All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
susan hudson: The TV Licence permits one to view broadcast programmes and gives no warranties as to availability of signals and no assistance to receive any available signals.
The Public Service Broadcasters, which includes the BBC to which the Licence Fee goes, must ensure that most of the population can receive its services via a terrestrial aerial. There are always spots where reception isn't possible, either because the terrain precludes it or because of another obstruction such as trees.
In your case you are most unfortunate if you cannot receive any digital terrestrial (Freeview) signals particularly if you could pick up the former analogue. Was the analogue poor? I imagine that it might have been affected as the wind blew the trees and probably worse in summer when leaves were on the trees.
There are two main satellite platforms: Sky with its subscription service (although it does offer its own "Freesat from Sky" service) and Freesat. Freesat (not to be confused with "Freesat from Sky") is the satellite equivalent of Freeview - there are some channel differences.
You say you had Sky round to look at putting up a dish. I'm not familiar with Sky but I wonder whether engineers have limits as to what they will do. For example, if in your case it is possible to receive a satellite signal but the dish would need to be mounted on a very long pole above the roof line, would a Sky engineer go to this length? If the answer is "no" then you need an independent rigger who can fit the dish high up.
However, if you've already had a rigger to look at installing a terrestrial aerial and he's said it's not possible, I imagine that he may have also pondered the possibility of satellite reception and come to the same conclusion.
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Daniel: The point is, as you alluded to, whether the issue is one of your building's communal aerial system or your own equipment and wiring.
Speaking to your neighbours is obviously one way of nailing it, although you have to ensure that they are using the terrestrial aerial system and not satellite (Sky/Freesat).
Have you tried swapping the lead from the wall socket to the TV? Swap the TV with a Freeview box. If you have a Freeview TV and Freeview box together, connect one and then the other and demonstrate that both are not working.
If it appears to be the aerial system then you need to contact the party responsible (e.g. landlord) so that they can get it put right.
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susan hudson: Further to MikeP's comment, these might be useful to you:
A householder's planning guide for the installation of antennas (including satellite dishes) - Detailed guidance - GOV.UK
Planning Portal - Satellite,TV and Radio Antenna
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Sean: The VP is required, in addition to help with "rejection" of any inference from France for those receiving the Commercial (COM) channels who may be subjected to co-channel interference from Stockland Hill and Crystal Palace, this being why the power of the COMs is lower horizontally.
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B Geo: You need to connect the incoming aerial to the Polaroid box. There is no need to connect the aerial out from the box to the TV.
Connect the box to the TV with a scart lead.
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Sean: I'm not an installer, but your first sentence aligns with my thoughts - HP is merely for legacy purposes.
The point is that neither Ofcom nor Digital UK bothered to counteract this. And having done so, Ofcom didn't mandate COM7, COM8 and the new local multiplex to use mixed polarity.
In effect, Rowridge HP and Rowridge VP are two different transmitting stations. The operators of these new multiplexes don't consider it worthwhile to broadcast from Rowridge VP (assuming clearance would have been granted).
In all this there is the stink of how things are done these days - we don't think as far as our nose end and passing the buck is so easy because "the system" is so fragmented, as is apparent in the statement from Ofcom in response to your point.
All channels are in Group A, so as new aerial isn't generally necessary. The exception is if it has some defect or perhaps it's old and one wishes to kill two birds with one stone and replace it at the same time as switching to VP.
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Jack Luxon: I'm not sure that Ofcom Sitefinder will mention 4G base stations.
The main page states:
"The last Sitefinder update was done in May 2012, although some operators ceased providing updates from as early as 2005. This is largely a result of the Information Commissioner's decision in 2007 ordering Ofcom to make the raw data used to populate the Sitefinder database publically available, causing some operators to stop voluntarily providing the information. It should also be noted that participating operators have provided their respective datasets at different intervals and some of which may be more recent than others."
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Ted: Try using the manual tune function.
UHF channel 30 (546MHz) carries the main HD services. UHF channel 33 (570MHz) carries the new HD services, including that of BBC Four and BBC News.
If on the manual tune screen there is an option for DVB-T or DVB-T2 then ensure the latter is selected.
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sarah cowan: Judging by the fact that the signal comes from the east it probably requires careful siting of any indoor aerial simply because the road runs east to west. Therefore in most properties the other houses will be in the way.
If you have a rooftop aerial then you should try that. It is likely that it will be suitable for receiving all Freeview channels.
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Tuesday 7 January 2014 4:00PM
Sean: I think this is typical of the way things are done these days.
The days of all transmitters carrying all the same channels are long gone, this equity having being sacrificed in order to fit more services in.
Only the three PSB multiplexes have an obligation to provide a particular level of coverage.
Now step forward the plan for COM7 and COM8 from Rowridge. The case for VP signals is probably more one of a "business case" which takes account of the number of viewers that would be added if they were available VP (in addition to HP).
I don't live in the area so have no idea what proportion of aerials are now vertical. However, I hazard a guess that those which are close enough to receive the lower powered COM7 and COM8 will generally be horizontally polarised.
In locations where COM7 and COM8 are to be poorer it is more likely that more aerials will be VP. It is these people who will either have to forfeit the new HD services or else switch back to HP.
The point is that, in much the same vein as the broadcasters have to set a "business case" for an expense it is effectively the same for viewers. That is it is their "choice", in much the same way as some aerials had to be replaced in order to receive COM4-6.
This type of passing expenses on to other parties for decisions another makes it the way these days.