Film 4
UK and US Films freeFilm 4 is a public-service widescreen commerical-break funded TV channel.
How to Watch: Film 4
Regional content: National channel with no regional content or variations.
Media UK: For full details of broadcaster contacts, see the
Media UK Film 4 page.
Official site: See the
Film 4 website.
From Wikipedia: edit Programming Film4 did not originally focus on broadcasting blockbusters, but nowadays broadcasts many mainstream Hollywood movies. The channel frequently has themed nights or seasons in which a number of films centred around one genre, director or actor are shown. As Channel 4 also owns a film production company, Film4 Productions, it shows many of its in-house productions. - en.wikipedia.org
read more about Film 4 on wikipedia (summary by
Clipped).
Freeview multiplex: Film 4 is on
multiplex COM6 in
England
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Wales .
This channel carries a subtitles service for the deaf, hard of hearing and quiet environments.
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PeterMonday 6 June 2011 3:19PM
It just gets better with the sandy heath trans, today after a new re-scan ALL I have let are BBC1 bbc2 bbc3 2 kids channels, BBC news and some radio stations. There is now actually LESS than the old signal. And told by this site it won't get any better until sept. WONDERFUL, well done sandy Heath, Peter: You should have your system checked, a rooftop aerial will deliver all six multiplexes at 100% quality today. PeterMonday 6 June 2011 9:14PM
Ok I have just checked with a couple of neighbours and they say the same thing. Lost 80% of channels and the ones we do get are no of such poor quality that they are unwatchable which shows it's NOT my system and Defo the sandy Heath trans meaning they are giving such a poor service its now a joke and if your a family who can't afford sky you can't even get what you had before on analog anymore. Someone MUST be accountable for this as it's disgustingPeter: The only person who is "accountable" for your reception is YOU. Please consult a profession installer if you can't fix the problem yourself. PeterTuesday 7 June 2011 10:19AM
I have told you. No one in this area can receive the channels. It is nothing to do with MY set up when the people across the street CANT get them either. Are you saying a whole row of brand new houses suddenly all at the same time have systems that have failed !!!!!!!!!!! My parents who live about 3 miles away ALSO on thr sandy Heath trans CANT get a useable signal anymore so out saying their system has failed at the same time. I am a long standing IT project contractor with my MCSE, use to got sky dishes in the early days for a living, I installed my parents digital set up 4 years ago and it worked perfectly from the first day. Please DO NOT talk to me like I am a stupid lay person without an knowledge of how it works or what to do.
We have a disgusting and poor quality service that ha effected everyone I know in thr MK area, IT IS NOT our set ups, my house is not even 3 years old with a 2 year old LCD built in TV. If all you can do is blame my set up and say it all my fault for not paying someone to come and then tell me its not my set up the only course left open to us is the local pressPeterTuesday 7 June 2011 10:28AM
That should say "fit sky dishes" and not "got sky dishes" sorry.
Bottom line is you seem very quick to blame my system
And tell me to get someone in to check it over bug NO ONE I speak to MK an get anything of any use from sandy Heath so please don't tell me we have all failed set ups at the same time.
Will you please listen to me when I say NOTHING of any good is coming from sandy Heath,
RETUNING only causes you to LOSE more channels, we are all on different types of set up with different built in TVs etc so nothing in common other than sandy Heath.
When will someone start to accept that's the common link and it's sandy Heath that's failing is am accountable
NOT my system Mike DimmickTuesday 7 June 2011 2:41PM
Milton Keynes Peter: There is no engineering work and no changes are taking place. The PSB transmissions are already at maximum power, although not at maximum height just yet (to protect services at Rowridge). However, this hasn't changed since the beginning of April.
The commercial multiplexes remain on low power and on their pre-switchover antennas until their final channels are released by later switchovers at other sites. However, 'low' is a relative term: it is the same power level used by the multiplexes before switchover. ArqB has changed mode, however, which means the power on that multiplex (which carries Film4) has been effectively halved. This was done to increase the capacity, in order to carry Sky Sports 1 & 2 for BT Vision and Top-Up TV customers.
If you have lost PSB services as well, the most likely explanation is that you have too much signal. Remove or turn down any boosters you have.
