Are you using Freeview?
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Freeview is digital TV using a normal TV aerial (not a satellite dish or cable TV). Freeview boxes are marked one of these: 'Freeview', 'ITV Digital', 'ONdigital' or 'DVB-T'.
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Are you using Freeview?Yes No Your comments
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CB1Monday 21 May 2012 10:13AM
CamberleyA
Adam BatesMonday 21 May 2012 9:44PM
Adam Bates.Unless you leave either preferably a full postcode or a nearby location as such,none of us on here can give valuable assistance to you as such ! P
Peter MaleczekTuesday 22 May 2012 6:06AM
Great YarmouthC
CB1Tuesday 22 May 2012 9:23AM
CamberleyD
David HemsworthMonday 4 June 2012 8:44PM
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David HemsworthMonday 4 June 2012 8:46PM
Haywards HeathJ
jb38Monday 4 June 2012 9:36PM
Digital reception is exactly like analogue as far as storing channels are concerned, that is once logged into the tuners memory they will stay there, that is unless a factory reset is carried on the equipment or an auto-tune is attempted, because as soon as you press "search" or "scan" the channels are immediately wiped from the memory.
David Hemsworth: Lost channels after powering off is usually down to the receiver's memory being full. During the automatic tuning procedure, it scans frequencies from low to high. When it finds a signal, it stores it, and this includes signals from other transmitters (where they are present).
Consequently, where there are other lower signals present, and the ones you want are at the higher end of the band, the highest ones could suffer from being "forgotten". The workaround is therefore to get it so that it doesn't store the lower channels that you don't need.
This is the theory and you will have to test to see if that is the cause of the problem in your case.
I assume that you are receiving from Heathfield. What I suggest that you do is run the automatic tuning scan with the aerial unplugged up to 50% (or up to UHF channel 44 if it gives them when scanning). That way you will have it unplugged when scanning other transmitters. This will miss out ITV1, Channel 4 etc from Heathfield, but I'll come to that in a moment.
The test is to see if preventing other (non-used) signals from being stored will allow BBC to be stored. So power the set off as you would normally and then on again and see if it has remembered the channels it normally forgets.
If it has, then, if it has manual tuning, go to it and tune to UHF channel 29 to restore ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 etc.
If this works, then come 13th, start the automatic tuning scan with the aerial unplugged up to 35%. There should be no need to manually add any channel because they will all be in the window above 35%.
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ArqB multiplex which carries Yesterday, Film 4, ITV4 and others is as it was. The apparent lower strength may be due to the fact that the high power BBC multiplex is on a neighbouring frequency. The high power signal could be desensitising the receiver to the lower power ArqB signal.
It's like being out when it's dark when there are car headlights shining towards you. Your eyes will become less sensitive and it will be more difficult to see what's going on around the lights.
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And finally, there will be another retune event on 27th June when the SDN multiplex which carries ITV3 etc changes frequency. Until then, its transmission power will remain as it is now. You may find that it appears weaker, for the same reason as ArqB is now; that is the new high power signals will be on adjacent channels. J
jb38Monday 4 June 2012 11:37PM
I will point out though that as far as Heathfield is concerned you are only predicted as being able to have "variable reception" (and at the lower end of the scale) on the commercial muxes until June 13th and Crystal Palace is presently indicated as being far superior for reception, although the CP transmitter is located at just about right angles (dead spot) to where your aerial is facing and so wouldn't be picked up anyway without the aerial being turned around.
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lauraThursday 7 June 2012 3:37AM
Hope someone help me plzlaura: You must be in a location where signals from more than one transmitter overlap one another.
When a receiver performs the automatic tuning scan, it "looks" to see what signals are available. In cases where if finds duplicate channels from different transmitters, it has to decide which to use. In this case it has decided to go with the BBC signal from a different transmitter. Duplicates are usually placed in the 800s.
In cases such as this, poor or erratic reception may ensue because the signal is being received from a direction other than that which the aerial faces.
It is sometimes possible to devise a workaround to this problem where the aerial lead is unplugged for the part of the scan of the frequencies that the offending transmitter uses. To know which part the plug needs removing, we need to know which transmitter is the desired one and which one is being picked up in error.
