: The new Freeview prediction system - includes Freeview HD | UK Free TV - News
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
On other sites

The new Freeview prediction system - includes Freeview HD

Now with any date choice, FIVE different views, faster interactivity, aerial group filtering and better layout.

Now with any date choice, FIVE different views, faster interact
Published on by on UK Free TV

The new Freeview prediction system - beta - is here. Finally!

If you visit www.ukfree.tv link icon Freeview reception - UK Free prediction you now get a much more detailed page to help you with any reception issues.

As before you can see this page with a postcode, the system will shortly also allow the input of national grid references, or latitude/longitude references.

Firstly, you can get a prediction for any number of dates by selecting the appropriate tab at the top.

Five different views

There are five different views

  • By direction: this will show the various directions your aerial might point and the services you can receive from the transmitters in that direction.
  • Received signal strength: this shows the information ordered by signal strength, to help you find the strongest signals.
  • By frequency: this lists broadcast frequencies from C21 to C68, showing the services on each. This view can be used to find potential interference or to help with digital region overlap areas.
  • Service names: this lists the services that you can receive, each ordered by the strongest signal.
  • Transmitter names: and finally an alphabetical list of the transmitters with the services listed by broadcast frequency.




Aerial group choice

When you first visit the page you will see the services received by a "wideband" aerial, now you can also select the other aerial groups to see how that will effect reception.

Issues

For the moment it is not possible to resolve postcodes in Northern Ireland (BT) or the Isle of Man. Apologies for that.

Try it now

www.ukfree.tv link icon Try the new UK Free TV Freeview reception - prediction system now.





Your comments: most recent posts are at the bottom

firstFirst comments prevEarlier comments  ◊  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.

Briantist
Wednesday 14 April 2010 9:14AM
Margaret: Yes, is your TV on this list - TVs and boxes that do not support the 8k-mode | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
Chris.SE
Wednesday 14 April 2010 4:32PM
Brian,
absolutely superb facility.
In view of some of the comments above about compatibility, I've just tried this with Win98SE, Firefox 2.0.0.20, Flash 9.0.246.0, CPU Celeron 366 and it works fine on that, although the overlays could be slightly less opaque; but IE6 & Flash 8 didn't like it the white areas were totally opaque & it eventually crashed!! I think that about sums it up for M$ IE.
Are any specific browser plug-ins required?
Some observations - Ch.59+ for Mendip doesn't appear; KingsWeston & Ilchester Cresent don't appear unless you are close enough.
One thing that baffles me, is the order of the list of Transmitters in the Map & Terrain views, seem to be a bit random ie. not distance, signal strength, bearing or alphabetical. Also in the map view it defaults to the first in that list rather than the strongest signal.
Looking forward to the future updates.
You might want to consider a couple of other things for future updates if you have time ;)
Ability to select Rx height to 10m (compatible to other predictors)
Ability to add/remove relays.
Keep up the good work & thanks.
Chris.SE
Wednesday 14 April 2010 4:48PM
Brian, if you could remove the map reference from my above post please as it's not relevant - inadvertantly left that one on whilst I was tinkering with different locations. Thanks.
Briantist
Wednesday 14 April 2010 5:03PM
Chris.SE: The mapping is provided by Google, see The Google Maps API V3 - Google Maps JavaScript API V3 - Google Code - it is all Javascript, no Flash or other plugins are required.

I'm currently totally rewriting the prediction system as I have much better data now, but it is taking quite some time to so.

I'll see what I can do about your suggestions.
Chris.SE
Wednesday 14 April 2010 9:56PM
I think triple thanks for all the above Brian :)
Briantist
Thursday 15 April 2010 7:06AM
Chris.SE: I just have to finish it all now.
Simon
Wednesday 21 April 2010 2:41PM Launceston
What a superb feature (terrain profile)!

However, I suspect the postcode-to-height information may be suspect. For example EX35 6LB should be around 220m (not 17m) and EX35 6LA should be around 170m (not 119m). This (obviously) makes a considerable difference to the predictions especially in hilly areas!

Could I suggest you allow height information to be entered as an option? This would also allow people with mast mounted aerials to get a better prediction.

Might it also be possible to add OS coordinates for more precise location placement too?
Briantist
Wednesday 21 April 2010 4:13PM
Simon: Right, I've uploaded the code that allows you use postcodes, national grid references and also latitude, longitude.

