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BOAC
3rd Jul 2003, 23:11
Where I live (so-called 'civilised' - ie not everyone has mains sewerage or gas, and we cannot get cable or broadband!!) I am told by the 'Freeview' website that I cannot have that either.

Informed opinion locally is to ignore that, so I had a mate bring his set-top box along and, lo and behold, I have a sort of reception on SOME channels, varying from zilch to perfect.

I know I will probably need to upgrade my aerial to high gain, and I already have an amplifier in circuit. The puzzle is why are some channels 'dead' (UK History) and some perfect? Are there any gurus of the digibox out there with any tips?

Location Sussex, TX Midhurst

BOAC
8th Jul 2003, 22:56
Hoping the forum mods will indulge me as this is not strictly 'computer/internet', but I've moved this from Non-Ati where I had no replies here in the hope that some wiz might help?

newswatcher
8th Jul 2003, 23:08
Hi BOAC, try this site, scroll down to "Problems with Freeview". Should answer some of your queries!

http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/tvfaq.html

BEagle
9th Jul 2003, 02:15
"Sorry mate - it's probably yer aerial - could be expensive that. Need to go and get me ladders, couple of hours work, then there's the VAT...."

To receive terrestrial digital signals satisfactorily, you need an antenna which covers more of the UHF TV spectrum than the one which receives old-fashioned analogue BBC/ITV from your local transmitter. In other words, a wide band antenna, not just a high gain one. Because the multiplex channel carrying some terrestrial digital TV services in your area will probably fall outside the antenna bandwidth needed for the 4 or 5 analogue TV channels.

Whilst I'm no fan of Sky's methods, their digital signals do at least cover the whole UK - and a Sky system can cost less than having a wide band UHF TV and terrestrial digital receiver installed......

fobotcso
9th Jul 2003, 04:56
....you need an antenna which covers more of the UHF TV spectrum than the one which receives old-fashioned analogue BBC/ITV ....

We..ell, yes and no.

I took a chance with a digibox and hooked it up to my attic amplifier/distribution system and the result was good.

In fact, before the change Channel 5 was its usual snowy self off normal air. But through the digibox fed by the normal hi-gain antenna inside the attic the result is as good as all the other 20 or so channels.

Beags may be right in principle but it could just be worth a try before you fork out for a new antenna.

BOAC
9th Jul 2003, 06:05
Great - I knew I could rely on the 'old faithfulls'!:p

Thanks everyone - I plan to go fobotcso's way.

BEagle
9th Jul 2003, 06:21
In fact it would seem that the digital multiplexes from the Midhurst transmitter should all be receivable on a 'normal' C/D group horizontally polarised UHF TV antenna..... So all you should need is a good quality, well-installed C/D group aerial; there should be no need to have to replace it with a W group aerial.

Try http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/coverage.html and enter your postcode where indicated. That should give you an indication of which channels you should be able to receive at your location. E.g, from Midhurst, all these Freeview channels should be available:

TV

1 BBC ONE
2 BBC TWO
3 ITV 1
4 Channel 4
5 five
6 ITV 2
7 BBC THREE
9 Teletext
10 BBC FOUR
11 Sky Travel
12 UK History
16 QVC
17 TV Travel Shop
18 The Hits
19 UK Bright Ideas
20 f tn
21 TMF
23 bid-up.tv

30 CBBC
31 CBeebies

40 BBC News 24
41 ITV News Channel
42 Sky News
43 Sky Sports News
45 BBC PARLIAMENT YES
46 Community Channel

50 Four Text
51 BBCi
52 ntl i

RADIO

70 BBC Radio 1
71 1Xtra BBC
72 BBC Radio 2
73 BBC Radio 3
74 BBC Radio 4
75 Radio 5 Live
76 BBC Five Live Sports Extra
77 BBC 6 Music
78 BBC 7
79 BBC Asian Network
80 BBC World Service
81 Kiss
82 Kerrang!
83 Smash Hits!
84 Jazz FM
85 Oneword

stickyb
9th Jul 2003, 15:38
No matter what, make sure you buy a setpal type box. There are various makes on the market, all the same, but don't getanything other than setpal, especially in a weak signal area
Also try the forum for digital terrestrial here (http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/f/64/ds.html)

BahrainLad
9th Jul 2003, 17:13
Get Sky. I've got both, Freeview and Sky, in different locations and Sky comprehensively wipes the floor with Freeview. Even if you get Sky with the minimum subscription (no Sport/Movies), there are so many more advantages: solid signal, extensive TV-guide, automatic programming of the set top box (for video recording), much more comprehensive interactivity (Sky News Active has to be seen to be believed), even the time it takes to switch channels is ages on Freeview but lightening on Sky.

