Digital Transmitter Problems?

cepheus

How do I obtain information about potential problems with transmitters? From last night, one of my digital recorders keeps freezing frames, the other can't even manage an image at all! First I assumed it must be an upstream connection or the aerial, until I switched on my DAB radio which has an indoor aerial. This fails to receive any stations at the moment.

Presumably it must be a local transmitter, but where do I get info or complain? I am in the Bracknell area and the aerial points towards London..

This report sugggests there is a problem for analogue. It says green areas are served by stronger signals from other transmitters, does this mean a local equivalent of a Crystal palace transmitter, or a completely different region?

http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=TQ339712

Kurtis_Blue

cepheus wrote: »

How do I obtain information about the strength of DIGITAL TV signals? One of my digital recorders keeps freezing frames, the other can't even manage an image at all! First I assumed it must be an upstream connection or the aerial, until I switched on my DAB radio which has an indoor aerial. This fails to receive any stations at the moment.

Presumably it must be the Crystal Palace transmitter, but where do I get info or complain? I am in the Berkshire area.

This is for analogue

http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=TQ339712

It is your aerial or connections there is nothing wrong with Crystal Palace or surrounding digital transmissions, you can find out about transmitter outages on the website you linked for both analogue and digital.

macman

This should help you to identify your transmitter, it may be a local relay.
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?
if you are on a local relay then you'll only get limited Freeview channels, so it should be obvious.

cepheus

I normally get most of the Freeview channels. I think a few are not strong enough. My nearest transmitter is Guildford. However, remember my DAB radio is down as well. Can't understand which there isn't an uproar about this!

Update DAB signal has come back, this happened several times yesterday, but was off most of the night.

Kurtis_Blue

cepheus wrote: »

Can't understand which there isn't an uproar about this!

Because there is no issue with the transmitters, when digital switchover occurs the strength will increase, if you wish to receive all the channels again before then you would simply need to fix your aerial.

macman

cepheus wrote: »

I normally get most of the Freeview channels. I think a few are not strong enough. My nearest transmitter is Guildford. However, remember my DAB radio is down as well. Can't understand which there isn't an uproar about this!

Update DAB signal has come back, this happened several times yesterday, but was off most of the night.

Your nearest transmitter is not necessarily the one you are aligned to. If you can get channels like ITV 3 and 4, Flm4 etc, then you are not on a relay.

cepheus

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

Because there is no issue with the transmitters, when digital switchover occurs the strength will increase, if you wish to receive all the channels again before then you would simply need to fix your aerial.

So why should my DAB radio and digital TV have completely failed last night then?

It seems to be fixed now from around 8am anyway.

Kurtis_Blue

Because the air was cold and damp attenuating the signal, your problem will return.

cepheus

I've had the DAB for two years now through two cold winters, rainstorms, wind and thick fog without a problem. I can't see any evidence of exceptionally bad weather last night.

macman

So the co-ax has deteriorated, the aerial has shifted out of alignment...

cepheus

The DAB is an indoor aerial, the TV is outdoor, surely this eliminates any domestic problem if both have spontaneously failed? The only other thing I can think of other than the transmitter is if someone locally is creating interference. I will check with neighbours later today.