menuMENU    UK Free TV logo Archive (2002-)

 

 

Click to see updates

All posts by jb38

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


David Ironside: The question would be where are you located? although if the mast you are referring to is a main station then the reason for your problem could be due to severe signal overloading, as that can cause "exactly" the same symptoms on a TV / box as does a weak signal, so "if" main station does apply then for a test try a short piece of wire pushed into the inner part of the aerial socket and see if the BBC returns.

This provided you haven't carried out a re-scan since it disappeared, as if you have then re-scan with the wire.

link to this comment
GB flag
J
Upgrading from Sky to Freesat | Freesat
Tuesday 20 December 2011 5:02PM

Lynn Metcalfe: The previous occupier either had Sky+ or a Freesat PVR, as both devices require two inputs.

If you intend to purchase a Freesat box then only one connector is used, but if you decide on the aforementioned Freesat PVR (excellent devices!) then you use both, as that enables you to record one channel whilst viewing another.

By the way the connector you see just screws (by hand) onto the input socket on the Freesat box, then you go into its menu and set it up as you would with Freeview with the exception that it will request your post code, this purely so that it allocates the correct local news channel for your location.

link to this comment
GB flag
J
Upgrading from Sky to Freesat | Freesat
Tuesday 20 December 2011 8:21PM

Lynn Metcalfe: By the way, meant also to say that if you do just purchase a standard Freesat box and not a PVR, then its perfectly OK to leave one of the leads unconnected, as these leads are totally independent of each other so you can use any one of the two for a Freesat box.

link to this comment
GB flag
J
Feedback | Feedback
Tuesday 20 December 2011 9:34PM

John C: Thanks for the update. If you can view BBC channels on the Humax then the problem is obviously associated only with your TV, provided that is the set is fed from the same aerial.

What I would like you to try is feeding the aerial straight into the TV then carrying out a factory re-set, this being followed by a manual tune scan made on Mux Ch61 which is Rosneaths BBC mux, giving an update on the result.

By the way I checked one of my lists and your model isn't on it, however I do know that Sony did put out another information sheet some time back regarding BBC reception problems on a range of models made in the same era as yours, this being the list I haven't found as yet, but hopefully tomorrow, although if you have been receiving the BBC channels until recently I have my doubts if the problem mentioned on the list is really connected to yours.




link to this comment
GB flag
J
Freeview reception - all about aerials | Installing
Wednesday 21 December 2011 8:08AM

Geoffrey Dannell: Your area can receive signals from both Waltham and Sandy (Anglia) so you really have to determine where you are receiving your signal from, i.e: whether your news service is East Midlands today / Central East or alternatively BBC Look East / Anglia West.

I am in the Stamford area and likewise receive signals from both sources and cant really say that I have noticed anything unusual recently, but as Dave Lindsay has mentioned some transmitters are on lower power (from both stations) and so you have to indicate which programmes you are having intermittent problems with.

Another factor exists concerning your locality that could also play a part in this type of problem, that being its nearly impossible to receive a signal from either station that doesn't have trees somewhere along its path, and this is another type of thing can cause problems, especially if the signal source is from one of the transmitters that's temporarily operating on lower power.

link to this comment
GB flag
J
Feedback | Feedback
Wednesday 21 December 2011 1:13PM

John C: Well that's good news as far as your Sony is concerned, because I managed to have a look at the list referred to and didn't see any "V" models mentioned, but on the subject of the Humax I suspect that due to its tuner being particularly sensitive its possibly picking up signals from one of the alternative stations that are indicated as being possible (in theory anyway) at your location, these being either Blackhill or Millburn Muir.

The Mux channels used by Rosneath are: 61 - 58 - 54(HD) - 53 - 57 - 60, so whilst on one of the problem channels carry out a signal check on the Humax and cross check it with the channels given.

The channels used by the other two mentioned being:

Blackhill - 46 - 43 - 40(HD) - 41 - 44 - 47

Millburn Muir -42 - 45 - 39(HD)

Maybe you also give an indication of the signal strength being received on the Humax, because these are good boxes for assessing signals on.



link to this comment
GB flag
J
Feedback | Feedback
Wednesday 21 December 2011 5:05PM

John C: Although being unaware of the Humax model involved I would class 77% strength on a Humax box as being perfectly OK, didn't it show any tendencies for this type of erratic behaviour before you made alterations to your aerial? but no matter whether it did or not I would be inclined to carry out a factory reset on it to enable you to start afresh, as some glitch could have corrupted the operating system and its always best in cases like that to scrub everything.

Rosneath (@ 9mls) appears to be reasonably line of site from you albeit across water (Google earth not at its best today) so in theory you should get a good signal from there, but maybe you could do as suggested and factory reset the Humax, then manually tune in each of the multiplexes for Rosneath, this to ensure that its only receiving them and nothing else.

Maybe you could also indicate the model of Humax involved, plus whether or not you are daisy chaining the aerial into the TV.




link to this comment
GB flag

Bob: Nice to know that, but Breckland covers a very large area and a few test p/codes I tried all indicated reception of Tacolneston as being excellent in all of them, albeit Sandy not! so purely out of interest as well as for reference purposes, maybe you could provide the first part of your post code to at last get a rough idea of your locality, as I cant help but feel you are in a lucky spot for reception.

link to this comment
GB flag

Gary Bayliss: The most likely explanation, and something which has caused problems for many people living North of London, is because at the end of August Sandy's SDN transmitter started to use the same channel number (Ch31) as Crystal Palaces low powered HD service, this being on a temporary basis until next April when it (Crystal Palace) changes over to high power operation on Ch30 as well as Sandy's SDN moving to Ch51.

link to this comment
GB flag

Hayden: This facility is shown in the tuning menu if the TV / box has scanned for channels and has picked up signals from more than one source, so if you are not sure whether or not your TV has this facility you will need to carry out a factory re-set then first time scan, which on completion you will get the choice you referred to "if" it has that facility.

Otherwise the only other way of obtaining East Midlands is to once again carry out a factory reset but do "not" let it auto-tune, as you require to carry out a manual tune of Ch61 (storing whatever received) then do the same again but this time on Ch54, these being BBC1 and ITV1 used by Waltham, and which by the way indicates similar results for reception using the p/code given as from Sutton Coldfield, that of being excellent.

However as far as Derby is concerned even although its only 8 miles away its not shown as being possible to receive it at your location, not that you would really want it anyway is its a Freeview "light" PSB only station. (restricted channels)

You can tell who is receiving it though by observing their aerial, if the elements are pointing up and down its Derby, as all main stations use horizontal polarization.

Once you have obtained the BBC and ITV channels desired, use the "add channels" (or whatever its called on your menu) to regain the remaining channels.

link to this comment
GB flag