Looking back at your old posts I see you previously provided the postcode MK10 7AL. A look at the terrain shows that line-of-sight is blocked, so you're more susceptible to changes in weather conditions than some, however, the Digital UK prediction is still for a very good chance of reliable reception.PeterTuesday 7 June 2011 3:38PM
Well I have no booster fitted so they are not to blame. And if what you are saying is that due to location I as well as many other people in Milton keynes ate prone to loss of signal, poor quality reception and nothing we can do about it, we have been lied to then as we were all told digital is the way forward. It will be better than the old set up and much more channels. There are ZERO trees or buildings in the line of sight as I am
In a brand new house right on the very edge of Milton
Keynes. The Aerial is mounted on a 10foot pole on side of house so high above the roof line. I AM NOT the only house affected as everyone I know in MK has lost most of the channels or quality is so bad we all use nothing but sky downstairs now.
If it was just my house that had lost, your reasons might be vaild but people across MK have lost them
That's just too coincidental to be anything other than sandy and if it is a case of poor line of sight, who and when are they going to build a trans that DOES work for us as the gov sold off the old system forcing us into a "shut up and put up" situation !!!!!!!PeterTuesday 7 June 2011 3:43PM
It ok. I have had enough now. Will be contacting local press this week to see ifthey want to run a story into the poor quality we getPeter: Or, you can call in an engineer. PeterWednesday 8 June 2011 10:00AM
I have told you it's NOT my system. Today doing NOTHING more than yet another retune I have the itv channels back again. More4 is back but dave is still missing. It jumps from C14 to C28. How can it be my set up when one day we have BBC only then next day itv comes back on. There is nothing an engineer can do here when it is also everyone else I knownin Milton Keynes and if sandy Heath have done something that will require ALL the people in MK to get an engineer in they must accept the cost of this as it worked berry well a couple of months ago,
Are you saying everyones set up has fallen out. You say mk10 post codes have poor line of sight but I am the side of MK closest to sandy Heath and NOTHING is next to my house so line of sight couldnt be better.
I am watching C4 now and You get a few mins of it ok and now it's all blocks, block lines, the sounds is crackles and hurts your ears so unwatchable.
What your saying is my system is able to work perfectly and then just turn crap and NiT be able to play the same channel it played perfectly only 10 mins ago. I don't need an engineer I need the local press to investigate te poor quality of sandy Heath as it's all ok MK who suffer with the same problems
As me thereby proving it's not jut my set up, sorry but that's the facts, ooh and now C4 has stopped completely and doesn't work at all........AGAINPeter: Please stop being deluded and get your system fixed. Mike DimmickWednesday 8 June 2011 3:10PM
Peter: Milton Keynes is a bit of a special case. As a new town, it was cabled throughout by the GPO, therefore there was no need for a relay transmitter for the parts that Sandy Heath didn't reach. As BT was privatised the service fell into their hands, but they were forced to lease it, which apparently they did in such a way that makes it an anomaly in Virgin Media's network, an analogue cable system that can't be digitised.
The terrestrial broadcasters haven't done anything to compensate for this. Their only requirement for DSO is for the predicted DSO coverage to match the predicted analogue coverage percentage.
However, as I said before, the prediction for *your* postcode is for a high probability of reliable service. The most likely explanation is that the monkey who installed the aerial for the developer used too big an aerial, setting the levels too high in the first place, and it's now overloading. Try adding an attenuator.
If it's a communal system, sharing an aerial among multiple houses (some developers do this), it may need to be adjusted, again so that the levels are correct. It could be a channelized system, and might need retuning, although the PSB multiplexes and ArqB all use frequencies that were previously used before DSO.Mike DimmickWednesday 8 June 2011 3:20PM
Peter: I should add that for developer jobs, it's common for the fitter to use the cheapest possible aerial (contract type) and cables, and sometimes the developer gets the regular electrician to put the RF cables into the walls, to reduce the labour charges. RF cables should be treated very carefully, with a limited bending radius, because they are waveguides. If you kink the cable, or just bend it too tightly, it stops working properly. Power cables can be bent at much tighter angles, so electricians aren't used to taking this degree of care over routing.
You may end up having to have the whole lot ripped out and replaced by someone who actually knows what they're doing.
If the cable from the aerial terminates at a wall socket, make sure it's a properly screened type, e.g. 
Online Satellite/TV/FM/DAB Cable, Leads and Connectors sales. , and use a decent fly lead such as Online Satellite/TV/FM/DAB Cable, Leads and Connectors sales. . JasonWednesday 8 June 2011 8:45PM
Peter - just to add to Mike's comment on the cable situation - MK was cabled in part due to a "terrain shadow" problem with signals from Sandy Heath.
