All posts by Briantist
Below are all of Briantist's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Glenda Wheeler: I presume you are not turning the Sky box off when you turn off the main TV?
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SteveH: Please can you see Freeview intermittent interference | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice ?
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ronan: If you mean for Freeview, there are no tests. Switchover happens on switchover day.
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ian from notts: As I said above, on the 2013 - post-switchover changes to Freeview transmission frequencies | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice page.
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Josh: It's still unlicenced! A LTE handset will be able to pick up the signal, surely?
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Keith Wright: You don't need an ombudsmen! You need to get rid of your boosters and use a small aerial. See Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice please.
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UPDATE from BBC News - RTE channels will go on Freeview in Northern Ireland :
RTE channels will go on Freeview in Northern Ireland
People in Northern Ireland will be able to watch RTE TV channels on Freeview following digital TV switchover, the government has confirmed.
Three channels - RTE One, Two and TG4 - will be available.
Freeview delivery of the channels will be supplemented by overspill coverage from Saorview, its equivalent in the Republic.
Digital switchover is to be completed in Northern Ireland on 24 October of this year.
Minister of State for Northern Ireland Hugo Swire said:"This announcement is the culmination of a great deal of work involving the UK and Irish governments, the broadcasters themselves and the regulatory bodies.
"I'm pleased to welcome this important practical step, which will increase the coverage of RTE1 and 2 and importantly of TG4 following digital switchover later this year."
Communications Minister Ed Vaizey said: "I'm delighted that the digital future for TG4, RTE One and RTE Two in Northern Ireland is now strengthened and secure.
"Today's announcement is good news for viewers and continues our delivery on commitments set out in the Good Friday agreement."
Irish Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte added: "This announcement means that from Analogue Switch-off on 24 October, over 90% of viewers in Northern Ireland will be able to receive TG4 and the two primary RTE channels in digital.
"It is a hugely positive result in terms of practical cooperation resulting from the Good Friday Agreement."
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NottsUK: Thanks for that. I expect they will go in the clear as soon as they can.
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xander: Yes, the channel is used in peak times (at last from 4th July 2012) to repeat peak time programmes from earlier in the week, but at the same time.
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Steve: PAL is an analogue standard and is no longer used to broadcast TV in your area. You are using DVB-T (or DVB-T2) if you are lucky.
You have not said which software you are using, but the good ones (Windows Media Centre) uses the correct channel numbers, cheaper ones ignore it.
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Bill: See the Switchover starts in East Sussex and Southwest Kent on Wednesday 30th May | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice page - don't forget to wait until 9am!
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Mark Fletcher: I note that all seven posts - All posts by xander | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice - are utter drivel. I was going to delete them.
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Bill: Sorry to jump in here, but one cause of Freeview pictures not looking as good as from an external box is the use of the "sharpening" setting on the TV. If you can find such a thing in the TV's picture settings, you will need to turn it off to get the best possible Freeview pictures.
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Mark: Please see Northern Ireland "mini multiplex" (NIMM) | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice for the full details.
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Robert: Just noting in passing you wrote
"The transmitter has, at the very top the aerials which were used to transmit the 4 channel analogue TV service below are the array of digital pods,"
Your tense is incorrect. The top of the mast WAS used for digital services, but this part of the transmitter was upgraded about a year ago for DSO and then was used for the analogue four until DSO happened. Since DSO the new equipment at the top of the mast is used for digital output.
The "pods" as you call them - the usual name is "panels" are no longer in use. On some site they are being retained in case the main stuff fails, on others the equipment is being stripped.
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Rog: It's a shame you missed out what people say "PAL" stood for: People Are Lavender.
BSB wasn't PAL, of course, it was D-MAC. Which sorted out the colour problems, BSB pictures were technically the best by a country mile.
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Mark Barden: Freeview HD switches between 1080i, 1080p automatically. Some 720 and 576 content is used for legacy reasons at times.
