All posts by Richard (Welshpool)
Below are all of Richard (Welshpool)'s postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
In the years before DSO, LM did suffer from various outages, but typically only one of the channels would vanish at any one time -- the carrier would stop broadcasting. However, it was pretty infrequent, and nothing like as often as the outages post-DSO. As for whether or not it's unique to LM or whether any of the relays (or any of Blaenplwyf's other relays) suffer the same problem, I've no idea.
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Briantist, with due respect, we don't think we've identified a problem, we have identified one or more problems. Aerialman is right, LM was far more reliable pre-DSO than it has been post-DSO. As for reporting it to BBC Reception, yes, done that, made no difference. It must go to dev/null on their server.
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It's not a case of not wishing to use it, I would use it if it made any difference, and have used it, but typically either they don't reply, or they do in their patronising manner, but the end result is the same: nothings gets actioned. It can't have, as we're still stuck with the problem over a year later. I also post about this to the uk.tech.broadcast newsgroup hoping that someone from Arqiva reads it. It's Arqiva who need a swift kick up the rear end.
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Yes, that's broken or just gets ignored. As such, it may as well not exist. Meanwhile, outages still continue...
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As I have repeatedly written, what happens each time is that the MUXes carry on being broadcast, but carry no data. Each time it happens, the signal quality and signal strength never varies from when it is carry data, i.e. typically around 100% on both. I have confirmed this on five separate piece of Freeview equipment fed from two separate aerials, both of which have direct line of sight to LM, with nothing but fresh air between them and the mast.
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I can only receive two MUXes as I don't have any Freeview HD kit. Proof? I suppose I'd have to dig out a video camera to film me going round each TV each time it happens...
Anybody would think that you think I'm making all this up. I really have got better things to do with my time than that, not to mention I have a much better imagination than to come up with something like this.
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No video except black, and no audio. No EPG, no programme data for what's currently broadcast. Will that do? If I go into the boxes' settings, the quality and strength show up unchanged as 100%.
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I should've also mentioned that it also happens on two other Freeview receivers which are fed off a splitter off one of the antennas. Their signal strength is around 80% or so, and yes, same problem on those two. Same problem all equipment off both antennas, with varying signal strength and quality.
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All five go off at the same time, and come back on the same time when the problem is resolved. I have 3 TVs, one fed off a Philips DVT-B box and sharing the same aerial with a Goodmans IDTV (the 80% signal device), and a Panasonic IDTV downstairs fed off a separate aerial. The problem usually lasts 5-10 mins or so, during which time I turn all three on, turn the volume up, tune to the same channel, and keep an eye and ear on them until the signal returns. It's fairly obvious when it does as I then hear each TV, and check I get a picture. I then turn off two I don't need, and carry on watching, usually on the old Ferguson while I do some PC time. As to times of day, I only notice it in the evenings and at night, as that's when I most typically watch TV, but it has happened during the day as well.
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Wednesday 12 January 2011 9:55PM
Roger Callow:
These outages have been occurring ever since LM switched to DVB-T in 2009, but they've been getting more and more frequent. Both MUXes still get broadcast, but they carry no data or programmes. Sometimes one MUX goes blank, sometimes the other, and relatively infrequently both go blank. I've confirmed this on multiple pieces of equipment off two separate aerials.