All posts by Mike Dimmick
Below are all of Mike Dimmick's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Ron:
(a) press "Standby" button on the remote control, then unplug the power cord (within 2 sec.) of the set top box IMMEDIATELY;
(b) After 3 sec. plug in the power cord to the STB again;
(c) Repeat step (a) & (b) until the STB enter the "First Time Installation" screen. Then the box will proceed channel search again.
- from how to mend it .com - DURABRAND CG5660-M is asking for a Lock Key Code. Help!? (RG47SH)
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Bill Bowmart: Check whether the equipment that doesn't work supports the 8K mode that's now used for the BBC multiplex. There's a partial list of models known not to work at http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/2kequipment .
If they don't, you will lose many more channels next week: everything on Mux 2 and Mux D, when they change to 8K mode. Mux C changes in November and Mux A next year. (RG47SH)
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Sue Lewis: The increase in power could be causing your problem. Amplifiers and tuners have a limit on the signal levels they can handle. If you have a booster, try removing it.
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obsidian_eclipse: Waltham has a couple of pre-switchover retunes so that the high-power signals at The Wrekin don't cause problems.
On the 13th of April, Mux 2 (ITV1/C4) moves from C23 to C31 to avoid high-power D3&4 from The Wrekin.
On the 30th of March, Mux A at Waltham moved from C26 to C29 to avoid the high-power BBC A from The Wrekin. If you hadn't retuned already you might have been prompted.
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I've checked out the work that's been going on. Analogue services have returned to the new main antenna, and the temporary analogue antenna has been removed. The radio antennas that were removed to allow the temporary to be fitted have been replaced.
The radio panels and the site of the temporary aerial are directly below the digital panels, so it's possible power was reduced while this was being done.
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John: Pre-switchover HD services are on C31. C30 will be used after switchover - that's currently Channel 4 analogue. You have a pretty good chance of getting HD services now, but not quite as good as the other multiplexes. If you're having trouble with some others, your TV may not be able to see the HD services.
Do check that there is a Freeview HD logo on the TV, and that the manual says it supports DVB-T2. If it just says 'HD Ready' you'll need an external Freeview HD decoder.
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john burch: The clear conditions have allowed signals to bounce off the atmosphere that normally would be blocked by the terrain and the horizon. It's likely to be strong analogue signals from Sutton Coldfield or from Dover.
Your prediction is currently for poor coverage. This is because Hannington currently transmits very little signal to the east, in order to protect Guildford's analogue coverage (the digital signals at Hannington use the same channels as the analogue signals from Guildford). The situation should improve dramatically at switchover, as services move to the main antenna, which broadcasts in all directions - the probability of good reception rises from 34% to 96%, 98% by the end of 2012.
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N Clark: It's not very likely that the aerial points to Alexandra Palace. That's now really only a fill-in transmitter designed to fill a small hole in coverage. It doesn't transmit digital signals yet.
The BBC moved 405-line VHF transmissions to Crystal Palace in the mid-50s, and it was the first UHF transmitter in the country, starting to broadcast BBC-2 in 1962. Alexandra Palace only started broadcasting UHF signals in November 1982, according to an IBA coverage map.
mb21 - The Transmission Gallery
The predictions for your postcode are excellent, so there are two possibilities. First, that the communal aerial system is 'channelized', meaning that each channel is filtered and amplified separately, and the system has not been extended to support the HD frequency.
Second, it's possible that it *does* point to Ally Pally, and that you're actually picking up Crystal Palace simply through the cables in the walls. That would explain why you need an amplifier to get SD signals - if the levels were set correctly on the communal system, and it was designed to handle Freeview, you wouldn't need the amp.
Check the UHF channel numbers for the analogue channels. If you're using Alexandra Palace they should be BBC One: C58, BBC Two: C64, ITV1: C61 and C4: C54. If Crystal Palace, between C21 and C30. C5 comes from Croydon on C37, and if the aerial points to Crystal Palace it should be as clear as the other analogue channels. If not, it will probably be very snowy. See which set of channels is best without the amplifier.
If all channels are snowy without the amplifier, the signals in your flat are too weak all round - talk to the building manager to get them brought up to spec.
If the aerial is pointing to Crystal Palace and analogue is clear (without the amp) but Freeview is weak, the system might not have been updated for Freeview. They will need to sort this out for switchover.
If the aerial is pointing to Ally Pally and analogue is clear, this may have been done to avoid ghosting from CP. This should not be a problem after switchover - digital handles reflections very well. Alexandra Palace will only transmit the three public service multiplexes after switchover, so you'll have to talk to the building manager about the possibility of getting this changed, to get all six multiplexes reliably. (HD is one of the three PSB multiplexes.)
Some advice for building managers can be found at Property Managers - Home and some advice for you at PARAS - Professional Aerial Riggers Against The Sharks . (RG47SH)
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kenny: The Galashiels transmitter is a relay of Selkirk. It transmits exactly the same services as its parent transmitter. The Selkirk transmitter has always been attributed to Border Television, as was.
You are simply too far away from the STV Central transmitters (e.g. Black Hill, Craigkelly) to be able to use them. There is also intervening terrain.
If you really want to get STV then you'll have to look into satellite. STV is available free-to-air - see freesat - Subscription free HD Satellite TV through a Digital Box for the non-subscription Freesat service. (RG47SH)
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Friday 8 April 2011 8:53PM
Dorothy Lodwick: 301 is the BBC's Red Button 'interactive' stream. See BBC - BBC Internet Blog for the list of what's on.
Usually, when you're watching a BBC main channel and there's a related stream on 301, the 'Press Red' popup will appear in the top-right corner of the screen. (RG47SH)