No ITV or Channel Four Coverage on Freeview?

Katgoddess

My father has brought a freeview box, and we can not get it to recieve any of the ITV or Channel 4 channels except E4+1.

We use an outdoors aerial, and have tried it with an indoor one, and a booster. I have tried many times to add new channels and reinstalled them.

It is a Matsui set top box and we live in the Crystal Palace area.

The set top box downstairs works fine, but that is a Nokia.

Thank you in advance. The rents are driving me mad!

pin

Sorry, can't answer your question, but have you looked at the Digital Spy forums? They seem to be very good for this sort of stuff (I had a look there when I was looking for info about why my freeview box wasn't working).

Katgoddess

I've already posted a message there!

I thought I'd try here as well.

No answer that has worked yet.

Joe_Bloggs

Something is strange here. The Crystal palace Multiplex that you cannot get that includes the digital ITV1,2,3 and C4 is broadcast on UHF channel 22 (480MHz). The analogue terrestrial ITV1 is broadcast on UHF channel 23 (490MHz) these are close together but if you can get one you should be able to get the other. From your description it seems that you have two aerials and the one connected downstairs works better than the other. Clearly there is nothing wrong with the reception downstairs then it is either the Matsui box, the aerial and cables or something else.
Check for other devices transmitting in, analogue form, close to C22 such as the set top box itself or a video recorder. Are both aerials of the same frequency class ? Class A is recommended for Crystal Palace.
You could swap boxes to prove if both boxes can work, fine or not, given a known good signal.
J_B.

Katgoddess

They are both run from the same outside aerial.

I have been told on Digital Spy that my Nokia model has a slightly better tuner which could be why that ones working.

They've suggested getting a better model. GRRRR.

Joe_Bloggs

@Katgoddess
How do you distribute the aerial signal throughout your house ? Do you have a distribution amplifier ?
J_B.

ManAtHome

Still sounds worth a swap as JB suggested - could be a problem with the upstairs aerial cable or connector.

Bossyboots

Katgoddess wrote:

I've already posted a message there!

I thought I'd try here as well.

No answer that has worked yet.

I think the answer you received suggesting the box needs to go back may well be the best you will get. There have been some hiccups with the ITV channels recently but all seems well now.

Clearly if the box tuner is insufficient for receiving the channels it is not fit for its purpose so there should be no problem taking it back. If you looked a bit deeper on Digital Spy, you will find that in general the budget boxes have more problems.

Katgoddess

I think I'm going to persuade my dad to get a better box. My mother would have a fit if we moved "her" one downstairs to the upstairs room.

Thanks all.

beckie

i sometimes have trouble with my freeview box when trying to add new channels or update.
what i do is keep installing until all the channels are there.
i sometimes have to do this 3/4 times but it seems to work.
might be worth a go!

Joe_Bloggs

@Katgodess
The switch of box was not meant to be permanent. It was only suggested so that you could test whether it was possible to receive the signals in both places by your Mum's box. This would prove that the aerial wiring to the Matsui box was not the issue. Cheap lossy cables that are also overlong can ruin the signal. You would'nt want your dad to buy an identical model as your Mum and find that this new one did not work either.
Try adding new channels anyway. This is often a good thing to try after 7pm as you can aquire BBC3 and 4.
J_B.