All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Michael: Again, it is all down to commercial operators operating where they see fit. Sky doesn't "block" channels it's that they're only available on a subscription basis.
Channel 5 was offered the slot on the PSB3 multiplex which is nationwide and carries HD streams of BBC One, BBC Two, ITV/STV/UTV and Channel 4, but it turned it down which is why BBC Three/CBBC is carried there.
With reference to the example of Dave, it is available free-to-air on one of the Commercial Freeview multiplexes, which serve all but about 8% of the population which can receive terrestrial signals. What you must remember and which is logical is that it's objective is to maximise revenues so as to turn as big a profit as it can.
It pays to go on the Commercial Freeview multiplex. We must assume that it's better off to make itself available via satellite on a subscription basis (via Sky) than pay to be free-to-air on satellite (Freesat and Sky).
The point is that the cost of paying to be available to most Freeview viewers is obviously worthwhile when set aside the advertising revenue it generates from those viewers.
And, if it were to make itself available on free-to-air satellite then it would be worse off than it is now because it would have to pay to be on there and wouldn't get any revenue from Sky (if indeed revenue flows to it).
It's all a case of cost-benefit analysis, as it always is in business. We must assume that the status quo is the best for it, and the above explanations would seem to be the reasoning behind what may appear to be a bizarre situation (Freeview users getting it free-to-air but satellite ones having to pay).
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michael scott: The same sort of thing affected some, depending on transmitter, with respect to reception of Channel 5 analogue and/or the Commercial (COM) multiplexes 4 to 6 i.e. they are sometimes "out-of-group" for aerials installed in the days of four-channel analogue. The four-channel analogue system was a wonderful set-up, "common sense" you might say. It is sadly departed.
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charlie hynes: Yes, it broadcasts from Winter Hill and Storeton, both directionally towards Liverpool, which means it's not available to all viewers who receive from said transmitters.
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josh : No.
They block UHF channels 61 to 69, which are those used by 4G base stations in the 800MHz band and which are just above that of TV frequencies.
UHF channel and frequency guide - Tech Information - Digital Spy
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Alan: It sounds like interference from a nearby electrical appliance which possibly runs by a timer. A battery-powered AM radio tuned away from a station might help locate the noise.
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G Dixon: One of the experts (who have experience of this) will be along shortly, no doubt.
However, purely as a technical bod I will point out the following: My understanding is that this booster unit uses a separate power supply. That is, the mains electric goes into a power supply which feeds up one of the aerial cables into the booster. It does this by utilising both conductors in the cable -- centre core and outer screen. Thus, if there were to be a short-circuit between the two -- a piece of the braid was touching the centre conductor, for example -- then the booster won't get any power. I therefore suggest that this could be one possibility.
What I suggest you do is take the power supply into the loft and connect it to the booster with a short piece of coax, then see what happens.
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Tig Minor: There are a few points to make in answer to your question.
Firstly, That's Oxford broadcasts directionally from the Oxford transmitting station and in the direction of Oxford. It is also on lower power (4kW) and is on a UHF channel out of group of former analogue.
So, you are in the direction of the beam. However, there is higher ground in the way which may cause difficulty:
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
The possibility of "out-of-group" means that the broadcast frequency is out of the band of frequencies that your aerial (if it's C/D) works best at. And not only may your aerial be less sensitive, the signal is weaker.
See here for an explanation of aerial groups:
Aerials, TV Aerial and Digital Aerial
Analogue TV from Oxford was all in Group C/D. That's Oxford is on UHF channel 29, which is Group A. Also, COM7 (and the forthcoming COM8) HD muxes are on Group A channels. So you "may" require an aerial replacement to pick them up as well.
Try going to the manual tuning function of one of your TVs/boxes and select UHF channel 29 but don't press the button to scan/add services. Rather wait and observe for a minute or so how the strength and quality fares. Some receivers are more useful than others at this so it's worth visiting them all.
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Tig Minor: I should add that overall your chances of reliable stable reception aren't great! But if you find that reception of COM7 isn't great then you might decide to replace the aerial for a wideband, and at the same time you might be able to bring in reception of That's Oxford on C29.
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HUGH EDGAR: BBC Radio Scotland is carried on local/regional multiplexes, and not the national BBC multiplex (which carries BBC Radio 1, Radio 2 etc). This is because the multiplex has to be the same all over the UK, and cannot vary for one particular area.
You can probably receive the BBC national multiplex from Knockmore, but of course this doesn't carry Radio Scotland.
Therefore, what you are waiting for is a local/regional commercial multiplex on which BBC Radio Scotland will be carried.
I have found this page which might be of interest:
Ofcom | DAB Coverage Plans
I would say that the "Inverness" multiplex is the one which is likely to serve you, when its coverage is extended. Refer to the document for it there is talk of it being broadcast from Knockmore which I imagine might mean you will be able to receive it.
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Saturday 24 January 2015 2:33PM
Glyn Royds: You will have to address your question to the broadcaster, as that is its decision. This is an independent advice site, not connected with any broadcaster.
Refer to the full list of terrestrial services:
Digital UK Industry - Channel listings
125 POP is available on Local television multiplexes only, and is therefore not generally available on Freeview. These multiplexes serve small areas such as some big cities.