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michael: It's not *state* secret, but it is a commercial one.
If you become a member of the DTG - Joining the DTG - you get all the details.
However, I don't have a spare ten thousand pounds...
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Sarah C: You can now see Freeview news | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
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Mike Dimmick: Yes, indeed it does. I have done a separate post for those transmitters - Switchover starts in North and West Kent on Wednesday 13th June 2012 | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
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Peter Henderson: Not a single one has been removed. Look under "Freeview" then "Transmitters" - Full service Freeview transmitters | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice and Transmitters | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice or "Help" then "All masts" All masts | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice or "Freeview" and "Maps" TV regions overview map | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice or use the search box.
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StuartO: Sorry about that, the new version of the keyword redirect didn't upload. It is fixed now.
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jb38: The comments RSS feed, ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice, since 2002 - comments was failing to output correctly, I have corrected this so this should drive the Twitter page again shortly.
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Mike Dimmick: I have removed the DTD from the two (of four) feeds that had it in. It's been so long since I looked that that file, I can't recall putting it in there in the first place...
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xander: Given that 302 is on BBCA and 4seven is on ArqB, a "share" is impossible. 302 shares with Cbeebies during the Olympics, as BBC three takes over BBC Parliament's capacity.
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Sandra: PICK TV does not have a catch-up service, but you can see some of the content yourself using isoHunt the BitTorrent & P2P search engine for example.
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Ian Harrison: You just need to get a Freeview box, you can get them for around £20!
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NottsUK: Thanks for the info. I will do a write up on the Sky HD streams that carry the BBC Olympic videostream shortly.
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Peter Walker: Can you please see Are you really watching free TV in high definition? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice ?
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tim: This article is about local TV ("Channel 6") not ITV ("Channel 3"). The table only lists ITV regions where the site hosts the broadcasting center. Otherwise see the Transmitters | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice page.
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Jed: Please see Digital Region Overlap | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
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Nedbod: Yes, I think you are probably correct about that. Still, today's DAB Memorandum of Understanding signed : Radio Today will make BBC Wales on DAB more widespread.
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stevo: I don't think PICK TV gets quite detailed scheduling that some other channels get.
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Lee Morris: You won't be getting 4seven on Freeview until switchover. It only exists on the ArqB multiplex and not Mux D.
ArqB has higher capacity than Mux D and 4seven is in the "extra bit".
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Grant Ross: Sorry, but you won't be able to get 4seven from any relay transmitter.
You won't get any more channels from any relay transmitters - for a full explanation see Will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice please.
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Suzanne: Please see Will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
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David Parker: No, just the main transmitters, and that's even if it happens at all. Sorry if that's not clear from the above information.
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Stephen P: Just wanted to say that the break in emails was unintended and require a bit of code to be fixed. When the fix was done, the site then made up for all the missed emails in one go...
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A bid thank-you to Jordy, Peter Newlands, Nedbod, Adam B, Josh, Phil, Mark Aberfan Aerials, Ian Porter, StuartPlymouth, Mark Fletcher ,Nick, Peter Browning and Brian Greensides for you kind comments!
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Robert Lee: If you don't see Channel 4 HD I would be very surprised. But I suspect that someone will have to decide this Officially.
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Brian Hart: You may find Watching the London 2012 Olympics - a guide (part 1) | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice and Winter Hill (Bolton, England) full-Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice useful.
Basically, do a retune on C54- (737.8MHz).
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wayne walford: Can you please see "Method 2" on What can I do when my Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' or 'Technical fault'? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice ?
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Big Mart: See BBC One - EastEnders - Next on - double episodes on Wednesday next week. Dunno after that.
ITV broadcasts as normal. They don't have any rights to Olympics.
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Peter : You will need a Freeview HD (or DVB-T2) receiver. Can you please see Are you really watching free TV in high definition? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice ?
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Nicholas Willmott: It is being done because CBBC is normally on Mux 1 and the two-weeks service will be on Mux B.
