Freeview signal - not receiving some channels

nero120 · 8 May 2011 at 15:27

Hi guys,

Hoping you can help as I'm pretty clueless about this stuff. I rent a flat in central London and until recently my Freeview HD signal has been really good. I'm using the tuner in my Sony 46HX700, and for most channels it is fine. However, I am now unable to get some channels like E4+1 and Dave, and all of the HD channels. For these channels, the menu says signal strength is pretty much 0, but for all other channels it is near 100%.

What would you guys recommend I do? Could i improve this with a signal booster in my flat or is the problem likely with the antenna on the building?

davieg · 8 May 2011 at 16:56

Are the channels your wanting actually turned on at the transmitter your receiving from?

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/

Tick your in the installation trade and it will give you a better break down.

Edit.
Soz just realized you had them before,I read you had just moved in for some reason. Maybe theres some kind of interference on that frequency, you haven't added any new equipment into the loop have you?

nero120 · 8 May 2011 at 18:06

Actually come to think of it, I've got a media pc sitting just below the tv now, that could be having an effect. I'll play around with turning everything off but the TV and report back. Cheers!

Tealc · 8 May 2011 at 19:21

I doubt if a media centre would have much impact.

Find out which transmitter you are on by using your postcode on this site.

http://www.ukfree.tv/fullstory.php?storyid=1107051405

This should tell you the power and channels available currently, along with switchover times to full power digital.

Looking at Crystal Palace just out of interest it shows the Power for the HD multiplex as 10,000 watts, compare this with my fully switched over Wenvoe transmitter which gets 100,000 Watts for the same Multiplex. Meanwhile the multiplex with Dave on gets 20,000 Watts on Crystal Palace while it gets 50,000 on Wenvoe.

Digital rollout is slow and they have to share power between the Digital channels and the Analogue while this is going on. Once they switch off Analogue the Digital channels will improve.

nero120 · 9 May 2011 at 20:38

Thanks for that Tealc, interesting to look at the power levels.

Okay, I've found that it's actually my bluray player which is causing interference - after switching it off I'm getting my HD and other channels back. What's the best way to stop this interference?

davieg · 10 May 2011 at 09:34

Has it got some form of RF loop through? Which player is it?

nero120 · 10 May 2011 at 10:04

Hmm, not sure, it's this one.

davieg · 10 May 2011 at 10:13

Hmm, just looked at manual and theres no kind of RF connection on it other than radio which shouldn't effect it, but is it connected into the aerial system in anyway?
The only other thing I've noticed is it can have a wireless dongle connected to it, have you got one, I know the frequencies are totally different but a harmonic could be effecting it if its very close?
Also the manual mentions an S-Air module that transmits on RF you haven't got one of those have you?

nero120 · 10 May 2011 at 11:45

It's not connected to the aerial, and there's no wifi or anything else like that. Was thinking about getting one of these which has RF interference filter, do you think this would sort it?

davieg · 10 May 2011 at 11:53

In all honesty I couldnt say, your signal on them channels must be very marginal for the interference to be knocking it out.
However just read this thread and it seems to suggest a badly screened HDMI cable, I've never seen it personally but you never know and could be worth a try if you have one floating around.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/freesat/1236028-freesat-box-affecting-freeview-signal.html
Ignore the freesat bit but somebody appears to be having the same issue as you with a Blu ray player and it was down to the HDMI cable?
Try taking the HDMI cable out of the Blu Ray player while Freeview is on and see if it stops the interference.
And the only other thing I could recomend is a properly made RF patch lead, not some thin unshielded pre made thing. Try and grab a local aerial installer to make you one up with proper CT100 cable or something, much better than the thin pre made things at stopping interference or if you really struggle to find someone drop us a message in trust and I'll post you one, if you tell us how long you want it. But could take a few days to sort as am kind of bed ridden at the second.

nero120 · 10 May 2011 at 14:11

Thanks for the info, my aerial lead is rubbish so I'll try getting a better one and I'll have a play with my hdmi cables, it is a bit of a jungle behind the tv despite my best efforts to tidy them!

At The Gates · 10 May 2011 at 16:35

Could be the power supply in the bluray player. I had a powered USB hub plugged into next to my TV. With that on i got almost no Freeview TV reception. With it unplugged all the channels came back.

nero120 · 12 May 2011 at 12:01

Just a quick update. I bought a shielded aerial cable and a power adapter with interference filter and that seems to have done the trick. The HD signal is around 40% which isn't great but that's pretty much as good as the signal gets which is coming down to my flat. So I have HD channels back and can't wait for the next grand prix!

Thanks for the help guys.