All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Maria: From what you describe, I gather that you have two devices with Freeview in and these being the two TVs. You do not have any other box that requires an aerial (at the moment).
Try connecting the splitter to the aerial where it comes in and connecting one output to the lead that goes upstairs and the other to the TV.
I would avoid having a splitter plugged directly into a wall socket or the back of a TV/box because it could end up damaging the socket. For example, if the splitter were to be put directly into the aerial socket of the TV, and the TV were to get pushed back against the wall, it's likely to damage the TV's aerial socket. I would connect it using one of the aerial leads (you will have at least one spare now you've disconnected the video).
A powered booster is a possibility, although as I said, it will only be of benefit until June. At that time you will be able to remove it and go back to your unpowered splitter. Remember that the booster would only be needed for those channels carried on the Arqiva B multiplex (Film4, Yesterday etc) which you are having trouble with.
The reason you might need a booster is to make the signal bigger because splitting it makes it smaller. So it's to counteract the effect of splitting it in two.
You have proved that there is sufficient signal coming from your aerial to watch Arqiva B channels (when you connected only one TV). Hence if you do get a booster with a variable control on it, it won't need to be set to high (too high could also be bad).
Your other possibility is that when you want to watch one of the affected channels, you will have to remove the splitter and only have one TV connected. It probably depends how often you are likely to watch and maybe how often you use the upstairs TV.
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heather lord: Have you confirmed that it is tuned to the channels broadcast by Winter Hill and not another transmitter?
Run the auto-tune scan with the aerial unplugged and then plug it in when it gets to 60%. That way you will have the aerial unplugged when it scans frequencies used by other transmitters and plugged in for Winter Hill's frequencies.
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hugh james: That is correct. Kilve is a "Freeview Light" transmitter and therefore only carries the "Public Service Broadcaster" multiplexes (groups of channels) which are the BBC, ITV1, ITV2, C4, E4, C5 and a few others.
BT Vision uses the Freeview service and Sky Sports 1 and 2 are carried on one of the commercial multiplexes which does not broadcast from Kilve.
The reason for this is due to the fact that the commercial operators operate on a commercial basis and not one which is to serve as much of the population as possible. For a fuller explanation, see here:
Will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
The only possibility you *might* have is if you can receive signals from another transmitter that does carry these services. As you face Wales, you might be able to receive them from one of the transmitters there, and use your aerial on Kilve for regional programming.
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Stuart O.: I keep checking the last 50 comments made on this site:
Last 50 posted comments on UK Free TV | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
I'm not one of the people who run the site, just happy to help.
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Andy: The fact that you are getting a different regional news programme tells us that your BT Vision box is tuned to a different transmitter than your Sky box. The problem would therefore be solved by rectifying the incorrect tuning.
In order to work out the best way to do this, please let us have your location, ideally by post code. Also, what direction is your aerial pointing in?
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...and $ky is allowed to get away with this; charging viewers for the privilege of using a function of their own equipment.
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Paul Camp: Crystal Palace is one of the few exceptions as the vast majority of pre-switchover digital transmitters do not carry HD services. It has been shoehorned in on Ch31 which is also being used by Sandy Heath for a low-power multiplex.
Thus, the service area (footprint if you like) of the Crystal Palace HD service is not as great as that of the other digital channels from that same station. The standard definition multiplexes are at a power of 20kW and the HD one is at 10kW.
It may be that you are suffering from interference from Sandy Heath's service and/or the weaker Crystal Palace HD service. The thing with reception of digital services is that they either they work or they don't work with a small area inbetween where it's iffy. The difference in the TV picture on analogue will be a slight decrease in quality of picture.
As it's only six months to go before switchover, there is probably little point in making any change to your aerial/cabling because it will be rectified then.
If you can't get the Crystal Palace HD multiplex on Ch31 (or it's iffy), then it might be worth manually tuning to Ch21 which is the full power (post-switchover) HD multiplex from Sandy Heath or try Ch47 which is Sudbury's HD multiplex (it has also switched). This is clearly a bodge because your aerial doesn't point in the direction of those transmitters (and hence may be subject to poor/no reception), but it might work more reliably than Crystal Palace.
If your receiver allows, you might be able to keep the HD services from other transmitters in your 800s allowing you to switch between them. I know it's not ideal, but it's probably better than not at all.
Bear in mind that the service from Crystal Palace might come back. Whatever changes (e.g. atmospheric) have occured to prevent you from receiving could go back to how they were.
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John E Miller: Loads of people have the same issue and it appears to be caused by lower transmission power on that multiplex:
Sudbury Arqiva multiplex B changes 16 November - retune required | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
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Linda Chalk: Try re-plugging the Scart lead in the back of the recorder and in the back of the TV.
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Saturday 17 December 2011 9:22PM
Bob Buckle: Sorry, I see Steve P's answered your question.
Yes, Crystal Palace broadcasts on Group A channels only.
If you're looking at DIYing, then I recommend looking at ATV Sheffield's site for loads of information:
Aerials, TV Aerial and Digital Aerial
ATV has put together a guide as to what aerial types to use for some of the biggest transmitters. Crystal Palace is here:
Crystal Palace Transmitter