Some Freeview boxes would move the channel to 870 unless a 'full retune' was done twice...
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Greg: Yes. See Watching the London 2012 Olympics - a guide (part 2) | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice
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Mark Agius: I understood that the HD EPG has the HD channels first, followed by the SD ones, in the normal way.
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Trevor Harris: I'm not sure what technology the BBC are using for the Torch relay, but I don't recall seeing a satellite truck when it went past here...
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Chris: Are you using the correct parameters?
- transponder 11 is 11914MHz Horizontal at 29500-3/4
- transponder 31 is 12304 MHz Horizontal at 29500-3/4
The full list is on the Watching the London 2012 Olympics - a guide (part 1) | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page.
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Ross: Please try the technique listed on the My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound or the channel line up is wrong | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page.
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Trevor Harris: To be fair, it was some people carrying a torch carried online and on an interactive TV channel, with limited interest, rather than an international sporting event.
I suspect spending lots of money was not on the cards.
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Una: Please try the Watching the London 2012 Olympics - a guide (part 2) | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page.
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MCMLXII: I don't think Channel 5 think that the cost of paying to distribute their channel in HD on Freeview is worth the money at the moment.
Once BBC HD is removed and replaced with BBC TWO HD (later this year) the fifth place could be used by Channel 4 (as it is a public service broadcaster) for one if it's already-HD channels.
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Big Mart: EastEnders and other such programmes will be on BBC TWO for the next couple of weeks.
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Neville Wake: You would normally have to set both parts of the film to record in the EPG, if it split into two parts with another programme in the way.
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Robert Bell: I had a "Lobster 700" DAB device once that had access to an EPG that was provided as part of the DAB broadcasts.
Many receivers will show then "now and next" information.
It will really depend on the type of receiver you have if an EPG is shown and scheduled recording can be made.
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James: Yes, a group B aerial is correct for Redruth. I would have a look at the Freeview reception has changed? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page for general help.
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john: Can you please see the What can I do when my Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' or 'Technical fault'? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page?
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Jon Harris: Please see Freeview reception has changed? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
I would suspect one of your aerial leads has been accidentally damaged.
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Kitty Starkie: The transmitter is never supposed to be off air, and the break in transmission is due to a fault.
It can take some time for an engineer to visit the site, diagnose the problem and effect the necessary repair.
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David Jordan: If you just stop subscribing, and use the Sky+ box as a standard non-recording box then your "Magic Eye" will continue to work.
If you change to Freesat+ or Freeview+HD, you will not have an RF output - these have being discontinued by Sky for some years now.
However, you can always install a cheap second Freesat box using a spare output from your satellite dish.
More at Upgrading from Sky+HD to Freesat+HD | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
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Distribution: Freeview HD boxes can use the ONLINE version of France 24 by selecting channel 110.
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Annie: It is possible, but it would be much easier to get a Freeview+ box - the built in hard drive is a much straightforward way to record TV shows to watch later.
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Keith Rodgerson: No problems with transmission are reported, so I would have a look at the Single frequency interference | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page.
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Nik Schofield: Can you please see Single frequency interference | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice ?
Loft aerial are not generally recommended for Freeview reception.
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Dave: As per the above, "Patcham transmitter covers 4,300 homes".
There are homes in the valley areas that cannot receive signals direct from Whitehawk Hill.
And yes, the power levels are very low.
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jb38: It show Bluebell Hill when I click on My Freeview | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
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Charles Stuart: The space has been created by the change in transmission mode. See Changes to commercial multiplex capacity - 2012 timetable | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
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David Harris-Evans: No faults are reported. Please see the BBC - Reception problems to check again.
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Mark Wiles: As per the posts, "Freeview HD Digital TV Off Air from 10:40 on 10 Jul to 11:36 on 10 Jul".
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F. Bull: Please can you see the Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice for help?
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charles Wallis: Can you please see the Single frequency interference | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page?
