Northern Ireland "mini multiplex" (NIMM)
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV A special service for 80%-90% of households in Northern Ireland will see three Freeview additional channels being available. These will be:
- TG4 - Irish language television channel - Teilifis Gaeilge
- RTE Television: RTE One
- RTE Television: RTE Two (in HD on Saorview)
Some homes will be able to receive the services directly from the Saorview transmitters in the RoI (see SAORVIEW - Ireland's free digital television service ), and others will, from the digital switchover date of Wednesday 24th October 2012, have a service provided from three Freeview transmitters in Northern Ireland.
- Brougher Mountain at 2kW on C30 (
speculativlyC30) - Black Mountain at 1kW on C39+
(speculativly C48) - Carnmoney Hill 16w on C48 (
speculativlyC48)
However, you will not be able to view these services using a standard-definition Freeview receiver - a Freeview HD box or set will be required. It is not known at this time if the NIMM will carry RTE2 in HD, as per the Saorview service. TG4 and RTE1 are broadcast in standard definition at the moment.
The requirement for a Freeview HD receiver is because the services are being broadcasting in "D-Book Option 11", which uses the DVB-T2 standard ("a new mode, option 11, is being planned for a multiplex in Northern Ireland. Receivers should be able to switch between these automatically", D-Book 7, DTG164 is defined in appendix G as: FFT size 32k, 16QAM modulation, 1/128 guard interval, PP7, FEC 64800). Digital Television - Technical guidance on the availability of TG4 in Northern Ireland after digital switchover says that Option 11 is: DVB-T2 16QAM FEC 1/2.
Update: DVB-T2 16QAM FEC 1/2 provides a bitrate for the multiplex of 12.77Mb/s.
Update: DVB-T2, QPSK modulation, FEC 2/3, 32K carriers, 9.954 Mbit/s.
Help with Freeview, aerials?
In this section
Thursday, 22 November 2012
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mrdtv11:28 AM
Dave Lindsay:
Clermont Carn E52 is 160kW. Newcastle is very close to it but I am surprised he can get a signal because of the Mournes. The only way of course is to actually give it a go!
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Damian Cooper1:05 PM
Newcastle
mrdtv. I get your point about Clermont Carn, but I'm 4 miles north of the mountains & getting the C.C. signal through a dip to the west of the range. A guy across the road from me is pulling in C.C. on an original Newcastle Aerial (not sure of group) as it's about 4 miles line of sight. He just added a masthead amp & tweaked the aerial west by a wee few degrees. Thanks too Dave, no danger of me having any interaction with Kilkeel (Aughrim Hill), it's totally blocked to the north (Newcastle, Dundrum, Castlewellan, etc) by the mountain range. I was consodering a 21 - 37 combined with 39 - 68 (split at 38 / screened) from aerialsandtv.com. Do you think this would have the desired effect for me? Also, what aerial group is Clermont Carn? Thanks Again to both of you!
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Damian's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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mrdtv3:28 PM
Damian Cooper: Now that we know your situation I would get the Ch51 diplexer from aerials and tv. CC is a Group C/D. Why bother with the NIMM if you get CC as it has the full Saorview package, but if you want CC and Divis/Black Mountain then the Ch51 diplexer is the right one. Kilkeel won't interfere but Moel-y-Parc might be an occasional nuisance with NIMM. Of course FreeviewHD needed.
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Sunday, 25 November 2012
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danny8:53 AM
i am in omagh town i have bought a new tv with built in freeview and soarview for rte stations the rte stations aoe perfect right up to 5 or 6 o clock then they are unwatchable does anyone know why this happens
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Friday, 6 September 2013
A
Albert9:14 AM
can some one please advise me where to find rte radio channels on my newly acquired freeview box. I can get rte tv on channel 52 and 53 but where radio (BANGOR).
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Albert: RT radio is not available from the NIMM transmitters - they carry RT One, RT Two and TG4 only.
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Michael11:23 AM
Albert: RT RnaG is available on channel 729.
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Tuesday, 5 November 2013
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Paul McIlfatrick12:18 AM
Today I got a Freeview Humax box with a T2 tuner.
My Freeview is from the Conlig relay and on tuning the it I now get the HD channels but there are no RTE channels.
Is it only the main transmitters in Northern Ireland that broadcast the NIMM?
Is there any plans to add NIMM to the relay transmitters?
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Paul McIlfatrick: The NIMM isn't expected to be extended to relays.
It is currently available from Black Mountain (which is adjacent to Divis), Carnmoney Hill which serves Newtownabbey and surrounding area and Brougher Mountain.
Its purpose is to complement the overspill from the South, which is why the main transmitter at Limavady doesn't carry it.
Ofcom published a factsheet here:
http://consumers.ofcom.or….pdf
The map shows a little hole in the coverage where you are. It would appear that Clermont can't help you either.
If an aerial installer confirms that you have no chance of receiving RT terrestrially, then perhaps Saorsat is your only option.
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PJH11:43 PM
Michael: Check the coverage of Divis and Black Mountain on Digital UK's postcode checker. You'll certainly get the PSB channels, and probably the Com multiplexes as well.
It also shows at least marginal reception for the NI mux, so it might be worth putting something up for Divis rather than the Conlig relay.
Failing that, Saorsat would be the best option if you don't want to pay Sky or Virgin:
Digital UK - Coverage checker
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