I have a database I'm working on with much better terrain resolution, this is going to be a few more days, that will remove the need to enter heights.
Simon
Thursday 22 April 2010 9:09AM
What an amazingly quick response - thank you! As for height, I still think being able to enter height would be very useful as there are a lot of people with mast mounted aerials in difficult reception areas especially around here.
Briantist
Thursday 22 April 2010 10:02AM
Simon: You make a good point about the height - let me have a think about how to do that.
John Hunter
Friday 23 April 2010 7:16PM Cirencester
I have just tried your reception service level map facility. It was not very helpful: it chose to assume that at GL7 we get our reception from Hannington. We actually get our signal from Oxford! We can only get a usable signal from Hannington under freak conditions.
Briantist
Saturday 24 April 2010 9:12AM
John Hunter: That's exactly what is says.
Russ dring
Saturday 24 April 2010 9:01PM Huntingdon
Your site says that Sandy Heath freeview HD is channel 27 the Digital UK site says 21 which is correct please?
Chris.SE
Saturday 24 April 2010 11:14PM
The 2007 Ofcom plan allocated Ch.27 to PSB3, but that has obviously changed as shown on the Digital UK site to Ch.21+

There are a number of Transmitter sites affected by similar changes.
Briantist
Monday 26 April 2010 12:51PM
Chris.SE: The official Ofcom documents still show the allocations as shown. www.ofcom.org.uk link icon Digital Switchover Transmission Details | Ofcom
Mike Dimmick
Monday 26 April 2010 3:16PM Reading
Chris.SE and Briantist: The 'Existing 81-Site Plan' document lists only the frequencies that will be used for PSB but doesn't explicitly state which one will be used for which multiplex.

"This guide indicates only which frequencies are to be allocated to multiplexes carrying the public service channels (PSB multiplexes) and other (COM multiplexes). Information on which frequency will be used for specific individual multiplexes will be published in the detailed frequency listings for each region."

- under 'Multiplex Names' on page 7.

There's precedent: the 81-site plan gives Caldbeck (Scottish) 22, 24 and 27 but ultimately BBCA got 27- (at 50kW), D3+4 24- (at 50kW) and BBCB got 22-. Chesterfield has 23, 26, 29 but the detailed plan for Yorkshire has BBCA on 26 and D3+4 on 23. (Again, the HD mux got the higher-power frequency!)

In fact, the 81-site plan lists the frequencies in ascending numerical order through the whole document except Ferryside (21, 30, 24). The document history calls out a 'change to Ferryside data' in version 2.0.

So the answer is probably that we still don't really know until Ofcom publishes the detailed Anglia region plan, though Digital UK/DMOL may be driving the plans at this point and thus have more information than Ofcom do.
Mike Dimmick
Monday 26 April 2010 3:22PM Reading
Russ dring: Freeview HD isn't being broadcast from Sandy Heath yet, so the answer is 'neither'. Right now C27 is analogue BBC Two and C21 is analogue Channel 4.

The analogue signals will be switched off starting in March next year, and Freeview HD will start in mid-April.
anna
Monday 26 April 2010 6:05PM Wisbech
lost all signal at1.30 today any one knows why
Briantist
Monday 26 April 2010 8:52PM
Mike Dimmick: All the temporary assignments are listed at Multiplex B | Ofcom
david
Wednesday 28 April 2010 12:23PM Cowbridge
not getting five usa or fiver wenvoe area
tried resetting any one else?
lynne
Wednesday 28 April 2010 8:39PM Ilfracombe
Can you please tell me why I loose a signal to some stations in the evening but have a good reception by day?
Briantist
Thursday 29 April 2010 6:52AM
lynne: If you mean channels like UKTV History, they only broadcast during the day.

If you just mean random channels, please see www.ukfree.tv link icon Freeview intermittent interference | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
Chris.SE
Thursday 29 April 2010 8:27AM
Lynne:
As you seem to live next door to your local relay, then your equipment is probably tuned to one of the more distant Welsh transmitters for the COM multiplexes and may also be tuned to one of them for the PSB muxes. You may find alternatives in the 800's in your channel/programme list.

