All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Ben Ward: Hopefully the signal strength screen gives the UHF channel that the receiver is tuned to (most do, although some don't).
As services are transmitted in groups known as multiplexes or "muxes", you only need check one service from each mux.
Bath only transmits only Public Service channels (BBC, ITV1, C4, C5 etc) so if this is the problem then it will only affect them.
BBC One should be tuned to C61 for Mendip and not C25 for Bath. ITV1 should be tuned to C54 for Mendip and not C28 for Bath. If any of these receivers are HD, then BBC One Hd should be tuned to C58 and not C22.
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Ben Ward: If this does turn out to be the case, run the automatic tuning scan with the aerial unplugged up to 50% and you'll miss out channels used by Bath and those immediately above it but be plugged in for Mendip.
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Sandra Jackson: If you receive from Holy Cross, then you will not get any of the Commercial channels because it does not transmit them. So if you have ITV3 and Pick TV, then you must be receiving from Midhurst.
The multiplex (ArqB) which carries Film 4, Yesterday, 4Music, ITV4 and others is on low power from Midhurst until 25th April. If you receive it now (albeit intermittently), then you shouldn't need to tune it in on that date as it is only an increase in transmission power.
If you have manual tuning available on your receiver(s), then there is likely no need to do a full automatic tuning scan, but instead manually tune to UHF channel 50. You could try this now as that is what it is on now, albeit at lower power.
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Eric Ogilvie: I don't think that you have chance of receiving all the Freeview channels at your location. I believe that you will only be able to receive the Public Service channels. You would probably be best advised to look at Freesat (or maybe Freesat from Sky) if you would like more channels than the basic Freeview which is available to you.
The issue is that the Commercial broadcasters (known as the "COMs") operate to make a profit first. It's up to them where they transmit from and they decided to broadcast from 80 of the biggest transmitters (by population) which gives them a 90% coverage. To broadcast from the 1000 or so small relay transmitters would roughly double their costs of transmission whilst only adding a further 8.5% of the population. When asked, they declined to increase their coverage.
For a more in depth explanation, see Will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
Unfortunately, due to the terrain, you are unable to receive from Stockland Hill which is one of the main stations that carries the COMs. Your area is served by the Preston and Weymouth relays which are Public Service Broadcaster (PSB) transmitters only.
PSB services are BBC, ITV1, ITV1+1, ITV2, Channel 4, E4, More 4, Channel 5, BBC One HD, BBC HD, ITV1 HD, Channel 4 HD and a few others).
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Dave Hunter: Have you had your C/D aerial replaced with a wideband one? SDN is the only out of Group C/D channel from Waltham.
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Dave Jones: There are two types of terrestrial broadcaster: Public Service Broadcaster and Commercial.
The channels that are not broadcast from Newtown transmitter are the Commercial ones. The Public Service Broadcasters are BBC, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
The Commercial broadcasters choose where to broadcast from. They broadcast from 80 of the largest transmitters (by population) and achieve a 90% coverage. In order for them to transmit from the 1000 or so small relay transmitters such as Newtown would roughly double their cost of transmission whilst only adding 8.5% of the population to their potential viewer base. They were asked if they wished to increase their coverage and they declined.
That is capitalism for you; if it isn't likely to produce a return it won't get done. For a more in depth explanation, see Will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
In answer to your question, the law requires payment of the Licence Fee in order to watch television broadcasts. It does not guarantee reception of any television signals by any method. The Licence Fee goes to the BBC and as the BBC is a Public Service Broadcaster, it is available to you.
So why should the BBC receive less from you because the Commercial operators do not wish to transmit from your transmitter? Why should those who the Commercial operators broadcast to have to pay more to the BBC?
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m smith: There are two types of terrestrial broadcaster: Public Service Broadcaster and Commercial.
The channels that are not broadcast from Aldeburgh transmitter are the Commercial ones. The Public Service Broadcasters are BBC, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
The Commercial broadcasters choose where to broadcast from. They broadcast from 80 of the largest transmitters (by population) and achieve a 90% coverage. In order for them to transmit from the 1000 or so small relay transmitters such as Aldeburgh would roughly double their cost of transmission whilst only adding 8.5% of the population to their potential viewer base. They were asked if they wished to increase their coverage and they declined.
That is capitalism for you; if it isn't likely to produce a return it won't get done. For a more in depth explanation, see Will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
The law requires payment of the Licence Fee in order to watch television broadcasts. It does not guarantee reception of any television signals by any method. The Licence Fee goes to the BBC and as the BBC is a Public Service Broadcaster, it is available to you.
The only thing you can do is investigate the feasibility of receiving from a main station such as Tacolneston or Sudbury that carries the Commercial channels. At 10kW, Aldeburgh must be one of the most powerful relay transmitters that don't carry the Commercial multiplexes.
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maggie reavill: If this is an analogue only VCR (i.e. it could only receive analogue broadcasts when they were available) then the only way to record digital is to use a box. However, whilst it is possible, it will mean that in order to record something the digital box will have to be set to the correct channel *and* the VCR will have to be set to record from the input that the box is connected to, e.g. the scart "AV2" or whatever it's called.
Where it is not necessary to have removable media, then a hard drive recorder would seem the best way to go.
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David J: See here for a posting from someone near to you with a similar problem (loss of ITV1, C4, C5 etc):
Single frequency interference | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
I wouldn't change aerials as the problem may well right itself on 18th April and therefore any money spent is simply to provide television between now and that date.
Try a set-top aerial if you have one. Or as you have swapped the aerial, try the old aerial at ground level, indoors and maybe outdoors.
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Friday 6 April 2012 9:39PM
Sandra Jackson: Could you be more specific with your location and/or the transmitter you are receiving from if you know it?
There are some areas that Film 4 and the other Commercial channels are not available. GU27 includes Haslemere which I know is one of those areas where reception of these channels is problematic or not possible at all.