Knowing your location and direction of your aerial or the transmitter to which your aerial faces will be useful. Also, find out which UHF channels BBC One and ITV1 are tuned to. Do this by bringing up the signal strength screen whilst on each. Most receivers give tuned channel numbers there. This will allow us to work out which transmitters are being received. B
BH ViewerFriday 8 June 2012 8:08AM
I expected to see some aerials pointing at the Haywards Heath repeater around your location, but not so. Just a handful of houses appear to have aerials pointing at Crystal Palace (including one of those huge tri-boom wideband devices, which is not the ideal aerial given the distance from Crystal Palace). The majority seem to be pointing at Heathfield, suggesting that a reliable analogue service has been available.
Now, assuming that your aerial is pointing at Heathfield, perform a re-scan following switchover on 13 June. Then, if your receiver allows it, though not all of them do, turn any automatic update function off. That should stop your receiver storing channels from other transmitters that it may see from time to time.
Repeat this after 27 June, when the SDN multiplex adopts its final location.K
kevinFriday 8 June 2012 8:20PM
BidefordL
Lee DavisSaturday 9 June 2012 10:54AM
Corsham
Retunes have not corrected the problem.
All other channels ITV1 etc received fine.
Please help - we need CBeebies amongst other TV channels!
J
jb38Saturday 9 June 2012 8:45PM
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TomSaturday 9 June 2012 9:30PM
Yateley
I have followed all of the troubleshooting recommendations including re-scanning channels (using new install mode).
I have checked the status of relevant BBC transmitters and they are all coming up ok.
The loss of BBC1 and BBC2 coincided with the recent stormy weather in this area (Camberley) - although today (09/06/12) the weather fine (sunny with a light breeze) and the BBC channels are still missing (have attempted to re-tune today).
I would be grateful for any advice/ideas.J
julieThursday 14 June 2012 6:57PM
julie: Bring up the signal strength screen whilst on BBC One and check that it is tuned to UHF channel 50 (706MHz).
If it is not, then say what it is and I may be able to suggest a workaround. You could confirm that other receivers are tuned to C50 for BBC One. J
julieThursday 14 June 2012 7:31PM
julie: If the screen says that it is tuned to C50, then it is tuned to Dover. If it gives another number, then it is tuned to another transmitter, perhaps one that has come on air at switchover.
If it is tuned to another transmitter, then it is not surprising that reception is poor.
However, if it is tuned to Dover, then what springs to mind here is that it is overloaded with signal. Too high a signal level manifests itself as too little signal, as far as indicated signal strength goes.
When the signal level goes higher than the receiver can manage, it starts to overwhelm the tuner and the indicated signal strength will go down. Fluctuating strength and poor quality may also ensue.
The reason I suggest this as a possibility is because you say that the low power pre-switchover signal is showing as high strength. If that's registering as "high", then the post-switchover will be higher still.
If this is the cause, then the solution may be to remove or reduce the level of the booster.
Is the purpose of the booster to distribute the signal to different rooms? J
julieThursday 14 June 2012 8:04PM
J
julieThursday 14 June 2012 8:25PM
julie: "If" the problem is too high a signal level, then that needs putting right; the answer isn't to buy a new TV. The other channels will be going onto full power in two weeks time so the problem could be compounded.
I had assumed that the aerial fed directly to the booster as that's where they should really be used. I got the impression that it was put in as part of the new aerial installation and therefore that all TVs were fed via it.
A better idea of your location (preferably postcode or nearby postcode such as that of a shop) may allow better prediction of expected signal level so as to get an idea of likelihood of too much signal.
Is this a high gain aerial?
The two leads from the aerial should be connected using a splitter. Two cables should not be put under the aerial's terminals as that's a bodge-it job and who know's what's happening if they are.
As for too much signal; you can get attenuators which you connect inline with the aerial lead to bring the level down.
Is this booster connected to one of the two leads from the aerial? I should imagine that it wants removing, certainly after 27th. J
julieThursday 14 June 2012 8:35PM
Dealjulie: At 10 miles you could perhaps have too much signal. If the booster is on the end of one of the feeds from the aerial, then it will probably be surplus to requirements after 27th. J
julieThursday 14 June 2012 8:58PM
julie: What you have described - the penny has just dropped!