And, for £18.50/month, you get all this:

Sports

Sky Sports News
British Eurosport
Eurosportnews 24hr
attheraces



Entertainment

Sky One
Sky One Mix
UK Gold
UK Gold +1
UK Gold 2
Living TV
Living TV +1
Granada Plus
Challenge?
Bravo
Bravo +1
Paramount
Sci-Fi
Discovery Home & Leisure
Discovery Home & Leisure + 1
Men and Motors
Sky Travel
Sky Travel Extra
UK Style
UK Style+1
UK Food
UK Drama
Hallmark
Discovery Health
E4
ITV2
CNX
E!
UK Bright Ideas
Ftn
QVC
Sky Travel Shop



News and Documentaries

Sky News
Bloomberg
CNBC
Fox News
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel + 1hr
Discovery Travel and Adventure
Discovery Civilisation
Discovery Sci-Trek
Discovery Wings
National Geographic
National Geographic Channel + 1
Adventure One
The History Channel
History + 1 hr
Biography
UK Horizons
UK Horizons + 1
Discovery Animal Planet
Discovery Animal Planet + 1
UK History



Music and Radio

The Amp
Scuzz
Flaunt
MTV
MTV Hits
VH1
VH1 Classic
MTV 2
MTV Base
MTV Dance
TMF
The Box
KISS
Smash Hits
Magic
Q
Kerrang!
The Hits
Music Choice (10 channels)
Talksport (UK, NI & Channel Isles)
Big Blue



Kids

Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network + 1
Boomerang
Nickelodeon
Nick Replay
Nick Toons TV
Trouble
Fox Kids
Fox Kids + 1
Discovery Kids
Nick Jr.



Non-subscription

BBC ONE
BBC TWO
ITV1 London
Channel 4
five
BBC THREE
BBC FOUR
Travel Channel
Travel Channel 2
S4C ~ Digitol
Life TV
Showcase
Fashion TV
Game Network
You TV
AVAGO
BEN
Reality TV
Classics TV
Performance
TCM
gobarkingmad
Motors TV
Extreme Sports
Chart Show TV
Video Vault
Classic FM TV
channel U
BBC News 24
BBC Parliament
CNN
S42 ~ 2
ITV News Channel
Euro News
CCTV9
CBBC
CBeebies
TV Travelshop
TV Travelshop 2
PIN
Ideal World
Screenshop
Shop America
Travel Deals Direct
Simply Shop
Best Direct
Simply Home
Simply Ideas
TV Warehouse
Shopping Genie
bid-up.tv
Thomas Cook TV
Telsell
letsgoshop+
Auction World
Shop on TV
Simply Hols TV
Thane Direct
ShopSmart
TVWarehouse
Shop 24/7
Stop+ Shop
Yes
Screenshop 2
TGH
JML Direct
Phoneworld
Vitality
Going Places TV
Factory Outlet
God Channel
God 2
Wonderful
TBN Europe
Christian TV
Revelation
TV Job Shop
Community Channel
Dating Channel
txt me
Open Access
TDC2
TX1
Create & Craft
B4U Music
PCNE Chinese
mta- muslim TV
Abu Dhabi
Asia TV
BBC 2W

spekesoftly
9th Jul 2003, 18:21
Wow! You must have a lot of free time to watch that lot! ;)

BOAC
9th Jul 2003, 18:56
Thanks for all the typing and time. Out of interest, Beagle, http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/coverage.html gives me distinct 'holes' in provision, such as no C5 (no loss!) so I am still (easily) confused. Good news though on the aerial band.

BigEndBob
18th Jan 2004, 19:47
All those channels...and still nothing worth watching!

I want to invent an automatic channel changer on my remote....so even that chore can be illiminated!

Jinkster
21st Jan 2004, 01:51
BOAC,

Get Sky TV - unless you live in a cave you will be able to pick it up ok.

Where I live (so-called 'civilised' - ie not everyone has mains sewerage or gas, and we cannot get cable or broadband!!)

Sounds a similar location to where we are moving to soon - installing septic tanks etc at the moment and looking at solid fuel fires and oil stoves etc.

The transmitter near us is Emley Moor which is on the other side of the valley - so looks like Sky Digital will be the option and DAB Digital radio is definately out.

Best of luck

BOAC
21st Jan 2004, 02:08
Well, in my cave I bought the Daewoo DS608 (under £77 delivered) and with my existing knackered old aerial and existing attic amp I get B1/2 ITV C4 C5 ITV2 BBC Parliament BBC News24/ITV News/ CCCC and Cbeebies (whoopee!) plus loads of digital radio and teletext - and IF I wanted them, all the shopping channels.

Overall a good move, and I'll upgrade the aerial next.

BEagle
21st Jan 2004, 04:57
Personally I'd vote for the BSkyB platform. There are so many problems with digital terrestrial television technology still to be satisfactorily overcome - and the only reason for the government's enthusiasm for terrestrial digital is so that they can flog off part of the Band IV and Band V UHF spectrum. Antenna quality and the deterioration which UHF aerials suffer from with time can cause significant post-installation problems. Far more so than with the pretty reliable Sky system (just make sure that you employ a specialist installer, not some barely trained ex-milkman working on fixed installation appointment times..)

BSkyB appears expensive because of that silly Sky+ system. What's the point now that recording is now possible on domestic DVD recorders?

Unfortunately all the BSkyB receivers bar the elegant Sony VTX-S760U look like something knocked up by a Practical Wireless reader in his garden shed. ("This week, Oi 'av mainly been buildin' sat-or-light boxes"). Hence persuading the memsahib to accept not only a small dish antenna on the side of the stately pile but also an ugly looking biscuit box on top of the TV may be a bit difficult... Mind you, the terrestrial digital boxes look rather like those bits of cr@p you normally see sitting on top of the TVs in most Yank hotels.

BOAC
1st Feb 2004, 03:58
Next question for the 'fundi'!
With a gathering number of 'remote controls', I have tried to find a 'universal' which will control a Daewoo Digibox, but no luck. Daewoo have not responded to an enquiry abouit their codes. Anyone had any luck?