Freeview: Switchover starts in 4 million homes in Yorkshire, West Midlands 7th September | Digital switchover
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Switchover starts in 4 million homes in Yorkshire, West Midlands 7th September

If you live in or around Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Derby, Lemington Spa and the West Midlands; or your live in Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Halifax, Huddersfield, Sheffield, Barnsley, York or Worksop - digital switchover starts just after midnight on Wednesday.

If you live in or around Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Stoke-on-Tr
Published on by on UK Free TV

This week seems the biggest switchover event so far as 4,002,886 homes in the West Midlands and most of Yorkshire start the two-week, two-stage switchover process.

From 6am Wednesday 7th September 2011, you must to a perform a "first time installation" retune (sometimes "Factory Reset" or "Shipping Condition") on your Freeview box or television set if you use the Brierley Hill, Emley Moor, Fenton, Idle, Keighley, Malvern and Sutton Coldfield full service Freeview transmitters. This is because the old "multiplex 1" BBC service will be replaced by the BBCA multiplex on the old analogue BBC TWO frequency.

If you live in Yorkshire and use the Addingham (9am), Armitage Bridge, Batley (noon), Beecroft Hill (7.30am), Blackburn In Rotherham, Bradford West (noon), Calver Peak, Cleckheaton, Conisbrough, Cop Hill (9am), Copley (9am), Cornholme, Cowling (3pm), Cragg Vale, Cullingworth (9am), Edale, Elland, Grassington, Hagg Wood, Halifax (9am), Headingley, Hebden Bridge, Heyshaw, Holmfield, Holmfirth (noon), Hope (9am), Keighley Town, Kettlewell (noon), Longwood Edge, Luddenden, Lydgate, Millhouse Green, Oughtibridge, Oxenhope, Primrose Hill, Ripponden, Shatton Edge (9am), Skipton (9am), Skipton Town (9am), Stocksbridge, Sutton in Craven, Tideswell Moor, Todmorden, Walsden, Walsden South, Wharfedale (9am), Wheatley or Wincobank relay transmitters from 6am (unless shown otherwise) on Wednesday 7th September 2011 you will be able to receive the BBC Freeview services (with the exception of HD) for the first time, and you will no longer be able to view BBC TWO on analogue.



If you live in the West Midlands and use the Allesley Park, Brailes (9am), Bretch Hill (noon), Bridgnorth (3pm), Cheadle, Earl Sterndale, Edgbaston, Gib Heath, Gravelly Hill, Haden Hill, Hamstead, Harborne (noon), Hartington, Ipstones Edge, Ironbridge, Kenilworth, Kidderminster (9am), Kinver (noon), Leamington Spa (9am), Leek (9am), Lichfield, Long Compton, Oakamoor, Perry Beeches, Queslett, Redditch, Repton (noon), Rugeley, Tenbury Wells, Turves Green, Whittingslow, Winchcombe, Winshill (9am) or Woodford Halse relay transmitters from 6am (unless shown otherwise) on Wednesday 7th September 2011 you will be able to receive the BBC Freeview services (with the exception of HD) for the first time, and you will no longer be able to view BBC TWO on analogue.

You MAY find that old pre-Freeview equipment will no longer work - see www.ukfree.tv link icon TVs and boxes that do not support the 8k-mode



On Wednesday 21 September 2011 will see the second stage of switchover, which provides the final Freeview configuration, including Freeview HD for all transmitters in these two regions.

On this date, you will need, once again, to do a "first time installation" as indicated above. If you are over 75, you should aleady have been supplied new equipment by the www.helpscheme.co.uk link icon Switchover Help Scheme.







Your comments: most recent posts are at the bottom


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.

Jill Robinson
Monday 5 September 2011 5:57PM Lutterworth
Since the middle of July I have been experiencing problems with Freeview (signal strength too low), but also with the reception on TV's in other rooms that are not Freeview. Is this all related to the digital switchover - it is very frustrating as we are frequently left withh no watchable service.

Any advice you can offer will be very much appreciated.
Briantist
Tuesday 6 September 2011 8:32AM
Jill Robinson: No, it has nothing to do with digital switchover, if you have not switched over yet. Please see www.ukfree.tv link icon Freeview reception has changed? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .

