All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Liz parkins: Are you using some form of amplifier (booster)? If so then it might have failed. The power light being illuminated doesn't mean that it is functioning correctly, it just means there is power going into it.
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Paul Alley: With analogue there was one signal for each service. So previously transmitters broadcast four analogue signals, or five for those which carried Channel 5.
With digital broadcasts a single signal carries multiple services, it being known as a "multiplex" or "mux".
The mux that carries BBC One HD, BBC Two HD, ITV HD and Channel 4 HD had spare capacity. It was offered to Channel 5 which declined so it fell to the BBC. For that reason BBC Three HD (and CBBC HD which timeshares) is available everywhere that the other BBC channels are available.
BBC Four HD/CBeebies HD, BBC News HD and Al Jazeera HD are carried on a multiplex of their own, COM7, which is to be carried by only 30 transmitters.
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Nicki: Your bedroom television must be able to receive analogue pictures which are the type of broadcast used prior to terrestrial switchover to digital (Freeview). Retuning the digital part will achieve nothing.
Knowledge of the model number should allow checking of whether the TV has capability to receive analogue. If the user manual can be found online it may be possible for us to indicate what you need to do in order to view the output of the Sky box.
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Mils Cook: Which transmitter are you tuned to? Have you confirmed that you are tuned to the best one (for BBC at least)?
Looking at your location, Heathfield is probably your most likely. Crystal Palace is 27 miles away, which in itself isn't necessarily impossible with an indoor aerial, except for the fact that the ground is blocking any line-of-sight at Botley Hill, just the far side of the M25.
I would therefore check that BBC One is tuned to UHF channel 52 (722MHz) by viewing the signal strength screen. If you're getting BBC One London, and it's tuned to UHF channel 23 (490MHz), then the signal is coming from Crystal Palace.
Check to see whether ITV is coming from Heathfield (C49) or Crystal Palace (C26).
If it's Heathfield that you're using then at 6.3 miles use of an amplifier could potentially result in a signal that is too strong. A signal that is too strong may appear the same as one which isn't strong enough: strength and quality dipping.
Heathfield is on a bearing of 145 degrees (a bit clockwise of south east), so consider how you might best site the aerial to give the clearest view in this direction.
If you have space in the loft then you might find that a loft aerial might be better, if indeed this is not what you are using.
What may be causing difficulty (in addition to the draconian "no external aerials and dishes" rule) are the trees, including those the other side of Beacon Road which are on the line between you and the transmitter.
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Mils Cook: Of course, I should add that the UHF channel or frequency in MHz which is tuned is usually given on the signal strength screen.
You might like to check the rest:
ITV3 | Heathfield=C42 | Crystal Palace=C25
Pick | Heathfield=C44 | Crystal Palace=C22
4Music | Heathfield=C41 | Crystal Palace=C28
There is no need to check the others as they are carried on the above channels (except for HD services).
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Trevor Dobie: You have posted the same question several times before and in each instance I've provided you with the answer. Please extend the courtesy of actually reading these answers rather than asking the question again and expecting a different answer.
Can I stop paying Sky and use my satellite receiver to get Freeview ? | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice
15th May 2013 retunes for Yorkshire coast and Dorset, Wiltshire, Isle Of Wight | 4G-at-800 | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice
Want to see upcoming DAB transmitters or local TV areas? See UK Free TV | About UK Free TV | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice
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Sean: I think you've done well to get a reply from Arqiva, and such a comprehensive one at that. Of course, it isn't the answer you wanted but it is an answer nonetheless.
COM7, according to Digital UK Coverage Checker, is at 23.7kW whereas COM4-6 are 50kW. Is it not possible to use horizontal polarisation, perhaps with some degree of amplification?
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Bob Mannix: The C42 signal is coming from Hannington. It needs tuning to C60, for Oxford, instead.
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Saturday 11 January 2014 12:58AM
sarah cowan: Connect the Sky box to the TV with a scart lead.
Feed the aerial directly into the TV. There is no need to feed it into the Sky box as this isn't required for this setup. The terrestrial aerial socket in and those out should be left unconnected.