My ITV/C4 Freeview channels have disappeared - what can I do? Is it my SCART ca
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV It is a feature of television signals that they can be effected by the weather. Aside from the obvious damaged that can be caused by wind or torrential rain, the onset of summer can cause a more intriguing problem called "inversion".
Basically, when the sun heats up the land, the hot air can get trapped below cold air at high level. This creates an "inversion layer" which acts like a polished mirror to TV signals. This causes two problems: you can receive both the original and a reflected signal from your own transmitter (on analogue TV this appears as "ghosting") or interference from TV transmitters that are normally too far distant.
The ITV/C4 multiplex of channels (ITV-1, ITV-2, ITV-3, ITV-4, CITV, C4, More4, E4, Quizcall) use a transmission "mode" called 64QAM, and it is sadly much more prone to these problems.
So, whilst a loft-mounted aerial will provide reception at some time, it will fail at others. The only real solution is to mount the aerial (or a new Class I aerial) outside on a pole, but some people report that changing the cable from the aerial to the set-top box to the high-grade satellite cable can also help.
The SCART connection, by the way, only carries a single TV picture, not the Freeview transmission multiplexes, so if this is disconnected it will result in degradation to every channel at once.
All questions
In this section
Saturday, 8 June 2013
SABEL: Do you have a Sky box that could perhaps be interfering?
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Tuesday, 11 June 2013
C
Catherine 5:56 PM
Hi JB38
Thanks for the advice. I followed your suggestions:
Using a different cable gave no signal at-all.
So I then removed the stored channels by retuning with the cable out, and then did the manual tune on 48. I got 37 channels, but the first on the list was 5* (with signal of 18%), itv3 was on channel 9 (with signal of 29%). all the bbc channels were gone and the ones I did have were unwatchable as the signal was so low.
So I did an auto retune and got back most of the channels but still with the same issues as before and have lostmore channels, so no sign of itv2+1 at all. It is now worse.
Thanks in advance for your advice,
Catherine
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Wednesday, 12 June 2013
J
jb388:03 AM
Catherine: On having re-assessed the situation it would appear that all of your problems are centred around mux Ch48 being received at either around, or in many cases under the level required for your TV to resolve a picture because ITV2+1 /ITV3 / 5* are all on mux Ch48.
On the subject of your neighbours being able to receive these channels OK is concerned, this could simply be down to their TV or box having a more sensitive tuner than that of your Matsui and this type of thing can easily be compensated for by adding a booster in line with your TV, a suitable device being seen in the Argos catalogue page 603 item number 534 / 4235 @ £11.99, as this is almost guaranteed to lift the signal level well above the point at which the signal drops out on your set
Apart from going ahead and purchasing the device referred to, the only way to find out whether the aerial feed into your apartment is OK or not is (if at all possible) to try retuning your TV whilst its connected into your neighbours aerial point, then once you have stored the channels try the set back on your own aerial again, because other than that your only option is to purchase the booster.
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K
KMJ,Derby10:45 AM
Catherine: If you clear the channel list, then decide to do manual tune, you will need to do a manual tune in turn, on C48, C49, C52, C54, C56. This should restore a full list of channels. Poor signal strength on any of the muxes will need to be addressed in accordance with jb38's advice.
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Monday, 8 July 2013
M
Mike May7:02 PM
Chippenham
This morning my Samsung TV told me that the digital channels had been updated. Every channel on this TV is fine. This afternoon I tried to tune into ITV1 on my Toshiba TV, which also has a digital tuner. I now cannot get ITV1 or Channel 4 on this TV. Any ideas.
Aerial on roof at SN14 0LE.
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Mike's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Monday, 15 July 2013
W
Will9:28 AM
I've recently moved to a new apartment and in the living room, I was unable to plug the TV into the wall connection as the incorrect socket had been fixed.
I've just had that corrected but can only pick up ITV3 and a few shopping channels (no BBC, ITV, Channel 4 etc.)
The same TV works absolutely fine in bedroom (all channels received with perfect signal), so I know it must be a connection problem in the living room.
Does anyone have any idea of what I may need to do to fix the problem?
Many thanks,
Will
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M
MikeB10:21 PM
Will: Unfortunately, you havn't supplied a postcode, so there isn't a chance to check your signal etc.
However, one thing did stand out - you said ' I was unable to plug the TV into the wall connection as the incorrect socket had been fixed'
Do you mean that it has a 'screw in' socket, rather than the normal push in TV aerial type socket? If it is a screw in type, its called an F connector - like these Wall Plates faceplatesscreened sockets
and they are normally only used for satellite and cable TV. Which might mean that the socket is actually attached to a dish...
Now normally connecting a Freeview TV to such a socket would obviously not work (even if you get an adaptor to turn it into a normal TV socket), but I'm wondering if the coax from the socket is actually working as some sort of primitive aerial!
You can do one of a number of things. Ask your neighbours how they are using that socket. If they are using it with Sky, etc - that confirms it. If so, get yourself a cheap Freesat receiver, and attach it to your TV.
Secondly, split the signal from the aerial socket which works fine (presumably, from an aerial), and run a lead to the other room - this sounds like a pain.
Thirdly - Buy a cheap indoor aerial, and see if it works. Normally they are a bit rubbish, but if your possibly getting a signal from wiring, who knows?
I'd be interested to see what the socket is actually attached to! (PE12QN)
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Tuesday, 16 July 2013
T
Timone117:37 PM
Hi! My mum is in portsmouth and has lost ITV3 from channel 10. The name comes up but no picture. What could she try?
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Friday, 26 July 2013
V
Val2:02 PM
Within the last 3 days I have lost totally my ITV picture from a small tv downstairs in the kitchen and from one upstairs in the bedroom - both freeview. any suggestions? OX44 area Chalgrove, Oxford
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Saturday, 27 July 2013
V
Vera9:24 AM
How do I get back BBC channels and other channels that have disappeared after retune because of no signal. I live in London N22
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