All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Paul Shipgood: I should imagine that the reason why these and some others such as Dave are not on Freesat is due to the fact that they are available via the satellite subscription service operated by Sky.
These channels are operated purely on a profit-driven basis and therefore perhaps they see it as better for them to generate revenue from Sky subscribers through subscription fees and advertising.
As you are in a full Freeview area, then why not view them via terrestrial TV? Surely it is good practice to have a back-up incase of failure. As you used a terrestrial aerial before switching to Freesat, you must have one, so why leave it disconnected?
| link to this comment |
Ian Crowther: You will be able to view it via satellite.
Or if you are in a location where you can receive from one of the English transmitters, then you may be able to have another aerial installed.
| link to this comment |
Frank: Are you receiving from Waltham?
The first thing I would do is check that it is tuned to the correct transmitter for all services. It may have opted for Sutton Coldfield, for example.
You can check what it is tuned to if it gives this information. I found this manual but cannot see where it gives the signal strength:
http://www.tescotechsuppo….pdf
The information you're looking for is usually given on the signal strength screen. If it isn't mentioned in the manual, it could still be there, it's just a poorly written manual.
The signal strength screen usually gives the UHF channel (equivalent to frequency) that it is tuned to.
Focus your attention on the following six services (or five if it does not have HD):
BBC One - Waltham=C61 (Sutton Coldfield=C43)
ITV1 - Waltham=C54 (SC=C46)
BBC One HD - Waltham=C58 (SC=C40)
ITV3 - Waltham=C29 (SC=C42)
Pick TV - Waltham=C56 (SC=C45)
Yesterday - Waltham=C57 (SC=C39)
I've given the channel numbers for Sutton Coldfield so you can see if any are tuned to it.
If it turns out that it is picking up Sutton Coldfield when it should be choosing Waltham, then run the automatic tuning scan with the aerial unplugged up to 60%. This will miss out Sutton Coldfield because it uses lower frequencies than Waltham (except for one of Waltham's).
According to page 18 of the manual I linked to, the Technika sets have a Manual Search option. Use it to tune to C29 to add ITV3 from Waltham.
Having performed this retuning, you can then check to see that the channels are tuned correctly, as described above.
It may also be useful for you to know that the services are broadcast in groups. See under the heading "After switchover configuration" on this page (you may need to refresh by pressing F5 if you are using a PC in order to see the graphic):
Freeview multiplexes | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
For example, the "SDN" signal that carries ITV3 also carries ITV2+1, 5*, 5USA and others. That's why I suggest that you concentrate on getting the the first in each group correct.
| link to this comment |
Maurice: The programme channels (services) are broadcast in groups. See under the heading "After switchover configuration" on this page and identify which are missing (you may need to refresh to see the graphic):
Freeview multiplexes | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
If the box and the TV are connected to the same aerial and there is just one aerial, then at least one of them is not tuned to the transmitter to which the aerial faces if BBC One and/or ITV1 are different regions. Transmitters only broadcast one region, hence this tends to suggest that something may be tuned incorrectly.
I should point out that ITV1+1 and ITV1HD carry different regions for some regions because there are less variations of them, so don't read anything into them being "wrong".
The first thing I would always do is check that the channels are tuned to the transmitter to which the aerial faces. Automatic tuning sequences are in no way infallible and in particular areas where signals from more than one transmitter can be picked up, relying on them can mean poor reception because the signal is being received from a direction other than which the aerial faces.
| link to this comment |
George: Yes, 27th is the date that all services from Sudbury are due to go up to their full final power (finally!).
| link to this comment |
David: You are not getting two different signals from one transmitter. You cannot be getting BBC South from Crystal Palace because it broadcasts BBC London!
If the BBC South signal is coming from Hannington (the signal strength screen will say it is tuned to C45), then run the automatic tuning scan and unplug the aerial when it gets to 30%. This will have the aerial plugged in for Crystal Palace and unplugged for Hannington and a few other transmitters that "may perhaps" be available to you.
Looking around the streets on Streetview there are quite a few aerials on Hannington, so you may be able to get it if you want BBC South and Meridian.
Failing that you may be able to pick up from Hemdean, which is a relay of Hannington, although it doesn't carry the Commercial channels. A way round this may be to combine the Crystal Palace aerial with a Hemdean one or if you can receive from Hannington directly, you could always retain your CP aerial and combine with a Hannington one to give you BBC South, ITV Meridian, BBC London, and ITV London.
| link to this comment |
David: From what I can see on the map, you're a little low lying of Burghfield Hill. The trees beyond there look to be in the line between the transmitter and you and they appear as if they may be on the brow of the hill over which the signal comes. If so, then they are probably a detriment to your reception.
Those living in the valley in which the Thames runs also look to be affected with regards poor to non-existant reception from Hannington. This probably explains why Hemdean transmitter was built.
You are of course near to the Kennet, so that explains why your area might not be so good.
| link to this comment |
David: One other thing to point out is that Hannington's Commercial multiplexes (known as "COMs") are not as strong as the Public Service Broadcaster (PSB) ones. Hemdean relays Hannington's PSBs, but does not transmit the COMs.
So you may find that you can receive Hannington's PSBs but not its COMs. If you are unable to receive Hannington's COMs, then its PSBs are also available from Hemdean (as it is a relay).
If you combined the Crystal Palace aerial (assuming that you can receive CP's COMs), then you will be able to watch Hannington's PSBs and the COMs.
For a list of multiplexes, see this page under the heading "After switchover configuration" (you may need to refresh to see the graphic):
Freeview multiplexes | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
BBCA, D3&4 and BBCB are the PSBs and SDN, ArqA and ArqB are the COMs. BBCB is the HD multiplex.
| link to this comment |
Robert: As a non-professional like yourself, I wonder if 6dB attenuation is way too low for your location. Have you tried a higher level such as 24dB?
Perhaps the aerial cable is picking up more signal, particularly if it is not low loss and if it is the thin flimsy stuff you get on set-top aerials.
| link to this comment |
Friday 1 June 2012 9:11PM
Maurice: The Philips will work in 8k mode and I think that it's safe to say that a recent TV will do as well. Silly question, have you perform a rescan? If that hasn't worked, maybe a factory reset or some other type of reset?
Are you using the Tunbridge Wells transmitter?
What transmitter is your son using? Does he have more than one aerial (facing different transmitters) connected together?
If it is Sandy Heath he is using, then ITV3 changed channel on 9th May, hence a retune is required.
Does he receive Pick TV and Yesterday successfully?