All posts by Michael Perry
Below are all of Michael Perry's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Mazbar
As you will see above the issue is one of software and not hardware, as I had always suspected but the user manual does not mention! As the scanning system tests showed the signal strength is more than adequate on all relevant channels. (I can't check the HD Mux as that is not available to my hardware/software.).
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Mike
Maybe the user manual for the particular TV would help? See Freeview Retune - list of manuals | Digital switchover | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice for some listed on this site.
Giving the model number helps as they vary quite a lot.
Is she on a communal aerial system? Some seem to have problems with the changed channel settings.
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Mike (Penny)
Just a thought but might seem strange at first: try doing a full scan without the aerial plugged in (that might well clear any stored channel information first). You won't get any channels found, I hope. Then plug the aerial back in and do another full scan. What do you get then?
What model is her TV?
I'm sure the transmitter is working correctly, else how do so many have no problems, but I suspect that some equipment was not designed to easily cope with all the changes they are making just to make room for 4G mobile phone data!
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For those who think their aerial may be suspect, you can test the signal strength using a simple meter, such as a Philex SLx - 27867R Digital TV Signal Strength Meter. Look on Amazon if you like (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philex-SLx-27867R-Digital-Strength/dp/B001GXQUNQ). It seems none of the meters available now can differentiate between the different signals broadcast for DTV so won't tell you if some are weaker than others.
Might be worth a try for some.
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To Rob and John
Did this only appear after the transmitter work early morning on March 27th?
Might be receivers not recognising that BBCA Mux has moved (my Hauppauge lost BBCA and had to be completely reset) so worth trying a full retune as if you are doing a fresh install but you may need to do a factory reset as well before the retune. Doesn't always work though.
Another possibility if it has always been poor on COM4 channels (see top of page) then you may have aerial/feeder problems so that reception of Chs 48 & 49 are too poor to be decoded properly.
Can you both indicate where you are in relation to the transmitter as Huntshaw Cross is known to cause some problems if in same line of sight.
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I note that the test mentioned was in an urban area that has several hills. Do you know if any such tests are planned in remoter rural areas where DTV signal strengths will inevitably be weaker and perhaps more susceptible to interference.
Interesting the Aerial Amplifiers were in use, perhaps it is the non-linearity in those that accentuates the RF interference?
Putting the filter before the AeAmp is the only way to do it.
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Hi Chloe
What have you tried and what equipment are you using? Plus what area?
The transmitter at Mendip is not faulty and is radiating a proper full strength set of programmes in the BBCA multiplex (thats all the BBC TV and radio services apart from the HD ones) and all the others as well.
So we need to help you find out why your equipment is not showing the programmes, hence the request about equipment, location, etc.
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To jb38: I never said it was the 'bee's knees' and at that price it was bound to be limited (decent ones are around £4000!). You need sufficient signal strength first and then decent quality (freedom from reflected signals, co-channel noise, etc) to allow in-built error correction to get a usable signal (strength and quality) for each Mux. Even an £8 device can show if your signal is too weak and can help correct alignment. It's not the final answer though,just a starting point.
To Chloe and Rob, et al: There cannot be a fault at the transmitter as more than 1,000,000 viewers are receiving all BBC programmes, but some (it seems they are largely to the south and south west of the transmitter site, but not always) are having problems resolving the new Muxs. Hotels, flats, some urban low-lying areas, etc may have communal aerial systems and these filter what channels are distributed and may well need adjusting (the large firm I worked for before retiring had many contracts with hotels and they all had that type of distribution equipment). Some Freeview equipment is not as well designed as we might hope and some cope poorly with the adjustments made to get 4G space. Some group C/D aerials may not be as good in the Ch 48 and 49 region as they ought to be. Some receivers need to be completely reset and all memory of what channels they used to have removed before doing a full retune as if starting from initial installation again.
So Rob: If your fellow flat dwellers are having the same problem get your housing agents to have the aerial distribution system corrected (the filters probably need resetting) and then do the full retune. (BTW, I live near Lyneham)
On a general point, can anyone shed light on why so many of the people reporting here are in the areas to the south or south west of the Mendip service area? Huntshaw Cross, in North Devon just south of Barnstaple, shares three channels, 48 52 and 56, but not 49 so I doubt that is a cause. Any ideas?
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I have written to BBC Radio and Television Reception, www.bbc.co.uk/reception, in the hope that they might come up with some help for people still having problems - I'm not holding my breath though.
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Thursday 4 April 2013 12:32PM
Are you getting the wrong BBC services? BBC1 West Country instead of BBC1 West?
Perhaps try restricting the channel search only to those relevant to Mendip (or your local transmitter). That should exclude Huntshaw Cross and others. Check your User Manual to see how to do that, but not all equipment has that facility I believe.