My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound or the channel line up is wrong
To deal with the problem you must clear the channel list completely and then rescan - if your box has it in the menus, please the 'installation menu' to do an initial scan or a reset to factory settings or First Time Installation. You MUST delete the entire existing list of channels. On most boxes this technique can be also be used:
Try this:
1) unplug your Freeview box (or idTV) from the mains;
2) unplug the aerial from the Freeview box by disconnecting the cable from the 'RF in' socket;
3) wait 30 seconds;
4) plug Freeview box (or idTV) mains back in;
5) do a complete scan for channels - it will fail without the aerial. (This may be in the installation or initialization menu, and is distinct from any 'add channels option'). Once this is done your channel line up should be empty;
6) reinsert aerial by reconnecting to the 'RF in' connection;
7) do a complete scan for channels again.
The Freeview channel line-up provided by six "multiplexes" - each of which carry five or more TV channels, radio channels, text services and EPG data. In this diagram each ROW represents a multiplex. If you are still missing a whole multiplex (ie everything on the row) you may need to replace your aerial with a wideband type, purchase a larger aerial or you may have interference from a VCR, games console, Sky Digibox or similar.
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Dawn CoeMonday 23 July 2012 11:36AM
Hi, we live at bn238hw postcode in Eastbourne. We have 2 tv's with freeview built in & one that we purchased a bush digi box for at switchover. To start with each had some channels not all and never the same. We carried out all the rescans due on the right days and eventually one of the tvs ( the one with digibox) had all channels. Everyday since we have had varying degrees of channels, sometimes interference and also screen going blank whilst watching. For the last 2 weeks all tvs are blank and say no services or no signal, I thought it must have been due to the appalling weathe?. We have a loft arial and a booster. Having tried ALL the suggestions on here nothing makes a difference and have come to a blank. This digital switchover really seems to be the worst thing in tv history. Is there anyone without a problem? Do you have any suggestions please. D. BrooksTuesday 24 July 2012 3:15PM
I live in upper poppleton north of york and receive digital signals on my upstairs TV via a settop aerial and signals from bilsdale. BBC1 and 2 are fine but very low/intermittent signal on ITV1 Ch 4 and ch 5. This only seems to have happened in last week or so. Is there a problem ? Downstairs in study I get analog signals for Bilsdale again with settop box. When switchover happens, will the digital signals be boosted so I can use digibox ?
thanksjeff patersonTuesday 24 July 2012 4:07PM
Basildon Can anybody please tell me what on earth is going on with this freeview,(basildon ss13 3lu).As from around the middle of may 2012 i had many problems with it.
I was advised to sit tight and wait for the switch over which took place on 13th and 27th june,but did'nt make much of a difference,then suddenly it was fine again,but now it is back to where it was,(my neighbours are having the same problem).
I am seriously thinking of having a virgin box fitted and scrapping all of the freeview gear.please don't tell me to try a re-scan as i have lost count of how many times i have done this.
My aerial,all cables and fittings have been checked and double checked. ...PLEASE HELP.D Brooks.Yes is the answer to the question you raised ! jb38Tuesday 24 July 2012 6:41PM
jeff paterson: Switch over events took place at three transmitter sites on these dates albeit that only two of (Bluebell Hill & Dover) are indicated as being receivable at your location, although Sudbury as well as Crystal Palace do also come into the equation.
However, although I am NOT daring to request that you carry out a rescan, I would though be interested to know what mux channel numbers are seen indicated if a signal strength check is carried out on the following programmes, should of course you have been able to pick them up! as signal strength info always (or should anyway) being accompanied by the mux transmitter channel number associated with the reading.
BBC1 - ITV1 - ITV3 (10) - Pick TV (11) - Yesterday (12)
jeff patersonTuesday 24 July 2012 9:35PM
Basildon Hi jb38,
many thanks for your reply.
On checking all the channel no's,it seems that they do all tally,i.e pick tv.(11),itv 3,(10),yesterday,(12),bbc 3,(7),bbc 4,(9),and so on.
Without going through the whole of the tv and radio listing,here are some of the channels that have dissapeared,literally over night.
itv1, ch4, ch5, pick tv, ch4+1, more4, dave, really, dave ja vu, e4, e4+1.
Everything was fine yesterday.
Does this tell you anything?
