Author Topic: Off topic.................FREEVIEW PROBS (Read 3085 times)

DILLIGAFF · « **on:** 29 January 2015, 12:11:12 pm »

I just KNOW some clever bod on here can help?

Been using Freeview for about 4 years. Great and free, no probs.

Then recently I noticed that around 8.45-9.30 every night the picture would frequently break up at intervals of about two minutes.

I have a signal booster on a loft aerial and also tried a 4G filter which reduced it a bit but the problem persists.

So...................who can I sue ????

bigralphie · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 January 2015, 12:52:31 pm »

a signal booster cant improve reception for a digital signal just the distributed signal
[/size]It likely to be related to the aerial ie its moving in the wind (might want clamping up)
[/size] , something is occasionally blocking the signal (might need to be realigned)
[/size]or it might just be time to replace it

FuZzBoM · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 January 2015, 01:40:17 pm »

Signal boosters are generally crap. all they do is amplify everything including the interference. as Bigralphie said they are only useful if distributing to multiple devices. I have 2 TV's running off 1 aerial without a booster and runs fine.

have you retuned your receiver recently? I am on the Sandy heath transmitter and had to retune my telly boxes just after Christmas, some of the channels have moved about a bit in my area.

If same time each night could be something turning on? central heating pump etc? Reminds me of being a kid and my mums spin dryer would kill our TV lol

Other alternative is bigger aerial and outside.

Good luck

clayt74 · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 January 2015, 02:13:38 pm »

+1 on everything fuzz bomb just said

noggythenog · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 January 2015, 02:23:19 pm »

Freeview does some funny shit.

My living room tv is connected to the Aerial in the attic......fixed in position, installed by a Tv engineer........yet sometimes the likes if Dave & Quest will drop a bit until i turn the TV about 20 degrees.....doesnt make sense to me.

Get a now TV box and add youtube to it and just watch endless ultimate fails videos.......thats my answer to everything

fazersharp · « **Reply #5 on:** 29 January 2015, 03:10:27 pm »

Try with the booster off.
Also my tvs will pick up slightly off channels and store them up in the 800s, could it be you are watching a slightly "off" channel, its because I and getting channels from another transmitter as I am in a crossover area that can be reached by 2 transmitters and some times the tv will give priority to the wrong one - depending on which way the wind is blowing
You should be able to manual re tune selected channels

Look here http://www.ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Sandy_Heath for all the channels and frequencies and lots of other stuff incl a list of people in your area who have had issues, (put in your post code) for your area

chaz · « **Reply #6 on:** 29 January 2015, 04:00:51 pm »

I have 2 TVs off the same aerial the newest tv works fine all the time but the one in the bedroom which is about 3 years old doesn't work sometimes on some of the channels, usually erm....erm........... babestation,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Fazerider · « **Reply #7 on:** 29 January 2015, 04:03:20 pm »

You're not giving yourself the best signal with a loft aerial and booster. A rooftop aerial and a quality downlead (CF100 or better) will probably help.
Crystal Palace looks like the best transmitter for your area, make sure you're aimed at it reasonably accurately with a group A aerial.
To know who to sue you'll need to find the source of the interference. It might be worth finding out whether your neighbours have the same problem.

fazersharp · « **Reply #8 on:** 29 January 2015, 04:08:43 pm »

Quote from: chaz on 29 January 2015, 04:00:51 pm

I have 2 TVs off the same aerial the newest tv works fine all the time but the one in the bedroom which is about 3 years old doesn't work sometimes on some of the channels, usually erm....erm........... babestation,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yeh thats right the tv I have to do man re tunes on is an older one but the newer one at the end of a tune asks me which region I want to use as it has found the two transmitters

Frosties · « **Reply #9 on:** 29 January 2015, 04:42:39 pm »

My sister had a similar issue when she was in a flat. Couldn't find the cause of who was turning what on so bought her one of these/similar. Sorted it out.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tacima-Conditioner-Frequency-Interference-Filter/dp/B000PS5700

As per others.....it's an idea.
Good luck

darrsi · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 January 2015, 05:33:02 pm »

Aerials in the loft are certainly not ideal, BUT, since the analogue signal was switched off the digital signal was boosted about 1000 times more than it was running at beforehand.

I've always recognised this as a massive con, because for 4 years everyone was told they might need a new digital aerial, which a lot of people went out and bought 'cos that's what they were advised to do, when in fact it just needed to be pointed in exactly the right direction with no obstructions, otherwise the picture would break up or you would lose groups of channels.

