All posts by Ed
Below are all of Ed's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
I have tried everything now. I still can't get any channels on the same mux as itv. I get all the others but on those channels it's no signal. If I'm getting all other channels, and those missing were working last week, I can't see it being my aerial, which is new anyway. I've checked everything. Now I've rescanned, the channels are totally gone. I have great signal on other channels so aerial alignment shouldn't be an issue. My postcode is WD19 7RA and I'm fresh outta ideas now :(
H E L P
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yes channel 22 is a definite issue, but it isn't down to one box. The digi box in one room has the problem, but so too does the kitchen tv, which has built in digi. I have tried to pick up hemel, but I can not receive hardly anything and I did switch the aerial polarity.
I'm at a loss here :(
Even though the channels are all from the same transmitter, 22 in particular has always been very weak compared to others. For example, channel 34 is 100/90. The best I could ever get on 22 was 100/62 and that was on a good day. Channel 22 was also often prone to fluctuation, going from say 100/62 to 80/30.
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yes already using a booster. So when switch over happens, the signals will be much stronger? Why they haven't done that from the start seems a bit silly, most people will want to be ready well before that time.
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OK done a bit more investigation to my problem. Layout = roof aerial, feeding into amp in loft - feeding to two televisions. One TV uses external freeview, other is built in and has its own amp in the set I believe. The tv with built in freeview was seeing channel 22 yesterday but weak, freeview box nothing, no signal displayed. I disconnected the aerial lead, and fed it straight into the co-ax going to the freeview box. BINGO, signal time. Only getting 98/58 - 98/62 but its there. BBC is 100/68. The tv with built in freeview doesn't get 22 at all now, but this one did yesterday, very weak tho. So at the moment have aerial running into 2 TV's directly and the co-ax are direct connections, no components splitting them etc. Anyway, Does a tv with built in amp overload the loft amp? damaging it. Got to buy a new amp, but don't want it to burn out again. This one has lasted a year.
Many many thanks
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Thanks. Yes the aerial lead was fed directly from the aerial into the freeview box.
The amp is a mains powered box in the loft with an aerial-in port and 4 output ports, but just two are used. I don't think it is too strong because it has an adjustable pot, and turning it down weakens the signal to the no-signal point, whereas right up gives around 100/80 on channel 22, with no fluctuations or interference. I have a philex 48 element on the roof which I hope is adequate, it's the biggest in the street. No mast amp but says it has a 15db gain.
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Briantist
"Ed: You wouldn't need to do the switchover if the signals were already strong"
I thought the switchover was analogue to digital? What I'm saying is, everyone isn't going to do the magic switch from A to D on a particular day, it would be a real mess. It's better to have a time span to iron out problems etc which is what's happening. But why not have a nice powerful signal now? There are people out there buying huge amps, boosters, and paying experts when it's due to the signal being lower than it will be in April. I wasn't aware of this either, so you can guarantee millions of others aren't. Is it simply to save money on the power output?
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I can't wait for the switch over. Having said that, I have done a LOT of investigation on my system today and installed a new amp. The new amp actually got the freeview box working MUCH better, but the set with built in freeview still didn't work :( However, I pulled the aerial out the back of the tv, and inserted a freeview box into the circuit. Still no signal at all on channel 22. This eliminated the TV and only one possibility remained, the wire itself. I unplugged the co-ax from the tv, AND from the amp and did a continuity test across the co-ax plug in the loft. It was shorting. I took the co-ax plug off and the short disappeared. Everytime I put the plug back on, the short re-appeared. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. There is a tiny screw in the centre plastic section to hold the copper core steady. This was rubbing on the plugs outer metal case and shorting. I removed the screw and the short was gone. The signal on the built in freeview is now great and the signal on the freeview box has also increased. I must have been getting other channels just by having the wire as an aerial. Anyway, headache over, such simple faults are nightmares.
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Saturday 16 July 2011 4:15PM
Mux 2 and A on my freeview are driving me nuts now. It works great for a couple of weeks then WHAM, nothing but splutter. My Wife has me continually checking the aerial, but nothing has changed. We do get birds landing on trees but that's about it. I live in South Oxhey and so how can the signal be great one minute and not the next. What the heck are we paying licence fees for if we can't even watch tv?
I get sick and tired reading there's no maintenance work, but that can be the only explanation. So NO MORE LIES, just be honest.