REALLY annoying Freeview!!

[Alex652]

I'm trying to work out what on earth is wrong with my Freeview...

Every night from 9pm exactly, all the ITV channels, all the Channel 4 channels (C4, E4, More4 etc), and all of the Channel 5 channels suddenly get a really bad reception, or no signal at all. But, all the BBC channels remain crystal clear, as well as the UKTV channels (Watch, Dave etc).
I don't really care about the ITV channels, but I often watch Channel 4 and sometimes Channel 5.

It is really annoying, does anyone have similar problems?? ARGHHHHHH

[bunkoff]

Yeah get the same here too, it's a right pain. All those channels are on the same frequency and appear to be transmitted at lower power than other ones so that they don't interfere with analogue signals. Got to wait till switchover next year until they boost the signal.

[gSteve]

I cant get any digital tv at all, it doesnt pick up any channels. Analogue is being switched off in september here so I hope its better then or ill have no channels at all

[Mortigantoj]

I'm getting the same thing with several Sky channels!
It's because of the bad weather

[firemonkey]

I live in a tower block and have had this problem on several occasions despite the council recently upgrading the communal aerial.
Can lose channels for over a week at a time.

[schneebeli]

Originally Posted by CallMeMorbid

Every night from 9pm exactly,

Sounds like it's something electrical switching on that's affecting it doesn't it? Perhaps the neighbours switch on their TV then? I know mine goes bananas when I turn on the fluorescent light in the kitchen

[Dan B]

I've had very strange problems with mine. For example, on some channels, the program I'm watching will be fine, but when the adverts come on, the picture will pixelate or freeze up (which is not such a bad thing, to be honest). Similarly, on BBC Breakfast during the studio bits the picture will be fine, but when they go to a live outside broadcast, I get the same problem! It also even happens when the credits pop up at the start of TV shows on some channels - rest of the show will be fine though. Beats the hell out of me why it does this, does anyone else have that particular problem?

[Johnni]

All those channels are on the same 'mux' or basically the same band transmitted from your local transmitter. If it happens at a precise time of day i guess they are messing around with the transmitter rather than a problem on your end?. Have you asked people living next or near you if they have the same problem.

Have a look on this site for info about freeview in your area.
http://www.ukfree.tv/txlist.php

[Worried]

the annoying thing with my freeview is for no reason it will bring up 'autotune page' constantly. proper gets annoying after a while because it doesn't change anything. it's like an ocd thing, kjeeps coming for no reason.

[Caribou]

Originally Posted by Darling

This is one of the (many) things that I hate about digital terrestrial television. The slightest bit of interference renders it completely useless. With analogue, you could still watch TV with a very weak signal.

That is the thing that concerns me too. Our transmitter doesn't switch over properly until next year, but I'm hoping that the signal will be a lot better when they increase the power. At the moment, the signal breaks up quite frequently, and is sometimes practically unwatchable, despite my investing in a proper high-gain roof aerial. Have to say, though, that I'm not very hopeful that it's going to be as good as analogue.

[Wheelie Bin Bird]

I've got built in Freeview on my main TV.

When I was at my old house I used a 'One4All' internal aerial which worked fine.

Now I've moved and it doesn't pick anything up. I tried that aerial on a portable TV in the kitchen which is in the center of the house and it worked. Albeit very fuzzy.

Now my main TV is hooked up to the external aerial and it's crap...Get really bad interference on pretty much all the channels. ITV4 is the only ITV channel thats ok....Even the bloke next door theother week using his strimmer knocked alll my channels out.

Not impressed.

[Caribou]

Originally Posted by In_infamy

My family recently got a [digital] TV and I'm not sure how you er..."install" the Freeview on it? Any ideas? I'm guessing it involves sme kind of scan thing where it scans for the channels...I remmeber doing that when we got it but still nothing...so I'm guessing I'm doing something wrong.

Yeah, it'll probably need scanning to set it up. Is it a new telly with an instruction book?

[Wheelie Bin Bird]

Originally Posted by In_infamy

My family recently got a [digital] TV and I'm not sure how you er..."install" the Freeview on it? Any ideas? I'm guessing it involves sme kind of scan thing where it scans for the channels...I remmeber doing that when we got it but still nothing...so I'm guessing I'm doing something wrong.

