All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
D Ruff: It would be helpful to know more about your situation. In particular, what is the model of the TV? Is it Crystal Palace that you are using?
If by "only goes to 29" means that the scan stops at C29, then I wonder if this has something to do with the fact that Crystal Palace's C28 has a negative offset and that this set can't handle it. If you provide a make and model number this might help because chances are that someone else has encountered the same problem.
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L George: If your receiver allows, try manual tuning.
Where abouts are you and what transmitter are you using? Or if you don't know which transmitter, a location and direction of the aerial should suffice.
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Colin: As Mark says, the question of where these aerials point and whether they are connected to the same cable going to one (or more) of the rooms. This will probably have a bearing on the problem.
I should imagine that Digital UK does not have a responsibility to change viewers' aerial systems where work is necessary. If you are referring to the Switchover Help Scheme, then I'm not familiar with it.
The first thing is to try and establish what the problem may be.
As I say, multiple aerials connected together to the same downlead will probably inhibit reception of the Commercial services from Sandy Heath. Prior to 9th May, ITV3 and other services on the "SDN" multiplex may well have been receivable.
This is not the same as separate aerials feeding different rooms.
Sandy Heath now uses low frequency channels and high frequency channels. Aerials fitted during in the days of four-channel analogue may well have been suitable only for low frequency (Group A channels) as those are the frequencies it used. Thus, one possibility is that the aerial may need replacing with a wideband one which will work better across all frequencies.
I and others can't help much more without knowledge of the situation. I'm not writing a long explanation with ifs buts and maybes because little information about the setup has been provided.
In particular, do you know if the aerial has been replaced over the last few years or decade?
What are these three aerials you mention and are they for three different rooms?
Are the aerials all facing the same transmitter? If not, then which transmitters (or directions) do they face? In order for the direction to identify which transmitters they are, then a location will be required.
One other factor is whether this is a private aerial system or a communal aerial system, for example in sheltered housing.
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John: Following the change on 18th April, you may benefit from changing your aerial from horizontal to vertical.
Rowridge is mixed polarisation. The Public Service channels are 200kW horizontally and vertically, whereas the Commercial channels are 50kW horizontally and 200kW vertically.
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Max: If you are using the Rowridge transmitter, then switchover has completed and it is in its final state.
Switch your aerial to vertical polarisation to improve reception of the Commercial multiplexes as they are not as strong horizontally.
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Fred STreeter: I think that the problem you have is that the Steyning relay transmitter uses the same channel as the "SDN" multiplex from Midhurst. It will stay like this until October of this year when Midhurst SDN will change channel.
See here a response I wrote to Andrew at BN44 3TB: Freeview on Midhurst TV transmitter | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
See here under the heading "After switchover configuration" (you may need to refresh by pressing F5 to see the graphic):
Freeview multiplexes | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
This gives the six multiplexes and explains which services are carried on each.
As you can see, SDN carries ITV3, ITV2+1, %*, 5USE, Quest and Channel 5+1, plus some others, including radio.
A more comprehensive list is here:
DMOL Post-DSO Multiplex Channel Allocations (BN44 3TB)
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andre: Many people are in the same position as you. The long-awaited power increase of the Commercial channels from Sudbury happens on 27th June when a retune will be necessary.
The best thing is probably to sit it out, knowing that it should be OK come the 27th.
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George Parker: The answer is probably because your receiver believes that it knows best!
As a matter of principle, I think that they should stay as set by the user. Maybe the designer was mindful enough to provide a setting in the menu somewhere to disable the annoying retuning.
I should imagine it goes on signal strength. Hopefully when Heathfield goes full power it will be OK.
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ANGRY: Before switchover, the digital signals are lower power and consequently not as strong as they will be afterwards.
This means that before switchover there will be those who can receive all channels reliably, those who find all or some hit and miss and some who can't get any.
From what you describe, your reception is hit and miss. Frustrating as it is, I'm not sure what the purpose of being angry might be. You could switch off your digital receiver altogether, which is just the same as those who cannot receive the pre-switchover signals at all. That would relieve the stress of intermittant reception.
Constantly retuning will not have any affect on whether a signal is above or below the threshold level for your receiver to work. It is a waste of time.
The best thing that you can do is leave it as it is, having tuned it in. If you are missing channels and the set has manual tuning, then use it to attempt to add them.
BBC is now on full final power and therefore is as it will be after 12th June.
Until 12th June, ITV1, C4, C5 etc is on C29, so go to the manual tune function and attempt a manual tune to C29. Depending on the design of the receiver, it may give you an indication as to whether there is a signal there (if it isn't big enough to produce a picture).
Those who cannot receive pre-switchover digital at all will now only receive BBC via digital (because it is on full power). Therefore, they will have to watch BBC Two through digital and revert to analogue for ITV1 and Channel 4. They will be able to view BBC One via analogue and digital until 12th.
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Friday 1 June 2012 10:15AM
Andy_y: At 19.3 miles from the transmitter, I think that you should try it without the amplifier.
The terrain plot looks as though you may have a good line of sight:
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
If removing the amp doesn't sort it, then connect the aerial directly to one of the feeds and see if it works OK then.