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Trevor Harris: It is worth noting that the channels are NOT anything to do with Sky. Sky have provided the transponders, but the content belongs to, and is being supplied by, the BBC.
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jb38: Sorry, I should have said that the link I provided was to the map of the postcode that Steve Williams provided, as per the "map" link next to his post.
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NottsUK: Thanks for the info.
The BBC HD channel certainly needs to be in 1920x1080 mode to allow the broadcast of the 3D events.
I think the "live camera" might be something like an iPhone.
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Mark: Yes, indeeed, the transmitter has a page here - Les Platons (Channel Islands) DAB transmitter | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
Also "DAB" seems to have been conflated with "all digital radio services" too...
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I just note from BBC - About the BBC: Different ways to listen and watch the BBC's Olympics 2012 coverage :
"For 3D to work on BBC HD, we have to broadcast it at "1920 horizontal resolution", ie, with 1920 pixels across the width of the screen. Usually we broadcast conventional HD at 1440 resolution on digital terrestrial and digital satellite television, so we make a special change to our settings to broadcast BBC HD at 1920 when we need to do 3D broadcasts.
Making this change involves a fair amount of effort, plus there's always the risk that something goes awry. To minimise the effort and risk, I decided that we should broadcast BBC HD at 1920 for an extended period - from May to September. Then, to be fair to the other HD channels we broadcast in BBC controlled capacity on Freeview HD (BBC One HD, ITV1HD, Channel 4 HD*) we investigated whether we could broadcast all of them at 1920 resolution. I'm delighted to say that thanks to a huge amount of work from some very clever people in BBC Research & Development and our suppliers we can do that this summer. We implemented the changes in May to allow us to offer 3D coverage across the great summer of programming and we have moved BBC One HD on Sky and Freesat to 1920 too.
As regular readers of the BBC's blogs will know, 1920 resolution is something we've been aspiring to for some time so I thought I'd explain a bit about the considerations involved. We have to consider the trade-off between the benefits to our audiences of our being able to fit a whole extra channel into the multiplex (whether on digital terrestrial or digital satellite) versus any perceived picture quality benefits of increasing to 1920 resolution. At present the benefits are most apparent on 3D programming. Thanks to some upgrades of our coder systems along with many other tweaks to the way we multiplex services together, this summer we've been able to achieve 1920 on all the channels, whilst the gains would not have been sufficient to broadcast an additional channel. At the moment there is still a question about whether we'll be able to sustain 1920 resolution for the long term; I'll let you know more news on this when we have it."
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Mark Agius: I have been told that if you never subscribed to Sky HD, the channel numbers are reversed.
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Mike Dimmick: Very interesting. Using a remote control aeroplane as a repeater is unusual.
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Barry: Please see Upgrading from Sky+HD to Freesat+HD | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice to answer all your questions.
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Dave: see Watching the London 2012 Olympics - a guide (part 1) | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice please
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Mark: The official postcode system says you have a good chance of getting all the services from the Wenvoe transmitter with a standard aerial.
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Ian: Thanks for the information. Very interesting, and I agree that they have not made the change in status very clear...
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David: I think the purpose of the new transmitters around the coast of East Anglia is to allow the power level of the main transmitters to be reduced, to prevent the signals leaking to other countries.
As I don't have the radiation pattern for this mast, it quite possible that the signal is being targetted at specific areas, causing the effect you have found.
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Lynn Francis: Can you please give this - My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound or the channel line up is wrong | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice - a go?
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Doug Wright: I think the next place to look is Single frequency interference | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice
?
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Iestyn: If you still have problems, please can you see the Freeview reception has changed? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page?
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Ceathan: Can you please see Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice ?
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Richard Cooling: The information I have is provided by Ofcom, so only the services they list are shown.
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Su Macpherson: The best thing to do is the process listed on the My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound or the channel line up is wrong | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page.
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Chris: Please can you see Digital Region Overlap | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice ?
