All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
jinxy209: If you get 5 channels using a set-top aerial, then you may be able to receive Freeview channels from tomorrow.
If you face Crystal Palace which is south west, then you have a better chance than if you don't. The higher up you are, the greater your chance of receiving signals. So if you're above the rooves of surrounding buildings and facing south-west, I think you have a good chance. If your lower down it may still work.
If the powers that be will be installing an aerial system in the coming weeks (or months), then you will need a Freeview receiver. If your TV does not have one built in, then you might as well buy one now and try it out with your set-top aerial.
If your flat faces a different direction, you may be able to receive from another transmitter. Woolwich is to your north east, although it doesn't broadcast all the channels, but it does give you more than the current five "main" channels.
If you would like some help with this, let us know some more information such as how high up you are and what direction you are facing.
| link to this comment |
Corin: I'm not a professional myself, but I agree that it appears that the current power is now greater than was previously planned.
I have seen this before; where the Ofcom document (the PDF regional ones you linked to) was out of date. These do seem to be more friendly to read than the licences one.
It seems that whoever was keeping them up-to-date isn't do as well now.
The Digital UK Newsletter has a date on and I wouldn't expect it to be updated. The Tradeview predictor system, on the other hand, is presumably updated as situations change.
| link to this comment |
Mark: It's probably the difference in strength between the now strong BBC signals and the (weaker) other channels.
Tomorrow you will have to retune again, once all the non-BBC channels have also switched to full power. So your problem should hopefully be rectified tomorrow.
| link to this comment |
Colin Newman: If I may, I offer an observation about GDB2 and GDB3 models.
I came across this previously:
http://www.digitaluk.co.u….pdf
Channel 28 is the only service from Crystal Palace with a negative offset.
If I were you, Google around as others may well have experienced the same problem.
| link to this comment |
Dermy: You are correct that the Derry transmitter on Sheriff's mountain will not broadcast Freeview until switchover in October. You should also be aware that it will only be a "Freeview Lite" transmitter as it won't carry the Commercial services; it will be for Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs) only. The PSBs being BBC, UTV, ITV2, Channel 4, E4, More 4, Channel 5 and the four HD services.
However, on looking at your road using Google Streetview I can't see any aerials on the Sheriff Mountain transmitter. Most houses have two aerials; one on Limavady and one on Holywell Hill. The former is a main UK station that carries low power Freeview now and at switchover will carry the full range of channels. The latter carries the Republic's services.
Whilst Holywell Hill and Sheriff Mountain transmitters are probably in the same direction from your location, the former broadcasts horizontally polarised signals and the latter vertically polarised ones. So for Holywell aerials will be horizontal (elements flat) as they are and this is the same as for Limavady. Sheriff Mountain aerials are vertical (elements up/down).
Try connecting a Freeview receiver to your Limavady aerial. It "may" be sufficient to receive some or all or the low power services.
Come October, you will still have to rely on Holywell for RT as Limavady won't transmit it.
| link to this comment |
Geoff Smith: If you are attempting to receive Rowridge in Haslemere then its COMs are co-channels with Haslemere's PSBs which are also co-channel with Crystal Palace's COMs.
Rowridge now broadcasts vertically as well as horizontally. 200kW for PSBs vertically and horizonatally. 50kW for COMs horizontally and 200kW for COMs vertically.
| link to this comment |
Harry Butler: On that date ArqB (Yesterday etc) on C50 will go up to full final power. If you presently get Yesterday, or it is intermittant or at least given in your receiver's channel listing, then you probably won't need to retune.
If it's not listed at all, then try manually tuning to C50. If it you can't pick it up now, then manually tune on 25th (as opposed to a full retune) and this should add it.
| link to this comment |
fatima redwan: The Commercial broadcasters' interest is profit. They have no "Public Service" obligations, unlike BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
For a more in-depth explanation of why Alexandra Palace transmitter does not carry these services, see Will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
However, if you received Freeview before switchover then you must have been picking it up from another transmitter which carried it then. Transmitters that carried it before have a full service now. So I expect that you should be able to get all channels.
Therefore "if" your aerial points at the Alexandra Palace transmitter and you got Freeview before, then it was on a wing and prayer as the aerial was facing the wrong way. If this is the case, then you probably need to have your aerial replaced with one on, probably Crystal Palace, to pick up all services.
| link to this comment |
Tuesday 17 April 2012 6:51PM
Abby: By "normal" I assume you are referring to analogue as you only make mention of the five channels available in analogue.
The first stage of switchover at the Crystal Palace transmitter happened on 4th April when BBC Two analogue was switched off. Tonight the rest will go. So if your TV does not have a digital (Freeview) tuner built in, then you will need a separate set-top box.