Our digital signal for ITV has disappeared in the last week - can you tell me w
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV Sometimes people experience problems with the ITV/C4 multiplex (and also the one that carries five) because of the different transmission mode that allows more channels to be carried, but reduces the effective signal strength.
Freeview modes
This can sometimes cause problems when the weather changes (due to the inversion effect).
If you rescan for channels on your box and don't get the ITV/C4 services restored, then you may need to get a new Class I aerial to get reception all the time. However, you should check your cables and connections are in good order first.
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Tuesday, 10 December 2013
E
Enid Jefferies10:15 PM
Kingsbridge
TQ7 2BQ
We have recently lost all tv channels except BBC 1,2,3 and 4. Our digital tv is 3 years old and we have had about 15 channels, but a few weeks ago the iitv channels kept pixilating, and have now vanished entirely. We have retuned but can't even get them badly; we only have the BBC channels. The aerial hasn't moved and we don't know what else to try. Would be grateful for any help. The shop where we bought the television set says that sometimes this happens and that they sometimes come back after a few weeks, although they haven't heard of it happening in our area. Do we need a new aerial or is it just another downside of living in South Devon?
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Enid's: mapE's Freeview map terrainE's terrain plot wavesE's frequency data E's Freeview Detailed Coverage
E
Enid Jefferies10:16 PM
Kingsbridge
TQ7 2BQ
Sorry, forgot to say that the aerial is on the roof.
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Enid's: mapE's Freeview map terrainE's terrain plot wavesE's frequency data E's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
Enid Jefferies: I've had a look and it appears that poor reception is caused by the fact that the ground rises in the direction of the transmitter.
It is worth enquiring with neighbours to see if they have the same issue, particularly those in the row of six houses on your road. If they are experiencing the same or similar difficulty then this points to some change in the path between the transmitter and you. As I found out, it is in no way clear!
In short, you might be better off abandoning terrestrial and going with Freesat satellite, assuming there are no restrictions on the installation of satellite dishes and you have a clear view of the position in the sky which the satellite sits.
Kingsbridge transmitter is 3.6 miles away and its transmission power is 34W. Slapton is 3 miles away and its power is 250W. The power of Slapton, in real terms, increased at digital switchover; Kingsbridge is the same.
Whilst Slapton may appear to be the better bet - because it's more powerful - the ground dropping down as it gets closer to you (in the field behind you) is greater and you are closer to it than the drop in the direction of Kingsbridge. Plus, up on the higher ground (in the direction of Slapton) you have the trees around the village hall and the church.
If your TV has manual tuning then attempt to restore the independent channels. Once you have them stored, if they disappear, don't reset it because all that will do is result in them being lost from the TV's memory.
For manual tuning ITV/C4/C5 are on UHF channel 43 (650MHz) from Kingsbridge.
The longer, more detailed analysis and reasoning which I used to come to my conclusion is here:
Ideally, you want to be able to see the transmitter from where the aerial is sited, but this isn't always possible. It certainly isn't possible where you are and to add to that you have trees in the way.
I had a look on Google Streetview at your row of houses and those from the junction which it joins onto (it doesn't appear to have a name) up to the church and the aerials all point to Kingsbridge transmitter, which is roughly due west. Beyond the church it would appear that reception from Caradon Hill is possible.
The Digital UK Coverage Checker predicts reception, but it is in no way an exact science and particularly so in situations such as yours where the terrain isn't flat and there are lots of trees around.
It "thinks" that reception from Kingsbridge transmitter is likely to be poor, whilst reception from Slapton is rated as good for ITV/C4/C5 and HD, but poor for BBC. Sometimes the predictor throws up strange results like this (BBC poor) as all channels would usually be expected to be about the same. I can't see why that one channel should be poor so I dismiss this as possibly an error in the data which the predictor is working with.
Anyway, as I say the predictor should be used as a guide and taken with a pinch of salt.
I ran a plot of the terrain and found you don't have line-of-sight to either transmitter:
- This is your location to Kingsbridge - the high ground in the direction of Bowden is in the way and shown in red:
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
- This is your location to Slapton - the ground rises steeply in the field behind you and the trees around the Village Hall are in the way:
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
There is a farm at the other end of Sherford Down Road. In its field there are some trees that almost form a triangle - well looking at the satellite image they do anyway, see: TQ7 2BQ - Google Maps
The line between you and the transmitter goes straight through these trees and they appear to at the top of, or near the top of, the high ground over which you are receiving...
(On the terrain plot you can click the link to show the area between you and the transmitter. This shows a line between the two points and the line goes straight through those trees.).
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Enid Jefferies: I should add that satellite reception isn't without its issues. During a very bad storm the signal break up and with snow on the dish reception may be curtailed completely.
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Friday, 29 August 2014
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Graham slater5:28 PM
I am having similar issues here in St Agnes, Cornwall, however what is spooky is that our flatscreen Hitachi broke we bought a new 32 inch Sharp and it was at that time we started experiencing poor ITV channels (when I say poor I mean very bad pixilating and sometimes Sorry no service). Previously the Hitach was good on ITV we had more issues on BBC. My local Maplin store has a beared man who proclaimes to be a communications specialist armed me up with extra filters and boosters however they made it worse and his company will be receiving them back for credit very soon. We hope to be moving in 6-8 weeks it really is so frustrating not having these channels after buying a new TV, but dont want to throw wasted money at this issue? any help appreciated
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MikeP
8:58 PM
8:58 PM
Graham slater:
It could be that the new TV is less sensitive than the old one, so it needs more signal to get the wanted programmes. Generally Hitachi sets are pretty good and the Sharp models I've seen may not be as sensitive so might need more signal. The symptoms you describe are exactly those experienced when the signal level is just on the borderline between too weak to get a picture (hence the messages) and just about enough to work though it may pixelate at times.
St Agnes is not an ideal location for reception but when you move the situation may offer better reception conditions.
Good luck with the move and I hope your signal reception is stronger. I'm moving in a few weeks too, but will still be on the Mendip transmitter where I currently live and where I move to. Don't trip over all the packing cases!
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MikeB10:50 PM
Graham slater: When you move, put your postcode into this site, and it should bring up all the data you need. I think MikeP is right - the tuners could just be more or less sensitive (frankly, I havn't recommended Sharp in 6 years, so I'm not a fan anyway), but it would be nice to know where you are now, just to check what you should expect.
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Tuesday, 7 October 2014
G
Gordon beveridge6:19 PM
Evening,
We have lost STV/Ch4 etc from the Rumster Forest transmitter. I have 2 aerials feeding 2 different TVs and both have the same problem which makes me think it is transmission that's the problem.
Unfortunately I can't find any fault report. can you help?
Thansk
GordyB
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Sunday, 23 November 2014
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Malcolm J4:02 PM
I have 3 set top boxes operating i.e. 2 Goodmans & 1 Humax On both Goodmans I.T.V. 1 has disappeared- no signall. On the Humax Box signal perfect WHY??
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MikeB6:17 PM
Malcolm J: How are the boxs/ TV set up? If you have a Humax with the aerial coming from the wall, and then going via a Goodmans box, the Goodmans box's connection is probably the weak point - so perhaps change the aerial lead.
If they are coming off the the same aerial, but are split, find the common point where the Goodmans boxes are - thats proably where the problem lies. Humax's normally have more senstive tuners than Goodmans (I have one of the latter). If you have a problem with your system say a break or frayed wires, then the Goodman's is going show up the problem first.
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