If you have switched over, see www.ukfree.tv link icon East Midlands - Waltham transmitter switchover "ends" | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
Briantist
Tuesday 6 September 2011 9:46PM
For general information, the 4 million homes starting their switchover tonight, 2.25 million are in the West Midlands, and 1.75 million in Yorkshire.
Thomas
Wednesday 7 September 2011 7:00AM Leeds
Retuned this morning as instructed and got a duplicate set of some of the BBC channels in the 800s. Is this normal during the two switchover stages? Mux B is still broadcasting, but BBCA now carries all of its channels… why didn't they turn off that as well?
sharealam
Wednesday 7 September 2011 7:04AM
thomas i have retuned this morning and i have got duplicate bbc channels in 800 sectio as well.
Briantist
Wednesday 7 September 2011 7:15AM
Thomas: Yes, this is normal, especially if you didn't do a "first time install" as directed above.

Multiplex B continues to broadcast as it carries Sky Sports 1 and 2 for another two weeks, when it switches to become Freeview HD.
Briantist
Wednesday 7 September 2011 7:16AM
sharealam: Please, as directed above, do a "first time installation" and not an "add channels". If you can't find it in the menus, do this www.ukfree.tv link icon My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound or the channel line up is wrong | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice instead.
ken
Wednesday 7 September 2011 8:36AM
Retuned both sets of kit this morning on sutton coldfiled TX. no probs except the 800 series channels.

Will do my elderly parents telly tonight

(Anyone know anyone who may be struggling with this. maybe now the time to ask if they need help????).
Briantist
Wednesday 7 September 2011 8:37AM
ken: If you have "800 series channels" this is because you have done an ADD CHANNELS.

You must do a FIRST TIME INSTALL, as this is a switchover event day.
chrisw
Wednesday 7 September 2011 9:28AM Otley
Wharfedale switched over sometime between 7.00am and 7.45am. No problems, BBC A now available. I have tuned 2 of my four(!) devices in this morning. The analogue channels had come back on before this, with ITV on the old BBC2 channel.
Alan Kydd
Wednesday 7 September 2011 10:47AM Hope Valley
A re-tune of both analogue and digital 1t 10:30 this morning resolved the problem. The analogue channels (apart from BBC" as expected) were back and digital service was available - and NOT just BBC2 - we also have BBC1 digital!
Jackie Jackson
Wednesday 7 September 2011 12:44PM
Hi, I have a Philips DT1500 and have all the instructions forreturning to Factory settings. However It states: disconnect freeview from the mains. Press + button on the front whilst reconnecting to the power, then the red led should be on, keep pressing until the multicoloured led shows, pause, then press + again and the multicoloured led should turn to red at this point using remote press 9 9 0 0. Unfortunately I do not get to the point where multicoloured led shows only orange and then green. I have tried going through the installation in the menu but it does not work correctly. Can you help.
John Green
Wednesday 7 September 2011 3:01PM Leigh
Jackie Jackson - re Philips DT1500 - I too have had problems in the past when resetting. It's a while ago now, but if I remember the instructions re LEDs were slightly inaccurate. Try again, and remember it takes much longer that you might expect for the LEDs to change.
A J Saddler
Wednesday 7 September 2011 3:02PM Derby
I have not been able to get Sky Sports 1 and 2 since 31/8. I am a paid up member of Top Up TV and have had ESPN ok through this period. I have been in touch with Top Up TV and they tell me that the digital switchover is to blame. Can you please confirm this, and advise if there is anything to get my Sky service back? Thank you. I live at DE22 1FB
nilesh
Wednesday 7 September 2011 3:59PM Leicester
i have not be able to get bbc1-bbc2- Chanel 5 or any free tv Chanel ,
Thank you
i live in Leicester Le4 6dw
Dave Porter
Wednesday 7 September 2011 4:05PM
Tried manual retune on Humax PVR today. Not successful as it tried to get some itv channels from Belmont and I use Emley Moor.

Did manual tune on channels 40 46 47 49 50 and 52 which seems to have restored things to normal.

Please can you tell me which channels to manually tune on 21st September, Phase 2.

Briantist
Wednesday 7 September 2011 4:38PM
Dave Porter: They are listed on the www.ukfree.tv link icon Freeview on Emley Moor TV transmitter | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice page under "After Wednesday 21st September 2011".
Briantist
Wednesday 7 September 2011 4:40PM
nilesh: You will probably have to wait until 21st September 2011 if you are using the Sutton Coldfield transmitter.
Briantist
Wednesday 7 September 2011 4:42PM
A J Saddler: Before the final switchover date, Sky Sports 1 and 2 are carried on multiplex B; from the end of switchover they are on the ArqB multiplex.