Thanks again.
jb38Wednesday 25 July 2012 12:14AM
jeff paterson: Well unfortunately not really, although I suppose I should have given you the reason for me requesting this test, and being, that because your location is indicated as being able to receive (in theory) transmissions from Bluebell Hill, Dover, Crystal Palace and Sudbury this creates the situation whereby its possible for your TV / box to have picked up alien channels to what's required during an auto tune, a situation that's bound to cause problems.
However Bluebell Hill does seem to have the edge on the other stations mentioned, and so if you carry out the test again using the EPG programme numbers mentioned the "multiplex" channel numbers you should see being indicated accompanying the strength / quality should be: 46 - BBC / 43 - ITV / 45 - ITV3 / 39 - Pick TV / 54 - Yesterday, these being the five mux transmitters corresponding in the exact order to the programme numbers that I requested you use for the check. (HD left out for purposes of the test)
If though you see a mux number being indicated other than any of the aforementioned ones, then that channel number is out of sequence from the others and not from Bluebell Hill, and if you state the mux number seen its source can then be determined.
jeff patersonWednesday 25 July 2012 9:17PM
Basildon Hi jb38,
sorry, i misunderstood what you meant by checking channel numbers.
I have done a check on these numbers and channels and they are as you have stated.
(Sorry for the late reply).jeff patersonWednesday 25 July 2012 9:34PM
Basildon jb38,
p.s. i have also just seen that some of the channels that dissapeared yesterday have returned with excellent signal and quality.
jb38Thursday 26 July 2012 12:07AM
jeff paterson: That's perfectly OK, as I do realise that due to a persons circumstances that may be applying at the time its not always convenient to give replies to anyone.
However, my only reason for requesting that particular check be made was just to ensure that your TV / box had picked up and stored the six correct muxes used by Bluebell Hill, and not an odd one from another transmitter such as Sudbury or Crystal Palace that the TV / box may having mistakenly locked onto whilst the signal from Bluebell Hill was down, which of course you have now confirmed did not happen.
Pleased to hear that the lost channels have now returned, although I feel that the whole problem was most likely due to the on going engineering work taking place at the station, as a notice was published to this effect. AlanThursday 26 July 2012 11:37AM
I have Freeview on my tv.
After retuning I have 71 channels..However channel 11 pick TV is not one of them. 11 does not appear at all.
I have had problems with pick tv before, but now it has vanished!
Nothing in my setup has changed.AlanThursday 26 July 2012 11:38AM
I am unable to get channel 11 Pick tv all others are fine.
This is using a TV with inbuilt Freeview.
I have tried re-tuning.jeff patersonThursday 26 July 2012 3:44PM
Basildon Hi jb38,
it's good to find out that there is an outside problem.I will continue to be patient and hope that it will all be fine in the near future.
Many thanks for all your time and help.jeff patersonSunday 29 July 2012 3:19PM
Basildon I have always switched stb's off completely,but a friend of mine insists that they should always be left at standby as this helps to avoid ant problems.
Is this correct?Lisa AylinMonday 30 July 2012 7:38AM
I can't get channel 1tv 1 ch4 or ch 5. I get all other channels and has very good signal please advise I have an alba 22inch built in freeview (2012 model).Margaret HollandMonday 30 July 2012 2:35PM
I have two set top boxes which are not scanning properly. One is an Astrotech and the other is a daewoo. They both jam at about three quarters done and ITV 1 etc are pixelated. I wonder if there is an explaination. I have a roof top aerial. I get signals from Oxford. Any suggestions?Margaret Holland: Three-quarters of the scan (which is from C21 to C69) makes it about C57. As ITV1 is on C60 from Oxford, then it would appear that it hasn't scanned Oxford for this channel yet.
Try running the automatic tuning scan through with the aerial unplugged, and then again with it unplugged up to 60%. Sarah CTuesday 31 July 2012 6:41PM
Chatham Can anyone tell me - s it possible to TELL my freeview box that when it rescans in the night - to NOT set my tv to East Anglia - As i live in Kent. LOL
I tend to not notice till the news comes on and I get so confused as to why different people are telling me news.... Then my daughter reminds me 'Its done it again' and the only way I know of to set it back to kent is to re-scan - tell it I am in kent - turn it off then on then off then on and then I am back in Kent again - By this time of course the news I wanna watch is finidshed LOL
Is tehre a setting I can tell it to NOT automatically rescan? And just allow me to do it myself?