The booster is probably on the roof as you say that the thing that has the adjuster is on the roof.
I suspect that what you are describing as the booster (the one behind the other TV) is in fact the power supply for the booster (on the roof) and not a booster itself. Try turning off the power to what you believe to be the booster. If it is in fact the power supply for the booster on the roof, then I would expect all signal to be lost, including on the Matsui as a booster with no power going into it won't have any signal coming out of it.
Therefore the two leads are connected to the booster on the roof.
I think that you need to get the installer to look at it. If there is too much signal, which there could be, then he will know what to do.
As for why one works when the other doesn't - different sets have different tolerances.
You're going about this the wrong way, if I may say so. If the signal is excessive, which judging by the power increase (before vs after) from Dover, it could be, then that needs fixing. Trying to find a television that will tolerate excessive signal is not the answer. J
julieThursday 14 June 2012 9:29PM
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julieThursday 14 June 2012 9:36PM
J
julieThursday 14 June 2012 10:02PM
julie: I wish you well in getting it sorted.
I'm sure that the problem will be easily rectifiable by the installer.
Tell your mum not to worry. Her TV viewing will continue thanks to your efforts and she is lucky to have such a caring daughter. J
julieFriday 15 June 2012 9:22PM
trevorMonday 18 June 2012 11:00AM
I live near fareham hants and have sky HD box, which we use the RF out to distibute a TV signal, including sky around the house, including to the main tv.
The main TV is a LG plasma and when it is switched off we can get all freeview channels around the various tvs in the house. It must be noted that the freeview stations on Channel 28 appear to have a weak signal compared to the other channels, around 60%.
When we switch on the plasma tv we lose all stations transmitted on channel 28. The freeview boxes say there is no signal.
We have put the problem down to 2 issues
a/ the palsma tv interferes with the tv signal
b/ the channel 28 signal is not strong enough to deal with any interference
is ther anything we can doN
NikkiFriday 22 June 2012 10:36AM
S
SueMonday 25 June 2012 6:32PM
Maidstone
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Bill WSaturday 7 July 2012 5:20PM
Towcester
This is a fairly old device (superseded by the CT30 box a few years ago) but it was recently fully serviceable and reputedly coping with all of the recent retunes/channel changes in my location (NN12 7TN). However, I've been asked to put it back into service (intended for a non-SCART TV because it has an internal modulator) and this is being problematical - not helped by Panasonic being unable to help because of the obsolete nature of the box.
When setting it up via SCART to another TV it appears to tune mux channels 24, 27, 48 and 52 (but I haven't seen 51, although it may be there) but does not show all of the program channels. Notably, those from COM4 and COM6 appear to be missing - the first being a surprise since Ch48 appears in the setup scan list. Most annoyingly, the program identification numbers (all in ascending order) do not agree with Freeview numbers. Additionally, radio channels are mixed in with that ascending order of program numbers. Any ideas on how I can separate Radio from TV and, ideally, allocate Freeview numbers? The User Manual is unhelpful or, at best, unclear.
I can understand why COM4 Freeview channels are missing if I haven't got Ch51 but why not Freeview 12, et al which should be on mux COM6 (Ch48). All are certainly present on my other TVs.
Signal strength and quality are not a problem. Quality is in excess of 9 (on a bar graph to 10) for all programs and I suspect that the problem lies elsewhere. The STB seems susceptible to different power supply units (PSUs) despite all giving a measured 15vDC on load, the main susceptibility being that setup sometimes freezes at mux Ch48 on the original Panasonic PSU (a switched mode device) whereas OK on a "linear" PSU.
E
EdwinaSaturday 7 July 2012 8:47PM
Edwina.NE70 ???
Yes you can retune upon your return depending on the dates yer away/back.
But you have to retune (once or twice) regardless of the outcome.
There maybe some or no consequences dependant upon your return whether you experience for example no signal due to excess signal as such or whether you require a new aerial,etc.
It all depends on the consequences after you retune (once or twice) whether everything works out ok,or not ok as such.
