What's occurring with Freeview signals?

[Taslim]

Well TASLIM that just about sums it up... if you can see the mast and still get a crap signal on the BBC channels there must be something going on eh? Found out tonight its not only the BBC channels but ITV as well!!! We all used to blame the weather for bad reception in past years didnt we, rain,sun spots, you name it.... but now ?

 

I initially blamed my elderly telly aerial but my neighbor has 'gone satellite' and bunged me his posh new twig. It made no difference. Weather conditions don't seem to be a feature since we have had all sorts thrown at us & reception is still rubbish. I have heard that some bands are being sold off & others compressed. Anybody else heard this?

[twbm]

Another thought - be sure your signal boosters are designed to boost only the relevant frequencies. If you buy the cheaper ones they boost everything, including any interference you may be picking up. In my day job, I know of wide area interference coming from such diverse sources as lift motors on hotel roofs, a neon sign in a kebab shop, flourescent light tubes and welding sets. Digital seems more vulnerable to interference and the available spectrum is filling up.

[plainsman]

Anybody reported their problems to Freeview or asked for an explanation? All kinds of stuff can impact on signal quality maybe Freeview et al are unaware of the problems and would appreciate information from users. Personally I have found reception on my Image UHF aerial much improved since analoge shut down. Very seldom do I have a problem. Main cause of poor reception when it happens to me is being close to trees in heavy leaf or high buildings.

[Bobbin]

Is there low flying aircraft in your area, helicopters? That's what is messing about with our signals in Scarisbrick.

Hope it doesn't go off in the middle of Comissario Montalbano!!

[dor]

I mostly use my sat dish now, but just tried my aerial on freeview and it seems ok here in South Cheshire.

I had at one time when I used a booster - removed the booster and had a great picture.

 

But as I said, I now mostly use my sat setup - £60 from aldi for HD receiver including satfinder. With that, takes me only a couple of minutes to set up. Just go a bit to the left of south, make sure you get the elevation right (my sat mount has a little clinometer needle on the side) and just gop for maximum leds/beeps. Just wacth out for one that is a bit to the right and a bit higher - I think that is a German one. Nothing else to confuse it with though.

[Leo No2]

I have had my TV running (using a Maxview omidirectional aerial) as I have been experiencing issues.

 

Discovered that a small link cable from the feed in the wall to the TV amplifier thingy was dodgy - replaced that and have had uninterrupted reception ever since - boat moored on the Wey at Addlestone and under today's Heathrow departure route for Europe and the East (lucky for some).

[nb Innisfree]

I mostly use my sat dish now, but just tried my aerial on freeview and it seems ok here in South Cheshire.

I had at one time when I used a booster - removed the booster and had a great picture.

 

But as I said, I now mostly use my sat setup - £60 from aldi for HD receiver including satfinder. With that, takes me only a couple of minutes to set up. Just go a bit to the left of south, make sure you get the elevation right (my sat mount has a little clinometer needle on the side) and just gop for maximum leds/beeps. Just wacth out for one that is a bit to the right and a bit higher - I think that is a German one. Nothing else to confuse it with though.

 

I always used to get the wrong one so instead of starting from the south and scanning left I now start from the east and scan to the right, much less chance of getting the wrong one.

[Mattyf]

Atmospheric pressure and changes in it can influence tv signal also if there are trees in the way and the leaves are wet this can cock things up. We have had problems when you pick up signals from two transmitters on freesat with different channels tuned in In the same tv chan group (I.e from different regions)

 

If you can see the transmitter it may be the signal is too strong ( I know it sounds daft but it's true) try moving the twig a bit off line . My father had this problem at his house.

[JDR]

A digital signal will probably be high frequency and short wavelength.There is a phenomenon called the umbrella effect which is common on 1800Mhz mobile networks where depending on antenna height and tilt you won't receive any signal until you are a certain distance away.Being close to a mast is not a guarantee of signal, in some cases it is counterintuitively the opposite.

[Higgs]

What a hassle.

 

Get yourself an 18" piece of 2x1 and two wire coat hangers. Made of 8 V shaped pieces of coat hanger and a couple of lengths, a piece of coaxial. Should find it on Youtube - Homemade digital aerials. Works with WinTv dongle and set top boxes, inside front deck, lying on the floor, this way, that way.

 

Or, you can watch the radio. Heck, I can only find about 4 tv programmes a week to watch. When you get rid of all the cop programmes and shoot m ups and soaps and talent shows and game shows - there's always macrame and fretwork and brass polishing. Oh, the excitement.

[JDR]

I like the idea of the 2x1 cheapo aerial.You could find out the frequencies used for freeview then cut element lengths to a third of wavelength Or just measure a known working aerial.

[Capt Col]

Last week we moored below lock 41 on the T and M at Kidsgrove, and we nearly threw the telly, ariel, whole lot in the cut!

 

Now near Elworth/Sandbach and out in the open, and works grand.

 

A question regarding the fact that if out ariel moves slightly and the pic goes crap, does thid happen in a house when some of these areials we have seen are stuck up on 10-20ft poles, must be affected by the wind?

 

Colin on Emma Maye working our way back to Burscough for winter...

