All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Corin: See
London TV channel only on Freeview could leave millions unable to view - News - London 24
If it won't work in London, then where will it work?
Granted the issue there is also a lot about there being Public Service only relay transmitters that will never carry such a multiplex. That said, there are probably many in the yellow area who won't be able to receive such a low power signal, even though they receive their TV directly from Crystal Palace.
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Fuming: I can think of two possible solutions.
Firstly a bit of attenuation to bring down the level of signals coming down your aerial cable.
One of the issues you have is that Rowridge now transmits all channels horizontally and vertically. However, horizontally the Commercial ones (the ones that you're having difficulty with) aren't as strong. Vertically they are of equal strength. The Public Service ones are the same vertically and horizontally.
It may be the case that the high power Public Service signals are acting to make your receiver less sensitive which is causing issues with picking up the weaker ones. Reducing the level of all signals at the input "may" be a solution.
Failing that, switching your aerial from horizontal to vertical should do the trick.
I suggest the attenuation route first as it's the cheapest if you would have to get someone in to alter your aerial. It isn't forced to work, but based on your distance from the transmitter may well help.
You can get variable attenuators from sources such as eBay. One such example is:
1-20dB variable digital tv aerial signal attenuator | eBay
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CWHerts: If you have a booster, remove it. Then perform and automatic retune with the aerial lead unplugged until it gets to 30%.
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mandy burnell: Have the aerial installers confirmed that the signal is coming from your aerial socket? Or do you have another TV or box that you can connect to it to see if there is a signal?
Or can you have one of your neighbours bring their TV round and try it?
There is the possibility that the lightning strike has damaged the tuner. If so, the TV may still be of use, but will require a set-top box to receive TV.
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JORDAN: Not usually.
I do remember a case of someone on here who said that he had no quality but good signal on the Commercial channels after they'd changed, so it may be possible, but very unlikely.
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Mr KN Young: My sympathies are with you.
We discussed this point a few months ago and it was clear that there will be some in the area who will no longer be able to receive from the Haslemere relay:
Haslemere digital TV transmitter | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
You are right on the edge of (or "was" on the edge of) the Haslemere relay's signal as it beams the main part of its signal in the direction of the town in the valley. Clearly this is no match for the Crystal Palace channels at your location.
I'm not a great complainer, but as a matter of principle I would probably do in this case. However, I was going to suggest that you raise this matter with your MP, but then I found out who it is...
As far as Meridian programmes goes, the Digital UK predictor isn't inspiring. It suggests Guildford and the "other" transmitter which are both London region.
If there were ever to be an outside chance of receiving from another transmitter like Midhurst, you may have even more difficulty with all those trees.
On the face of it, Freesat may be your only way of restoring your local news. I suggest it not because I want to, but because it may be your only option.
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Steve Flynn: I'm interested to learn of how you got on. Can you receive from the Haslemere relay or is there too much intereference from Crystal Palace?
A resident of Grayswood has just posted to say that he can no longer get Meridian from Haslmere:
Why do the six Freeview "multiplexes" have twenty different names? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
1837
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PurpleV: The increase in power will hopefully be enough.
If you are receiving from Bilsdale Moor, then the transmission power of the BBC signal is lower than that of ITV1, C4 etc. Also there is engineering works going on at all the transmitters that currently transmit Freeview and this is in preparation for switchover.
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Friday 27 April 2012 3:01PM
Dominic: There are a whole variety of reasons why it may differ.
The Commercial (COM) multiplexes use a less robust (less fragile) transmission mode, so if all five standard definition multiplexes have equal distortion due to signal overloading problems, then you may find that it is too much for the Commercial ones to be useable, but not the Public Service ones.
Different frequencies get bounced around and refracted to different degrees when passing through walls and other objects. Thus the affect and end result may be different for all.
Personally I wouldn't ever use a loop aerial for TV reception. All signals come from one direction (from one transmitter) and are polarised (horizontal or vertical). A loop antenna has little or no directivity or polarisation.
I have one of these Labgear aerials that I use where a fixed aerial isn't available:
Set Top Aerial Labgear | eBay
Of course, it's not forced to be too much signal. It could be too many reflections, your aerial not really having any directivity means that it may be more susceptible to picking up these. Again, if the signal received by your aerial results in all five channels being poor (battered around with reflections etc), the Public Service ones may be useable when the COMs aren't.