As Mike says the system is owned by BT but administration (billing) done by Virgin under the terms of their multi million pound annual lease agreement. There are suggestions this comes up for renewal in 2012 so we could see Virgin try to force their hand over greater access to the network in return for digital TV and broadband upgrades.
Or alternatively, the lease arrangement could end with BT either discontinuing the network or upgrading it into a BT Vision style service to compete with paytv companies like Virgin.
BT won't sell the network off outright as it passes through it's own ducts and green street cabinets and everyone knows how reluctant they are to let rivals access their infrastructure, though the hope is Ofcom may finally put a stop to that...
Milton Keynes Cable Network And The Digital Switch Over
- YouTube
PeterThursday 9 June 2011 9:39AM
But we DINT use the cable system for freeview. If you read you will see I have an aerial mounted on a pole above the roof line, all new houses do. We dont use the old MK cable system for anything other than the phone lines. It's always been that way.
I have just done another retune as none of the itv channels worked and guess what, I have lost them all again. Now I have bbc1/2/3/4 and news channels and that is it, 6 channels after a retune and bbc1 is unwatchablePeterThursday 9 June 2011 9:42AM
So how come the whole system
Worked for everyone I know in MK upto a couple of months ago then we ALL lost anything watchable, you are saying at the same time everyone in Mk i know in new and old houses all had their internal systems fail at the same time. I dont buy itPeterThursday 9 June 2011 9:49AM
Please telle how if can be my system if last week I could only get 6 channels total, then the itv ones come back aaain all be it NO film4 and today I am back down to only 6 again. No face, no pick, now itv's, no e4, nothing at all but bbc1/2/3/4 and 2 news channels, that's my system deciding what it will tune into week by week is itMike DimmickThursday 9 June 2011 1:21PM
Peter: I'm saying that everyone you know had systems with too much overall gain. It didn't cause a problem before as the distorted analogue signals don't cause as much damage to neighbouring transmissions as high-power digital signals do.
As for why it comes and goes, signal propogation changes over time. Sometimes it's weaker, sometimes stronger. Radio wave propogation is affected by weather and by dust in the atmosphere along the signal path, just as light is (light is just an extremely high frequency radio wave). Radio waves also reflect and refract off layers in the upper atmosphere as boundaries between colder and warmer regions form: the combination of the direct path and the reflected paths may either increase or decrease signal levels, depending on the length of the indirect paths and the wavelength of the transmission.
'Tropospheric enhancement', one reflection off the atmosphere, generally happens every night as the atmosphere cools. 'Tropospheric ducting', where signals bounce between two such layers and then exit, causes signals to travel much further, but requires rare weather conditions.
Digital UK's predictions take account of these effects, using a statistical model. It reports a 100% probability - which it is, for the PSB muxes - if the combined expected variation of both the signal from Sandy Heath, and everything else using the same frequencies, is expected to give more than 36dB of signal-to-noise ratio. The transmissions need 17.3dB of SNR to be decoded reliably, the planners added 5.7dB of fudge factor, and 12.8dB more than this is required to guarantee to cover the variation in propogation ('fading').
That's still about 7 dB less than was required for completely clear analogue reception, which required 43 dB of signal-to-noise ratio. However, when you get less signal-to-noise ratio than is required, you just got a slightly noisy picture on analogue. Digital carries redundant information used to correct the errors introduced by noise and interference, but once the signal-to-noise ratio gets too low, all of the redundancy is exhausted and the errors start to get through to the higher levels, causing sound and picture drop-outs, and eventually the inability to interpret the tables that describe the services on the multiplex.Rob ButterworthSunday 12 June 2011 6:12PM
To add to the comments from those having issues, I have lost Film 4 and itv 4 in the past two weeks - they were poor quality for a while so I retuned and now don't have them at all
My ariel is roof mounted by a professional and boosted. All other channels are fine.
I am PE27, so not that close the MK but def the same part of the country. I am going to check if I am on the SH transmitter, but there is definitely something amiss, and only very recently.