[robdalej]

Just come back from a trip to Chester , terrible signal all week, couldnt even get a picture in the middle of Chester. Gave up in the end,was considering getting a new t/v but decided against it as dont want to waste more money. signal definitely gone worse since freeview came along

[mrsmelly]

Just come back from a trip to Chester , terrible signal all week, couldnt even get a picture in the middle of Chester. Gave up in the end,was considering getting a new t/v but decided against it as dont want to waste more money. signal definitely gone worse since freeview came along

 

Hi

 

I dont think freeview is to blame, my money lies on the crap digital system. Its the same with mobile fones. In the good old days pre around 94 all fones were analogue and I could be whizzing down the motorway ( wife driving ) and keep a signal, sometimes it would hiss etc but still got a signal, now the instant anyone is one nano inch out of perfect signal alignment you get nowt. Digital is quite simply crap and I believe the govnmt and BBC etc know that to be a fact as they have still not made all radio stations digital as they no reception will be lost in all but perfect situations.

 

Tim

[Thewatchmaker]

I have suffered this in the last 2 weeks. Moored in the same place and now I can hardly get freeview signal. I used to get a good signal. I've checked the aerial and connections and all seems fine..

I'm thinking of getting a portable satellite dish instead..

Casp'

Yep, same for my just down from you.

Suddenly gone really weak.

[KenK]

This link has been posted on here before in another thread, we tried it on the Four Counties, Weaver and the Caldon this summer and the locations were accurate, had no problems obtaining a good signal. http://www.rwilson.org.uk/candr_tv.html

 

I did buy a nice new Log Periodic and make up a new cable prior to the trip, the difference was remarkable. In the marina I had to have the old areial on a high pole and make sure the direction was spot on, with the new one didn't extend the pole and picked up a good signal through 90 degrees, 45 degrees either side of where I normally have to point it.

 

Ken

[keble]

This isn't directly relevant, but it might be a help to someone.

I too had a rubbish Freeview signal last week (we point to the Mendip transmitter from Saul, and the signal is too weak even to show up on a "finder" box).

I eventually looked at the aerial connector (at the downstream end) and found that the coax screen had basically disintegrated.

It seemed to be one of these modern aluminium foil screens with a very minimal wire braid on top. The aluminium foil had turned to just powder!

I replaced with a £5 lead from B&Q and it's now fine.

[Tiny]

Yup agree with you there digital is crap I suppose that when one minute you have a 'great signal' and you are really into a program and then it says NO SIGNAL grrrrr. Had no probs at all with the box, until now... so they must have done something... and to Bizzard... we have retuned over and over and over... fine for 5 mins then back to bad picture loss of sound.. thats why I thought I would ask on here to see if other memembers in other areas are experiencing the same.

 

Having a signal tester the signal used to be good. Now its very bad since the last retune. We have just the one transmitter and this gave a good analogue picture which got worse as they brought in digital. We wonder if they have cut power to save dosh as the other channels are OK - except Dave and e4+1 - which have disappeared in the last retune while we acquired 5+1 for the first time. As for changing transmitter - we have just the one.

[Karma Dreams]

Having a signal tester the signal used to be good. Now its very bad since the last retune. We have just the one transmitter and this gave a good analogue picture which got worse as they brought in digital. We wonder if they have cut power to save dosh as the other channels are OK - except Dave and e4+1 - which have disappeared in the last retune while we acquired 5+1 for the first time. As for changing transmitter - we have just the one.

Well reading and following the various responses regarding this 'Freeview' prob I started, it seems we are all suffering from this Digital reception, whether some of us are using normal types of aerials or sat dishes. I have just been watching BBC1 and the signal strength is 72% and good reception... but tonight around 7pm the signal drops off, and starts to pixelate so you cant watch it. I think one member said they felt it seemed like a POWER DROP,which I agree with. Other channels are fine its only with BBC that are affected, so its NOT the aerial at fault is it?

I have checked the site for our transmitter, which says no problems or engineering work being carried out... so then went on to fill in the form on-line to the BBC detailing 'my reception problems' .... whether they will reply back, dunno.. but if I do get anything back will post back on here (the transmitter for me is the Sutton Coldfield mast).

[Keeping Up]

Are they trialling the 4G network yet?

[Karma Dreams]

Are they trialling the 4G network yet?

Good point... was wondering if this 4G is rolling out, which I suppose will be super duper for the mobile broadband users, but as in pass press debates will this affect the 'Freeview service'? Will anyone care enough to sort it if it does/has?

[Leo No2]

Good point... was wondering if this 4G is rolling out, which I suppose will be super duper for the mobile broadband users, but as in pass press debates will this affect the 'Freeview service'? Will anyone care enough to sort it if it does/has?

 

Theere was a comment that the testing of the 4G on the 3G network wouldn't affect the Freeview signal. - What the comment actually is is as follows: 'Everything Everywhere, which operates the Orange and T-Mobile brands, is hoping to roll out 4G services ahead of the auction, using its existing 3G network. 4G delivered in this way will not cause interference."

[mrsmelly]

Are they trialling the 4G network yet?

 

Lets bloody hope not. Perhaps someone will come up with an analogue system or invent a cathode ray tube so we can all watch telly again.

 

Tim

[Smelly]

Isn't 4g supposed to pinch some freeview bandwidth? They've just switched 4g on.

 

Are they trialling the 4G network yet?

 

Zackly Ev Ev are running now

 

Switched on 11th September.

 

Lets bloody hope not. Perhaps someone will come up with an analogue system or invent a cathode ray tube so we can all watch telly again.

 

Tim

 

Who needs telly?

[Sue1946]

At the risk of being taken to task by the techy folk out there - I am land based with BT Home hub, fixed aerial, no movement of any sort and I've noticed lots of (is it called?) pixilation? When part of the picture goes into small square boxes? and dreadful sound hiccups/cut offs.