All posts by Chris.SE
Below are all of Chris.SE's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Richie:
As you haven't given a full postcode we can't check your predicted reception, so it's possible that the engineering work mentioned by StevensOnln1 and noted at the Top of the page, is resulting in your signals being somewhat weaker than may normally be the case. Do NOT retune. Doing so could result in clearing correct tuning as you can't tune to signals that aren't there or can't be decoded.
If you have retuned, check in your TV Tuning section that you are correctly tuned to Pontop Pike's UHF channels.
As shown in the very top section of this page, the UHF channels are C39, C42, C45, C32, C34, & C35,
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David: js:
Well I just watched a fair bit of 5 News at 5, and the sound sync on both Live and recorded bits was far from "perfect". It seemed slightly worse on HD than on SD. This was similar to a selection of stuff I glanced at briefly in the last few days.
I don't have similar problems with the other main channels BBC1, ITV1 etc.
So I'll be dropping Ch.5 an email. I don't supposed it will even get looked at until Monday.
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Richie:
Hmmm. Those signal strengths do seem somewhat low even with engineering works, as your area generally should get excellent reception from Pontop Pike. Signal Quality being 100% is far more important though.
I assume you done obvious things such as check your aerial is still pointing correctly - compass bearing ~207degrees (roughly SSW) and it looks undamaged and the coax isn't flapping about in the wind.
Also check the aerial socket in the room (or the plug on the end of the coax if it comes direct), to ensure there's not water in the cable or corrosion present.
Do you have any aerial amp/splitter to feed more than one TV/Box? If so check it's still powered etc.
Now there's a couple of other possibilities.
If this is a problem that comes and goes, it could be Tropospheric Ducting that sometimes happens with high pressure and signals from distant transmitters using similar channels (Europe or UK) can travel further and cause interference. There's been a bit of it about and may get worse again late Saturday into Sunday.
Another possibility is interference from a new or upgraded mobile phone mast now operating in the 700MHz band, you may have received a postcard from Restore TV. Have you seen any new masts near you?
As you haven't given a full postcode, I can't check but put your postcode in here -
https://restoretv.uk/post…ure/
For example NE23 6JA & 6QW should have had them, but 6JN, 6JR, and 6BN supposedly not.
Even if you haven't had one, it could still be mobile interference as we know some people have not had cards when they should have, so if the problem persists over a longer period, then it'll be worth contacting Restore TV for a free filter.
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Richie:
Forgot to add, the engineering work won't necessarily be climbing masts (especially in this weather)!
It could well be work on the equipment. We don't know what was replaced or upgraded with DSO or during any recent changes for the 800MHz & 700MHz clearance. It's a good 12 years since DSO and Arqiva will want to ensure that equipment will work(hopefully until 2034 (at least) where possible.
There's been many main transmitters (and quite a few relays) that have had weeks of engineering on & off for quite some time (more than a year for some).
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js:
Excellent quality recording, picture as well as sound, no problem with that.
So what is the DVB-T2 USB device that you're using?
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david faulkner:
I'm beginning to wonder if the problem isn't consistent and varies throughout the day or just with some programmes!
It wasn't "perfect" earlier on 5 News at 5, but I had to watch very carefully, but now watching the Bridget Jones film, it's clearly out of sync which I wasn't expecting, but I'm not seeing the same problem on 5+1. Going to have to check some more.
Just for clarification, you last said it seems correct via the TV Speakers. I got the impression from your first report that the problem was evident via the TV speakers. Is the problem only obviously evident when you use your "extra" sound system? Does your friend have a similar setup?
How is this sound system connected to the TV?
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Richie:
Hi Richie, yes any filter should go before an amp otherwise you are just amplifying the interference as well! I'd get onto Restore TV and tell them you've now been getting interference issues for weeks and there's a 5G mast on the line-of-sight to Pontop Pike (they should know that anyway from their database) and with Pontop Pike having Planned Engineering, you are struggling to receive anything, so you'd like one of the free filters.
These newer filters will clobber anything in the 700MHz band and above (ie. 800MHz) basically anything above C48, so you shouldn't need both.
Have a look at the coax plug on the end of the aerial lead and check for any corrosion or water, if there's any this could indicate water getting into either the aerial connection or the coax being damaged somewhere.
Also worth trying to check there's no issue with the amp/splitter.
Check the signal strength of several of the muxes on the set with the shortest cable run from the splitter (bedroom perhaps?) then unplug all the others from the splitter and try the bedroom one in each outlet and see if there's any improvement in the figures.
Also, unplug the amp from the mains/switch it off (in case it's gone unstable and generating interference) and couple the aerial output direct to the short cable run (you'd probably need a coax coupler), if there's any significant improvement, the amp/splitter could be faulty.
Then try coupling the aerial output to your main TV feed and see what results you get.
Tell us how you get on.
PS. It wasn't "the government's ridiculous idea to sell off part of the UHF TV band" it was international agreements that affected the whole of Europe, so all those with broadcast DTV in these bands has been affected.
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BN Butterworth:
The links for Emley Moor DAB in the recent "Your comments" are getting corrupted DAB transmitter | free and easy for 22 years with that extra _(U) on the end.
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david faulkner:
I'm no expert in this area. Does the Audio output have an "Auto" setting?
Transmission is HE-AAC for the HD channels whereas the SD ones use MPEG.
Whilst I don't have an elaborate surround sound system, when ages ago I was playing about I found the Optical output gave me lip-sync issues.
I also Ineeded to use an Auto setting.
Let's hope js or someone else knows a lot more about this.
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Thursday 20 February 2025 11:36PM
nobody:
Ho hum, famous last words :(