couple of weeks. I don't think there's anything amiss with connections. Regards, Andy
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Richard Cooper7:19 PM
Norwich
Andy Parrett: Hi again, Andy. as long as you have THOROUGHLY checked the aerial lead connections from the aerial socket wall plate in your tv viewing room, right through to the tv set, then it rather sounds as if you need to go up into the loft and check the booster. The key thing is to ensure that no dampness has got into the electronics inside its plastic packaging. For safety reasons, make sure it isn't getting any power supplied to it before you pull it apart. Often, boosters like this get their power sent up to them along the aerial cable, but not always. Sometimes they are plugged into a mains socket in the loft! If the booster's electronics look dry and there are no signs of dampness at all, check its plug wiring and fuse if it has a plug., replacing its fuse if necessary. The booster could have failed completely due to use over many years and a failed booster, instead of boosting your signal, does the opposite: it cuts down or 'attenuates' the signal, which is what I think could be happening in your case. To ascertain whether you have a booster which has failed, take it completely out of your system. Without the booster 'in circuit', you'll have to find a way of joining the aerial lead from the aerial back to the lead which finds its way down into your viewing room. Don't try to get away with twisting wires together! I would suggest you put an aerial plug on the end of the aerial lead that comes from the aerial and another one on to the end of the lead that comes up from downstairs. Join them with a double female coax connector. alternatively, put a female connector on the lead from the aerial and a male on the end of the lead from downstairs and plug the male into the female. Go downstairs, switch everything back on ( except the out of line booster!) and see if the signal coming down without the booster has sufficient strength and quality to give you the channels yiu want. If not, you could either buy a new booster or, in my opinion, a better idea, replace the ten year old aerial with a brand new multi-element Group'T' ('Total band') aerial which will last you until 2019 when it will need to be changed again due to a reshuffle of the channels from Tacolneston. Come back and let us know how you get on, Richard.
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Tuesday, 21 June 2016
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KMJ,Derby4:47 PM
LAURA MOSS: is it only ITV2 and Channel 5 that are not performing correctly? If ITV and Channel 4 are OK it would suggest that channels that can be identified as 'London region' are being received from Crystal Palace, assuming 'London' was selected as the preferred region, whilst the troublesome channels are being received from an alternative transmitter. If you are able to access a signal strength screen on you receiver compare the strength, quality and frequency of the working channels with those of the troublesome ones for clues towards identifying the problem. If interference is affecting the PSB2 mux that delivers your ITV2 and Channel 5 try changing the position of any HDMI cables relative to the receiver and aerial cable, also relocate the modem as this has been found to be an interference source in some situations.
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Sunday, 26 June 2016
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Roger Forshaw6:51 PM
After recent storm, all channels on BBCA multiplex are missing in Bath, Somerset - seems there may be a fault at Mendip transmitter - although UKTV website says no fault!
What is the correct fault reporting procedure?
Thanks
Sunday 26 June 2016
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Richard Cooper9:45 PM
Norwich
Roger Forshaw: Hi, Roger. Ofcom says that you should report the problem to the BBC after checking your installation in your home is all OK. You could do this via the BBC website.
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Monday, 27 June 2016
MikeP
1:36 PM
1:36 PM
Roger Forshaw:
At the time you wrote there was no known fault at Mendip. I get my Greeview from that transmitter and have not experienced any problems recently.
However, there is now some engineering work being done, to add some services I gather, and today will see weak signals. That means you may have some problems during the weak signal periods.
That being said, it is uncertain as to whether you are using the Mendip transmitter, Bath has its own 'relay' transmitter. If you give a full post code (or that of a nearby shop or post office) we can check which would be the more likely source.
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Andy Parrett2:14 PM
Richard Cooper: Thanks v. much for your help, Richard. We have a chalet bungalow so the booster is just in a side attic, easily accessible and the power socket is in the adjacent bedroom. I can't see any problem with it - there's a green light on for 'UHF' and a red light for power (though this one does seem to flicker a little. I have tried bypassing the booster but then the TV was unable to find ANY stations. So I think I'm going to have to call an aerial engineer. However, when in Hughes in BSE this morning to get a F-2-F connector for the aerial cable the salesman asked if I'd had reception problems for about 3 weeks and I said yes. He replied that there have been atmospheric etc problems during this time in the area, though he thought things had since 'settled down' again. A solution, he suggested, would be Freesat ......
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