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Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV For the last six years, I have answered many thousands of personal emails that you have sent to UK Free TV.
Sadly, I am unable to offer this personal service at the moment.
Until I can restore this service, please can you leave any questions you have on an appropriate page, where they will be answered as soon as possible, or below, if you can't figure out where to ask.
I look forward to your questions!
Help with TV/radio stations?
In this section
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
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Chris 5:38 PM
Exeter
A further update; i have done a signal test and they are all poor, even the ones with a good picture. They are in single figures. Due to a deal between the developer and Virgin we are not allowed to have outdoor aerial or sat dish. My aerial is in the roof which i guess explains the poor signal. Can i boost it or am i not getting enough to boost?
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Chris's: mapC's Freeview map terrainC's terrain plot wavesC's frequency data C's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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Paul6:08 PM
Dorking
Hi. Does anyone know why the (previously fine) Freeview signal in Dorking Surrey has suddenly plummeted this last 5 days (today is 11th Sept 2012)? ITV channels were really bad, then bBC1 got bad. Have tried re-tuning BT Vision box several times and is same with a DTV we have. Yes this is one of the poorer reception areas but signals been great for months. Has a transmitter failed? Friends in Claygate Surrey have had same problems in teh same few days. Nothing showing on the Freevie wsite . . It's so annoying. All ideas welcomed.
THANKS
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Paul's: mapP's Freeview map terrainP's terrain plot wavesP's frequency data P's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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Stephen P6:50 PM
Chris RTM/RTFM - what you do when all else fails.
Read The (F...) Manual !!
UK digital TV reception predictor
You seem to have a fairly strong signal so roof ae may be OK - depending what is in the direction of the transmitter - and you have a choice of 4 at all points of the compass. I presume you know about H & V.
Always worth trying a booster - but don't tell Bryan who dislikes them.
NB That digital TV is a two stage process. You scan for channels, details of which are stored, then you receive. So if signal varies, once scanned you may or may not find it. But if you rescan and it is weak it will not appear when strong until you rescan.
Developer/Virgin deal sounds very dubious. How is it enforced on you? Presumably you have cable but must pay for it?
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jb388:26 PM
Niket: On re-reading your posting I see that you mention you have a communal satellite connection so obviously the dish is out with your control, but with regards to splitting the signal you cannot a satellite feed as its liable to cause a clash of polarity switching voltages, plus the LNB2 input on your box is the recording tuners feed.
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Chris 8:29 PM
Exeter
Stephen,
already tried the manuals - no help. LG support said that if no HD is showing the signal strength is too poor.
Paying VM £30/mth for a landline i don't want broadband and free TV. I can get broadband/landline for £14/mth so trying to get freeview via the aerial. A Management Co, also a deal done by developer, enforces covenants in the Title Deeds.
I thought Stockland hill would be best but i will try the other directions - as you say all points available.
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Chris's: mapC's Freeview map terrainC's terrain plot wavesC's frequency data C's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
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jb3812:19 AM
Chris: Just out of interest I was wondering if you have the internal booster switched on or off? you will see this described on page 40 of your manual.
The other point I wondered about being, when you mention your aerial being in the roof have you any access to it? that is as far as being able to check on the direction its facing as well as its polarity angle.
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Mark Harriman8:46 AM
We have a HD Free-view TV on the wall in the bedroom. We live in North West Norfolk and have to have Yorkshire;we would like to change to Freesat and have installed a 4 lnb dish. Is there a small freesat adaptor or box available.We have not got room for a big "Sky" sized box and "the management" is not keeen on too many wires hanging down the wall.
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jb389:38 AM
Mark Harriman: Re: Freesat adaptor query, not as far as Freesat is concerned, but if you purchased a Freesat HD box then you could use an HDMI lead to couple this into your TV, as HDMI leads and especially of the swivel end for right angle use types such as sold by Lidl stores are far more acceptable appearance wise over a thick scart lead.
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Mark Harriman: Can you not receive Anglia programming from one of the Norfolk transmitters, such as King's Lynn?
Prior to switchover it relayed BBC One and ITV1 from Tacolneston, so two aerials (and a diplexer to combine them) were needed so as to receive BBC Two and Channel 4 from Belmont.
The diplexer combines the feeds from the aerials and ensures that only one aerial is allowed to provide each frequency channel. Thus, there is a particular channel where it "splits" and one aerial is allowed to feed channels below that and the other above it. Prior to switchover, Belmont's channels were low down and King's Lynn's were in the middle of the band and this meant that one diplexer was needed because its inputs "split" somewhere between the two.
Following switchover, King's Lynn carries all Public Service channels (BBC One, BBC Two etc, ITV1, ITV2, Channel 4, Channel 5, the four HDs and a few others). This is only the same as many other small relays do. Those who can't receive from a full-service transmitter cannot receive the COMs (this being around a 9% of the population who can receive terrestrial television).
Unforunately after switchover, whilst one of Belmont's COM channels (those that King's Lynn doesn't broadcast) is below the frequency that KL uses (as was the case before switchover), the other two are above that of KL, so two diplexers will be needed and either two aerials on Belmont or a splitter for the Belmont aerial. Obviously a KL aerial will also be needed.
Obviously, this may be starting to get costly, although I am throwing it to you as a suggestion for perhaps the "only" way for you to receive Anglia regional programming *and* the COM channels. It assumes that reception from King's Lynn or Burnham is possible at your location.
Or you could have two aerials and not combine them, but instead feed them into different receivers. This would mean that two diplexers wouldn't be needed and that a second aerial on Belmont wouldn't be needed (or a splitter for your single Belmont aerial).
So, if you only ever watch the local news and other local programming as its broadcast, then you might just have a set-top box (without recording function) for this and use it only at times that BBC One or ITV1 is broadcasting different regional content. At all other times use Belmont for these and all other channels.
For lots of information and products, see ATV Sheffield's site: A.T.V (Aerials And Television) TV Aerial, DAB Aerial, FM Aerial.
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Chris 6:05 PM
Exeter
JB38; yes booster is set to on in the TV. Going to go up in the loft and try different aerial directions. First will probably buy a meter to save on the trial and error. Are the cheap noes ok? eg £15 to £20 in Maplins.
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Chris's: mapC's Freeview map terrainC's terrain plot wavesC's frequency data C's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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