Depending on your equipment, it may tell you which UHF channel the multiplex being received is on for a particular programme when you press the 'information' button.
For the PSB muxes, your relay is on UHF Ch.27 for all the BBC channels and UHF Ch.24 for the main ITV, Channel 4 & Five programmes.
If it is any of these that you are losing, then you may have to do a manual tune or programme/channel move if your equipment permits, to get them in the correct programme locations (LCN's) 1,2,3,...etc.
Chris.SE
Thursday 29 April 2010 8:48AM
anna:
If you haven't got your channels back (ie. assuming that it wasn't a temporary transmitter fault - it seems almost impossible to find out that information these days!!) then it is possible that your equipment has a problem. The most common occurrence is that it can lock-up and fail to respond correctly. Un-plugging from the mains for a short period usually solves most of these. You might be unlucky and have to do a retune as well.
Chris.SE
Thursday 29 April 2010 9:06AM
Mike Dimmick, Brian (& Russ):
It was not the 81 Site plan that I referred to when I made my comment (unfortunately I can't remember which of their documents it was). I have noted that not all OFCOM documents are updated or done in a timely manner when they are updated.
Digital UK seem to have the most recent information and this will no doubt be confirmed when they publish the Anglia plan as Mike has mentioned.
I have already stumbled across several Central Region allocations that have swapped since whatever OFCOM document it was that I looked at was published, and these swaps have been confirmed by the Central Region plan as well as what is on Digital UK's site.
(That doesn't mean that I'm implying that all the information in Digital UK' s database is 100% correct because it does have odd errors - I'm currently having an argument with them as to whether a part of Bristol is in the Central Region or the West Region - idiots! it's obviously in the West region unless something very strange has happened eg. - major land movement, earthquake etc.)
Briantist
Thursday 29 April 2010 9:28AM
Chris.SE: The 81 site plan is here - http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/tech/dsodetails/- the last version is Issue 2.0, published 24|10|07.
Chris.SE
Thursday 29 April 2010 9:49AM
As I said, it wasn't the 81 site plan that I looked at. I have a permanent link to that page above ;)
Briantist
Thursday 29 April 2010 10:02AM
Chris.SE: The responsibility for allocations rests with Ofcom, it is their documents that are the reference.
Chris.SE
Thursday 29 April 2010 11:44AM
Well I expect they'll eventually get round to publishing the Anglia Region DSO detailed plan to contain the information on Digital UK's site :-o
Briantist
Thursday 29 April 2010 11:58AM
Chris.SE: I might have to ask them where it is, it should have been published ages ago.
Joy
Saturday 1 May 2010 7:44PM London
brian i wrote a comment on one fo the pages asking for help about mine yesterday and now i can't find wehre i worte to get the answer - but i live in SE18 and have no digital reception at all, no radio no tv no t=nothing and even my analogue is fuzzy!!! its hell!

is there anything you can tell me? when i look up crystal palace its workign fine although Ondigital told me that there are engineering works. its not my equipment - my tv is only 5 months old and was working fine until the last week or so - its tuning in all the channels but wotn play them for longer than 20 mins and soemtimes not even that! i have also foudn though that my radio stations on my stereo have gone fuzzy and when i dorve into thamesmead today it was completely fuzzy!

i think there may be something interfering but i can't talk to Ofcom until tues! no tv is driving me mad!

heeeeeeeelp!
Chris.SE
Sunday 2 May 2010 10:50PM
Joy:
Are your neighbours having similar problems?
Are you saying your radio reception in the car is also problematic?
Joy
Monday 3 May 2010 1:49PM London
Chris,

yes i think they are - they mostly use sky though.

my radio in my car is problematic - i have a brand new volvo only 8 weeks old and have had everything checked out by volvo and they say nothing is wrong!

