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All posts by jb38

Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.


Val S: Just purely out of interest I wondered if there was any reason why the aerial installer didn't use Tacolneston rather than attempting to get Sudbury @ 27mls? and which as you were informed is operating with very low power on the multiplex that the programmes referred to would use, but Tacolneston @ 18mls is already on high power and is indicated on the reception predictor to having the edge on Sudbury even after it switches completely to high power operation.

Of course its appreciated that there may well be some local reception difficulties applying to your area which will not show up on post code predictors, but I was just curious.

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Gisoo: It was possibly a slip of the tongue, as its FreeSAT that you can do that with not Freeview, so its a Freesat box you require.

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Gisoo: Well I wasn't actually meaning you but the person who informed you, however either way unless you have a specific reason for wanting Freeview I would be inclined to advantage of the Satellite dish already installed and go for Freesat, as they each have their own advantages with some programmes being on one service and not the other and vice-versa.

Plus as you haven't indicated where you are located (pref: post code) your reception possibilities are not known, although even if they are good you may be in a PSB only area, but should you have knowledge of Freeview services in your area good and well, however if not then a post code will enable what's possible to be checked on.

If you click on the link that will show the comparisons between the two services.

Compare Freeview and Freesat TV | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice


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Jill: You can watch "Free to view" channels on Sky if you have a dish installed, which by the way can be any type as Sky and Freesat reception uses exactly the same dish.

The only thing is that you will not be able to use the recorder side of your box as Sky in effect never gives up control of access, and will only allow it for a subscription fee of £10.00 per month.

I dont now if you were given the box with a expired card but you dont require it anyway.

If you click on the link and scroll down that
will give an idea of what "Free to view" offers.

All free-to-watch channels | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice


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Ronnie : I fully realise your frustration about this problem, but in reality there isn't really anything that can be done by anyone that would help the situation.

You could try a test though just to see if you can pick up anything from Pontop Pike @ 25 miles away, as although its also on low power its somewhat higher than Bilsdale, especially the commercial multiplex ArqB / MuxD being on 10Kw compared to the equivalent on Bilsdale being only 1.6Kw.

To try a test on that channel without upsetting any of the channels already stored, go into your TV (or boxes) tuning menu / manual tune section and enter channel 65 (ArqA) in the box provided, but do "not" click on search or scan, because as soon as that channel is entered "if" its possible to receive it will (or should) indicate its signal strength on the scale, make a note of anything shown.

If this works try the same test again but this time entering Ch48, that being BBC from Pontop Pike and which unfortunately is indicated as poor, anyway see what comes up. I will say that obviously the aerial which you have no control over will be pointing in the wrong direction, but you might pick Pontop up on the rear (not quite though) of your aerial, giving an update on results.

The other point I wondered about is if when you lose BBC you have carried out a signal check whilst on that channel when it happens? as it might just be the case that the signal has dipped under the reception threshold of your equipment, and if this has happened then the situation could possibly be helped no end by the inclusion of an amplifier in line with your aerial socket., as that would keep the signal running at a higher level whereby any dip in signal reception would not drop under the cut out level.

By the way, the link shows what's indicated for your area, if you hover the mouse pointer over a channel number it indicates the TX power in use.

Postcode Checker - Trade View (Ch48 th)

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ross walker: Pleased that you managed to sort the cable problem out, as some cables around are barely good enough for anything other than being used for audio transmission of the non RF variety.

When you say HD to the second TV is this the 42PQ3000 you are referring to? and are you meaning feeding the HD from the Sky box to the aforementioned TV? as if you have fitted the HDMI splitter into the Sky boxes socket and the other end of the HDMI lead into the TV (42PQ3000) and selected whatever socket number you have used as the input via the remotes "input" button, then in theory it should be OK.

That said though HDMI signals do not always lend themselves to be sent over an exceptionally long cable without problems cropping up.

Anyway maybe you could confirm if this is what you are doing.

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J
Connecting it all up | Installing
Saturday 4 February 2012 3:22PM

Toni Bucior: I think you have experienced whats known as a classic case of "Murphy's law" applying, because nothing you have done can possibly cause that to have happened and the configuration of connections used is OK.

Just to verify though, I take it when you say "internal" are you meaning the one inside the casing of the DVD/VCR or is it just inside the 13amp plug?



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Steve: On having a study at your reception possibilities I cant help but feel that the fact of you having previously received the two multiplexes mentioned was more of a fluke connected to the reception conditions prevailing at the time due to atmospheric reasons, and which have now changed to your disadvantage hence your problem.

My reason for saying this is, that you are not predicted (on trade view) as being able to receive ArqB at all from Midhurst until April 12th, and with ArqA presently under the heading of poor, and although its not impossible that their powers have been backed off very slightly (everything isnt reported) its very doubtful that they have been, because its BBC2 that's subject to changes.

I cant really see anything that can be done to help the situation, as you have said that an amplifier is already being used and no other station is indicated as being possible to receive, and that includes Guildford (except for BBC) at only 4 miles away, which to me suggests you reside in a problem area for reception.

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J
Feedback | Feedback
Saturday 4 February 2012 5:11PM

roy gregory: You don't require to alter anything, as I assume that your TV will be connected to the Humax via an HDMI lead (and only!) and so when you change channels on the Humax box between HD and non HD channels the correct signal info is sent to the TV automatically, likewise if you just want to view normal Freeview on the TV you simply select "TV" on the remote control and that takes the TV off its HDMI input.

In other words you do NOT require to alter anything, its done automatically.

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J
Connecting it all up | Installing
Saturday 4 February 2012 6:42PM

Toni Bucior: Yes, it just one of these type of things that can happen at the very end of having done something reasonably successfully, an equipment breakdown! although as a long term engineer myself I know its nothing you have done that could possibly have caused it.

Anyway, maybe you could give an update once you are back in business.

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