All posts by Charles Stuart
Below are all of Charles Stuart's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
@ Shaun Southall
Yes, a high gain aerial will help. Aerials are actually very easy to fit, if the cabling is in place. Just disconnect the current aerial making sure that you know precisely where it's pointing (put a line on the loft floor). Connect the new aerial and attach to the pole in place of the old one.
You can get a high gain aerial from Homebase for about £30. However, I have no idea how good it is. You might wish to buy a very high gain aerial, though they're expensive and you risk having a signal that's too strong.
You could also try turning the existing aerial to try and pick up signals from Waltham instead. You'll get East Midlands local TV instead of East but otherwise it'll be the same. You'll need a compass and to know the number of degrees from north of the Waltham transmitter.
After you've got the aerial in the right position, try to tune the STB. If you get a signal, see how strong it is. If not at maximum, move the aerial slightly. It's trial and error until you get it right and a second person is useful. Humans make good TV aerials, so no one should touch it when reading the signal strength. My experience is that walls do strange things with the directionality of TV signals, sometimes meaning that you need to be up to 10° off the actual direction. (52.3992,-0.7201)
| link to this comment |
I did a retune on one of my STBs today and noticed that the MUX on channel 52 is now 8K. Also, has the MUX on channel 48 increased in power? I ask because I can now receive it on my computer, which uses an indoor aerial in a bad location (the only location available). (52.3992,-0.7201)
| link to this comment |
C
More Freeview capacity - COM7, COM8 and COM9 - in the 600MHz baMonday 9 January 2012 7:54PM
Kettering
Someone may have asked this question already but, if they have, I don't know where it is.
If a multiplex transmitting DVB-T2 were to be used for transmitting standard definition channels, how many channels could it transmit? If it were to transmit HD at 720p, how many channels could it transmit? Approximately how many stereo radio stations equal the bandwidth of one SD TV channel?
| link to this comment |
C
More Freeview capacity - COM7, COM8 and COM9 - in the 600MHz baWednesday 18 January 2012 10:40PM
Kettering
Briantist, thank you for your answer. However, though the articles are interesting, they only part answer my question. I think that from your comment, "Freeview HD is 1080-line services, not 720p", you've misread my question. I'll try to clarify what I'm asking.
Let's say that COM9 will be transmitted in DVB-T2. As I understand it, that it will be transmitted in DVB-T2 does not mean that it has to transmit 1080p channels. The operator could transmit in 576i, 576p or 720p. Let's say that the operator decides to make it available for transmissions in 576i at the same bit rate as SD BBC1. All channels are national and can be statistically multiplexed. How many channels can the SFN support without any risk of compromising picture quality? If the operator were to choose 720p, how many channels could be transmitted at the bit rate for the best picture quality that that standard can support without any risk of picture degradation?
I realise that some assumptions may need to be made to answer my question but, now I've set some parameters, I think that some type of answer is possible.
| link to this comment |
C
More Freeview capacity - COM7, COM8 and COM9 - in the 600MHz baThursday 19 January 2012 6:40PM
Kettering
@ Mike Dimmick - you've given me the answer I was seeking. I'm just wondering that if all multiplexes were converted to DVB-T2, would anyone have any need for cable or satellite? I find the number of channels already available on Freeview more than I need. Other than BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel Five, the only channels that I watch with any regularity are BBC News, Sky News, BBC Parliament, RT, More 4, BBC HD, BBC Four and rarely Film 4 and BBC Three. I do also watch +1 services sometimes. I just wonder with what they'll fill all the space created by COMs 7, 8 & 9, plus possible conversion of existing multiplexes from DVB-T to DVB-T2.
Will there come a point where DVB-T3 is developed that makes DVB-T2 look wasteful of bandwidth? Will there then be a new conversion and another Digital Dividend Review?
| link to this comment |
C
More Freeview capacity - COM7, COM8 and COM9 - in the 600MHz baFriday 20 January 2012 10:19PM
Kettering
"Perhaps a bit more of both is what's needed."
That's precisely what I'd support. If or when all multiplexes are converted to DVB-T2, I'd like each of the PSB providers to have three 1080p HD channels, with another six open to all comers. The remaining space should be given over to SD channels. My guess is that would be 18 HD channels and 55 SD channels, with no need for duplication of HD channels in SD form. In addition to nine multiplexes, there'd also be whichever local channels exist. I think that would be more channels than anyone could ever imagine using.
| link to this comment |
C
More Freeview capacity - COM7, COM8 and COM9 - in the 600MHz baTuesday 24 January 2012 10:24PM
Kettering
Interesting that you say viewing for HD channels is pitiful. Since I got a Freeview HD box, I'd guess that 90% or more of my viewing has been of the four HD channels. I regret that Channel Five hasn't been able to take its slot because I'd love to see CSI in HD. I have no intention of getting Sky, Virgin or Freesat.
| link to this comment |
I recently moved from Kettering to Bristol. In Kettering my TV signal was strong enough to pass through a Freeview HD box, a Humax PVR, a Panasonic DVD recorder and still give a decent picture on the TV. In Bristol, the signal doesn't get past the Freeview HD box unless it's on, in which case I can also use the PVR. However, I cannot get Com 6/Arq B even on the HD box. The aerial is on the roof. But it gets complicated. There's a loft aerial feeding my bedroom TV and that receives all multiplexes. I can also receive all multiplexes on my Eye TV for Mac using an indoor aerial. The roof aerial is minute. The loft aerial is somewhat larger but not a high gain aerial. The house was built in the 1970s and the aerial socket in the living room looks like the original. How do I tell if the problem is the cable, the aerial or even that the aerial is in a null point?
My idea is to intercept the aerial cable in the loft and fit a new, higher gain aerial there. (The rooftop aerial is too high for me to get to it.) If the problem is the cable, will a high gain aerial have any chance of working? I'm looking for a solution that avoids having to call out an aerial installer as I have a low income and I do know how to fit an aerial and find the signal. (51.4634,-2.5264)
| link to this comment |
@jb38 - Thanks. Changing the box setting from "passive" to "active" allows the signal through. I am about half way up Two Mile Hill Road on a side road about 200 yards from the junction. I am quite high up and when I entered my post code, the system suggested that I could receive good signals from Mendip (best), Bristol Kings Weston, Bristol Ilchester Crescent or Wenvoe.
Can anyone advise how to tell if the co-axial cable needs replacing? (51.4634,-2.5264)
| link to this comment |
Thursday 24 November 2011 11:15PM
@ Michael Smith - perverse though it may seem, the signals for Channel 3 and others may be better if you attenuate them. In my living room I have an HD ready TV with a PVR, DVD recorder/player and an HD Freeview STB. I note that I get ITV 1 and ITV 1+1 on the TV, PVR and DVD but not on the Freeview HD box, which receives its feed directly from the rooftop aerial. I think that the signal degrades as it goes from one machine to the next, the evidence being that the TV and DVD player, which are second to last and last in the line, do not receive those multiplexes that are still on low power. (52.3992,-0.7201)