on my tv i can tune my tv to pick up all the stations and all radio stations and it tries really hard to play or shwo me the tv shows - has the blurb that comes up on the tv (channel name, programme playing and the little signal diagram is greyed out) then in about 2 seconds after that it dissapears and says no signal!!
Joy
Monday 3 May 2010 1:51PM London
oh and my tv is only 5 months old - its one of those toshiba regaza things - the ones advertised by sending a red chair up to the moon on tv??
Ralph Hains
Tuesday 4 May 2010 2:50PM
This is an excellent facility, great website - well done all who worked on it. I still have some suggestions for (minor) improvements (I always do) both with respect to the terrain option (but the first affecting several options).
1. The height calculated based on postcode can be somewhat out (inevitably) - and the height based on grid references also (less inevitably, more pragmatically). Potentially enough to make a difference where reception is marginal between two transmitters, especially where hills are close to the home location.(Some) people know their houses height above sea level or can easily find it (some satnavs can be persuaded to give it) so the ablity to input this and override the calculated height would be a useful feature.
2. The terrain graphic could do with a line drawn from transmitter top to location - making it easier to see if there is a clear line of sight, clearly no line of sight, or a marginal sitaution where it is best tested with a signal strength meter.
michael
Wednesday 5 May 2010 10:57AM
TERRAIN AND TOPOGRAPHY: check the megalithia
site for an idea of line of sight to main transmitters. This is a very useful tool in addition to Brian´s predictor. However, no tools can take account of signal-blocking from very local features, buildings etc. www.megalithia.com link icon Terrain - shows radio profile between two UK sites to optimise you DTT, Freeview, DAB or analogue TV reception
eljay
Wednesday 5 May 2010 11:02AM Rotherham
I must admit this is a good web site, and the support is second to none most of the time.

Its a difficult job under the current climate and since the freeview receivers are so varied it is a uphill struggle to get good pictures on all tv's in all properties.

Keep up the good work ;-)
clive lee
Thursday 6 May 2010 10:45AM Nantwich
i live in nantwich but i cant get film 4 itv4 or dave ja vu on frieview any ideas
Briantist
Thursday 6 May 2010 7:31PM
clive lee: You are missing multiplex D (or COM6 or ARQB) - please see www.ukfree.tv link icon Single frequency interference | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
Mike Dimmick
Friday 7 May 2010 1:20AM Swindon
Clive Lee: I'm assuming your aerial points at Winter Hill. Mux D is running at low power until some time next year (when whatever analogue transmission it clashes with is switched off). There's very little you can do.
Simon
Friday 7 May 2010 11:38AM
Any progress in getting height information added as suggested (22/4/10)?
BERNARD
Saturday 8 May 2010 3:31PM
hi i have freesat tv can i get Ch 4 HD
Mike Dimmick
Saturday 8 May 2010 8:53PM Reading
Brian, the terrain map really doesn't have enough resolution. I was trying to help Paul Carter on the Wenvoe page and somehow your terrain diagram has missed three hills over 200m between Nant-Y-Moel and Wenvoe (according to Wolfbane's terrain mapping, anyway). As an extreme example, try plugging in CF32 7NA (postcode of the NHS Surgery in Nantymoel) into your system and into Wolfbane and comparing, for example, Llangeinor. Wolfbane reckons the terrain causes a 31dB drop, while your system registers a small blip.

Also, for some reason, the map view defaults to Stockland Hill, which is the furthest away that the site still considers 'in range'. Wolfbane won't even show this as a possibility in the 'DX' view - 34dB loss due to terrain.
ben
Sunday 9 May 2010 11:06PM London
All weekend we have been having problems with our tv signal in the Mile End area of east London. Programs will go off air for up to an hour at a time!
I know that other people in the area have suffered the same problems and I was wondering does anyone know who I can contact to report this and find out what's going on?
Briantist
Monday 10 May 2010 8:49AM
BERNARD: Not yet, you might be able to add a Freeview HD box to your setup to get the channel on the free Freeview HD transmission.
Paul
Wednesday 12 May 2010 1:58PM Woking
Would be good to be able to use the map for looking at just freeview signals and also to exclude certain transmitters - e.g. croydon which only transmits c5 but which means all the others report as there being a better transmitter - i.e. it redues the yellow area for the other tranmitters which isn;t right for freeview signals.
Briantist
Wednesday 12 May 2010 2:04PM
Paul: Yes, the final system will allow you to choose "analogue 1-4", "analogue 5", "pre-DSO" and "post-DSO" modes.
Briantist
Wednesday 12 May 2010 2:05PM
Mike Dimmick: Yes, there is insufficient resolution, but there will be when I have completed the new version as it will be in 200m steps, not ~1km steps, as at the moment.

I'm not sure which "default" transmitter is shown, I will ensure that the new version picks the most likely transmitter.
Briantist
Wednesday 12 May 2010 2:22PM
Simon: Sorry, but I have not had the time to finish the system, hopefully I will have the time I need very soon.
Briantist
Wednesday 12 May 2010 2:23PM
eljay: Thanks very much.



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.