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Freeview intermittent interference

When you get occasional sound loss or picture freezes

When you get occasional sound loss or picture freezes
published on UK Free TV

There are several different types of interference that cause problems. This page deals with the situation where:

  • Freeview reception is perfect or near-perfect most of the time
  • The audio on TV and radio channels mutes momentarily a few times each minute
  • The picture on a Freeview channel freezes a few times each minute


There are two main causes of this type of intermittent interference:
  • 'Induction' interference
  • Mobile phone interference


Induction interference

Induction interference is caused by mains-powered household devices that contain a large motor, such as:
  • Washing machine;
  • Tumble dryer;
  • Central heating pump or combination boiler;
  • Fridge;
  • Freezer;
  • Power tools (drills, jigsaws etc)
  • Vacuum cleaners;
  • Water pumps;
  • Automatic doors


You can identify if one or more of these devices is causing the Freeview reception problem by powering off the devices.

If one of these devices is causing the problem, then the reception problem can usually be solved by using a mains filter device and use it on the Freeview boxes mains connection.



Such as device is this: Maplin: 6-Way Flat Screen and HDTV Surge Protector and Mains Filter.

Mobile phone interference

If you keep a mobile phone by your Freeview box or digital television, keep it further away!

This also applies to other transmitters such as baby monitors, video senders, walkie talkies, and portable phones.

Help with Freeview, aerials?
How do I get a test card with Freeview1
I would like to know if it is possible to receive UK terrestrial Freeview servic2
I have been told I would receive too much singal from my Freeview tansmitter as 3
Can my Freeview box receive more than one BBC and ITV region?4
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In this section
Official aerial installers guide to the TV spectrum future1
Which free digital TV system will give me the most reliable reception?2
High pressure causing channel loss through "Inversion"3
Digital Region Overlap4
Freeview reception has changed?5
Two frequency interference 6

Comments
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
L
Lucas
3:19 PM
Lyndhurst

Dave Lindsay: I have a similar problem in that since the latest switchover my bedroom TV has lower signals, cannot now receive Film4 Magic radio and others. Sound breaks up and picture freezes quite often now in 5+1 mostly.

A Freeview set top recorder I had gave up the ghost and refused to tune into anything despite multiple attempts. Bit sick of continually retuning.

Will moving my arial to the vertical position help?

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Lucas's 2 posts GB flag
Lucas's: mapL's Freeview map terrainL's terrain plot wavesL's frequency data L's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

3:54 PM

Lucas: I expect it will help.

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Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
Saturday, 21 July 2012
J
justin
7:55 PM

Hi, our Grundig Sd freesat has in the last few weeks started to do little but almost constant freezing along with really loud sort of high pitch spitting noises. Any idea what this is please? We have checked all the cables etc etc.

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justin's 1 post GB flag
Monday, 23 July 2012
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

12:03 AM

justin: Have a look at the signal strength and quality indications being shown as what you have mentioned suggests that they are low, or at least the quality is, should it be found that they are then the dish is slightly out of alignment and with this most likely to be in the horizontal plane, whereby a slight nudge on either the left or right side of the dish might correct the error.

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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
G
Glyn
11:00 PM

I have Sony play tv. Mobile phone usage means the picture freezes persistently and,weirdly, people walking around upstairs coincides with picture interference downstairs.


The aerial is fitted outside at the rear of the house but as we have no chimney pot, it doesn't extend above the apex of the roof. We have an internal Wosley booster and the aerial feeds 3 tv's.

Any suggestions to remove interference?

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Glyn's 1 post GB flag
Thursday, 2 August 2012
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

7:42 AM

Glyn: I would try a test by temporarily by-passing the booster and feeding the aerial directly into one of the TV's, checking if that makes any difference.

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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
D
David
11:48 AM
London

Think i need help. I have a Pace Dtr 5520 HD Freeview box and all channels/signals are strong and receiving the transmissions correctly. however, the HD signal stutters/freezes with live sporting action. Can anyone suggest the reasons and how i solve this as it is extremely frustrating and rather negates the HD channels when it comes to sport.
I am in Clapham and the Aerial is pointing right at Crystal Palace !!!
Regards and thank you.


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David's 1 post SE flag
David's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

1:33 PM

David: Being located at only 4 miles from the transmitter this problem could be caused by an excessively high signal level being fed into the tuner resulting in it being overloaded, something which will always affect HD reception before SD.

An attenuator placed in line with the boxes aerial input socket should stop this happening "if" indeed that is the cause of the problem, but a simple way to test if you are receiving an excessively high level of signal is to remove the aerial connection and try a set top aerial, if you cannot access one then try a short piece of wire (18" or so) connected into the boxes aerial socket an check if an HD image can be seen.

If this works then purchase an attenuator, this preferably of the variable variety (zero - 20db) as it can be adjusted to suit.

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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
D
David
2:12 PM
London

Thank you for your post Jb38..I will try as suggested and 'report' back.



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David's 2 posts SE flag
David's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

9:08 PM

David: I had also meant to add, that sometimes in a high signal strength area a picture of sorts can still be obtained if the "wall socket end" of the jumper lead from the TV or box is unplugged and your finger placed across the cable end.

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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
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