Freeview: All Freeview equipment must be retuned at midday on 30 September 2009 | Digital switchover
Site settings
For an enhanced Freeview reception
prediction please enter your
full postcode, a national grid reference or
a UK latitude and longitude pair.
 
Most popular 22:01
Live updates 22:01
Ashbourne
TV Off Air from 14:26 today to 1...
Belmont
DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Weak ...
Blackwaterfoot
TV Reduced Quality from 02:26 to...
Buxton
DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Off A...
Dolgellau
TV Off Air from 07:10 today to 0...
Drumcarrow Craig
DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Off A...
Eglwysilan
DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Weak ...
Heathfield
DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Weak ...
Kingskerswell
TV Off Air from 11:10 today to 1...
Kinlochbervie
TV Reduced Quality from 01:55 to...
Llwyn Onn
TV Off Air from 07:10 today to 0...
Stagshaw
AM: Radio 5 Live Weak Signal from...
Tacolneston
Freeview: HD Digital TV Weak Sign...
Wells next the Sea
TV Off Air from 09:02 today to 1...
Click here to see all transmitters with faults and engineering

All Freeview equipment must be retuned at midday on 30 September 2009

No matter where you are, if you use Freeview from a box, have a Freeview TV or use a Freeview+ recorder you MUST retune on this day.

No matter where you are, if you use Freeview from a box, have a
Published on by on UK Free TV

If you have ANY type of Freeview receiver, you will have to retune it on 30 September 2009.

To allow the introduction of Freeview HD, and to ensure that FIVE can be watched from the public service digital TV transmitters, ALL Freeview equipment must be retuned on WEDNESDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2009 AT LUNCHTIME.

A simple "Add channels" scan will NOT be sufficient. This will result in channels being allocated the wrong numbers.

www.ukfree.tv link icon Click here for "generic" instructions on retuning a Freeview box, recorder or set.

www.ukfree.tv link icon Click here for a list of manuals and retuning guides for a wide range of equipment.

www.ukfree.tv link icon For more information about WHY this is being done, click here.

IF YOU NO LONGER HAVE ITV3, ITV4, FIVE, ITV2+1 or QUEST or they appear on channels numbered 800-899 then you have only "scanned for new channels". Go back and scan again using the "First time installation" option.

If you have a Daewoo DS608P, Labgear DTT100, Triax DVB 2000T, Portland DP100 set top box or these VCR/STBs: Daewoo SV900 or Bush IDVCR01, you need a new box.







Your comments: most recent posts are at the bottom

  ◊  Later commentsnext Latest commentslast

Your comments are always welcome. Please use the form below to add your thoughts or questions to this page. We will get back to you as soon as we can.

A
Aerialman
Sunday 20 September 2009 11:15AM
Hi Brian,great infomative site.However i have been trawling the net for a table that shows channel allocation in relation to multiplex,in non switch over areas,post sept 30th,and can't find a complete list anywhere!
For example,is both ITV3 and ITV4,being relagated to Mux D.These are important issues for the installer.
Briantist
Sunday 20 September 2009 11:40AM

Aerialman: I was talking to Freeview about this on Friday, and THEY didn't seem to know.
Given that the freeing up of space on Multiplex 2 is being done to allow ITV and C4 space on Multiplex BBCB, this means that ITV3 and ITV are going somewhere.
Given that ITV owns Multiplex A, I would have thought this the most likely candidate. There is no mention of ITV2+1 or E4+1 going anywhere, so Multiplex D (and C), which is owned by Arqiva seems a less likely candidate.
I rather suspected that ITV3 was being moved so there could be an ITV1+1, but this seems to have been quashed.
We do know where the BBC services are going, but at one stage BBC Parliament was supposed to be going onto Mux 2 as well (as it is funded by taxes, not the TVL).
The only thing I learnt on Friday is that the Community Channel will be no more in switched-over regions as there is no space on BBCA for it any more.
Something like this ..
www.ukfree.tv link icon 

This is a bit out of date, because ITV3 is now moving and it wasn't when I did it. However it's quite possible that the whole ITV1+1 thing will get dropped and ITV3 won't move.


Briantist
Sunday 20 September 2009 11:51AM
Aerialman: I was planning on doing a nice Flash animation to show what is happening.
The original plan for this change is here - BBC Freeview services to drop 33% in quality in 09 | ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice, since 2002
A
Aerialman
Sunday 20 September 2009 12:43PM
Thank you,your excellent graphics,start to make allocations of channels to particular muxes much clearer,after sept 30th.However it is interesting that 'Freeview'have been kept in the dark about this,surely it is their buisiness to know!
Briantist
Sunday 20 September 2009 12:58PM
Aerialman: I suspect that the real explanation is that the final decision has not been taken.

