All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
martin: BBC One, BBC Two, BBC News etc are on UHF channel 67 from Limavady, so try manually tuning to that channel if the set allows.
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martin: I would also like to suggest, if only to test, connecting the TV directly to the aerial, i.e. so it doesn't go via other box(es) such as a recorder and Sky box.
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Peter B: Channel 37 should be clear for you to use but this may change in the coming years when the authorities finally make up their minds as to what is going where.
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sparky: I can't answer your questions as I', not that up on these things (perhaps jb38 or someone else can help). I am surprised that the user should have to set something like bandwidth manually; I would expect these things to be set automatically.
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Steve Cheshire: I can't help you with regards an installer in your area. Personally I would search the internet. Someone who has a website and one which looks as though they know and have an interest in what they're dealing in.
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John Nutt: It appears that the issue is as I suspected; that your box will not receive channels with a negative offset and in 8k mode.
Basically, signals are transmitted on channels. Each channel is at a particular frequency. This channel from Crystal Palace has a negative offset which means that the signal is at slightly lower frequency than the "centre" frequency of channel 28.
After switchover, signals use 8k mode rather than the former 2k mode.
See this bulletin from Digital UK:
http://www.digitaluk.co.u….pdf
There was a firmware (similar to software) update for your model.
If came across this page on the Vestel T810 (which your model is based on):
Unofficial Vestel PVR Information (UK) - T810 Freeview Recorder
Google various terms such as vestel t810 negative offset. You may be able to confirm that the firmware version you have (it will tell you somewhere in the menu system) is not the most up-to-date.
I am not sure whether there is a way of updating the firmware now it's not broadcast over the air. Perhaps one of the pros on here could advise.
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sparky: The signals from Hemel Hempstead cannot interfere with those of Crystal Palace. They can, however, be stored as the "main" channels but this may only happen at the automatic tuning stage when the box makes its "decision" as to which BBC One to go with, which ITV1 to go with etc.
You can eliminate the possibility of picking up Hemel Hempstead by unplugging your aerial during the tuning scan when it gets to 30%. All of HH's channels are above this and CP's are below.
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nick: This effect is caused by the Commercial broadcasters being allowed to operate in a way that suits them. They transmit from 81 of the largest sites (largest by viewer population) and achieve a 90% coverage of the population. To transmit from the other 1,000 or so small relays would roughly double their costs of transmission whilst only adding 8.5% of the population to their potential viewer base. Clearly they don't think this is worth the outlay. 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
There is no financial help for any viewer who needs to upgrade their aerial or install Freesat in order to receive more channels. If there was, then I think that that money should have been given to the Commercial broadcasters as a subsidy to cover the less profitable areas.
Looking at Digital UK, it would seem that the only transmitter that may give you the full service is Crystal Palace. As your road slopes, some houses are lower than others and therefore may be blocked from getting enough signal from Crystal Palace. So what can and can't be received could vary house by house.
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Nick: Whilst it is correct that Tacolneston has a taller mast, having checked on your post code (obtained from an earlier posting) with Digital UK Tradeview Sudbury is better than Tacolneston.
All of Sudbury's Commercial channels are on low power until 27th June. On that date all will go up to 100kW, the same as the PSBs. The disadvantage of Sudbury is that it requires a Group E or wideband aerial as PSBs are Group B and COMs Group C/D.
The prediction for four of Tacolneston's muxes go from "variable" to no reception in June which coincides with switchover at Dover where three of the four affected muxes (the three Tacolneston PSBs) are co-channel. The other two COMs are "poor".
The Megalithia tool that shows terrain to transmitters shows that you, theoretically have line of sight if your aerial is at 10m above ground:
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
However, for a number of miles, the trace passes within metres of the ground.
The one for Sudbury is much better:
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
A look on Google Streetview shows aerials on Sudbury with very few on Aldeburgh. As a non-professional, looking at this information, I firmly believe that you need to try for Sudbury.
As I say, you will probably have to wait until the end of June.
For information on aerials, see A.T.V (Aerials And Television) TV Aerial, DAB Aerial, FM Aerial.
ATV has a page with advice for Sudbury: A.T.V (Aerials And Television) TV Aerial, DAB Aerial, FM Aerial. sudburytx.html
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Friday 20 April 2012 11:23AM
martin: It is likely that in October, it will work OK for you. So anything you do (sand spend) now (if there is anything to improve matters), will be likely to be purely to affect reception between now and October.
If your new TV has some sort of in-built booster then you could try that.