The fact is, when digital was switched to full power you should basically pick up a signal with a coat hanger, or your old aerial, because the signal was boosted so much.

I have an indoor aerial in my bedroom that has always worked perfectly, but it has the advantage of being pointed out of a window in the correct direction.

Having aerials in a loft will drag a signal down quite a bit, but if you say it happens every night then maybe you can ask a neighbour if they get any interference, or is it just you?

Do a rescan on your channels too, now there is no excuse for you not to get a 100% strong signal on every channel, unless you have an obstruction, or a loose connection.
Don't rule out animals either, i was helping my neighbour with his recently new tv, as he couldn't get the HD channels to work, and i eventually pinpointed the issue to be between the house and the outside aerial, and found that either a rat or squirrel had eaten into his brand new aerial cable, the bastard.

Here's a helpful guide of things to try.

http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/freeviewhelp/interference.html

locksmith · « **Reply #11 on:** 29 January 2015, 06:29:26 pm »

Got to be an external noise source.
What time does your heating programmer shut down for the night?
A few years ago I had a similar problem and narrowed it down to when the heating was switching on and again when switching off. Changing the controller did the trick so must of had a dirty contact inside.

clayt74 · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 January 2015, 07:56:58 pm »

I'm always looking for a dirty contact!!!
Oops did I think that out loud??

Exupnut · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 January 2015, 05:45:55 pm »

If u clamber up on the roof fae fek'sake don't do a Rod Hull.

midden · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 January 2015, 06:42:32 pm »

I was always having signal breakdowns with freeview. I eventually acquired a mates old sky box and dish and set that up which basically gives all the freeview channels plus some. No subscription needed and I am talking the actual sky box not the freesky box

BBROWN1664 · « **Reply #15 on:** 03 February 2015, 08:51:53 am »

Occasionally I get the signal dropping and the picture breaking up of an evening due to atmospherics.
When did you last retune your TV Del? They had a shuffle round on channels recently so you may benefit from giving it a go.

Fazerider · « **Reply #16 on:** 03 February 2015, 11:31:37 am »

As an experiment, try ditching the booster.
If the signal strength was OK with it before digital switchover then it'll probably be OK without now as the transmitted power went up 10-fold. Cheap aerial amplifiers are usually crap… a higher noise figure than the input stage of your TV/set-top box and often overload easily so that out-of-band signals cause distortion.

DILLIGAFF · « **Reply #17 on:** 03 February 2015, 11:41:13 am »

Thanks for all the replies.

I regularly retune the TV as freeview has a habit of adding channels but not telling you.

I bought the amplifier after setting up the TV and not getting a strong enough signal.

Don't think it is the CH thermostat as I hear that click in and out without altering the picture.

It may be the AC unit on the wall above the TV ( ostentatious I know) as it apparently has a very low wattage heater to prevent moisture build up in the coolant??? But surely that would not only click in at 20.45-21.30 ??

BBROWN1664 · « **Reply #18 on:** 03 February 2015, 12:11:31 pm »

Another thing to try, if you don't have one on there already is the 4G filter that the mobile companies were giving away.

clayt74 · « **Reply #19 on:** 03 February 2015, 12:47:24 pm »

It may be the AC unit on the wall above the TV ( ostentatious I know) as it apparently has a very low wattage heater to prevent moisture build up in the coolant??? But surely that would not only click in at 20.45-21.30 ??
[/quote]

Could well be exactly that! Is the external bit also above the TV? If it's a West facing wall it's likely to have sun until 4pm ish so about 5 hours for the antitrust heater to kick in? Plus I would imagine the external fan starts too to keep the bearings free?

fazersharp · « **Reply #20 on:** 03 February 2015, 01:14:45 pm »

Well FOC me there we were scratching our heads- climbing on our roofs measuring the direction of our aerials and all along it was the flash bas@~+%$* air con, lar-de-dar

clayt74 · « **Reply #21 on:** 03 February 2015, 01:25:00 pm »

Quote from: fazersharp on 03 February 2015, 01:14:45 pm

Well FOC me there we were scratching our heads- climbing on our roofs measuring the direction of our aerials and all along it was the flash bas@~+%$* air con, lar-de-dar

Haha lol

darrsi · « **Reply #22 on:** 03 February 2015, 04:36:30 pm »

Bit long winded, but quite informative all the same.

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1620272