My remote has a DVB/Analogue button on it so you can switch between the 2.

[ItsNotAPorkChop]

I often don't get any signal or bad signal for ITV and Channel 4, I used to blame it on the shit reception in this house, because it is really, really bad. You can't use a mobile phone for a phonecall unless you stand outside the front door or sit on the floor in the bathroom kinda bad. I do always get BBC though, and the other ones you mentioned, which is a coincidence :S

[Between The Bars]

ive just set up my freeview box and it seems to be workin fine so far *touch wood*
*touches head*


a canny afford VM prices anymore so ive changed to Talk Talk

£27.10 per month

all phone calls are free including 0845 numbers (if you phone abroad or mobiles it will cost you money)

the only thing im fussy aboot is going from 50mb download to 10mb of download speed

[Between The Bars]

this also includes unlimited downloads

[schneebeli]

Originally Posted by FOR REAL 2

the only thing im fussy aboot is going from 50mb download to 10mb of download speed

I'd be over the moon with 10 mb

It was a long job getting my parents' freeview up and running, even after the switchover. A high-gain non-wideband aerial wasn't enough on its own to supply two boxes, so I had to fit a loft amplifier as well. Something else that helped was to do away with the wall sockets and run the cable directly to the Freeview boxes. Wall sockets attenuate the signal quite badly and generally aren't well shielded against noise. It works well now and doesn't break up except in very heavy rain. The only thing I don't like about digital is that it takes longer to change channels.

[Sea]

One thing I don't understand about mine, is that I have one tv set up in the living room, and then a smaller tv in the bedroom. But the two receive different stations My small tv refuses to find half the channels that are installed on my main tv. I have re-tuned both of them numerous times, and they consistently find different channels, or the one complains that there is 'no signal' for some channels. But how can that be true if there is a signal in the next room and the entire house is linked to the same aerial? I don't understand technology

[яemus]

Maybe try getting an aerial booster.

Here's a cheap OK one:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5346147.htm

Also check that your aerial on your roof is pointing directly at the transmitter, it should be facing in the same direction as all other aerials in the area.

[schneebeli]

Originally Posted by Dory

My small tv refuses to find half the channels that are installed on my main tv .... how can that be true if there is a signal in the next room and the entire house is linked to the same aerial?

Ye, some TVs/boxes are just better than others, especially when it's a weak signal. Also the cable/wall socket to your small TV might be worse than the one to your main set. It's not far off witchcraft...

[Caribou]

Originally Posted by schneebeli

Wall sockets attenuate the signal quite badly and generally aren't well shielded against noise.

Interesting, I didn't know that! My lead from the aerial goes to a wall socket. When I moved into this house six years ago, I removed the old aerial cable and fed new, high-quality shielded cable down the wall conduit to the socket. If I'd have known about what you said I'd have done away with the wall socket and just fed the cable in one piece straight to the TV/Freeview box.

I can't change it now because they've insulated my loft and have covered all the joists with insulation so you can't see where to walk anymore. Last time I tried I put my foot through the ceiling!

[schneebeli]

Originally Posted by Poltergeist

Interesting, I didn't know that! My lead from the aerial goes to a wall socket. When I moved into this house six years ago, I removed the old aerial cable and fed new, high-quality shielded cable down the wall conduit to the socket. If I'd have known about what you said I'd have done away with the wall socket and just fed the cable in one piece straight to the TV/Freeview box.

yes you reasonably assume they're the right thing to use, but it made the difference of receiving an extra set of channels in my case. Luckily I'd left enough slack in the loft that I could pull an extra bit down. I unscrewed the sockety bit from the wall plate and drilled the hole out to take a white stuffing gland (mmm, 'stuffing gland') from maplin which clamps the cable in place and prevents draughts.

Originally Posted by Poltergeist

I can't change it now because they've insulated my loft and have covered all the joists with insulation so you can't see where to walk anymore.

Ach, that's a pain. Loft life was a lot easier before insulation

Originally Posted by Poltergeist

Last time I tried I put my foot through the ceiling!

Doh!

[ponder]

The digital technology is quite vulnerable to interference, particularly if you have old and poorly shielded aerial cabling - are there any electrical appliances which may switch on around this time?