Digital 3+4 has for a long time used lower-resolution 544x576 pixels (306kpx) for ITV4 and More4. Normal SD resolution is 720x576 pixels (405kpx), 25% more. See www.ukfree.tv link icon How signal stregth, quality and bitrate relate | ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice, since 2002 as I am sure you know, this is not the only parameter for the MPEG2 system. There is the "lossy" parameter (most of MPEG2 compression is actually lossless) which is dynamically allocated by the statmux system. www.ukfree.tv link icon How digital television works | ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice, since 2002 the end of the day, ITV1 HD will get 33% (falling to 25%) of Multiplex BBCB, as will Channel 4, so there has to be a bit-for-bit replacement somewhere along the line.

S
Stephen Phillips
Monday 21 September 2009 1:05AM
Tonight - for the first time - I got a message on screen about this!
Briantist
Monday 21 September 2009 6:35AM
Stephen Phillips: Yes, there's not much point worrying people about it with too much notice!
H
Howie "B"
Monday 21 September 2009 6:35PM
Oh dear, this has all the makings.....according to the Freeview website my Pana DMRES20D will cease to function after 30th unless I acquire a Pana DVD disc upgrade. Pana weren't aware of this when I asked. So who's right????
As for my old Philips ondigital box which still soldiers on I have more confidence in its survival after the 3th that the Pana!!
A
Alan Ratcliffe
Tuesday 22 September 2009 8:12PM
I will be on holiday on Wednesday 30th September. Will I be able to retune on my return. Saterday 3rd October.
D
Dave Pusey
Tuesday 22 September 2009 8:48PM
Alan Ratcliffe: Yes you will be able to retune at any time after the 30th September.

-----

I've read the work is due to be complete by noon, but do we know when it will be starting as I have recordings set from 05:55 to 08:15
C
C M Piller
Wednesday 23 September 2009 9:05AM
All signal lost at midnight, still off at 9am ! whats happening. Please advise.
E
Eliott
Thursday 24 September 2009 5:48PM Doncaster
My children have TU-CTH100 Panasonic hard-drive freeview recorders

Will these work after the retune ?

D
Dave Pusey
Thursday 24 September 2009 7:14PM
Eliott: Don't see any reason why not.
P
Paul Gregory
Sunday 27 September 2009 10:02PM
I have a caravan on Ruda Croyde Bay Devon.
Why is the relay not working,
And will it be by 30 September?
M
michael
Monday 28 September 2009 10:11AM
Paul : It should be working. Do a factory
reset, then manual tune channels 44,41 47.
If still no joy, check with locals - just in
case there is a down-time at the relay.
No channel change on Wednesday, just
reallocation within these three muxes,
which is why you will need to do the
reset-manual as above again then.
Briantist
Monday 28 September 2009 11:21AM
Howie "B": I can't comment about the Pana DMRES20D, but your ONdigital box will work, but only until switchover as they can't support the 8k mode. www.ukfree.tv link icon TVs and boxes that do not support the 8k-mode | ukfree.tv - independent digital TV + switchover advice, since 2002 for a list.
A
Adam B
Tuesday 29 September 2009 1:31PM Bedford
Hi Briantist, any further news on ITV3? The Freeview website still seems to think that it will be moving at the September 30th retune. If it is still moving, which mux will it move to?
T
t higson
Tuesday 29 September 2009 3:45PM
I use an old sky box as a free view am i going to be efected ?
Briantist
Tuesday 29 September 2009 5:33PM
Adam B: I've tried to get the technical information, and no one seems to have it to hand. Which I find a little ... suspicious.

Let's hope that the picture quality improves and ITV3 and ITV4 end up somewhere sensible.

There's kind-of room for them on Mux C, but ITV owns Mux A...

