All posts by Mike Dimmick
Below are all of Mike Dimmick's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Sue Lyons: The Haslemere transmitter is 'Freeview Lite', it doesn't carry the commercial multiplexes. They haven't extended their services to all the relay transmitters, using only the main transmitters that carried Freeview before switchover.
Often, reception problems can be due to the box tuning in the wrong transmitter. See Digital Region Overlap for thoughts on this. We can give more detailed advice if you provide a full postcode.
The programme guide not filling up is likely to be due to an overlap problem where the other transmitter is from a different TV region, or simply that reception is poor enough for the data not to be decoded.
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Peter Debrill: Digital UK's predictor (trade view) actually gives you *least* chance of getting ArqA on C22. It suggests using Rouncefall for best results, though this transmitter does not carry the commercial multiplexes.
I'd check the list of boxes known to have problems with the larger Network Information Table: http://www.digitaluk.co.u…tnit . The Bush brand name has changed hands a few times since 2004, and the new owner may not be able to help you.
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wilson: The recommended approach for retuning this TV is at http://www.digitaluk.co.u….pdf .
If you're still having trouble after following those instructions, some people have had success (though not necessarily with that set) by unplugging the aerial, following those instructions, then plugging in the aerial and repeating the process.
The problem is often limited memory for channels, and picking up more than one version of the channels. Some TVs and boxes will store as many channels as will fit in the permanent storage, then the rest of the channels in temporary memory. When you switch the TV off, the channels in temporary memory are lost. If the channels still won't stick, all you can do is manually tune in only the multiplexes from the wanted transmitter. Unfortunately this TV doesn't have a way to delete unwanted channels.
If you decide to go this route, you should first use 'Reinstall All Services' with the aerial unplugged to clear out the list. Then use 'Manual Install Services' to scan C23 for the BBC channels, C26 for the main ITV/C4/C5 channels, then C25, C22 and C28.
This TV is 'HD Ready' but doesn't have a Freeview HD tuner, so it won't display HD channels. You'll need a separate Freeview HD box or PVR to decode the HD signals and pass them on to the TV.
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Gladys Frogley: The ONdigital boxes generally don't work after switchover. Digital UK list Philips models DTX 6370, 6371 and 6372 as being known not to work.
The technical reason is that at the time, the memory required for decoding was quite expensive, so ONdigital only required enough of it to decode 2K mode, not the 8K mode that is now used.
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David How: The number of channels shown there seem about right. DMOL Post-DSO Multiplex Channel Allocations lists which 'media channels' are on which multiplex, and the table above ('After Wednesday 18 April 2012') lists which multiplex is on which UHF channel.
For perverse reasons of his own, Briantist, who runs this website, has decided to list possible future extensions - local TV and new commercial multiplexes - along with the services that are currently running. On a TV that doesn't support Freeview HD, you will only expect to find services on BBC A, D3&4, SDN, ArqA and ArqB at present. BBC B will only show up on Freeview HD equipment.
Given the high signal strength you're reporting, the tuning difficulty could be to down to having too much signal. If you have an amplifier or booster, try removing it or turning it down. If not, consider adding an attenuator.
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Ed Stockings: Despite the current UK spec saying that the best transmitter should be tuned in, some HD boxes still do it the stupid way, selecting the first version found when scanning. Complain to the manufacturer (my guess is it's a Humax?)
You may also find that you're getting D3&4 (i.e. ITV1, C4, C5 and associated channels) from Sandy Heath rather than Crystal Palace, as this transmits on C24 from SH compared to C26 at CP.
A manual retune is the only way to ensure you're getting the services you do want. If it's still flaky after doing that, check for too much signal.
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fin: Some recorders are known to have problems with accurate recording if they have channels from more than one transmitter. However, this is mostly a problem with signals from more than one region - since Reigate and Cane Hill are both relays of Crystal Palace, all the accurate-recording data transmitted will be the same.
If you do find recording is unreliable, delete the duplicated channels. If the recorder doesn't have a way to delete channels, you'll have to do a reset with the aerial unplugged and manually tune only the wanted signals.
Digital UK suggest that Crystal Palace may be a more reliable option than Reigate. If you find channels are breaking up, you may find that the recorder has actually tuned in the Crystal Palace signals rather than the Reigate ones - this is most likely to happen on the BBC channels and the main ITV/C4/C5 channels, which are on lower frequencies from Crystal Palace than from Reigate, and therefore will be found first. The ArqA multiplex may also be a problem.
If you do change the aerial to point to CP, you'll then have the opposite problem as the SDN and ArqB muxes at Reigate are on lower frequencies than at CP.
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John: Your box is probably one of the stupid ones that stores the first version of a channel that it finds, rather than the best quality one. See Digital Region Overlap for suggestions.
Only D3&4 and BBC B are on lower frequencies at Sandy Heath than at Crystal Palace, and BBC B is only visible to Freeview HD equipment.
Do check whether the TV or box has an auto-retune function. If it does, check the manual to see how to turn this feature off.
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mrs james: This device cannot pick up digital TV transmissions, only analogue ones. You're likely picking up transmissions from Bluebell Hill now that Crystal Palace only broadcasts digital. Bluebell Hill analogue transmissions will end in June.
The only way to make this recorder work from now on is to use another box to decode the signals. If you only want to record a programme that you're watching on TV, and the TV has a digital tuner built-in, you should be able to record from the SCART socket. The manual is at http://pdf.crse.com/manua….pdf - see Recording From Connected Equipment on p61.
Alternatively if you have a Freeview box, you should be able to set it up to come on automatically at the scheduled recording time, and record from that - again, see p61 to record from a SCART-connected device.
Unfortunately you can't record one thing while watching another unless you have a decoder box specifically for this recorder.
If you don't have Freeview equipment, you'll have to get some. Since you said you're disabled, you should be able to get help from the Switchover Help Scheme. See The Switchover Help Scheme can help you make the switch to digital TV. | Switchover Help Scheme for advice.
This is all a real pain to set up, and it's certainly easier to get a hard-disk-based Freeview PVR. There are some hard disk and DVD or BluRay combo recorders available. The Help Scheme may be able to set one of these up for you, but you'll have to pay the extra over the usual box they provide.
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Thursday 19 April 2012 11:21AM
R.S.Andrews: Do you have a radio station selected as the current channel? This TV has a feature which can turn the LCD panel off if you have a radio station selected. I suppose it's possible that it's selecting this mode when it doesn't detect a video stream for the selected channel!
It's possible that this could kick in if the selected TV channel is on one of the frequencies that was reused. There will be a digital TV stream on that frequency, it just won't be the one that's expected.
Try pressing TV/AV to get back to analogue TV or to another AV input, to get the panel to come back on. Once you can see the menu, select the Default Settings option from the System section. That will clear out all existing channel lists and completely retune.
If all else fails, contact Humax on 0844 669 8800 or email uksupport@humax-digital.co.uk .