Problem finding Dave since retuning

aloiseb

Please help!

My friend's TV runs from Freeview or Freesat, and recently the TV gave her the option of retuning "to get more channels"
She did this and discovered that in the process she had lost Dave - which is the main one they watch :eek:- and the only useful new one was Gold which was "Encrypted".

Questions:

1. Does "encrypted" mean that she has to sign up to Sky to watch that channel?

2. Is there any way of restoring her TV back to its original state so she can get Dave again?

3. Since she previously had Dave and now does not, and Dave is availble on Freeview but not on Freesat, according to the Freesat website, has she somehow changed from Freeview to Freesat by this retune? I think the TV signal is received through an old satellite dish they have on their house so that would make it definitely Freesat?

She lives in Northampton and I think her transmitter is probably Dallington Park, if that helps? Although i suppose this is irrelevant if she's getting a satellite signal.

esuhl

Gold is encrypted and you need some kind of decrypter card to receive it (many Freeview boxes don't have a card slot). I don't have Sky, but I'm pretty sure you get it with some (if not all) of their packages.

Your friend can't have suddenly switched from Freeview to Freesat (or vice versa) whilst re-tuning - you'd have to change the channel or input selector on the TV and then the on-screen display of the Freesat box would (more than likely) be different to the Freview one. You (probably) would have noticed and (probably) would have had to use a different remote control.

If you look at the receiver box you're friend is using it should say whether it's Freeview or Freesat. If not, maybe you could do a web search for the model number.

You can't just switch the TV back to how it was, but you could check the aerial connections and try re-tuning again to see if that helps.

If not (and it's Freeview your friend is using), these links might help:

Freeview channel line-up (showing that Dave is transmitted on multiplex C)
Help with Freeview reception
Freeview coverage advice

davb

If the TV gave the option of retuning "to get more channels" then it sounds very much like freeview - mine does it from time to time. Is it possible that she has not lost 'Dave', but somehow managed to switch the TV view over from freeview to freesat after the freeview retune.
Freeview may be inbuilt on the TV or a separate box.

sb2_2

I had a similar problem when I updated my Freeview.

When I did the rescan, the signal wasnt at best signal so would dismiss the channel as the quality was poor. I made sure I had good signal as my box shows this under info and rescanned.

Hope this helps!

Akenaton

Yes, use the TV remote to check the correct input is selected.
See if it is on the 'Antenna' selection or maybe it is on AV1 OR AV2
Needs to be on Antenna (or DVB) for Freeview.

This sounds atm like you are on Freesat from Sky?
Retuning on Sky is automatic and updates the prog menu without any user input needed, so initially you probably were on Freeview.


Now to Freeview, if you say Dallington Park is your closest repeater, then that is Anglia region, Digital Switchover happened back in April, but it only transmits three main multiplexes, none of the commercial ones, so you shouldn't even be seeing progs like Dave or G.O.L.D. on your program guide menu.

From your location to get the full range of Freeview channels, you would need to point your aerial towards Sandy Heath which is around 45 km away.
The signal predictions are good from that transmitter but you would really need a decent rooftop aerial and it would depend on local obstacles, buildings, trees, in a valley etc.


The clincher is what channel number does 'Gold' appear on their program menu or list?
and if you know, what channel number did 'Dave' appear on?

That will tell us instantly what system they are using.


Incidentally, on Sandy Heath, the multiplex carrying 'Dave', 'Dave ja vu', and 'Sky News' was moved to another channel in August and will move again in late November.
So that is a possibile cause of your problem because the signal in your area from that multiplex will be less temporarily until restored late November.

jackieblack

We lost Dave and a few others when we had to re-tune after 'the switchover' when they switched off the analogue signal in July.

Apparently there will be 'improvements over the coming months' and in 'up to 24 months' we should get back all the channels we lost.
Great.