All posts by Anthony
Below are all of Anthony's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
If the go-ahead is ever given to switch all transmissions to the DVB-T2 format, which is more efficient with it's compression over the bog-standard MPEG2 DVB standard which has lasted us many years alongside DVB-T2 format, and can carry more Freeview channels, then there is some distinct possibility that the Freeview Lite relays could gain more services. I would bring in such a move and put out a national advertising campaign over national UK TV and radio channels on all platforms, and give a generous notice period, of the intention to change over, and advise in the campaign of the need for viewers to upgrade to Freeview Play or Freeview HD capable boxes / recorders and TV's.
The cost of the necessary Freeview Play and Freeview HD capable equipment has fallen to way affordable levels and it cannot be a case of 'stick to what you've got forever' when people can afford such upmarket equipment that is easily in their price range.
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Hello. I have an LG 47" smart TV with built-in Freeview HD and Free-To-Air Satellite tuners, model 47LB585V-ZM, and a Panasonic DMR--BW780 Freeview HD PVR / Blu-Ray disc recorder, at postcode BB5 6PN receiving signals from Winter Hill Transmitter near Bolton Lancashire, on a newly installed basic 8 element aerial horizontally polarised and I'm getting variable results,
LG 47LB585V-ZM Smart TV Freeview reception results,
Ch29 Excellent signal strength and quality
Ch31 as above
Ch32 as above
Ch34 as above
Ch35 as above but occasional pixelation and dropout
Ch37 excellent signal strength
Ch39 variable
Ch55 nothing
Panasonic DMR-BW780 HDD / BluRay Disc Recorder Reception Results
Ch29 Signal Strength 10 / Quality Variable
Ch32 Signal Strength 10 / Quality Flicking Between 8 and 10
Ch34 Signal Strength 10 / Quality Flicking Between 7 and 10
Ch35 Signal Strength 10 / Quality Flicking Between 3 and 6
Ch 37 Signal Strength 10 / Quality Flicking Between 4 and 6
Ch 39 Signal Strength 7 / Quality Flicking Between 0 and 3
Channel 55 Signal Strength 7 / Quality 0
I've gone through the indoor bit of the installation and there's nothing I can see that's amiss, gone through everything, and when I try and split the feeds with a splitter, and seperate coax cables from Wilko, things worsen further.
Looking around the area, everybody else is using wideband aerials, there are a few of them, and are probably getting far better reception than I am, all that's been put up is a basic 8 element aerial.
Would a 32 or 48 element wideband aerial at my location improve things or would it be fruitless and pointless?
I don't want to go on a Freeview Lite relay of which 2 are available in my area aka Woodnook or Haslingden as they carry far fewer Freeview services.
The BBC reception checker on the BBC Reception website says I should get good reception of all Winter Hill Transmitter services, but I don't know what's up? Is the 8 element aerial trained on Winter Hill Transmitter inadequate for the signal strength being transmitted or does my existing equipment need a stronger signal provided by a much better wideband aerial?
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Wednesday 17 March 2021 11:28AM
I've checked on Freeview website and there is maintenance on Winter Hill this week with Possible Service Interruption indicated. My channels keep briefly going off occasionally and coming back on during the day but not in the evening though.