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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
Is it true that my 87 year old mother is entitled to a FREE upgrade when the ana5
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
Saturday, 21 April 2012
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

11:34 AM

Derek: I wonder if it could be too much signal:

Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice

Wideband aerials have much less gain at Group A frequencies (of which 21, 24 and 27 are). See these traces:

Gain (curves), Again

This is what makes me think that your problem could be overload on C57 and C60.

link to this comment
Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
D
Derek
12:23 PM
Gatwick

Dave, Thanks for your comments regarding too much signal,I looked at the spec of this aerial
yesterday and like you say gain curve is highest up the top end where my problems exists.Have read the article and wondered if a attenuator would help my problem.

link to this comment
Derek's 2 posts GB flag
Derek's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Tuesday, 24 April 2012
F
Frank
11:10 AM

We receive Freeview from Winter Hill. Reception on the HD channels (C54?)is extrenmely good but at the highest channel numbers (C61 & 62) it is poor and at times we get a No Signal notification. i understand C61 & 62 wu=ill be replaced in 2013. Is that correct? Howevre what can I do in the meantime?



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Frank's 1 post GB flag
M
Mazbar
sentiment_satisfiedGold

4:21 PM

Hi frank there are no problems with winter hill so you might have a problem with your tv aerial but without knowing where you live it is hard to say.

link to this comment
Mazbar's 384 posts GB flag
R
Rob Smith
10:40 PM
St. Albans

Hi everyone
Id be interested in your opinions on this problem. Ive read on this very informative site about inversion interferance during high pressure. However Im noticing problems while its raining. I have Freeview and Im in St Albans AL1 getting signal from Crystal Palace. We are in a dip so I have a very tall ariel and need a mast top signal booster to pick up any signal. In the last few weeks Ive noticed that during heavy rain I seem to get picture break up on most channels, and total loss of signal on BBC channels. Most of the time picture is fine.

I can well believe mast top signal boster is old and needs replacing - its 12 years old. However it seems a few other people have had similar problems post switchover, so wondering if there is anything else I can do Thanks in advance Rob

link to this comment
Rob Smith's 2 posts GB flag
Rob's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
Mark Fletcher
sentiment_satisfiedGold

11:09 PM
Halifax

Frank.One possibility is your aerial cable could be deteriorating if your antenna is mounted externally.If it is,then what you described could be water ingressing into your aerial cable in rain/wet conditions,and the higher frequencies are the most worst affected as such.If that is the scenario then your aerial cable needs replacing.

link to this comment
Mark Fletcher's 673 posts GB flag
Mark's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
L
Lindsey
12:44 AM
Hove

My tv with built in freeview keeps freezing and sound keeps going. It has been happening often since dso but over the last few days its everyday and most of the day. My signal comes from Whitehawk Hill and I live in Hove. My tv reception was perfect before dso and it only froze on very rare occasions. I live in a block of flats with one aerial for everyone. What can I do about it please?

link to this comment
Lindsey's 3 posts GB flag
Lindsey's: mapL's Freeview map terrainL's terrain plot wavesL's frequency data L's Freeview Detailed Coverage
L
Lindsey
8:07 AM
Hove

Lindsey: Sorry I forgot to mention my tv picture breaks up in to segments everyday and most of the day over the last few days as well as freezing and losing sound. Is there a problem with signal from the Whitehawk Hill aerial? As I said previously my tv picture and sound were perfect before DSO

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Lindsey's 3 posts GB flag
Lindsey's: mapL's Freeview map terrainL's terrain plot wavesL's frequency data L's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Friday, 27 April 2012
T
T. J. Coates
10:32 AM
Godalming

My Aerial points to Midhurst and the signal strength checked perfect.
Problem overcome by changing the digital set top box from Micostb238 to a Goodmans box.
It has been suggested that the Mico box could not work with the increased power that came with the switchover/

link to this comment
T. J. Coates's 2 posts GB flag
T.'s: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

12:31 PM

Lindsey: Although I realise that you are using a communal aerial, but for a test if you can get hold of one try using a set top aerial just in case the signal level from the communal aerial is a fraction too high for your TV's tuner, if a set top aerial is found to work then you will have to purchase an attenuator to place in line with your TV's aerial socket, these costing around £4.00 or so.

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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
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