All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Tim Searle: See this posting in response to the same question you posed the other day:
Emley Moor digital TV transmitter | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
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des drumm: It doesn't look like RTÉ will be broadcast from Strabane. See this page:
Northern Ireland "mini multiplex" (NIMM) | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
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susie: What's the make and model of the TV? Some won't work after switchover.
Do you have any other TV or box in your house that does work?
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Dale Beattie: In general, yes, the current low power signals will be replaced with high power ones, roughly equivalent to the four analogue signals. This means that all things being equal, there will be a higher signal level coming down your aerial lead, thus splitting it is a possibility.
Have a look at ATV Sheffield for some ideas:
Television Aerial Boosters / Amplifiers, Splitters, Diplexers & Triplexers
The double screened cable, such as Webro WF100, used for satellite is advisable.
I would try the loft aerial with the digital TV now and see what happens.
I emphasise that I am speaking in general terms, but if you were to split the loft aerial and it doesn't work after switchover, then you will need a "Plan B". That could be a powered splitter (amplifier) or running one TV from the loft aerial and splitting the aerial on the chimney. Clearly the latter will require running the cable from the roof, probably into the loft. Just a thought in case Plan A doesn't work.
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Deb: I would suspect that the BBC channels in the 800s could in fact be the Midhurst ones.
Different pieces of equipment behave differently when they encounter duplicate services from adjacent transmitters.
On the automatic tuning scan, the new full strength BBC services from Hannington will be found before those of Midhurst which are on a higher frequency. *If* the BT Vision box picks the strongest BBC services (rather than the first it finds), then *perhaps* that is why it has done what it's done (if it has put Hannington BBC One as logical channel 1 and Midhurst BBC One in the 800s).
The way to find out which you have is to look at the signal strength screen for the UHF channel number (most boxes give this information).
Go to BBC One. Hannington's is on channel 45 and Midhurst's is on channel 56 (to move to 55 on 29th February).
I understand that the BT Vision box doesn't allow manual tuning with is very poor. However, there is a possible workaround.
Hannington uses channels 39 to 47 (and this will be the case after it completes switchover). Midhurst uses channels 56 to 65 (which will be 50 to 62 after switchover).
The trick is to run the automatic tuning sequence with the aerial unplugged for all bit the frequency range that it is scanning Midhurst.
If it gives UHF channel numbers when it's scanning (they run 21 to 68) then plug it in after 47 has passed. If it doesn't give channel numbers and only gives a percentage progress, then plug it in at 57%.
The irony is that the message you received about new services referred to the BBC services from Hannington that had moved. Had the message been ignored, then there would probably have been no issue now.
It may or may not tell you to retune on 22nd February when Hannington completes switchover. If it does, then you should ignore it.
For Midhurst, retuning is required on the following dates:
1. 29th February: Switchover stage 1 BBC standard definition services move channel and go on full power (to the one previously occupied by BBC Two analogue).
2. 14th March: The rest of the digital services move and the other three analogue services are turned off.
3. October 2012 (date unpublished as yet): some services changed channel.
Throughout all this, when retuning your BT Vision box, plug the aerial in after it has scanned channel 47 or at 57% in order to pick up all its services.
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Tim Searle: I don't know the answer to your questions, perhaps one of the pros can shed some more light on it.
It is speculation on my part that the FEC change on the three multiplexes in question is the reason that they are no longer working on your TV.
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Paul: Try manually tuning to channel 60 for ITV1, ITV2, C4, C5 etc (if there is a manual tuning option).
At 10 miles from a high power transmitter, it could be that the signal level is on the high side and it is that which is causing it not to pick up these channels.
See this page:
Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
Get a variable attenuator for £3 or £4 off eBay.
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Naoise: You're 40 miles or more from Limavady transmitter and the current Freeview transmissions are only at 800W. I think that you are lucky to get anything.
Perhaps the signal level is "just" above that which is needed to make your receiver work on those channels you have and has dropped a little on those which carry Film 4 and Channel 5.
Assuming that your aerial is pointing at Limavady (it should be horizontal and to the north east), go to the signal strength screen. Film4 should be tuned to channel 63. Channel 5 should be tuned to channel 58.
After switchover, most transmitters in Northern Ireland will be "Freeview Light" transmitters. That is they will only carry Public Service Broadcaster channels (which includes Channel 5) but not the commercial ones (which includes Film 4).
The three transmitters that will carry a full Freeview service are the same three that carry low-power Freeview now: Brougher Mountain, Divis and Limavady. All others, including Strabane, will be Freeview Light transmitters.
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Wednesday 15 February 2012 5:30PM
Keith Seymour: Follow this link:
Will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice