All posts by Mike Dimmick
Below are all of Mike Dimmick's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
timonthenet: Look out for the Freeview HD logo. New equipment should generally have it. If the Freeview HD logo isn't there, check whether the manual lists DVB-T2. If this model doesn't, return it.
There will still be older models in the marketplace that don't have DVB-T2 support; the manufacturer may have discontinued the model but they will probably stay in the wholesale/distribution channel until sold.
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Tania: Can you provide a full postcode, please?
Assuming that you are using Waltham, multiplex D uses the same channel as the new high-power SDN multiplex at Sheffield, and D3&4 at Brockwell, which is a relay of Chesterfield. These transmitters switched over last night. This could mean more interference on this channel, which could push reception over the cliff.
You might actually be using Sheffield or Chesterfield, in which case see those transmitter pages for help.
Waltham completes switchover next Wednesday, which - if you are receiving from there - should correct the issue.
Do check whether the channels are somewhere else in the programme guide, say around 800 or so, because there are lots of overlaps between transmitters in this region. Your box might have stored weaker signals from another transmitter at the advertised channel numbers. If so, see Digital Region Overlap for suggestions.
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KMJ,Derby: All current Ofcom documents also show ArqB on C40. "Digital Switchover
Transmitter Details, Yorkshire Region, Issue 2.0" from January 2011 has the change, as does the current version 4 of "Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting Stations for Multiplex Licences" issued on 26 July. Earlier versions of that document still had C50.
Ofcom | Digital Switchover Transmitter Details
Ofcom | Supplementary licence documents in relation to DSO
The change will be to allow something else to use C50, probably one of Waltham's multiplexes will move here after international clearance is obtained, in order to free up C61 or C62 for 4G mobiles.
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David Liddell: It's most likely that the signal levels from Belmont - which is broadcasting at high power - are sufficient for the box to store them, but not to work reliably. See Digital Region Overlap for suggestions on how to resolve the problem.
Check whether there is a working version of the missing channels somewhere else in the channel list, often around 800. If there are, these are probably the versions from Waltham.
If you have ITV1, C4 and C5 in the 800s but not BBC, check the lists at http://www.digitaluk.co.u…ment and http://www.digitaluk.co.u…tnit to see if your box is one that is known not to be compatible after switchover.
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Mr Allen: I'm afraid we don't know yet, Digital UK have not yet published dates for the Tyne Tees and Ulster regions, or given any indication of when an announcement will be made. Up to now, the announcement has come about a year before the switchover date.
It's likely that switchover will happen in two stages, two weeks apart.
You could try contacting John Askew, the Digital UK Regional Manager for Tyne Tees - see Digital UK - Tyne Tees TV region . He is also the Regional Manager for Yorkshire so is likely to be quite busy until the end of September. I'd also recommend not phoning them at present as they could be very busy with Yorkshire and Central switchovers.
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Neil Barnett: If you got worse Channel 5 from a roof aerial than from a loft aerial, why didn't you complain at the time? It might indicate that the aerial was the wrong group - you need a wideband aerial to get all the multiplexes.
Did you get the BBC channels reliably over the last two weeks? If so, the reason is probably now that you have too much signal. If you have a booster or other amplifier, remove it or turn it down. If that doesn't help, try adding an attenuator.
Signal levels from Belmont and Chesterfield also look pretty high at your location. While the aerial is designed to reject signals off-beam and from the other polarization, that rejection may not actually be enough to throw a strong signal 'down the cliff' - the received signal level could still be enough for the box to detect it.
Check whether there's another copy of the BBC channels somewhere else in the channel list, typically around 800. If so, your box may be one that tunes in the first version found rather than the best quality - Belmont is on C22, Chesterfield on C26, Sheffield on C27. See Digital Region Overlap for suggestions; a manual retune is the most likely fix. See the Sheffield transmitter page for the channels to use - note that ArqB is on C63 until 27 September.
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Chez: In Wigan, you're most likely to be using the Winter Hill transmitter. At present, the ArqB multiplex (which carries ITV4) is on low power, because it clashes with a service from Sutton Coldfield. The power restriction will be removed on 21 September, when Sutton Coldfield completes switchover.
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D Gough: 7 September, for BBC channels (except HD). 21 September, for all other channels.
Mux A is scheduled to move from C43- to C52+ on 7 September, to allow Sutton Coldfield to launch high-power BBC A on C43. I believe it will do so at 10kW, so you might get some improvement on the channels on that multiplex, for the two weeks between stage 1 and 2.
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whitbread: Should have started this morning. If your HD-Ready TV can't tune it in, see What does "Full HD Ready" actually mean? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
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Wednesday 24 August 2011 10:44AM
Skyeliner: I'm guessing you're in a location where you could get both Skriaig, or one of its relays, and Torosay, or one of its relays. Perhaps Mallaig?
The Skriaig group completed in two stages in July 2010, two weeks apart, and Torosay in two stages in October, again two weeks apart. This would explain why you still had analogue after July 2010.
I can't see any interim low-power multiplexes at Skriaig or its relays, so either the communications weren't very clear, or you're in a particularly difficult location where you can only get some multiplexes from one transmitter and the rest from another.
There can still be large overlap areas in England - larger in fact than in Scotland, where the terrain means a lot of relays are required. Yorkshire is largely covered by three main transmitters: Emley Moor, Belmont and Bilsdale. Belmont completed switchover last week, Emley Moor will do so next month, and Bilsdale is at least a year away as it is part of the Tyne Tees region. Some viewers may still be able to get analogue from Bilsdale, but if you were expecting to get news from Hull (Belmont group), and you can't, you likely have a problem. If you were expecting news from Leeds (Emley Moor group), that switches over on the 7th of September (BBC digital channels, except HD) and the 21st (all remaining channels).
Belmont's coverage area stretches right down into Cambridgeshire and north Norfolk. There are a few two-channel relays of Tacolneston in north Norfolk, which provide BBC One for Look East and ITV1 for Anglia Tonight to viewers who can't get the service directly from Tacolneston, but can get clear reception of the Yorkshire/Lincolnshire news services from Belmont.