All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Tony Bujwid: No because RTÉ and TG4 are only due to broadcast from three transmitters in the North:
Northern Ireland "mini multiplex" (NIMM) | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice
Some parts not served by these transmitters can pick up from one of the Saorview transmitters outside of NI.
Draperstown will also be Freeview Lite, meaning that it will carry only Public Service channels. These are BBC (inc HDs), UTV, UTV+1, UTVHD, ITV2, Channel 4, Channel 4+1, Channel 4HD, E4, More4 and Channel 5.
The Commercial channels that carry ITV3, Dave, Film4 etc only wish to broadcast from main transmitters where they serve a large volume of viewers.
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John McCallum: This is due to the wisdom of the powers that be.
On Wednesday 19th  half way between the two Tyne Tees switchover dates  some channels changed logical channel numbers (LCNs).
See Updated - changes to Freeview channel numbers this week on September 19th 2012 | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice
The original plan was to move others such as the news channels to the 13?s. Sky News and one other channel is appealing the move via the courts. You couldn't make it up!
I think that the effect of Dave and Yesterday swapping varies by receiver. I haven't retuned my Sony RDR-HXD870 and it continues to function fine. Every time I do I have to reprogram the timer and skip all the (growing number of) "junk" channels.
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Jim Cassidy: My understanding is that RT/TG4 will be available across "much" of the North. The three Freeview transmitters will supplement the main areas where the Saorview transmitters can't be received.
Evidently, it is considered that across the Limivady service area that the Saorview transmitters are generally available.
Even if the NIMM did broadcast from Limavady, it would use DVB-T2 specification which is that of HD broadcasts which means that only HD receivers will be able to pick it up.
I get the impression that if any Saorview transmitter is possible at your location, then Moville "may" be. Whilst Holywell Hill is on roughly the same bearing as Limavady, it would appear that you are well outside of its coverage area. I have judhed this based on the coverage maps on this site and that of Saorview:
Step 1: Check Coverage | SAORVIEW
This is very rough and therefore what you might call an initial assessment. You are best consulting a professional installer after 24th October.
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Gill W: I pointed you at the page on too much signal just so that you are aware that the effects of too much signal appear the same as those of too little a signal with digital reception.
Whilst you probably have a strong signal, by virtue you probably have strong reflections as well.
I remember a few years ago watching analogue using a set-top aerial a few miles from a high power transmitter like Crystal Palace. Getting a good signal was not an issue, but reducing the level of reflections (which manifested themselves as ghosting on the picture) was. As vehicles drove past, the picture changed. Hence, because the signal was so strong, the vehicles were acting to reflect it. The weaker the signal, the less adverse effect they would have.
Think of the signal as light which is not too dissimilar. Bright sunlight shining on a mirror will cause a strong reflection.
A vehicle (such as a train) therefore not only passes in front of the transmitter (and therefore affects the main signal to your aerial), but also, we assume, causes changes in the signal that is likely to vary the level of reflections as it moves.
They say that digital TV can cope with reflections, although I'm sure that there will be a limit. The most important thing though is that the main signal and any reflections are likely to be *changing* where some (large) object (a vehicle) moves. It is these changes which are likely to be affecting your picture.
Try and position the aerial somewhere where you think that the main signal will be the strongest. That is to try and increase the ratio of main signal to any reflections. Clearly the best place is somewhere where you can see the transmitter.
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Jim Cassidy: See if you can pick up the analogue services from Moville.
What we don't know is whether the digital signal from Moville is being radiated as it will be after 24th October. We don't know whether there are restrictions in particular direction(s) that will be lifted after that date. We also don't know whether the analogue signals have restrictions and whether these will continue or be lifted or varied post-24th's digital.
To cut to the chase, the analogue channels from Moville are:
- RT One - C40
- RT Two - C43
- TG4 - C50
Some TVs scan which isn't too helpful. If you have one that allows you to enter UHF channel numbers, then try tuning to these three. Bear in mind that your picture may be poor due to the aerial not facing the correct way.
The digital service from Moville is on C45. A manual tune of C45 (if available) on your digital receiver may indicate whether there is a signal there, even if it isn't strong enough to produce a picture.
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Andy: As the messages advising to retune are being broadcast on the Public Service channels, they will appear on Lite transmitters as they simply relay what they receive over the air from their parent.
PS: As you know, due to the nature of the area, reception from anything other than the local PSB-only relay is possible in most parts. The only other possibility is where reception from a full-service transmitter is possible. If this is of another region, such as Winter Hill, then a two-aerial approach may provide the Commercial channels along with the correct regional programming.
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Shane Finch: The services you mention are carried on the COM5/ArqA multiplex. If you receiver has manual tuning, then try manually tuning to it.
Manualling tune to UHF channel 52 if your aerial points to Sandy Heath which is a bit clockwise of north.
If your aerial points towards Crystal Palace, which is south east, then manually tune to C22.
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Tony Bujwid: I have taken another look at this.
Google Streetview pictures taken in your area are dated September 2009.
There are quite a few houses that have an aerial on Draperstown transmitter (aerials vertical) and another horizontally-polarised aerial on a bearing slightly anti-clockwise of Draperstown. By my reckoning the latters are pointing to Holywell Hill.
As Holywell Hill uses Group A channels (bottom third of the band) and Draperstown uses Group B ones (middle third of the band), it is possible to have two aerials and combine the feeds into one downlead so that they can all be viewed via one receiver.
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Tony Bujwid: See:
http://consumers.ofcom.or….pdf
Also see the DUK Installer Newsletter for Northern Ireland:
http://www.digitaluk.co.u….pdf
See page 5 and also page 7 under the heading "Freeview and Saorview products use different standards".
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Friday 21 September 2012 11:40PM
Gerry: Further to the above, can you not receive RT from one of the Saorview transmitters?