Arqiva press release on Oxfordshire switchover
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV From Arqiva press office:
NEWS ALERT
Date: 28 September 2011
DSO completed for Oxford transmitter group
The Digital Switch Over process for the Oxford transmitter group, serving Oxfordshire and parts of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, has been successfully implemented by Arqiva.
The public-service multiplexes are now being transmitted at full power from the main station at Oxford and, for the first time, from its five dependent relays at Ascott under Wychwood, Charlbury, Guiting Power, Icomb Hill and Over Norton.
The 'commercial' multiplexes (Oxford only) do not reach their final DSO powers until April 2012, as planned.
Following the analogue switch-off for BBC Two on 14 September, the remaining analogue signals for BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 ceased by 00:01 on Wednesday 28 September. The new digital signals entered official service at Oxford at 06:00, with the last of the relays completed by 12:33.
Help with Freeview, aerials?
In this section
Sunday, 2 October 2011
J
jb389:31 AM
Simon: I find the problem that Suzanne and yourself are experiencing rather interesting insomuch that both of you are located at roughly N/NE of the transmitter at a distance of 8/16 miles respectively.
When you mention that there is not a glimmer of signal on Mux Ch59, are you saying that with reference to viewing the signal strength / quality bar?
The only reason I ask is, that trying out the various tasks requested by Chris.SE would under normal circumstances have rectified the problem, with the fact that they haven't suggesting the possibility that some other factor has to be involved, which could be of the nature of being out with your control.
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Suzanne12:40 PM
Bicester
jb38,
Thank you for the additional insight - that the problem both Simon and I are experiencing may be one out of our control. However, you don't mention what this " out of our control" could possibly be. Interesting as you say we are both located N/NE of the transmitter of 8/16 miles respectively. So do you have any suggestions as to what we might do next, who would we contact, will it be a known issue that will in time will be resolved by Arqiva, or Freeview? Once again thank you for your time and advice.
Suzanne
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Simon 2:43 PM
Buckingham
Hi Jb38,
When I say there is no glimmer of signal on C59, I mean that when I go into manual tuning and select C59 the signal strength comes back as "none".
I'll ask my neighbours if they've experienced any problems although I think most are on Sky.
Please let me know if you have any more thoughts.
Many thanks,
simon
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Simon's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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jb382:44 PM
Suzanne: My personal feelings is that the Mux Ch59- problem could well be connected to the negative offset issue in both your cases, as any device with an inflexible type of tuner will always suffer more on weaker signals of the off set variety by fact of preset oscillator channel being easier to resist being pulled off frequency, higher signal strengths usually forcing lock-on, and likely why there doesn't appear to be any problem on Mux Ch60-, Mux Ch59- will of course be received at a much lower signal strength than Mux Ch60-.
The chassis used in Simons Sharp is known to suffer problems in this respect no matter what might be seen in some places, but the problem is erratic dependant on the signal strength being received, and this is why some people have no real problems whereas others can do in varying degrees.
Your TV is a Bush, and as such will use a chassis under a lot of different guises, and I was intending to check on the chassis used in your model for purposes of cross checking to find out if when used under a different brand name they were known to suffer from this problem, but Sunday isn't a good day to obtain this sort of information.
Not having the manual to hand for your TV, did you notice in the tuning menu if there was an option to enter a frequency? or is it just the more usual Mux channel number.
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Suzanne3:19 PM
Bicester
Hi Jb38,
Gosh you are helpful..really appreciate your time. With regards to choosing a frequency in the tuning menu, no there is not an option for this. As you say just the usual Mux channel number. If my BUSH set is one the of the less " inflexible type tuner " Would I be able to return it to the shop do you know, as IF this is a problem with the 'tuner' then surely shouldn't that be something down to TV and not being informed of the problems one may experience. My thoughts are, that all digital sets should be able to be tuned to receive all the FREE channels, providing available in your area, which channel 59 is.
If I can't rectify this, then I have a TV with not much more than the Analogue channels. I lost approximately 12-14 channels, including Dave, Really, Food Channels which are the ones I want. Not even virgin can supply me with what I want, as there is no fiber optics in my area, so I can't even pay for them. So frustrating, especially as it was all fine before the 28th. Any further advice, options to try would be so appreciated.
Signed gratefully yours..
Suzanne
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jb385:18 PM
Suzanne: Well, although not having experience of your particular model, speaking from an engineers point of view "if" you have already carried out a factory reset before carrying out a re-tune and still nothing has came up on Mux Ch59, then its either that the transmitter is off air because of a fault or that the problem is caused by the TV having negative off-set problems, or alternatively that it has a defect in its pre-set channel memory, although I doubt this if it appears to be searching.
The only important thing that I did mean to ask though, was what level of signal you are receiving on ArqB Mux Ch55? as although its not an off-set channel its on the same power as Mux Ch59, and so it would be interesting to know the level its received at.
It wouldn't do any harm though if you contacted the Bush customer services / technical department giving them the model number and stating the problem along with the suspected reason for, just to see what they might come up with.
That said though, customer services dealing with these type of brands can be very variable as regards to their knowledge of problems, basically because they only attach a Bush badge on the set, and in many cases don't even repair any returned as being defective but just usually replaced them with a new one, hopefully of a later type with an update installed.
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jb385:28 PM
Simon: Just noticed that earlier on you had posted to me at only a minutes gap before my own posting to Suzanne, hence I never seen it above the screen masking.
Anyway, maybe just like I have requested to Suzanne you could indicate what you receive Mux Ch55 at? although I think on your Sharp it might state - "poor - medium - good or very good" but at least its an indication.
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Suzanne5:37 PM
Bicester
Jb38,
You are really kind! Just checked signal for ArqB Mux Ch55 - Quality 27 Strength 0 - But have a perfectly good, clear picture. As for calling Bush, I agree with you probably not good as most will not have a great deal of experience. Perhaps my answer to your "signal" question may throw some additional light in my quest to resolve this..
Thank you so much.
Suzanne
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Suzanne's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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Simon 6:39 PM
Buckingham
Hi JB,
I've just checked C55, the signal is showing as "good" on the manual tuning signal strength bar and I've checked Smash Hits! which broadcasts on that channel, which appears fine.
I have also plugged my aerial into my Samsung TV which has an inbuilt tuner, and likewise it can't find any signal from C59.
Many thanks,
Simon
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Simon's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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jb388:47 PM
Simon: Thanks for that update, and which is particularly interesting considering its using a different set altogether.
You may have noticed that I commented to Suzanne about both of you being in very roughly the same line from the transmitter, albeit Suzanne being at 8 miles and you at 16, with the other mystery being that no one else seems to have complained of a Mux Ch59 problem except yourselves, this being checked using another site as well as this one.
However week days are better for gathering info and is something I fully intend doing tomorrow, its one of these situations that I wish was happening closer to my own area then I could personally carry out some field tests on the signal strengths received on Mux Ch59, and at what distance from the transmitter they vanish!
PS: You haven't mentioned as such, but I take it you don't have a VCR or Sky box in circuit with the aerial lead?
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