This means you should experience no loss whatsoever, you have been misinformed.
s driver
Wednesday 7 September 2011 5:56PM
emley moor bbca on ch47 argiva a on ch52 ch43 closed itv analogue ch47 moved to ch51 as per ofcom
Frankie-boy
Wednesday 7 September 2011 7:27PM
I have got ALL the BBC channels but NO ITV ones. What is the problem, please?
Briantist
Wednesday 7 September 2011 7:30PM
Frankie-boy: Unless you are using a transmitter you could already get Freeview from, the other channels do not start for two weeks.
S Shaw
Wednesday 7 September 2011 10:39PM Brough
It is supposed to be switchover day today but all is working as it should be and I have not retuned Tv or anything. Is there something I am missing her?
Briantist
Thursday 8 September 2011 7:08AM
S Shaw: Either your box is tuned to the Belmont transmitter, or your equipment detected the switchover event and retuned itself.
nigel
Thursday 8 September 2011 11:20AM
my da has a philips 37pfl5522d/05
i have retuned and have all the channels, however after approx 45mins bbc1 and bbc2 stop working and bbc2 disappears completely, any ideas, is it a problem with the tv. on rescanning they come back again.
Briantist
Thursday 8 September 2011 11:42AM
nigel : Sounds like a problem with the set, but you might want to try this method of resetting it - My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound or the channel line up is wrong | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
george
Thursday 8 September 2011 4:25PM
Hi, I live in Holmfirth. No BBC 1 or BBC 2. have carried out numerous full re-tunes without aerial to clear memory, then full re-tunes with aerial. On some occasions BBC1 and BBC2 re-appeared, but only for a short time. Thank heavens the rugby world cup is on ITV!!!
Do commercial pressures from ITV advertisers rather than the taxed licence fee for BBC explain why BBC have the problem channels.
we can't seem to get anything right in this country
Briantist
Thursday 8 September 2011 10:20PM
george: It is hard to suggest anything without a full postcode, am I to infer you had Freeview working before?
Andrew Lowe
Saturday 10 September 2011 11:10PM
Can someone please tell me why Freeview has to be re-tuned 5 or 6 times a year when the analogue channels remained the same since the switch to 625 line? Digital it seems, may NOT be an improvement.
jb38
Sunday 11 September 2011 10:32AM
Andrew Lowe: Although lots of other complexities are involved in this, but put very simply, this is because that pre-switchover multiplex transmitters were started up operating on relatively low power levels, the reason being so that they would not interfere with the more distant viewers reception of other transmitters operating on the same frequency covering an adjacent area, this usually on analogue although it could also be very low powered digital.

The switchover process involves all of these pre-switchover transmitters (usually six on a main station) significantly (as far as PSB is concerned) increasing their power levels, which if that was all that was done could then cause problems to the more distant viewers referred to, and so to avoid this happening their operating frequencies had also to be changed, this being why re-tuning is always necessary to enable viewers to keep track of the changed frequencies / channel numbers, the only reason for it having to be done on such a number of occasions (some areas) is because of the number of multiplex transmitters involved, and the automatic chain effect resulting by any change.

Analogue is/was basically a stable well established system, and this is why retuning was never really necessary.

Mike Dimmick
Sunday 11 September 2011 12:00PM
Andrew Lowe: Because analogue simply had one radio channel = one programme service, but the capacity of a digital multiplex can be sliced up many different ways to fit in many channels. The Service Information describing how each multiplex has been sliced up is continuously re-broadcast at very short intervals - your box *could* use that information to spot new channels and deleted channels, but unfortunately very few do.

An actual *retune*, a move of a multiplex from one frequency to another, is relatively rare, though as jb38 says, some sites (particularly Sandy Heath and Mendip) have had far more than others. Again, there is provision in the Service Information to describe a move of one frequency to another, but very few boxes implement it correctly.

Here, the pay-TV markets work much better than the open systems, because the provider (Sky, Virgin Media) is in full control of the hardware specification and have required that the boxes retune themselves automatically as required. Freesat equipment can require being put in standby before picking up a change, and some does require the user to select a retune.

The automatic retune features on a lot of Freeview equipment are a disaster if you're in an overlap area, as they will typically tune in the lowest frequency signals even if you specifically manually tuned to the best available. The newest equipment should handle this a lot better.
Steveharvey04
Sunday 11 September 2011 4:33PM Wolverhampton
Hi Briantist

I hope you can shed some light on the following problem that has occurred following the first switch to the Sutton Coldfield Transmitter. I would also have reason that all those viewers still using the old ON Digital and ITV Digital set top boxes are suffering the same fate as myself.

