menuMENU    UK Free TV logo Archive (2002-)

 

 

Click to see updates

All posts by Chris.SE

Below are all of Chris.SE's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.

C
Divis (Northern Ireland) transmitter
Wednesday 2 October 2019 3:58PM

CARL READE:

It's possible they may be simulcasting for a while (possibly on lower power?) so that people with unsuitable aerials have time to get them changed. They've simulcasted PSB1/BBCA on a few transmitters in GB when main mux channels have moved from group C/D aerial to group A.

link to this comment
GB flag

ruth watkins:

Retuning when you have no signal is not the best of ideas, it merely clear all you correct current tuning.
DigitalUK don't have any Planned Engineering listed at present and they and the BBC aren't listing any faults currently.

As it's now several hours since your previous post, I'd try a further retune as whatever the issue was, it will now be hopefully resolved. If you still have no signal try the Freeview advice line 0808-100-0288. If it continues, post back with more detail about your installation eg. do you have an aerial amplifier, it's location etc., any splitters any other TVs/boxes on the same aerial? etc.

link to this comment
GB flag
C
Freesports
Wednesday 2 October 2019 4:44PM

MIHAI MUNTEANU:

If you are talking Freeview, it's LCN64 on the COM8 mux which you should be able to receive with very good reception from the Crystal Palace Transmitter.
If you are talking satellite it seems to be High Definition FreeSports HD Astra 2E [UK Spotbeam] DVB-S2 QPSK 11426 V 29500 8/9 (but I'm no satellite expert).

link to this comment
GB flag
C
All free TV channels in the UK
Thursday 3 October 2019 10:02PM

L Parsons:

Yes, it's still on Astra 2E (28.2E), 11426 V 29500 8/9 (English) (HD) ch.205
Note it is HD, so you need an HD tuner.

link to this comment
GB flag

DAVID AYLING:

Information about the retune is here in my post of 21st September. Arqiva do not state when they will start putting the prompts up on screen for the retune but I would guess not before next weekend.

link to this comment
GB flag

Gerry Sothcott:

There have been several posts immediately before your from Transmitter Engineering.
There has been planned engineering work at Pontop Pike this week with "Possible weak signal" . Do NOT carry out a retune whilst you have lost signals as it will only remove the correct tuning of your correct channels. Wait until you have signal return and then carry out a retune and then leave things alone as the engineering work may not be complete.
The final retune event for Pontop Pike is not until 13th November see About us | Freeview for your location. Do not retune before then.

Additionally, there was a retune event on Thursday 12th September as part of the What is 700MHz clearance? | Freeview where the BBCA/PSB1 multiplex moved temporarily to UHF Channel 32.

In your location you MAY not have any problems with the retunes even if you have an old C/D group aerial,
If however you are having problems with the PSB1/BBCA channels since the 12th September due to an old aerial you MAY need a Group T (Wideband) aerial but that situation MAY improve with the final retune as the PSB1/BBCA mux moves to C39 BUT you could continue to then have issues with the COM4/5&6 and Local muxes.. If you continue to have problems then providing you don't have Satellite or Cable TV you can get free help by contacting the Freeview Advice line on 0808-100-0288

link to this comment
GB flag
C
(45/490844984)
Saturday 5 October 2019 10:53PM

BEV:
Mellow Magic is on the SDL National multiplex Block 11A 216.928 MHz.
Some of the transmitters are listed at the top of this page, so if you live near one of those you may get a coverage map by clicking on the Transmitters name. That list is not up-to-date.
Coverage details and location information for the transmitters is a bit thin on the ground. You may find the following links useful for transmitter locations -
SDL National Multiplex - RadioDNS.uk
http://tx.mb21.co.uk/maps…id=8
DAB Ensembles WorldWide | UK TII Tables
The last site can also provide quite a lot of detailed technical information about DAB Radio.
You may unfortunately not live within the coverage area of all DAB multiplexes.

link to this comment
GB flag

Mike R:

Whilst the licence fee does fund the BBC, as MikeP says it's a "permit" to watch Live TV (any channel) and use BBCiPlayer, in the UK.
Freeview is a company owned and run by BBC, Sky, Channel 4, ITV and Arqiva, see About Freeview | Freeview
(Freesat is a joint venture between the BBC and ITV plc).

Freeview Light transmitters (such as St.Just) only carry the 3 main PSB multiplexes. They do not transmit any of the COM (commercial) multiplexes and that includes the temporary HD muxes COMs 7&8, these latter two being due to close sometime between mid-2020 and 2022 (this being due to UHF spectrum being reallocated for 5G services). BBC4HD is on the COM8 mux, see Channel listings | Freeview

The Olympics was considered to be a nationally important event that was given additional channels on the COM8 mux (as is done for events like Wimbledon) but also temporarily transmitted on the BBCB HD /PSB3 mux by pinching "space" from CBBC HD and bits from other channels at times.

COMs 7&8 have already closed at some transmitters during retunes, partly for technical reasons and partly cost effectiveness. The COM muxes don't transmit from Light transmitters because the operators do not consider it cost effective for the coverage of the particular transmitter.

It's anticipated that by the time the COMs 7&8 muxes close, there'll be sufficient viewers with sets with T2/HD tuners that Arqiva will probably start converting one of it muxes to T2 (HD) which will give more space for some of the channels lost from COMs 7&8, but nothing at this time (AFAIK) has been finally decided.

If your only reliable Freeview signals are from the St.Just Light transmitter then if you want more choice you might want to consider Freesat (subscription free) see youtube-flat
If your set it reasonably new it may even have a built in Freesat tuner so you only require a Dish & LNB.
You may consider it worth a subscription service for your household like Sky, or Virgin Cable.


link to this comment
GB flag
C
Freesports
Sunday 6 October 2019 2:41PM

MIHAI MUNTEANU:

Your favourite search engine is your friend ;) This is one of many potential sources -
Help | Freeview

COM8 is/will be on UHF56 at all transmitters shortly (where it is transmitted), which is already the case at Crystal Palace.
C56 centre frequency is 754Mhz.


link to this comment
GB flag

Chris:

Putting your postcode into DigitalUK's checker About us | Freeview shows that predicted coverage at your location should be very good from the Oxford transmitter unless you have some very local obstructions etc. see About us | Freeview

The aerial should be pointing 10deg W of S with the rods horizontal.
Putting your postcode AND house number into the checker, as well as ensuring Detailed view is ticked might give a more accurate prediction.

Because of the channel changes/retune last year, problems with reception of the COMs 4/5 & 6 multiplexes, now on the lower UHF channels, may be due to having an old C/D group aerial. Ideally you may now need a group T (wideband) aerial to get all the multiplexes satisfactorily.

BUT have you checked all your internal coax connections? Unplug them all, check that they are clean and correctly connected. Whilst the aerial is unplugged, do an automatic retune, this will clear all previous and any incorrect tuning.
Plug the aerial back in and do an automatic tune. In your TV's tuning section, check that you are in fact tuned to the correct UHF channels for Oxford.

If you are still missing channels and if you have access to your aerial, check it's connections. Also check your coax for continuity etc., there may be a break in it or it may be damaged allowing water ingress.

link to this comment
GB flag