My ITV/C4 Freeview channels have disappeared - what can I do? Is it my SCART ca
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV It is a feature of television signals that they can be effected by the weather. Aside from the obvious damaged that can be caused by wind or torrential rain, the onset of summer can cause a more intriguing problem called "inversion".
Basically, when the sun heats up the land, the hot air can get trapped below cold air at high level. This creates an "inversion layer" which acts like a polished mirror to TV signals. This causes two problems: you can receive both the original and a reflected signal from your own transmitter (on analogue TV this appears as "ghosting") or interference from TV transmitters that are normally too far distant.
The ITV/C4 multiplex of channels (ITV-1, ITV-2, ITV-3, ITV-4, CITV, C4, More4, E4, Quizcall) use a transmission "mode" called 64QAM, and it is sadly much more prone to these problems.
So, whilst a loft-mounted aerial will provide reception at some time, it will fail at others. The only real solution is to mount the aerial (or a new Class I aerial) outside on a pole, but some people report that changing the cable from the aerial to the set-top box to the high-grade satellite cable can also help.
The SCART connection, by the way, only carries a single TV picture, not the Freeview transmission multiplexes, so if this is disconnected it will result in degradation to every channel at once.
All questions
In this section
Wednesday, 27 March 2013
R
Rosie9:50 AM
Chepstow
I have always been quite satisfied with freeview, the odd blip over the years but on the whole quite good. Recently however it has been terrible. A lot of pixelation, missing channels, it's sometimes so bad I have to turn the television off. I had two new aerials fitted one pointing west and one to Wales (fitted by a professional!) So am now wondering if this is as good as it is going to be, without going down the sky/cable route which I am trying to avoid due to cost! I did read somewhere that there was a possibility of this happening when the 3g, 4g phones took over the best frequencies. I fear this is what it is. Not good for the millions who cannot afford sky or cable! My postcode is NP16 5DP
| link to this comment |
Rosie's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Rosie: It is worth checking that your TV is tuned to the desired transmitter(s).
I'm a little puzzled as you say that one aerial is pointing to Wales and the other is pointing west. But Wales is to your west. Is it in fact the case that the "west" aerial points to ITV West transmitter on the Mendip hills, which is to your south?
Sky is principally a subscription service, although it does offer "Freesat from Sky". However, Freesat is a free-to-air satellite service for which you need a dish and receiver. Thus, for satellite reception one doesn't have to subscribe which requires payment of monthly charges.
| link to this comment |
Rosie: This is definately 4G interference because the 800MHz trial is in Cradley Heath and Rowley Regis, which is just south of Dudley.
| link to this comment |
Thursday, 28 March 2013
S
Sarah8:06 PM
Bristol
I've seen a lot of comments about peoples aerials etc but what can I do if I live in an apartment block with 5 floors and wouldn't have a clue where my aerial would be?! Everything is working apart from our BBC channels and it's driving us mad!!!! helppp!!?!
| link to this comment |
Sarah's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Sarah: If the aerial is a communal (shared) one then it is probably not your responsibility. It may be that the aerial system is filtered to only allow through frequencies used by the transmitter. As BBC services are on a new frequency, such a system will require adjustment.
You probably need to get on to your landlord about it.
| link to this comment |
Sarah: Have you attempted a full retune? What about a manual tune on UHF channel 49?
Digital UK suggests that four transmitters might be available at your location so you may, until the communal aerial system is rectified, be able to receive BBC from one of them using a set-top aerial.
| link to this comment |
S
Sarah8:28 PM
Bristol
Yep 'fraid so, we have been searching the internet tirelessly and have tried everything we have seen and still no luck! Annoyingly our landlord I guess is a company in Fleet so it looks like we could be without BBC for another week or so yet!! :(
| link to this comment |
Sarah's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Sarah: I suggest that you attempt reception using a piece of wire about 30cm long in the inner part of the aerial socket.
Assess which direction you are facing and so which transmitter(s) "may" be best and therefore which to try first.
Digital UK suggests the following may be possible for your location:
- Illchester Crescent C41 vertical @ 211 degrees
- Mendip C49 horizontal @ 185 degrees
- Barton House C26 horizontal @ 65 degrees
- Montpelier C27 vertical @ 5 degrees
Theoretically, at least, your wire aerial should be horizontal or vertical, according to the polarisation of the signal, but it may be more a case of trying it to see which is best.
The channel numbers above are those for PSB1 which carries BBC standard definition which is what you're now without.
You may find that using the aerial lead in the back of the set and then putting the wire into it means that the wire can be sited in a better location such as stuck to the window.
I have one of these set-top aerial for use when a fixed one isn't available:
SLx Indoor Digital Aerial ANR310 UHF DAB Fully Flexible Caravan Motorhome | eBay
It is directional and can be set horizontally or vertically, depending on the polarisation of the signal being received.
Whilst not all areas are suited to set-top aerials, if it works and the main one has failed then it provides some level of service.
| link to this comment |
S
Sarah9:05 PM
Bristol
Dave Lindsay: Thanks so much for your help! It's lucky it's a long weekend, I've bagged myself four days to try and have a play around at least!! Thanks again :)
| link to this comment |
Sarah's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Sunday, 7 April 2013
P
PATRICIA ROONEY9:08 PM
Im in the fermanagh area of northern ireland I cannot get itv on my free view tv, any suggestion what might be the problem. Thank you,your help will be appreciated.
| link to this comment |
Select more comments
Your comment please