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James: Please can you see the Single frequency interference | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page?
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Neil Willis: All Freeview HD transmitters are providing 1920x1080 at the moment.
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simon amond: You might just have to do this - My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound or the channel line up is wrong | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
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J.D.Cameron: If you still have problems, can you please see Single frequency interference | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice for help?
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jill: The CBS channels are not required to provide subtitles as they are "small channels".
There are no CBS channels on Freeview at the moment.
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Mike: If you are still having the problem, please see the Single frequency interference | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page.
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Georgi: I would try My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound or the channel line up is wrong | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice and see if that restores your service.
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Bruce Henderson: Please see the Watching the London 2012 Olympics - a guide (part 2) | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page. Thanks.
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Keith: Can you please start by looking at the Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page? Thanks
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Mr K Kibblewhite: There is no work listed, but it could be a fault that is not showing up.
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montymonts: Please can you look at the Freeview reception has changed? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page?
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alan betts: It seems that most film channels are subscription, so I don't think there will be any more channels soon... but you never know.
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Richard: Hi. Probably the best place to start is on the Freeview reception has changed? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice or Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice pages.
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Thomas Yates: The masts in the UK belong to a company called Arqiva. See Virtual Tour .
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janie: Not all "minor" channels have to provide subtitles on all programs Ofcom | Statement - Television Channels Required to Provide Television Access Services in 2012 says Challenge should provide subtitles on "66%" programmes.
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Terence: If you are still having problems, can you please see Single frequency interference | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
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Conor: Hi. I would have a look at the Single frequency interference | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page.
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A J BEVAN: Please see the Rowridge (Isle Of Wight, England) full-Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page. You can use both horizontal or vertical at Rowridge (and only this mast) but the commercial multiplexes are on higher power in the vertical position.
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Alan: Can you please see Freeview reception has changed? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice for help?
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jasonsampson: Can you please see Freeview reception has changed? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice ?
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Robert Hughes: See Ofcom moves to protect Freeview interference from 4G mobile devices | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice - I will be posting more shortly.
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Roy M: See Freeview intermittent interference | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice for some suggestions. Thanks.
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nana kwaku: Sorry, but you are outside the "footprint" (the signal area) for the satellite, so you can't get signals from them.
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Ken Collyer: Just to clarify, this has nothing whatsoever to do with Ofcom. DMOL is run by the multiplex operators, and the EPG is "licensed" by Ofcom, but that is as far as it goes.
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Stuart Owens: Also to clarify, DMOL have told me that there will be another change to the guide to implement the rest of the changes (such as the HD channels moving to 101-105) before the switchover in Northern Ireland.
Two channels have "disputed" the changes to the numbering scheme as the DMOL "conflict resolution" procedures are being followed.
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Malcolm: Please see ITV1+1, ITV1HD, BBC One HD regional services on Freeview | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
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Malcolm Lee: DMOL have told me that it should happen before DSO completes on Wednesday 24th October 2012. The date is pending two channels disputing their change of number, Sky News plus one other.
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bernard hunt: According to report, Sky are unhappy that the new channel will require three digits, rather than two to enter directly.
IMHO this is a bit rich, given that Sky News (and indeed all TV channels) is three digits on Sky - 501 - and Sky still have not put their news channel on Freesat (or indeed Challenge and PICK TV which are transmitted free-to-air on satellite).
DMOL point out that if you use CH+ and CH- the order of the channels remains the same with the new numbering scheme.
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Charles Pottins: if you do a "first time" install (sometimes called factory settings) you will find everything where it is supposed to be.
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Dave Lindsay: the "upgrade" symbol means you can add a Freeview box to the TV set.
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Maurice: The answer is rather straight-forward.
The main BBC radio stations are carried together on a digital multiplex which broadcasts on the same frequency in the whole of the UK. For this reason, the services on this multiplex are the same everywhere.
In England, the local radio services are carried on the "commercial" local radio multiplexes, which cover smaller areas - usually counties.
