Mendip transmitter - January 11th retune required
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV At the moment, viewers using the Mendip transmitter are unable to subscribe to Sky Sports 1 and 2 via BT Vision and/or Top Up TV - see BT Vision, TUTV, Sky Sports 1+2 and the Mendip transmitter - ukfree.tv.
To deal with this, on 11th January 2011, Multiplex D will change from being broadcast on C59+ in 16QAM mode, and switch to be the "normal" Arqiva B multiplex (10kW ERP) on C67 in 64QAM mode.
It will stay there until it moves to C52 on 28 September 2011. This date also sees Multiplex COM4/SDN move from C62+ to C48 and COM5/ARQA move from C56+ to C56.
In summary - if you use Mendip - even if you don't use Sky Sports, you must retune again on 11th January 2011.
When you retune - use a "first time installation" 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
Note: This event is not part of the digital switchover process, and is not being managed by Digital UK, but by Arqiva and ITV.
If you have any questions, please call ITV on 0844 881 4150.
Help with TV/radio stations?
In this section
Friday, 14 January 2011
T
Trish2:12 PM
Somerton
ITV have admitted that Mendip is 'having teething problems' following the upgrade on 11th. There's no point in keep retuning or doing a 'first time install' as the problem is all Mendip's and has resulted in a loss of channels or reduced signal strength. They're working to fix it! (but won't give an eta)
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Trish's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Trish: It's not "teething problems", this is EXACTLY what was predicted to happen when the mode was changed from 16QAM to 64QAM - it causes an effective 3.6dB drop in the signal strength.
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T
Terry4:24 PM
Frome
Brian, thanks for your advice. Your tips about doing a double scan - one with aerial removed, worked for both my Samsung tv and my Humax PVR. However I did find with my two ageing Sony set-top boxes (bedroom and kitchen tvs), a simple rescan did the trick.
I am left wondering just how many people are going to find your advice, or continue to be stuck with missing channels. For example, I can't imagine my very sharp and bright 98 year old mother in law, still living on her own, managing to discover how to do all this. Needless to say I will sort her out, but how many others are in her position?
It is still not clear to me whose responsibility it was to ensure everyone affected knew about the change and what to do. At the very least there should have been a free maildrop to everyone in the affected region. What happened to the irritating character in the tv adverts in the run up to the digital switchover?
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Terry's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Terry: Glad you've got your things sorted out.
You ask a good question or two.
"It is still not clear to me whose responsibility it was to ensure everyone affected knew about the change and what to do."
Well, not Digital UK. They were very clear that 11 January was an Arqiva and ITV event.
And perhaps BT. BT Vision bought the space on the Arqiva multiplex (in a deal with the BBC in pre-switched areas) in post-switch areas.
But there was a bit of a screw-up with this transmitter. Either BT don't have their space for some months (and can't sell Sky Sports 1 and 2) or a change has to be made. Even though, as you point out, it causes people problems.
So Sky bites BT bites Arqiva (bites BBC) bites ITV doesn't bite Digital UK.
Or, to be beief, it's a bit of a cock-up.
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J
Julie5:34 PM
Bristol
I've tried the double scan trick and still cannot get the the C67 channels on either my TV nor my STB, and I'm in Bristol which, correct me if I'm wrong, is not on the fringes of the reception area.
My STB gives an indication of the quality and strength of the signal on C67, and yesterday evening there was no signal at all. Today, it toggles between a good signal and no signal every couple of seconds.
Is there anyone reading these pages in the Bristol area that has been able to get Film4, ITV4, Yesterday etc since the 11th?
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Julie's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
A
Ann6:04 PM
The retune message is appearing on screen, probably best to ignore it ? Apart from missing channels, itv1+1 Wales for us now, in Bath.
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C
ChurchCrawler11:39 PM
I have spent ages scanning and rescanning with the DVD removed, the VCR removed (yes I still have one of those!) and still no Film4 or ITV 4 etc. To have lost Gay Rabbit or a Shopping Channel or Scrambled station or two would not be so bad, but these two are ones I often watch.
And yes Julie - I am in Bristol too!
As long as BT and Sky are happy I guess, sod the rest of us who had perfect reception before this change and have now lost stations. BT and Sky will also be even more happy as this increases the likelihood of people subscribing to get TV from them.
Oh and joy! Another retune in September.
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Saturday, 15 January 2011
T
Trish11:04 AM
Somerton
Briantist - I am quoting what I was told by ITV. What I am pointing is that there is no point in constantly retuning and erroneously doing 'first time' installs. They are working to fix it, and ITV did not see this as a 'predicted' problem. Anyway, I'll stick to Sky for the time being - it costs less in stress and constant wind ups.
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Trish's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
A
Ann1:13 PM
See post here Freeview on Mendip TV transmitter | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice engineering work over next week at Mendip transmitter
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