All posts by Steve Donaldson
Below are all of Steve Donaldson's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Fiona Beattie: What firmware version is your Humax Aura running? See if it is the latest one.
SUPPORT | HUMAX-United Kingdom
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Fiona Beattie: I am of the thinking that this is a system issue somewhere, such as a software bug. If it were to turn out to be a reception issue, such as through interference, then I will be very surprised. The screen being blank on the one channel, but the other channels on the multiplex being perfectly fine doesn't sound like a reception problem to me.
The Humax Aura is a UHD Android TV Recorder:
Aura UHD Android TV Recorder | HUMAX-United Kingdom
That the screen is blank, with no sound, while the channel appears in the EPG, I assume with its name shown, points to there to being an issue with the stream coming in on the multiplex not being shown on the screen.
Having checked that you have the latest firmware, something which I expect Humax Support probably directed you to do, the only other thing I can think is to try the same multiplex from a different transmitter if one is available are your location. The only possibility is as I have suggested, C33 from Black Mountain. I have no gauge to go by as to whether you might or might not be able to receive it where you are, the only way is to try.
Finally, I suggest you contact RTE as - unless this is a reception issue - then it appears to be a problem relating to this particular receiver and therefore potentially affecting others. I am not totally ruling out a multiplex issue, but if this is a device problem, then the broadcaster may be interested in performing their own tests and liaising with the manufacturer to get a fix.
I would explain all the steps you have taken, so as to demonstrate the methodical process you have gone through. It may be worth noting whether or not programme information for RTE One is populating the EPG, as this could provide a useful clue to those responsible for resolving the issue.
Some pointers on who to contact follow. One of the directors of the company responsible for the NI Mux is also a director at RTE.
While there is a page for contacting Reception on the RTE website, there isn't a specific email or telephone number, just the general "info" email and main switchboard number:
RT Reception Contact RT
The licensee of the NI Multiplex is given by Ofcom as:
Multiplex Broadcasting Services N.I. Limited
Murray House
Murray Street
Belfast
BT1 6DN
No other contact details or names of individuals at the company are provided. However, a search of Companies House turns up a list of appointed officers:
MULTIPLEX BROADCASTING SERVICES N.I. LIMITED people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK
There are two officers whose brief covers technical/engineering, they also being directors at RTE and TG4:
- Richard Waghorn, Director of Operations and Technology, RTE. Email: richard {dot} waghorn {at} rte {dot} ie
- Neil Keaveney, Director of Technology, TG4. Email: neil {dot} keaveney {at} tg4 {dot} ie
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Philip J Richards: The channels you refer to are on two of the COM multiplexes, which aren't as good as the PSB ones (which carry BBC, ITV, C4, C5 and some others).
LCN (logical channel number) 17 is on COM5 / Arq A and LCN236 is on COM6 / Arq B.
This may be an obvious question: is it not possible for you to receive from Beacon Hill?
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Ian Gregorig: BBC Reception [bbc.co.uk/reception] says the Radio 1-4 FM transmitter went off-air at 12:16 and the TV transmitter off-air at 12:17, both "due to a fault". I've just checked the National Grid Electricity Distribution (formerly Western Power Distribution) website and no power cut is recorded for the postcode of the transmitter. Sometimes a transmitter goes off air and the local electricity distribution network operator reports a power outage, meaning this is probably what has caused the transmitter to shut down.
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Chris.SE: The terrain plot between Mendip and Ian doesn't look good:
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
Plus add the fact that the properties in Ian's postcode are surrounded by trees.
Ridge Hill is closer at just over 25 miles, but Bown Hill is in the way, around 160m higher at 1 mile out, so Ridge Hill is definitely out:
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
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Claire McNeil: Noise nuisance is a matter for the local authority. However, you could raise this with Arqiva without going to the local authority, in the expectation they will take your report seriously and take action accordingly. Should nothing come of that, then you should contact the local authority.
The contact number for Arqiva, as printed on the sign at the site is 01924 843625, as per the photograph here, dated October 2015:
mb21 - The Transmission Gallery
This telephone number is given on signs for at many transmitter sites, so you will have to identify which transmitter it is which you are calling in relation to. Illchester Crescent is site number 11008.
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Chris.SE, nick: There aren't any high-power transmitters in The Netherlands on C37. The most likely candidate as an interferer on C37 in the Aldeburgh area is the Boulogne Mont Lambert transmitter in France at 100 miles out. It is 7.9kW HP and there may be line-of-sight. No other channel of Mont Lambert is co-channel with any of Sudbury. Mont Lambert used C60 prior to 700MHz Clearance.
In the GE06 agreement post 700MHz Clearance, there is no requirement for restriction at Mont Lambert on C37; an omnidirectional radiation pattern is allowed, with an ERP maximum of 20kW. (I include reference to Rouncefall as it is SFN with Sudbury, and it is also now a full-service transmitter, and has been since B700 Clearance.) Sudbury must be -10dB between 145deg and 165deg. This is a notch to guard against interference to viewers of Mont Lambert. We don't know what the radiation pattern is in practice: it could "potentially" be more restrictive than this (i.e. the notch could be wider than 20deg or greater than 10dB down), but it cannot be less restrictive (it must be at least -10dB, for at least 20deg, from 145deg to 165deg).
This page shows radiation patterns for Mont Lambert's channels, dated October 2021:
TVNT.net - Le forum de la TNT 62 - Pas de Calais [Lille-Bouvigny, Boulogne] : Les metteurs TNT, leurs caractristiques et leurs zones de couverture
Aldeburgh is about north (0deg) out from the transmitter, so will be getting the full power of 7.9kW.
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Mr Dave Thomas: As per the post above yours from "Transmitter engineering", there is engineering works at Wenvoe.
Digital broadcasts are pretty much "all or nothing", with little in between. In the days of analogue, with engineering works and the transmitter on low power and/or the reserve antenna being used (rather than the main one), you may have got a grainy but visible picture, whereas with digital you have no picture at all.
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nick : The co-ordinates for the Mont Lambert transmitter are 5043'05.8"N 139'02.2"E. A direct link for Google Maps is: Google Maps
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Wednesday 6 September 2023 12:40PM
Jeni Spyby: One possible reason for getting no signal from the loft aerial is if there is a signal amplifier/booster fitted which is not being fed with power.
If there is an amplifier in the loft, at the end of the cable where the aerial is, then this may be the type which requires a power supply at the other end of the aerial cable where the TV is. Such a power supply may itself look like a booster. It is a small box with an electrical flexible cable and a 3-pin plug on, an aerial cable coming down from the aerial and another lead connecting it to the TV. A signal booster without power will give nothing out, even if there is a signal going in.
I think we must assume that that the aerial is there, it worked previously. If there is what looks like a signal amplifier, then knowledge of its make and model would allow further guidance. Similarly, if the aerial has any identifying make and model name/number, then that may also be helpful.