However, in Wales and Scotland and Northern Ireland, the BBC services for these areas still have to be carried on the local radio multiplexes, even though they are not as local as the commercial areas.
There is no "all of Wales" or "all of Scotland" DAB multiplex. So to get BBC Radio Scotland, you need to get a "commercial" local radio multiplex.
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Stuart Owens: The 3.4% was a typo, correct is 5.4%, as shown now. Apologies for the error, thanks for pointing it out.
I should have written some code for the pie charts ... they have all been annoying to do.
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Mark A.: yes, the 1.5% are cratered to by satellite. they are beyond the economic reach of DVB-T2
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Raymond Woodward: I have had a look on BBCi and there is no such page, but I only have access to Freeview here.
I've used Google to look for the changes you have suggested and come up with nothing so far.
It would be very unusual for such change to be done on a Friday and following Monday. Normally changes are made on Wednesdays.
I can't help wondering if you mean BBC to reduce satellite transponders from seven to six on 7 October 2011 | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice ?
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Don't forget the Saorview coverage maps - ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page with Saorview coverage maps!
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Stuart Swaine: There is a "fifth" slot, which had the Olympic Interactive HD service in it, and this was to be used by Channel 5, but they changed their minds at the last moment.
Quite who else *qualifies* to run an HD service on the public-service Freeview multiplex, is a good question.
The contenders might be the likes of ITV-2 HD or E4 HD if Channel 5 HD can't be persuaded.
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Jay: Some of the services should be on air next year, if you look at the schedules proposed by the multiplex companies.
I think the "phase 2" sites are 2015.
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neville.breakspear: "When they become available next year, the frequencies on which these local radio multiplex services were broadcast will be used to improve the coverage of other local DAB radio multiplex services in various parts of the UK. Improving the coverage of local DAB services is part of the Government's radio switchover strategy, and re-using the frequencies in this way will help to provide more consistent availability of DAB throughout the UK. "
I am in the process of doing a full write-up.
More at Ofcom DAB switchover coverage planning proposals | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
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stacey eggleston: see North East England - switchover completes on Wednesday 26th September 2012 | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice
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Alan: please see North East England - switchover completes on Wednesday 26th September 2012 | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice
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Jay: DAB multiplexes are 1184 kbit/s in the UK [1]
Given that Freeview brings in 24.1+24.1+40.2 plus 27.1+27.1+27.1 = 170Mbps or 173,772kbit/s there is no point adding in DAB to provide 0.68% additional capacity.
It is cheaper and easier to add the audio streams to Freeview.
[1] Digital Audio Broadcasting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Or click All free TV channels | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
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David: Yes. It is certainly not a good idea to buy DVB-T equipment any more if you can get DVB-T2.
In Northern Ireland you will also be getting UTV HD for the first time on Freeview and also BBC ONE Northern Ireland HD in the coming months.
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mrdtv: The maps are the nominal areas for the transmitters. The link you provided was not to any map...
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Sorry to every for the error in the NIMM coverage map. It has now been corrected.
Also there is now a NIMM button to click on the maps for the three transmitters concerned.
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If you use the Limavady transmitter, you will be most likley be able to receive ALL the RoI services from the Moville transmitter | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice transmitter.
You will get more channels, including RTE TWO in high def.
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Helen: To help with understanding where there is a RoI Saorview transmitter to use, rather than the special minimux, I have added a feature to all the pages that show Northern Ireland transmitters.
If you look at Limavady full-Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice page, you can now see that there is both the symbol for the Freeview transmitter (now animated) plus the nearest Saorview one.
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mrdtv: Always happy to correct things!
I also suspect that the coverage will be very robust indeed.
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John: astra 1N is not located at 19.2 but in the Astra 2 cluster at 28.5. See BBC satellite changes: radio, BBC ONE HD, Red button reduction 12-15 October 201 | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice for the details.
