Almost five million London homes begin switchover this week with a retune

If you live inside the M25, or up to 15 miles outside the capital's orbital motorway, you will need to retune your Freeview TV or set-top box on Wednesday morning.

^{Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV 2nd April 2012 at 06:55}

This week sees the first stage of the digital television switchover for 4,853,500 homes in Greater London.

From 6am Wednesday 4th April 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 Crystal Palace, Hemel Hempstead, Reigate or Guildford 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. Also, ITV 1 analogue will move to the BBC TWO analogue slot, except at Hemel Hempstead.

• Crystal Palace (starts midnight, ends by 6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes on C33, ITV 1 analogue moves to C23 from C33, Multiplex 1 closes on C25-, Multiplex BBCA starts on C23.
• Guildford (starts midnight, ends by 6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes on C46, ITV 1 analogue moves to C46 from C43, Multiplex 1 closes on C49-, Multiplex BBCA starts on C43.
• Hemel Hempstead (starts midnight, ends by 6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes on C44, Multiplex 1 closes on C48+, Multiplex BBCA starts on C44.
• Reigate (starts midnight, ends by 6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes on C63, ITV 1 analogue moves to C63 from C60, Multiplex 1 closes on C31, Multiplex BBCA starts on C60.

Because the Multiplex BBCA service carries some channels (BBC FOUR and BBC radio stations) that are also still being broadcast as part of the existing multiplex 2, after you retune, you will see these channels duplicated. This will be resolved when you do a full retune in a fortnight.



On Wednesday 4th April 2012 (at 6am unless otherwise specified) if you use the: Alexandra Palace (1pm), Assendon (noon), Biggin Hill, Bishops Stortford,Cane Hill, Caterham, Chepping Wycombe (9am), Chesham, Chingford (11am), Croydon (Old Town),Dorking (noon), East Grinstead (noon), Edmonton, Farningham (9am), Finchley (9am), Forest Row (9am),Gravesend, Great Missenden, Greenwich (4pm), Guildford, Hammersmith, Hampstead Heath, Hemel Hempstead Town (9am), Henley-on-Thames (9am), Hertford, High Wycombe, Hughenden, Kenley, Kensal Town, Lea Bridge (2pm), Marlow Bottom, Micklefield, Mickleham, New Addington (11am), New Barnet,Old Coulsdon (2pm), Orpington, Otford, Poplar (1pm), Skirmett (3pm), St Albans, Sutton, Walthamstow North, Welwyn, West Wycombe, Wonersh (9am), Wooburn (noon), Woolwich (9am), Worlds End relay transmitters you will be able to receive the BBC Freeview services (with the exception of HD) for the first time, and you will no longer be able to view BBC TWO on analogue.



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 18th April 2012 will see the second stage of switchover, which provides the final Freeview configuration, including Freeview HD for all transmitters in this region.

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.