Only time will tell ?! J
jb38Saturday 7 July 2012 11:30PM
I have one of these Panasonic boxes stored away with a multitude of other equipment, but I will dig it out tomorrow and try a test using my Southern facing aerial which is directed towards Sandy.
J
jb38Sunday 8 July 2012 1:45PM
Just to double check in case the box had developed a fault not associated with the new transmission modes I phoned a friend who I know used to use one and requested that he carry out the same test, the not entirely unexpected result coming back later on indicating a problem very similar to my own, insomuch that as soon as an attempt was made to rescan it failed and locked up.
However as far as your CT20 and its problems are concerned this is most likely caused by similar software problems, and even "if" the software is of a later date it still might have been corrupted during a download, but have a look at the version number (select software update) and if its lower than 0.19 then its a bin job, as neither of these models can be updated except by over air downloads (which wont happen) as they are not equipped with RS232 sockets.
Minimum software numbers for both boxes being: CT20-0.19 / CT30-0.46 (mine being 0.38 likewise the second box tried) and of course both models are listed as potentially problem devices in DUK's Nov 2011 newsletter.
Hope the info may be of assistance.
R
richard eastonMonday 9 July 2012 9:12PM
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KMJ,DerbyMonday 9 July 2012 9:50PM
Richard Easton.As KMJ,Derby rightfully states a full postcode preferably is required to ascertain the reception probabilities in your locality.
We cannot be of any valuable help to you as such if you dont specify where you are located ! B
Bill WTuesday 10 July 2012 11:54AM
Thanks for that response. At least someone has experience of this box or similar and can share the experience!
Failing the acquisition of another box with an inbuilt modulator, is there any way to reorganise and relable the channels I've got into Freeview (LCN) order on this TU-CT20?
Or do you have any suggestions re other (available and reliable) Freeview boxes with integral modulators which meet current DVB-T standards. Sadly, it's my misfortune to have a TVonics MFR-200 which died without warning, also several Daewoo DS608P boxes which used Setpal technology which does NOT meet the current standard!E
EdwinaTuesday 10 July 2012 8:28PM
Thank you Mark Fletcher. Our holiday is not set in stone so it may not arise, but thanks anyway.J
jb38Tuesday 10 July 2012 9:07PM
Being an engineer I find it difficult to recommend anything in the lower price ranges, although to be honest about it when dealing with digital receivers and such likes a 100% guarantee (or anywhere near it) of operational reliability cannot really be given about anything, but though two boxes do spring to mind that fits all of your requirements as well as them having RF modulators, these being an Icecrypt T5000 and a Goodmans GDR11, the latter having been fitted into an acquaintances house as part of the Freeview help scheme a number of months ago, and with no adverse reports having been heard about the device.
As far as the Icecrypt is concerned, its quite a versatile device and is currently sold by Amazon at just under £28.00 with free delivery, and even although one might see a few negative reports made by some (which is the norm for any box) these are far outweighed by the number of users who are delighted with their purchase, and from my own point of view I somewhat favour this device.
However on the subject of the Goodman's box, this is somewhat more difficult to get hold of albeit its the one I have personal experience of by having been asked to wire up an extension using the RF modulated output, this having given me an opportunity to put it though its paces as well as have the casing off it for an investigation of the circuitry used.
Anyway hope this additional info might be of assistance.
K
KWWednesday 11 July 2012 8:22PM
We have moved house and there is no roof aerial. There is a cable tel box inside and outside the house. We only have a free view box. How do we get a tv reception? Do we have to sign up to a 'cable' or broadband tv service? Our current cables don't fit into the connectins into the cabeltel box in the lounge.
ThanksC
caesarstorm@hotmail.co.ukSaturday 14 July 2012 10:08PM
i have a panasonic TV with freeview built in and for some strange reason a lot of my channels go fuzzy but this only happens at night from 9pm onward. during the day the tv channels are perfect so i cant understand why this only happens at a certain time.
i have spoke to the tv licencing people and they gave me a number to contact who couldnt help, so i have ran out of answers.
i cant watch any films at 9pm no more!!
can anyone help please?
thanx J
jb38Saturday 14 July 2012 11:11PM
Plus of course it would also be of assistance if it was known what your aerial arrangements are, insomuch of being in the loft, outdoors or communal. 
03:05