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KMJ,Derby: the above dates are from the Digital UK master PDF. Looks like I might have to scrape again for new dates...
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OK, they have changed the http://www.digitaluk.co.u….pdf file - it's V2 now. I have added in the changes noted.
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Peter Henderson: The numbers I am using for LCN were provided to me directly from DMOL.
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Peter Henderson: that's not correct. UK freeview SD equipment cannot receive the minimux for lack of dvb-t2 and can't get the roi direct for lack of MPEG 4 decoding.
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See Northern Ireland RTE1, RTE2, TG4 special mini-multiplex from 24 October | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice please.
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Tim F: For some reason the auto update on here didn't work for those transmitters. I have manually fixed the database to reflect the correct values.
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Richard: In the RoI, the "switchover" is actually just a "switch off" as it is the old VHF transmitters that are being put out of use, and there was sufficient UHF spectrum before switchover for the one active digital multiplex to reach almost all the population of the RoI already.
In NI, however, there were places that cannot receive digital terrestrial TV before, because the four/five UK-wide services took up all the UHF channels, and the VHF services were discontinued back in the 1980s.
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Peter Henderson: I think you are getting a few things mixed up.
MPEG4 is used on all RoI Saorview services, not just those in high definition. As MPEG4 provides the same picture "quality" in about half the bandwidth, this makes sense.
The 2k/8k comparison is not the same, as this is a "lower" level.
A DVB-T2 receiver will see the bitstream from DVB-T and not vice versa.
This has nothing at all to do with MPEG2/MPEG4 decoding.
There are some set-top boxes in the UK, those provided by BT Vision, which CAN decode MPEG4.
Saorview boxes, on the other hand, can decode MPEG2 and MPEG4, but can't see the DVB-T2 transmissions.
Also, most MPEG4 receivers can "decode" pictures in higher defintions, and resample them down to SD.
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Dave Lindsay: In theory, it is possible. However, Ofcom has a policy of NOT allowing MPEG4 on DVB-T, because there is a clear consume update path: Freeview HD.
You may recall that the "Sky Picnic" idea was rejected for this reason.
The long-term plan is to migrate all services to DVB-T2/MPEG4, even if they are not HD. This is in the "2020-25" planning area.
If 4G mobile services are going to expand, it is possible (not confirmed) that the three commercial multiplex will move to three single-frequency network using DVB-T2/MPEG4. Or even DVB-T2 with HEVC http://en.wikipedia.org/w…HEVC
I have created a graphic to help understand which boxes work on what...
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... Saorview is DVB-T not DVB-T2.
DVB-T2 not only offers better rates, but is more "robust" (less prone to interference) and works better in single-frequency networks.
See Freeview modes - a simplified explanation | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice for full details
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Dave Lindsay: Yes, that is correct.
DVB-T2 is also more robust than DVB-T at the same outputs as it has a more "modern" error correction system and it also uses advances such as the "rotated constellation".
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malc. Gray: This often happens on some older boxes if you don't first clear out the full channel list before you scan.
You need to do a "first time install", or do this My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound or the channel line up is wrong | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
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John Gleeson: Thanks.
There was quite few things that happened when the switchover happened in London, but I guess for many people in the UK, switchover is something that happened a long time ago. In Manchester it was 2nd December 2009 - almost three years ago.
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Tim Newton: The model used on ukfree.tv is written by me, and is not that actual "UK Planning Model" because every time I have asked for it, I have been told it is a state secret, see Update on transmitter radiation patterns (BBC FOI request) | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice for example.
The model used here on ukfree.tv is derrived from information provided by the OS, Ofcom and other bodies.
I am happy to provide anyone who wants it with the output of these calculations.
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Tim Newton: If you still want some data to work with, I can provide a dump for you.
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frank: In addition - just make sure you have Freeview HD too - please see What does "Full HD Ready" actually mean? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
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Monday 28 May 2012 5:01PM
patricia: I would suspect the power cut wasn't a coincidence!