My Box is a Goodmans GDR11
Many Thanks :)jb38Tuesday 31 July 2012 9:32PM
Sarah C: The only way to can avoid this happening on that model is by never at any time placing it in standby via the remote control, as this action will trigger it into automatically searching for channels as soon as you do that and there is no way of stopping it via the menu.
Needless to say at the end of an evenings viewing you have to switch it off completely from the mains and NOT by pressing "stb" on the remote control.
By the way you should also go into the configuration menu - "auto standby settings" and make sure this is also set to off. C FletcherTuesday 31 July 2012 9:32PM
My Hitachi freeview box has been working fine, up until today. It freezes, pixilates and the audio breaks up. I checked Wrekin transmittor and they say there are no problems. I have rescanned, rebooted, changed to a different freeview box with the same results. I have tried just the TV using its freeview facility but then I can't get any channels at all as there is no signal. BBC 1 is just about watchable, but all other channels are far worse especially with freezing.jmpTuesday 7 August 2012 3:40PM
Can anybody tell me if masthead amplifiers are any good or is it a case of fit one and see what happens?Susan AshTuesday 7 August 2012 3:47PM
I live in Bedfordshire and have a tv with built in freeview. I don't watch much tv, which is just as well as the limited channels on offer on my set are uninspiring, but I do like to listen to radio.
I am fed up with time wasted constantly re-tuning, usually wth no improvement. Sometimes I turn on it is fine, other days it is just hopeless, so very unreliable. I neither want nor can afford an additional sophisticated system.
I am afraid I feel like others here - the (compulsory) switch to digital is proving to be one of the worst decisions in broadcasting history!
Today I have again given up and turned it off, so no news or entertainent here. Thanks!Jmp.The latter content of your text in most circumstances is the most likely scenario. Susan Ash.Before you switch off your TV for good have you pondered Freesat or Virgin Media (Cable TV) if you are in an affluent position to consider it ?
If you love radio there are plenty of DAB receivers out there,most of them quite inexpensive too ! jmpTuesday 7 August 2012 7:31PM
Mark fletcher,thanks for that,it is just as i suspected.jmpTuesday 7 August 2012 7:43PM
Susan ash.
It sounds like you are having the same problem as a lot of people including myself.
I switch the t.v. on with my fingers crossed in the hope that i will be able to watch something without pixilating or a box appearing 'bad or no signal'.
All was fine before the switchover,but now it is completely hopeless.
Freeview is without doubt the worse thing invented by man.MazbarTuesday 7 August 2012 7:49PM
jmp: It all depends what you want the masthead for if it is for runing extra points they are great, if it is for improving poor signal due to very long coax and medium to poor signal they are ok if it is to improve just bad signal they dont work. If it is the latter you are better improving the signal with either a stronger aerial or moving aerial or you could just have a faulty aerial hope this helpsjb38Tuesday 7 August 2012 8:40PM
jmp: And in addition to what has been mentioned by Mazbar, you should also ensure that your TV or box is actually tuned to the correct channels for Bluebell Hill, as "if" you have used an auto-tune then your equipment could possibly have stored a mixture of mux channels.
I say this because that although Bluebell Hill does indicate the best for reception its not by any great margin over that the prediction seen for Sudbury, Crystal Palace or Dover, and as Crystal Palace uses lower channel numbers than Bluebell Hill then the box would detect them first on an auto scan and may lock onto them, but if for any reason not!, then the other factor that could cause a problem would be because of Bluebell Hill's and Sudbury's PSB channels have an element of being intertwined, whereby Bluebell Hill is only likely to be singled out if its muxes are manually tuned in.
Bluebell Hill's muxes being : 46 - 43 - 40(HD) - 45 - 39 - 54. jmpTuesday 7 August 2012 8:54PM
Mazbar.
Many thanks.
It was just a thought about the mast head.I have a fairly new aerial,all cable and connectors and stb also a t.v. with built in freeview but having constant problems.
Some days fine other days bad.
My neighbours are all having the same problems.
We have all come to the conclusion that there is something very wrong with freeview and we are not being told the truth.
I only hope that things will eventually be sorted out.Susan AshWednesday 8 August 2012 4:09PM
Mark Fletcher, thank you but I really don't want any more expense, or hundreds of channels, or to spend any more time on technology life is far too short. I pay my license fee and expect to be able to just switch on and watch or listen.