Perhaps there are things we don't know about, like moving things between the two Arqiva multiplexes.
Briantist
Tuesday 29 September 2009 5:34PM
t higson: Not unless you also use the Freeview on the TV. Sky, Freesat and Virgin Media customers are not effected.
A
Adam B
Tuesday 29 September 2009 5:47PM Bedford
Thanks Briantist, I'm sure it will be a nice surprise for us tomorrow! It's all a bit secretive though. Who knows what the commercial deals being done are.
Briantist
Tuesday 29 September 2009 5:49PM
Adam B: I thought that any capacity on multiplex C and D would go onto the market. Also, Multiplex A has better coverage after switchover too...
G
Geoff Hawkins
Tuesday 29 September 2009 9:49PM Stoke-on-trent
What time do we re-tune ?
S
Solent-Viewer
Tuesday 29 September 2009 10:33PM
Yeah, I too was wondering what time they call Lunch Time ...in my retired household, that is at 12:45 daily. I want to make sure as I always record a prog for my wife at 1PM.
J
jay
Wednesday 30 September 2009 1:56AM Brighton
I am still confused, as you said this only effect users in SWITCHED OVER AREAS... rowridge/whitehawk hill are not in switch over areas so as you said "have no mux changes".. when in fact a whole mux is being cleared... so we effectively now have 5 muxes not 6.
J
Jordy
Wednesday 30 September 2009 7:57AM
Jay - I don't blame you for being confused... Especially after some muppet from the beeb (Broadcast Expert) said and i quote "The reason Britain have a lack of high definition services to date is due the lack of hd aerials on the market" "The need for the freeview retune is to aid the digital switchover" and not one mention of moving five to the psbs to improve coverage and allow the analogue five to be put air. FFS...
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 8:24AM
Jordy: BBC Radio is had just said that "ITV3 and ITV4 are swapping over" and that the radio changes only effect "The West Country and parts of Wales".

No new listing yet at DMOL Multiplex Channel Allocations yet either.
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 8:27AM
jay: Sorry, no that is wrong. Only in switched-over areas is a multiplex cleaered (BBCB/PSB3/B). In other areas there will be the same old six multiplexes with no changes to their broadcast parameters.
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 8:28AM
Solent-Viewer: I would estimate that midday would count.
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 8:28AM
Geoff Hawkins: But you can probably try at any point from about 11am...
M
michael
Wednesday 30 September 2009 8:43AM
Huntshaw : 301 now on A and B, no 302. COMs good signal and quality, no mod on SDN yet.
08:43 Bristol Channel coast.
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 8:47AM
michael: 301 on A?
D
Dave Pusey
Wednesday 30 September 2009 9:34AM
Briantist: If it is only switched-over areas that need to retune, why have non-switched-over areas like Rowridge being shown the retune messages as well.

From my understanding, ALL transmitters are being affected as per this article... news.bbc.co.uk link icon BBC NEWS | Technology | 18m Freeview homes in TV retune
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 10:10AM
Dave Pusey: I never said that. Please read what I said.
D
Dave Pusey
Wednesday 30 September 2009 10:17AM
When are these changes due to take place. Still nothing has changed yet on Rowridge.
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 10:20AM
Dave Pusey: From 11am. Have you not lost FIVE, ITV3 and ITV4?
D
Dave Pusey
Wednesday 30 September 2009 10:26AM
I think something has started now.

Five is just a black picture with no sound.
D
Dave Pusey
Wednesday 30 September 2009 10:28AM
ITV3 and ITV4 are the same too.
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 10:54AM
Dave Pusey: QUEST, on 47, now says "retune between 11am and midday" to watch it. Seven minutes to go, then...
D
Dave Pusey
Wednesday 30 September 2009 10:56AM
Interestingly, Mux2 and MuxA don't have any PAT or PMT tables, but all the other multiplexs do.

A 10min recording of Five just now gave me just a data stream - no video and no audio.
D
Dave Pusey
Wednesday 30 September 2009 10:57AM
I can already see Quest on 47 without retuning - currently showing trailers for programs they are going to be showing.
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 10:59AM
Dave Pusey: Interesting. Let's see what happens now...
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 11:05AM
11am

5 now called "No name 12866", still mux A
10 ITV3 now on Mux A 6882/6881
24 ITV4 now on Mux D 602/601
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 11:08AM
All BBC radio on multiplex B.
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 11:12AM
Well, that was exciting. No changes to multiplex 1 as yet..

I note that there is a 800 ITV3, 801 ITV and 802 TOPUP Anytime3.
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 11:20AM
11:16 now got a working FIVE on Mux 2 2851/2850
Price drop 612/611 on Mux C
smileTV2 on Mux D
307, 308, 309, 310 now TOPUPTV Anytime1-4
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 11:23AM
11:22 FIVE restored to position 5
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 11:26AM
27 is ITV2+1 and it's gone..

23 is now ITV showing ITV2+1 and it's on Mux 2 at 601/600
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 11:27AM
37 Price Drop...
Briantist
Wednesday 30 September 2009 11:31AM
LCN 89 is "News" on Mux D.
D
Dave Pusey
Wednesday 30 September 2009 11:48AM
"23 is now ITV showing ITV2+1 and it's on Mux 2 at 601/600"

That was the old ITV4 stream.



Please post a question, answer or commentUK Free TV is here to help people. If you are rude or disrespectful all of your posts will be deleted and you will be banned.







Privacy policy: UK Free Privacy policy.