Freeview problems

peat

I live in an area with a mediocre analogue signal, I can not get channel 5 on analogue. About a year ago I got a digibox and everything was hunky dory, I could now access Channel 5, ITV 3 etc. Recently I have been having problems with these channels fragmenting and the signal strength indicator shows a weak signal - sometimes no signal at all. Has the freeview signal weakened? Is my digibox on its way out? I have an outside aerial but it is located inside the loft. Would one of these signal booster gizmos be any use.
Any advise greatfully received.
Peat

Browntoa

I use a aerial booster , gives me a full set of channels in an area where there is meant to be none

worth a try !!

espresso

If the signal strength indicator shows a weak signal, you need to improve your signal. Digital either has enough signal to work or it does not, unlike analogue which will get progressively worse as the signal strength drops. As you aerial is mounted in the loft, you could try moving it as it will be affected by anything near to it including the roof tiles. Just moving it back or forward may improve your signal strength. This website will give more information about the suggested aerial to use and the frequencies of the digital mux's. As you have a weak signal, an amplifier may not work as it will amplify and raise the noise floor as well. If you do try an amplifier, put it as close to the aerial and not down by the receiver.

bazimataz

anyone got any ideas why i can pick up all channels except bbc1 and bbc2? and how i can rectify it?

espresso

bazimataz wrote:

anyone got any ideas why i can pick up all channels except bbc1 and bbc2? and how i can rectify it?

You are only receiving one of the mux's. Enter your details into the link above to find out what channels are used in your locality. You may need a different aerial that is capable of receiving the other channels. i.e. the digital channels may be totally different frequencies to the analogue frequencies in your area.

elizabeth1974uk

hi... i used to have problems with my freeview box... spent a year having dodgy reception... i thought it was the telephone mast that was near by.. or some sort of other interfrance.. or because i live right on the edge of the transmition range for my tv mast...

then i moved .. not far.. only a couple of streets away .. and had no probs.. clear pics etc.. good reception.. then one day the freeview box got moved slightly and the picture kept going... same prob as i had in my last place.. when i moved the box back to its original place.. the picture/signal came back great... so it has turned out that it was the connections at the back of the box..

sooo check your connections.. and have a fiddle with them when the tv is on .. you might find it has an effect..

peat

Thanks for all the replies however my original prob remains - nothing has changed with regard to my hardware ( or aerial) and yet as I type I have no digital signal for ITV (bog standard), Channel 4, poor signal for Channel 5, nothing for ITV 2 perfect for BBC 3 and 4 nothing for ITV3 and so it goes. Can something have changed with the strength of the signal? Does the weather, atmospheric conditions, or season of the year have any effect?
I must disagree with the concept that digital is all - or nothing, channels that have a weak signal pixelate and stutter in my experience - as I watch right now, its most annoying!

espresso

You have admitted that you signal is weak, therefore it must be very near the threshold (or digital knee) of working at all. Improve your signal strength and you problems will disappear. Signal strength will vary due to the leaves falling off trees etc. but this would not be noticeable if you had sufficient signal strength i.e. more than enough signal to ensure a rock solid signal.

peat

Weakish signal true but the fact remains that I got the box at Christmass last year and had good reception an all channels that were available up until relatively recently - nothing physical has changed.

nickyc_2

this won't help in the slightest (sorry) but when I first got my freeview box had great reception on all channels, 6mths later half the channels became unwatchable. Tried a signal booster, retuned channels, reset up but nothing made a difference, so just watched the channels which worked...then 2mths ago everything came back and now all channels are ok - I haven't changed anything, so don't understand what happened..just thought I'd let you know you weren't alone!

Zinger549

Browntoa wrote:

I use a aerial booster , gives me a full set of channels in an area where there is meant to be none

worth a try !!

Do you use that with an indoor areal or just an outdoor