All posts by Richard
Below are all of Richard's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Hi Brian,
Thanks - I thought you might suggest that and I did think it probably best to wait. But it seems a clear cut instance of two different Freeview boxes giving different results on the same antenna and I can think of no reason why that might be ?? Can you I wonder ?
Regards,
Richard
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Thanks Brian,
Just now rescanning for the new BBC2 channel on Blackhill. At 8am this morning - I couldn't find it. I'll try again just now. My Labgear log periodic has a 16dB masthead amp and freq 470-862Mhz. It is external and about 25 feet up pointing directly due East at Blackill which is 23 miles away as the crow flies. I hear what you say about different Freeview boxes having different sensitivity responses - but it is surprising just how different in this case. It is like one gives a 100% picture and sound - the other gives nothing. Even if it was an iffy signal you would think that the one that is giving the good picture and sound would be blocky now and again. But it isn't even that. I'll keep checking it out. Going to rescan now and see if I can find the new BBC2 channel.
Thanks agai,
Richard
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Hello Mike,
Thanks for the interesting response. However, I think the problem is resolved. I had two options to select for Central Scotland TV on my Philips Freeview box. One was channel 66 and one was channel 88. Channel 88 gave about 80 odd Freeview stations and the channel 66 only gave about 60 if my memory serves me correct. I had the Philips box on Central Scotland Freeview Channel 66 and the TV on Central Scotland Freeview Channel 88. Now - they are both on Freeview Channel 88 and all is well signal strengths all agree and have watchable pictures on all Freeview channels. Reading on the Blackhill transmitter thread, I see that some Freeview channels are being offered on the new channel at much lower power - when I originally tuned the new Freeview box and was offered two Central Scotland Freeview channels I obviously mistakenly chose the lower powered one. But I think this is the new Freeview channel where the power will be upped on 22nd June and another retune required. Thanks for all your help.
Regards,
Richard
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Hello Mike,
Thanks. In reality - I haven't a clue !! I just know that there were two 'Central Scotland' choices, and the first time I went for the '66' option. It was obviously the wrong one, and the Freeview TV was on the other one hence the larger number of Freeview TV and Radio channels available at 88. Anyway - as soon as I chose that one and allowed the box to retune - it was fine and the Freeview channels I was having problems with, were now all OK. Incidentally, as regards my log periodic antenna and masthead amp, I don't have line of sight to the Blackhill transmitter, and the signal without the amp was slightly noisy on analogue transmissions. My immediate neighbours seem to get away without any masthead amps that I can detect anyway !! Thanks again.
Regards,
Richard
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Hi jb38,
Thanks - yes I think I was looking at the number of TV and Radio channels available. But what threw me was there two choices presented for Central Scotland to tune to. But it is resolved now and all is OK - everything is on the right one. I originally spotted that something was not right because the Freeview TV was reporting one UHF channel for Freeview channel 22 whilst the Philips Freeview box (on the same TV antenna pointed directly at Blackhill)on the same Freeview channel 22, was reporting a different UHF channel. So I did a reset on the Philips box and retuned it - then I noticed the two Central Scotland choices, one with more Freeview channels, than the other. This time - I chose the right one and then the TV and Freeview box agreed on the UHF channels for Freeview channel 22. Phew. I've learned something about Freeview and Digital TV I never knew before !!
Regards,
Richard
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Hello jb38,
Thanks again - but the Darvel transmitter is quite literally 90 degrees sideways on to my TV antenna (log periodic) pointing at Blackhill and about 20 miles away. So it beats me altogether !! Whilst I fully understood the principles of analogue TV transmissions, I quite patently am having difficulty comprehending what is going on with digital TV, Freeview channels and MUX options !! Thanks again.
Regards,
Richard
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Hello jb38,
Thanks again for all your help. Now its working - I think I will leave it until after switchover on 22nd June and then see what happens on a retune. (Coward that I am !!) I'll come back and update if I still see 2 choices for Central Scotland after that, and now I know what to look for. On another note - Darvel is only a low power repeater some 20 miles away, although it does give coverage to this area, I wouldn't have expected to 'see' it side on to the antenna at all to be honest. However, I'll just leave it alone for now I guess !! Thanks again for all your help.
Regards,
Richard
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Hello Mike,
Very interesting !! I'm not line of sight to Blackhill incidentally, well, I don't consider myself as line of sight as I cannot see the mast. I'm about 50 foot ASL here, there may be other obstacles in the path, I don't know for sure. Maybe need a path profile analysis to find out for sure !! I could try that on my GPS and see what it shows. Incidentally yes, Freeview channel 22 (Ideal World)was one of the channels that could be received on the Freeview TV perfectly 100%, but not on the Philips Freeview box until I retuned it to the second 'Central Scotland' option that was presented to me. The TV (when I retuned it) offered no such option - it just retuned with no prompts at all. I guess that is what the Philips Freeview box should have done too. Thanks again for your helpful comments.
Regards,
Richard
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Hi Strathearn and Mike.
Thanks for the info. I didn't know about the Whitelees Wind Farm issue - but the Darvel signal here is not good - I tried moving the TV antenna around to face Darvel and retuned the TV. It didn't pick any usable signal up !! Which totally surprised me. So I opted for Blackhill and I think it will obviously be even better after 22nd June when the power is upped. But right now from Blackhill it is entirely OK.
Thanks again.
Regards,
Richard
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Page 1
Tuesday 7 June 2011 10:08PM
Erskine
Hello Brian,
Can you help I wonder. Located in Erskine and using the Blackhill transmitter. I have an external Labgear log periodic TV antenna, thus am I correct in assuming it is wideband and OK for Freeview ? It has a masthead amplifier. I can receive all Freeview channels on my LG TV (Freeview built in) but reported signal strengths nothing much above 50-60%. Bought a Philips Freeview HD box at the weekend and the main Freeview channels are OK,(BBC1, BBC2 ITV etc) but others are not too good with HD channels being virtually unwatchable. (I connected the TV antenna directly to the new Philips box to make sure I wasn't loosing the signal between the TV and another Toshiba Freeview box which is in use and which displays all Freeview channels OK) but to no avail. Channel 22 for instance, displays perfectly on the LG TV (even though the TV says the signal on that channel is not good)and via the Toshiba Freeview box, but not via the Philips HD box. I am beginning to think that the Philips box is actually faulty. Could this be the case, or is there something I'm missing ? Why do I have two Freeview boxes on the same installation I hear you ask. They both have different facilities. But they should both work for recording purposes and either (if fed with the same antenna) should display the same quality of picture and sound ? (I think I've convinced myself that the Philips box is faulty and should go back !!
Thanks,
Richard