RobRob Butterworth: Bit hard to say without a postcode, but you may have to wait as at Sandy Heath: "Arqiva B will temporarily move to channel 67 (at 20kW ERP) at switchover and then it will adopt its final allocation of channel 48 on 14 Sept 2011." When I have recorded some of your films for eaxample Gauntlet on my Samsung freesat recorder the end exceeds the time schedueled and therfore I miss the ending. Harry PollardFriday 17 June 2011 8:04PM
Tring I live in Tring HP23 - when switchover occurred I was so pleased to receive BBC4 and a great reception over the aerial as I don't have a dish. But ........ I seem to have lost Film4 and a number of other channels. I have tried retuning and using a booster but still no luck. Any suggestions - I think we are pointed to Sandy Heath as the local BBC is Anglia.KMJ,DerbyFriday 17 June 2011 8:54PM
Harry Pollard: Mux ArqB which carries Film4 is currently using C67, which is shown as no reception at your location. You are expected to get this mux back from 14th September 2011 when the frequency changes to C48. You will then temporarily lose MuxC (Sky News etc) from this date until 23rd November 2011. The Digital UK postcode checker shows the reception of the COM muxes from Sandy Heath deteriorating somewhat in 2012. If this proves to be a problem good reception of the COM muxes should, by then be available from the Oxford transmitter.Harry PollardFriday 17 June 2011 11:41PM
Tring KMJ,Derby: Many thanks for the explanation.
Sky and Virgin must be pleased , I know a lot of my neighbours have gone over to Sky 9we are not in a cable area) because of all these problems.Nick ScottSaturday 30 July 2011 11:09AM
I have recently lost Film 4, ITV4 and all the non BBC radio stations when I did a retune on one of my freeview boxes, as I was getting a no audio visual message. However my TV with freeview built in is still ok and receiving all the channels. They are both using the same aerial. I am near Royston SG8. Regardless of above comments about new aerials I can say that they were there and now they are gone and I have not changed anythingTS, KesgraveMonday 8 August 2011 1:59PM
We get good reception on all the Freeview channels now, since Sudbury switched over, but we are missing EPG for ArqA and ArqB. Is there a reason for this?TS, Kesgrave: Yes, this is because "Arqiva B will remain on its pre-switchover channel (50+) until late 2011, and then temporarily move to channel 63 (at 2.2kW ERP), before adopting its final allocation of channel 56 during mid-2012". HughThursday 1 September 2011 8:21AM
I have retuned my freeview box twice and each time I have no Film 4 on C15. Can I manually tune it in without a complete retune which loses all my timers ?RozaFriday 2 September 2011 6:16PM
Nottingham I am in postcode NG5 1GA and a few months ago bought a freeview box which was was great. I had to do a re-tune recently and have lost 'yesterday' and film4 which is very disappointing. I seem to have gained other channels, but they are of no interest to me. Is there anything I can do to regain these 2 channels ? Or is there a technical reason why they say that there is no signal ?I have in the last week lost film 4 reception all thought all the other programs are I watch are still at full strength including HD chanels. KMJ,DerbySunday 4 September 2011 7:58PM
Roza: If you are using the Nottingham/Kimberley transmitter Mux ArqB is now transmitting on C48 following a recent frequency change. The Digital UK postcode checker shows excellent reception for you from this transmitter. Try doing another retune if you did not do one during the past week. If you are using Waltham or Sutton Coldfield however, reception is shown as poor for this mux.KMJ,DerbySunday 4 September 2011 8:05PM
Neil Stanley: What is your postcode? - so a check can be made on which transmitter you are likely to be using and whether any changes have been made which could affect your reception of Mux ArqB.staffordTuesday 20 September 2011 3:00PM
Might as well mention that Film 4 (ch 15) is now missing (Ely).
It was on 67 - then became unobtainable last week - despite a re-tune or two subsequently - with Sky News (ch.82) now on 67 instead of 40.
Nothing else appears to be missing - so why Film 4??Mike DimmickTuesday 20 September 2011 6:18PM
stafford: If you have ITV4 but not Film 4, check whether Film 4 appears in the 800s. If it does, you probably have a box that can't handle the larger Network Information Table, or otherwise has a problem with the NIT.
Check 
http://www.digitaluk.co.u…tnit , a list of some boxes known to have a problem with it.
Otherwise, check with the box supplier. staffordTuesday 20 September 2011 6:49PM
Thanks for response.
Set top box Bush DFTA11 (wasn't/isn't on the 'splitnit' page: which problem caused the Sony Wega 28" (KD28DX50U) no longer capable of tuning digital channels).
ITV4 is also missing (mainly watch Film 4 - hence the frustration) - with 800< channels on 22/25/30/54/61 (plus 24/27/31/67 in the normal range)...but no ITV4/Film4 there either..