I would like to know if any of these hundreds of complaints and issues are being fed back to the 'powers that be' and whether they are doing anything to improve things?
barbaraThursday 9 August 2012 10:17AM
Hi,
We have analogue tv with a digital convertor a pace DV3? and satellite dish and receiver which shows Astra 2 Found.(In motorhome currently in France up until late last year all was ok. This year can get only display services interactive etc but nothing else, it says no signal. Reset has been done all lights came on.
On checking the LNB shows good signal and line quality Any advice be most appreciatedjb38Thursday 9 August 2012 6:07PM
barbara: I find the statement of a "no signal" indication being seen on the box followed by a good signal being reported on an LNB check to be slightly confusing, on the latter are you meaning what's seen when viewed on the scale of one of these in-line signal strength indicators? as if so then it should be appreciated that these devices take no account of the satellite that the dish is actually pointing at, which on going by what you report could suggest that its an incorrect one such as 19.2, which in practical terms is only the slightest nudge away from 28.2 on a horizontal plane swing.
Press "services" on your box then 4 - 6 and see if anything is being indicated, if not and the dish is easily accessible as well as the TV being able to be viewed from the dish, then slacken the pole clamp and move the dish a fraction towards the left (viewed from behind) watching for the slightest indication of a signal showing on the strength / quality bar.
I will also say that these boxes usually suffer from power supply problems caused by dried out capacitors, this resulting in a low voltage being supplied to the tuner and with a "no signal" warning being one of the symptoms, obviously only a check by using a substitute box can prove is this is the case or not. Susan Ash.In reply to your text dated from Wednesday 8 August 2012,4.09pm,the question you raised in the second and last paragraph is a tricky one for me to answer to,but i will assume that the most likely event to your question would be a 50-50 situation in that the powers that be most of the time will listen to everyone's concerns but again most of the time they will not. barbaraFriday 10 August 2012 8:08PM
Hi,
Thank you for responding. I will check when next on visit to the motorhome. Will take a spare digi box to try.
It was on services 4 then 6 that I saw the signal indicator, yet no channels would load.
The locality suffers extremes of heat then very cold in winter and I was wondering if this could have something to do with it?
I read on the net about RF modulators if they pack up, can one get a spare or is it not that simple?
On the box that goes with the dish said Astra 2 found wouldn't that be sufficient?
many thanks for your troubles.
regards
Barbarajb38Friday 10 August 2012 8:40PM
barbara: If you use the RF modulator to couple the box to the TV because the TV doesnt have a scart socket then it must be working OK or you would not be able to see the menu, however if you just use a normal scart coupling then whether the modulators working or not is neither here nor there as it has no effect whatsoever on the signal through the scart lead.
As far as the signal indicators are concerned, the Sky box is just like a Freeview or Freesat box insomuch that the indication seen "has" to be above a certain level or the box will not "capture" the channels, and in the case of a Sky box the levels have to be around the 55% minimum mark (on average) or the channels cannot be stored, 75% or more being the ideal level.
Obviously the percentages mentioned being the equivalent in distance along the signal bar, as the box doesn't indicate in percentages.Singer BantamThursday 16 August 2012 9:39PM
Bognor Regis I live in Middleton on Sea, postcode area PO22 7TB and in the past month I have lost nearly all access to BBC stations. The HD versions of BBC and ITV are a little better but there are days when I get no signals at all and my PVR cannot record anythingdarran burnettWednesday 22 August 2012 9:29AM
Croydon i live in croydon and since 6oclock i have lost my bbc channels , i have a technika tv with built in freeview its been fine throughout the changeover , last night twice i retuned the tv and to no avail i still have no bbc channels im at a loss what to do
John HMonday 27 August 2012 2:42PM
Live in postcode area PE15 - March, Cambridgeshire. Keep losing the group of channels broadcast from 'A' - that is ITV3, ITV2+1 etc. All other channels remain, nothing drops out. All radio channels are ok. What needs to be done to retain these channels please.MagsTuesday 28 August 2012 2:16AM
London Hi,
I live in E32BG, and have had a "no signal" message on my TV for nearly 2 weeks now. I use a Goodmans freeview box. Never had problems with signal before, but it has dropped and despite countless retunes and signal chacks there is nothing there!!Neighbours have Sky and are not experiencing any problems. Is there anything I can do short of ringing Sky to come and save the day??C burnsFriday 31 August 2012 2:53PM
What is going on with freeview on the talconeston aerial today 31st aug 2012 getting a really weak signal, no word about what is going on or anything been down since 8am Iam sick of the terrible service we getCan you help please - I have moved my Digihome 250 from one room to the other and do not now get any channels - all the stuff I had previously taped is still there but it says that I do not have a card - I have never had a card. Can you help please John CameronTuesday 4 September 2012 6:45PM
Isle Of Islay Aerial is in Loft. Weather dry and sunny.
