All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Jim: SDN (ITV3 etc) and ArqB are on low power from Hannington until Wednesday. They do not change channel on that date so no retune should be necessary.
The reason for this is because Guildford transmitter uses the same channels until it completes switchover on Wednesday.
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J Fergusson: The channels that aren't available in your area (from your transmitter) are the Commercial ones which operate purely on a commercial basis.
They transmit from 80 of the largest sites (largest by viewer population) and this gives them 90% reach. To transmit from nearly 1,100 small relays would add about 8.5% of the population to their potential viewerbase but it will roughly double the amount they spend on transmission. They were asked if they wished to increase their coverage and declined. For a more in-depth explanation, see here:
Will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
Freesat is probably your only way to get more channels.
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Andy Seaward: Refer to the Sharp website: LCD TV - Sharp
The specification says that it does not have the ability to receive DVB-T2 (HD) signals. It is also described as "HD Ready" which means that it can show HD pictures, but does not have in-built means to receive them over-the-air.
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Alex: This should right itself on Wednesday when the non-BBC channels go on to full power.
In the mean time, if your receiver allows manual tuning then try to tune them in that way.
ITV1, C4 etc = manual tune to C22
Dave, Food Network = manual tune to C34
For a full list of channel numbers for tuning to, see the Crystal Palace page (click the link).
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Derek: The problem could be caused by the period in between first and second stage of switchover where BBC standard definition channels are at their full final power and the rest remain at low pre-switchover power. Thus, it should hopefully right itself when you retune on Wednesday.
If you are receiving from Crystal Palace and your receiver has manual tuning, then tune to channel 32.
If you are receiving from Reigate, then manually tune to channel 24. If it's the Hemel Hempstead transmitter that you are using, then it's C68 and for Guildford you need to tune to C41.
If, having attempted to manually tune, it doesn't find anything or what is found is not strong enough, then I think you'll have to wait until Wednesday.
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jinxy209: I assume that tennants' contracts may state who is responsible, if at all, for provision of any communal aerial system.
Do you not have an aerial system already? If so, have you tried tuning in Freeview and if so, what do you get?
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Richard: I guess that it is the Commercial channels that you do not receive. These services are broadcast from 80 of the largest transmitters (largest by viewer population). They achieve a 90% coverage of the population.
You are served by one of nearly 1,100 small "filler-in" relays which the Commercial operators don't wish to transmit from. 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
Google Streetview shows what appears to be the communal aerial on the end of Newmarket Court (November 2010):
NP7 5NB - Google Maps
The aerial is pointing at Abergavenny transmitter. There is also a satellite dish, FM aerial and DAB aerial. The fact that these are all together suggests that they will be distributed throughout the building.
Have you looked for a satellite socket? There may be two sockets to enable satellite recording equipment (e.g. Sky+, Freesat hard drive recorder) to be used. I would have thought that there would be a plate with several different types of socket on for each type of aerial.
You say that the reception you have is poor. Check that it is tuned to the correct transmitter. Do this by going to BBC One and bringing up the signal strength screen. For Abergavenny it will be tuned to C49. Then go to ITV1 and bring up the strength screen and it should say C42. If your receiver is HD, they are on C45. There is no need to check the rest because, for example, BBC Two is the same as BBC One and Channel 4 and Channel 5 are the same as ITV1.
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Richard: Channel 60 is BBC from the Llanfoist transmitter, so it's not surprising that reception is poor as the aerial faces the wrong way for it.
To correct this, run the automatic tuning scan and unplug it at 61% (this should prevent picking up Llanfoist). Then having done this, check that BBC One and ITV1 are tuned to the correct channels for Abergavenny.
Satellite seems like your only bet for extra channels. If there is only one satellite socket, then I believe that this means that you can only receive one channel at a time (via satellite). In the days of recorders, I would expect that there will be two.
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Davud Bolton: Yes, the signals from Brougher Mountain will increase considerably at switchover, and yes it will be one of three transmitters in the North to carry RTÉ. See Northern Ireland "mini multiplex" (NIMM) | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
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Monday 16 April 2012 11:43AM
MAPMAN: The loss of Pick TV, Sky News and other services on ArqA was expected as it changed channel and increased transmission power on 28th March. Thus, a retune was necessary in order to restore it.
When channels don't display (i.e. "no signal") and it is not caused by a change of frequency by the transmitter, then one of the worst things you can do is retune. All you can ever achieve is loss of those services from the TV's memory or they appear as they were before. Thus the affect can only be negative or neutral and this is therefore a waste of time.
Have you considered that it may be too high a signal level and a bit of attenuation could be required? See
Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice