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BBC Four HD

Intelligent, idiosyncratic and provocative perspectives on every subject, for people who think differently.

Main TV standard-definiton channels

How to Watch: BBC Four HD


Below is a list of all the television and radio channels that you can watch in the UK using one of the free services: DAB (for radio), Freeview, Sky No Card - Sky without a viewing card (Freesat from Sky (or fSfS)) and Freesat.. Where a channel can be watched for free, the channel number is listed below. In addition, if you can watch (or listen) immediately online, press the button in the "web" column.

As some channels are exclusive to one service alone, you may need to get receive more than one service to get all the channels you want. The coverage for Freeview differs too - those channels not provided by the public service "Freeview Light" transmitters the current coverage shown thus (54%), taken from Connected Nations Report 2017: Data analysis'

Key: wb_sunny daytime; watch_later nighttime; account_box funded from the TV License; flags show Freeview channel limits.
Choose from four options: ■ Show everything ■ Just on Freeview ■ Just on Freesat ■ Just on Sky
High definition channels
Channel name arrow_drop_down web radio Freeview Sky Freesat
BBC Four HDaccount_box live_tv   106watch_later 116watch_later 108watch_later

Regional content: National channel with no regional content or variations.

media.info: For full details of broadcaster contacts, see the media.info link icon media.info BBC Four HD page.

Official site: See the www.bbc.co.uk link icon BBC Four HD website.

From Wikipedia: - en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org link icon read more about BBC Four HD on wikipedia (summary by Clipped).

Freeview multiplex: BBC Four HD is on multiplex PSB3 in england flagscotland flagnorthernireland flagwales flag.

Comments
Saturday, 14 December 2013
B
Bryn Harris
5:39 PM
Bracknell

Dave Lindsay:

Just updated the channels on a neighbour's HD set. Similar situation, BBCs 1, 2, 3, CBBC and News 24 in HD, but not luck with BBC FOUR. Indeed, an attempt at manual tuning gave "No signal". It thus does look like we are out of range here for the underpowered Channel 33 from Crystal Palace.

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Bryn Harris's 5 posts GB flag
Bryn's: mapB's Freeview map terrainB's terrain plot wavesB's frequency data B's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

6:05 PM

Bryn Harris: It is unlikely to happen before the end of 2018.

There are a limited number of spare UHF channels (frequencies) that were cleared as part of switchover - these being 31 to 37, excluding 36 which has never been used for TV. These channels have been used, and are in the process of being used, at 30 transmitters only.

Because of the limited channels available transmission powers have had to be kept low, or certainly lower than the other channels from the same transmitting station. It is like pre-switchover, where digital signals were on lower power.

As a result, there will obviously be people who won't get them and there will be people who change their aerial and/or add an amplifier (booster) to get them. These things happened prior to switchover. I imagine that, with coverage of the new muxes being even more limited that there will be some who were served prior to switchover who can't get these muxes.

The power of the new multiplex, reported by Digital UK as 36.3kW is not "low" by any standards. The other channels being at 200kW (roughly five times greater) doesn't mean that it only serves one fifth of that which the others do. It doesn't mean it carries only one fifth the distance either.

Ideally, aerials should be placed where the transmitter can be seen (so as to give the best chance of stable reception). In many practical situations this isn't possible. The terrain blocks line-of-sight for many but the high power of transmitters such as Crystal Palace means that in reality they are available even where they can't be seen. So the reason Crystal Palace broadcasts at such high power is to reach parts that don't have line-of-sight to it.

A plot of the terrain between you and Crystal Palace is here:


Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location


Without objects on the ground you would appear to have line-of-sight at just over 28 miles. Under clear conditions the power that the new multiplex broadcasts at would be ample for you.

However, the ground from you up to Chavey Down is roughly flat with a lot of tree-cover. This clearly hampers reception in your area, as the high-gain aerials and tall masts indicate.

The path to Hannington would appear to be clearer, although the Quntiles building could perhaps hamper you:


Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location


The power of the Hannington new HD mux will be on a par with the other channels it broadcasts. However, it doesn't come on air until next year and it is a little out of group, if a Group B aerial is being used. A combined (diplexed) feed of a Crystal Palace aerial and a Hannington one which provides the new HD mux isn't possible due to the latter using a Group A channel.

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Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
B
Bryn Harris
6:27 PM
Bracknell

Dave Lindsay:

Many thanks. Looks like a wait until next year. I will look into the aerial problem closer to the day. My current Hannington aerial is no where near as well equipped as that for Crystal Palace. Don't fancy getting up to the chimney until a summer's day either.

link to this comment
Bryn Harris's 5 posts GB flag
Bryn's: mapB's Freeview map terrainB's terrain plot wavesB's frequency data B's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Sunday, 15 December 2013
J
john
8:39 PM

Does any one no when bbc four is coming on the Sutton Coldfield transmitter I have got BBC three but I have noticed Waltham transmitter has both

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john's 7 posts GB flag
K
KMJ,Derby
sentiment_satisfiedGold

9:06 PM

john: BBC4 HD is already supposed to be available from Sutton Coldfield. I say "supposed" as there have been a number of posts suggesting that the new COM7 mux is not loading correctly on some equipment. What happens if you do a manual tune to C33 for Sutton Coldfield? Incidentally Waltham is not due to transmit COM7 until about March 2014, although it could of course appear sooner if good progress continues to be made with the roll-out.

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KMJ,Derby's 1,811 posts GB flag
J
john
10:23 PM

No I haven't tried that yet cheers I'm on the out skirts of Leicester my aerial is facing Sutton Coldfield transmitter but when I done a auto tune earlier my free view humax fox t2recorder which I bought about two years ago picks two signals up even though facing Sutton cold field it puts eastmidlands channels 5 on 5 then bbrims channel 5 is on 862 even though that's a stronger signal can't understand why it does it that way round but my Samsung TV just picks Sutton Coldfield frequencies up as normal BBC 1 on 1 etc and so on

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john's 7 posts GB flag
Monday, 16 December 2013
J
john
7:11 PM

Every thing is OK now I've done a manual tune and have got bbc3 HD and BBC 4hd thanks

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john's 7 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 18 December 2013
R
Robert
8:05 PM

Can't get BBC4 HD or BBC News HD on my Sony TV here in Leicester (Waltham transmitter), just BBC3 HD in the last week.

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Robert's 4 posts GB flag
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

8:05 PM

Robert: That's because it isn't been broadcast yet!

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Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
R
Robert
8:09 PM

Ah, that'll be why then! EPG on my Sony does say 'also in HD' for some BBC4 programmes.

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Robert's 4 posts GB flag
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