No BBC channels all day, all others are fine.
Mast is festooned with ropes rigged to facilitate access. Personnel observed on site yesterday.Much equipment covered in tarpaulins in vicinity. No engineering has been reported. I can supply photos if this would be helpful. (have unsuccessfully gone through initial setup several times) Please can you assist. Thank you. Andy HearnTuesday 4 September 2012 9:38PM
Bognor Regis Regarding random drop out, I have a row of Eucalyptus trees (minus kaola bears) that are giving me grief. As soon as it rains the leaves seem to act as a complete barrier to the weaker multiplexes. I am at Barnham po22 0bq.Trying vertical polarisation helped a bit but I think there is polarisation twisting going on. If the transmitters used circular polarization there would only be around 3db cross polarization loss, unless you had the aerial with the wrong twist. I am going to make a circular poloarization aerial and see what happens. Hey, bring back analogue, good for the viewers, bad for the broadcasters!
AndySusannaThursday 6 September 2012 10:57PM
Analogue TV worked - Digital does not. Why change a system to something so much worse?
I have had to retune my TV on a regular basis, the signal is affected by weather, passing traffic, and we even have pixilation or frozen screens on a good day. The whole system stinks!Jonathan CFriday 7 September 2012 12:21PM
I have just moved to Ludlow, Shropshire Postcode SY8. Previously I lived in London near the Crystal Palace transmitter and Freeview was fine. The first day in Ludlow I got most channels, though some had a tendency to break up. However, over the last few days I have lost all channels, except the radio. On checking the signal I find the strength is at full, but the quality is at the lowest mark or non-existent. I have tried everything, re-scanning endless times, using the latest cables. Nothing works. Does anyone know of any issues with reception in this area?Jonathan C: As you have a reception issue, knowledge of your location, preferably in the form of postcode or nearby postcode (such as a shop), is really needed (postcode district is not specific enough). It would also be useful to know which transmitter your aerial is pointing at. If you don't know, then knowing your location, along with the direction of the aerial, and whether it is vertical (elements up/down) or horizontal (elements flat, as would have been the case for your Crystal Palace aerial). Now lost multiplexes on channels 22, 25 and 28 today, maybe those multiplexes on the IOW are down or on low power, BBC and ITV channels 100% signal strength and quality, shopping channels, Pick, Dave, Quest all gone! and all the +1 channels, I am going over to Freesat..Troublewith Freeview even with good quality double screened coax everywhere, the neighbours lawnmower and passing motorbikes 300 feet from a road cause it to drop out. Wilma Rae.We cannot really be of much help to you as you did not either leave a full postcode preferably or a nearby location. Andy HearnSaturday 8 September 2012 8:59AM
Bognor Regis Today loosing BBC1 and other multiplexes that were good, Post code PO22 0BQ. Speaking to some people around the Chichester area they are also having similar problems. Is there a problem with Rowridge they are not telling us. Similar thing happened some months ago with Whitehawk Hill went it went wrong and engineering reported problem 2 weeks after it was fixed!Jonathan ChamberlainSaturday 8 September 2012 11:43AM
Ludlow Dave Lindsay: I am at SW8 1NW. Yesterday afternoon all the channels suddenly returned at good to high quality for 5 or 6 hours, then disappeared in the evening and have not returned. Today I have nothing - no signal on any channel. I live in a communal block of flats, have had a look around and there appears to be a high quality aerial on the roof pointing south-eastish. What confuses me is how the channels can disappear and re-appear apparently at random. Signal remains at 100% on all channels at all times.Jonathan ChamberlainSaturday 8 September 2012 11:48AM
Ludlow Sorry the postcode should read SY8 1NW
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