All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Terence: If you're looking at DIYing, see www.aerialsandtv.com for the products that the professionals install, as well as information to help you with the task.
You won't find a single aerial that will work with both because aerials are directional and polarised.
It might be a good idea to use double-screened cable, particularly for the Heathfield aerial due the older stuff having greater loss and reception not being good.
ATV has a page on Heathfield, although the recommendations are somewhat out of date now as it was previously Group C/D and now is Group B:
Heathfield Transmitter
In particular, see also:
Satellite, Television, FM, DAB, Aerial, Coaxial Cable, Plugs, Sockets, Connectors & Leads
Online TV Splitters, Amps & Diplexers sales
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julie: Bring up the signal strength screen whilst on BBC One and check that it is tuned to UHF channel 50 (706MHz).
If it is not, then say what it is and I may be able to suggest a workaround. You could confirm that other receivers are tuned to C50 for BBC One.
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Tony Lewis: I situations such as this it is very helpful to know your location and what transmitter you are using. If you don't know which transmitter, then a location and direction of the aerial should allow it to be deduced.
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Tony Ashby: Could you receive Freeview before switchover?
I am wondering whether your reception is marginal and therefore the COMs will be subject to being hit and miss.
What happens when you bring up the signal strength screen? Is Dave on the TV and what is the strength for it?
What is the strength for ITV3 and Yesterday as well?
ITV3, Dave and Yesterday are all carried on different multiplexes (different signals) and these are less robust and not as strong as BBC, ITV1 etc.
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Dave Gamble: COM4 (which carries Quest and ESPN among others) is on low power from Heathfield and will remain so until 27th when a retune will be required.
You may be able to use manual tuning (if available) to restore it. It is currently on UHF channel 48.
For a list of Freeview services, see here (it's those with a bullet in the "E" England column):
DMOL Post-DSO Multiplex Channel Allocations
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julie: If the screen says that it is tuned to C50, then it is tuned to Dover. If it gives another number, then it is tuned to another transmitter, perhaps one that has come on air at switchover.
If it is tuned to another transmitter, then it is not surprising that reception is poor.
However, if it is tuned to Dover, then what springs to mind here is that it is overloaded with signal. Too high a signal level manifests itself as too little signal, as far as indicated signal strength goes.
When the signal level goes higher than the receiver can manage, it starts to overwhelm the tuner and the indicated signal strength will go down. Fluctuating strength and poor quality may also ensue.
The reason I suggest this as a possibility is because you say that the low power pre-switchover signal is showing as high strength. If that's registering as "high", then the post-switchover will be higher still.
If this is the cause, then the solution may be to remove or reduce the level of the booster.
Is the purpose of the booster to distribute the signal to different rooms?
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julie: "If" the problem is too high a signal level, then that needs putting right; the answer isn't to buy a new TV. The other channels will be going onto full power in two weeks time so the problem could be compounded.
I had assumed that the aerial fed directly to the booster as that's where they should really be used. I got the impression that it was put in as part of the new aerial installation and therefore that all TVs were fed via it.
A better idea of your location (preferably postcode or nearby postcode such as that of a shop) may allow better prediction of expected signal level so as to get an idea of likelihood of too much signal.
Is this a high gain aerial?
The two leads from the aerial should be connected using a splitter. Two cables should not be put under the aerial's terminals as that's a bodge-it job and who know's what's happening if they are.
As for too much signal; you can get attenuators which you connect inline with the aerial lead to bring the level down.
Is this booster connected to one of the two leads from the aerial? I should imagine that it wants removing, certainly after 27th.
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julie: At 10 miles you could perhaps have too much signal. If the booster is on the end of one of the feeds from the aerial, then it will probably be surplus to requirements after 27th.
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Gary: What's the model number of the Tosh? Some older models weren't built to the full DVB-T spec and won't receive signals that are in 8k mode which is what's used after switchover. 2k mode is used before, which is why non-BBC channels are still available.
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Thursday 14 June 2012 5:56PM
Ian Foord: SDN is on low power until 27th.
BBCB should be available. Are you sure that your receiver has a DVB-T2 tuner in and not just a DVB-T one?
A "HD Ready" TV doesn't have the means to receive Freeview HD signals. "Full HD" does not mean that it can necessarily receive Freeview HD signals, it simply means that the resolution of the HD picture that it can display is the maximum resolution of 1080p.