Back in December 2000 I purchased the Toshiba 28WT98B DTV which was the first Digital TV produced by Toshiba, then found inside was a Philips tube. No problem there..although it hasn't really worked properly since Toshiba never wrote the software to pick up the text channels before ITV Digital went bump having out stretched themselves bidding to show live football. I guess we all remember the reasons behind that.

Following the first switch last Wednesday (7th) I find that although on Analogue BBC 2 went off the air on channel 40 as planned they have put ITV 1 on Channel 40, clearing the way for the 7 BBC channels to occupy Channel 43 on the Digital system.

Since I was able to receive all 105 digital channels prior to last Tuesday night, I can only receive 98 channels now with all the BBC channels blank.

Can you explain what has occurred since Switchover and does this mean that from the 2nd switch date on 21st September myself and those who have the older Digital TV and set top boxes won't be able to pick up any channel in the conventional way and will have to buy again either a set top box or DTR to be able to view any channel.


Terry Mahon
Sunday 11 September 2011 6:52PM
Steve

Your old equipment only had the cabability of receiving Freeview pictures using 2kb packets of digital information.
ll transmissions will now use 8kb packets of information.
All muxes will now also use 64QAM except for the HD Multiplex which will use the 256QAM format
Briantist
Sunday 11 September 2011 6:59PM
Terry Mahon: Actually, "2k" and "8k" do not refer to "packets of information", they refer to the number of subcarriers the signal, which occupies and 8MHz block, is split into.

In fact 2k refers to 1705 and 8k to 6817.

You can (sort of) think of the signal as being split into 4kHz or 1kHz signals. This can be done because as the signals are digital and have two possible levels (0 and 1) the effect of sidebands can be ignored, which certainly isn't true if they were analogue signals.

Whilst information in the multiplex is carried in packets, this is not part of the CODFM system, but a "higher level", the MPEG-2 transport stream.
Briantist
Sunday 11 September 2011 7:03PM
Steveharvey04: Terry Mahon isn't quite right about the meaning, but his diagnosis is essentially correct, your equipment is on this list:

www.ukfree.tv link icon TVs and boxes that do not support the 8k-mode | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice

and so will no longer function. A set-top box should be swapped out for a newer model, a television set will now need to use a set-top box.

If you have equipment dating back to the 1998-2002 era, you will probably see quite a lot of benefit from using a modern box.

jean
Monday 12 September 2011 11:21AM Newcastle
I purchased a Sony Bravia TV last December which has Freeview and HD already installed. I have retuned my TV on the date requested but I am not receiving HD viewing yet? Am I supposed too or do I need to wait until 21st Sept?
jean
Monday 12 September 2011 11:24AM Newcastle
jean: Sorry I forgot to say I live in the Stoke-on-Trent area
Mike Dimmick
Monday 12 September 2011 11:51AM
jean: HD services from the Fenton transmitter start on 21 September.

The Sutton Coldfield coverage area already has a 'temporary' HD service but this is on low power and restricted coverage (and is actually from Lichfield). The high-power, permanent, service also starts on 21 September, this time from Sutton Coldfield.

The Freeview HD predictor shows a start date at your postcode of 2 November 2009 because the Digital UK predictor reckons you are covered by the Winter Hill transmitter, which switched over on that date. You might also get a reliable service from The Wrekin.
Rob
Monday 12 September 2011 1:44PM Leicester
I live in Elmesthorpe (Leicestershire) and used to get East Midlands news. Last week this changed into West Midlands news which does not seem so relevant. I also the prefer the East Mids presenters. What happened? I have tried retuning the tv but can only get West Mids news.
B. Patel
Thursday 15 September 2011 1:38PM Birmingham
I have a SONY Kd28DX505 tv and in the menu section I cannot get the AUTO TUNE button to come on which menas I cannot auto tune. I have lost BBC1, BBC2 and Channel 5 altogether. I live in Birmingham 5 area. I ned help to get the missing channels.
Briantist
Thursday 15 September 2011 7:12PM
B. Patel: Sounds like you might not be in the "digital menu" part of the system. You can also reset the TV this way - www.ukfree.tv link icon My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound or the channel line up is wrong | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
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