menuMENU    UK Free TV logo Archive (2002-)

 

 

Click to see updates

Digital switch-over problems

There are now a number of issues related to digital switchover (DSO) in the UK.

There are now a number of issues related to digital switchover
published on UK Free TV

The Sutton Coldfield transmitter that serves Birmingham is having all the current analogue and digital services moved to a second temporary mast. This work was due to be completed last month, but the bad weather has not allowed the "air work" to be completed quickly.

With the power level reported to be about an eighth of normal, this has caused many people reception problems in second largest city in England.

Despite being close to the first digital switch-over in Whitehaven, it seems that people using the Bleach Green transmitter are unable to scan for Freeview services. However, they do work if the viewer manually tunes their box toC53, C57 and C60. "Digital UK says they are now working with Ofcom and the broadcasters to fix the problem".

Down in Cornwall, the Redruth transmitter is stuck in limbo. Cornish people can now watch digital TV from the transmitter and relays, but the commerical multiplexes are on the old power levels and old frequencies until 30 September 2009.

It would appear that the 30 September Freeview retune will be an important date nationwide.



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
Is it true that my 87 year old mother is entitled to a FREE upgrade when the ana5
In this section
Should the UK close down the TV networks to allow for more mobile broadband? 1
UK Digital switchover ends - Northern Ireland completes on 24th October 20122
The last day of analogue television in the UK - goodbye PAL3
2 days left of analogue television - goodbye teletext4
3 days of analogue to go - goodbye to NICAM 7285
Changes to Saorview frequencies and power levels, 24th October 20126

Comments
Monday, 27 February 2012
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

6:33 AM

Annette Lewis: It's a bit hard to suggest things without knowing your full postcode.

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Thursday, 1 March 2012
P
Peter Wood
1:30 PM
Corby

We had a new 'up-to-the-minute' (suppliers words) aerial fitted just before the changeover (we have a decent SONY HD ready TV), and everything was much improved until the actual changeover over. Now we are plagued with multiple loss of signal strength to the main channels, and just as irritatingly, now receive Yorkshire area local TV etc., when we live in the East Midlands (NN17 3DE postcode) - I've lost count of the number of times we have re-tuned through the TV ('multiple times a week) - do we need to get the supplier back in to re-tune the aerial?. Hope you can offer some advice.

link to this comment
Peter Wood's 1 post GB flag
Peter's: mapP's Freeview map terrainP's terrain plot wavesP's frequency data P's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

1:52 PM

Peter Wood: There is a possible simple answer to this and that is that when the TV scans frequencies it goes from low to high. The lowest frequencies at your location come from Belmont in Lincolnshire which broadcasts Yorkshire TV. Thus any poor reception is due to the fact that the aerial is facing the wrong direction for the signal that is tuned to.

I am assuming that your aerial is pointing at Waltham (north west). The simplest and most generic suggestion to affect a resolution is to run the automatic tuning scan with the aerial unplugged up until 55%. This will ensure that you don't pick up Belmont or Sutton Coldfield.

You will then need to manually tune to channel 29 to add "SDN" multiplex from Waltham which carries ITV3 and others.

link to this comment
Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

2:00 PM

Peter Wood: I would like to add one final thing.

Belmont uses two channels within the same range as Waltham (for which you will have your aerial plugged in), so there is perhaps an outside chance that your TV might go with these. You might like to confirm that you have the correct (Waltham) ones and you should be able to do this by going to the services in question and bringing up the signal strength screen and ensuring that the UHF channel that it is tuned to is correct.

Pick TV from Waltham is on C56 and Belmont is on C53.

Yesterday from Waltham is on C57 and from Belmont is on C60.

link to this comment
Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

2:04 PM

Peter Wood: Some receivers, having completed the automatic tuning scan, give the user a choice of "Network". This is basically a choice of transmitter where multiple transmitters have been picked up.

I know that Belmont is something like "E Yorks & Lincs", so Waltham might be something like "E Midlands". If you recall seeing something like this at the end of the tuning scan, then there is no need to do the unplugging aerial trick; just run the scan and select the appropriate Network.

link to this comment
Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
D
David Chalcraft
4:09 PM
Cranleigh

We are in the Midhurst range & retuned the tv on the 29th Feb 2012 & it was OK. From that date the freeview DVD recorder box developed a reluctance to respond to the remote control-sometimes not holding the signal & reverting to the tv. The box has been retuned. A family member less than a mile away has experienced the identical problems. TV is an LG 321d350 Box is an LG Rht498.

link to this comment
David Chalcraft's 1 post GB flag
David's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
M Rogers
6:20 PM

My Goodmans feeview box worked fine for a few days but now when I switch the TV on I just get a message stating 'OTA searching in progress. Exit - cancel'. I am unable to get rid of it using the freeview remote and have to use the TV remote to get a channel. Hence I have no freeview channels. Does anyone know what is wrong and how to get freeview back?

link to this comment
M Rogers's 1 post GB flag
Thursday, 8 March 2012
M
Mike
10:54 AM
Romsey

We had 1st phase switchover yesterday 7th March(Southampton, SO51 6JY). After retuning we can get all channels, but the TV has become very slow in some functions. In particular, when changing channels it sometimes takes several seconds before the programme changes after pressing the remote button, and occasionally it locks up and won't change at all. Need to switch off to reset. Teletext is almost un-useable because it is so slow to respond. Again, it sometimes appears to freeze, displaying "loading" and we need to switch off to recover. I have tried re-tuning a couple of times, but it makes no difference. TV is a Philips 26PF5520/10 digital LCD, and it was fine prior to switchover.

link to this comment
Mike's 1 post GB flag
Mike's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Thursday, 15 March 2012
M
Martin Child
11:30 AM

Since the analogue signal was turned off (we are Midhurst Ariel)when we want to watch a programme on Sky through our kitchen or bedroom tv the quality is very poor. It still works on the main tv to which the Sky box is connected. When trawling through Google some forums have suggested switching the RF outlet channel on Sky to a different number. Is this correct or is there another way?

link to this comment
Martin Child's 1 post GB flag
Select more comments

Your comment please
Please post a question, answer or commentUK Free TV is here to help people. If you are rude or disrespectful all of your posts will be deleted and you will be banned.







Privacy policy: UK Free Privacy policy.