All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Michael: I found the instructions for the device in question here: http://www.topuptv.com/as….pdf
Perhaps the PVR's "loss of signal" icon (detailed at the bottom of page 32) is indicating where signal level is almost low enough for it not to work.
It would appear that there are two main transmitter possibilities at your friend's location: Bluebell Hill and Crystal Palace. A look on Google Streetview shows most are on Crystal Palace with a few on Bluebell Hill.
Based on what I can see (with no experience of the area in question), perhaps your friend's location is getting towards the outer edge of Crystal Palace's current pre-switchover (and therefore low power) digital signals' coverage.
If the aerial is on Bluebell Hill, then the aerial *may* need replacing due to the frequencies used. If the aerial faces Bluebell Hill, then I can elaborate why it may need replacing.
Before any of this, the first thing I would do is confirm that the receiver is tuned to the transmitter to which the aerial faces (and not the other one). If it isn't tuned correctly, then poor reception is to be expected.
Page 29 shows the "Tuning Information" screen. It shows "frequencies" in the form of UHF channel numbers. For Crystal Palace they are 25, 22, 32, 34, 29, 28 and for Bluebell Hill they are 59, 24, 27, 42, 39, 45.
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Robert: Probably not because the Commercial broadcasters have opted to transmit from about 80 sites nationwide thereby achieving 90% coverage of the population.
The Commercial operators were invited to increase their coverage, but declined. There are around 1000 or so small relay transmitters including Buxton. For the Commercial operators to broadcast from them would roughly double their transmission costs.
For a fuller explanation, see Will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
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Brian Springthorpe: Look at the Winter Hill coverage map above. It should be receivable along Wales' north coast and the east of Anglesey.
See the full list of TV services (excludes radio) after switchover:
Freeview multiplexes | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
This shows the six groups or "multiplexes" (or "muxes" for short) as they're known. Three of them are Public Service Broadcaster (PSB) muxes, these being BBC A, D3&4 and BBC B. The other three are Commercial (COM) muxes, which are SDN, Arq A and Arq B.
For each COM mux, see if the first programme channel exists in order to see if that mux exists. So look for ITV3, Pick TV and Yesterday, each of which is part of SDN, Arq A and Arq B, respectively.
Try manually adding each one. As your mother seems to have good reception of Winter Hill (albeit off the back of the aerial), then that might be worth trying.
For manual tuning, channels are:
ITV3 Llandona=C43 / Winter Hill=C58
Pick TV Llandona=C46 / Winter Hill=C61
Yesterday=C50 / Winter Hill=C55
For those that already exist, it might be worth looking to see what UHF channel they are coming in on so as to work out what transmitter they are coming from. This information is usually given on the signal strength screen.
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Mr G .ANDERSON: No, these are part of the Commercial multiplexes which are carried by around 80 of the largest (by number of viewers) transmitters and achieve a 90% coverage of the population.
See Will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice for a fuller explanation.
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Wendy: You will need to ensure that the TV you buy has an analogue tuner in. That is the "old" system.
In order to watch your Sky box you will have to select the analogue part of your new TV.
As the five analogue channels you have at the moment are on Freeview, you may just not bother tuning them in on the analogue part of your new TV. If you put your Sky box on analogue number 1 (instead of BBC One analogue), you will just need to press the button that switches to analogue in order to watch Sky.
If you want help, let us know the model number that you intend to buy and we should hopefully be able to find the specification to see if it will work with your Sky box.
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Bob: See
Digital UK - Planned Engineering Works
Hastings Digital TV is "Liable to interruption".
Looking at Postcode Checker - Trade View suggests that after switchover Heathfield will "Good" at your location. All others, including Hastings are "variable". Indeed, some of Hastings' multiplexes are predicted as being "poor".
According to this plot, you have clear line of sight to Heathfield (assuming no local obstructions):
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
It's probably best to see how it goes, being mindful that Heathfield might be a better bet come switchover if Hastings is not perfect.
The switchover dates for Heathfield and Hastings are the same: 30th May and 13th June.
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dave williams: The issue this site has with respect to accurate prediction of coverage is that the powers that be won't release the radiation patterns for a whole host of transmitters, including Storeton.
A radiation pattern gives an indication as to the level of signal that will come out in each direction.
The calculation for the coverage therefore probably assumes an omnidirectional pattern which Storeton is not:
mb21 - The Transmission Gallery
This probably explains why nothing is shown at all for Storeton (Granada) by the Digital UK Tradeview system at your location, not even a "poor" prediction.
Looking at the coverage map for Winter Hill, there is a drop-off before the Dee Estuary, which would suggest that the land goes downwards. Looking at the contours, you are probably at lowest level before the water.
I also see your problem as I had a look at Google Streetview of your road! The tall aerial masts tell the story and Stratford Road is even lower down than West Vale.
Your area is predicted to get excellent reception from Moel y Parc, but as you are in England would like to watch English TV.
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Tuesday 13 March 2012 12:05PM
Joanne: Are those strengths out of a hundred? They are very low and perhaps suggest that jb38's comments above about too strong a signal might be right.
Too strong a signal is often reported by receivers as too weak a signal. It's a bit like someone shining a bright light in your eyes; you would tend to close them and therefore not see anything.
See here:
Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
If you have a booster, then you should remove it.
Are you using a roof-top or external aerial?
If you are using an outdoor aerial, try removing the aerial plug and holding it close to the aerial socket, observing the signal strength meter. Give it ten seconds or so to adjust but see if it increases when you do this.