Looks like another set-top box is now required?
staffordTuesday 20 September 2011 7:17PM
Just to add - looks like those you mentioned on Sept 1st are also missing - [multiplex D/ArqB] - but still can get 'the junk'....
Any recommendations (ie: set-top box) appreciated.staffordTuesday 20 September 2011 9:46PM
Ely Thanks: a bit confusing that!
Did expect '48' to take-over on 14 Sept; but there's absolutely no signal ('40' now lost: previously 'marginal' + '29': even more marginal, so there was some improvement before this last change).
Most of the others quoted are 'new numbers' @ virtually 'full-power' for the main-range: so presumably an aerial upgrade ('wideband'): but it seems (to me) odd that this should be required for '48' when the existing (10yo UHF installation) picks-up 'everything else'...despite the plethora of recent changes.hi i live in sheffield s6 1wh and i have also lost film 4 yesterday 4 music viva and itv4 can you please help with info,thanks trish KMJ,DerbyFriday 30 September 2011 6:23PM
trish leafe: If you are using the Sheffield/Crosspool transmitter the frequency for Mux ArqB, which carries Film4, was changed to C39 on Tuesday 27th September 2011. You will therefore need to do a retune to restore reception of Film4, after first clearing the channel list to remove all memory of the old frequency.DeanSaturday 22 October 2011 3:47PM
I live in Bristol Bs15 and all the channels were fine until i had a message on screen telling me to retune on 28th September... Done that and lost Film4, itv4 etc etc......Mike DimmickMonday 24 October 2011 2:56PM
Dean: Make sure you do a factory reset to clear out all existing stored channels. Your equipment could get confused with ArqB moving to C52 and ArqA replacing it on C67.
C52 has never before been used by the Mendip transmitter, so you need to check all legacy devices like VCRs to ensure that they're not outputting on a clashing channel. Clashes are possible on C52 itself, C51, C53 (due to inadequate filtering), and five or nine channels below, so C43 or C47 - though I would have expected more problems.
The power level is *very* slightly lower on C52 for the moment than it was on C67, but the much lower frequency should result in overall more signal being received for this multiplex. SDN having gone to full power on C48 means that the overall signal level is a lot higher, which could result in too much signal.
Just to confuse things further, the configuration of ArqB will be changed on 8 November - it's not clear whether this is to increase capacity or increase coverage. For you the result is a slightly lower probability of reliable reception, but it's still predicted to be a 98% chance.
Siston is a 'Freeview Light' transmitter and only provides the three PSB multiplexes.DeanMonday 24 October 2011 4:10PM
Bristol Thanks for that.... We couldn't get the old analog system to recieve anything so we had virgin media.... We had all the digital channels til the retune on the 28th Sep... Now it's really bad... We are surrounded by 3 hills with only the Siston Transmitter not blocked... I think it's going to have to be Freesat and buy a box for every room....PamelaSaturday 12 November 2011 9:18PM
Preston Hi, approx 10 days ago I lost film 4 and several other channels all in the 55 group, I have retuned (made things worse) I am in pr2 1xf, and had a perfect picture before. since retuning I have 100% quality only 10-20% signal strenght also have new arial -no change any suggestions- if transmitter has changed its transmitting frequency how is the layperson supposed to know and have the knowledge to sort out problems. I am an oap and not well off finacially who just wants decent tv, I suppose private backing comes into the equastion somewhere. regards
KMJ,DerbySaturday 12 November 2011 10:58PM
Pamela: The Mux which carries Film4 etc has not changed frequency, although a small adjustment was made to the technical perameters on 3rd November 2011. This should not have affected your reception. When you re-tuned did you find the signal from Winter Hill on C55, or did your receiver find the Moel-y-Parc signal on C48- and store those channels instead? This would explain the low signal strength if it did. If this turns out to be the problem, the solution is to do a factory reset or retune without the aerial connected to clear the channel list of the "wrong" channels, then either do a manual tune for each of the Winter Hill frequencies, or start the scan again with the aerial unplugged, watch the scan advance until it reaches C53, then plug the aerial in to receive and store the Winter Hill channels.chrisMonday 14 November 2011 10:23PM
I'm on the preseli transmitter and as film 4 was poor tonight I re-tuned and now have no film 4 at all, but I think I've got 5* as an extra channel. I have turned off and then re-tuned without aerial, then tried again, still no film4. I'm not sure when film4 last worked but it was ok last week. is there anything I should do - I have an older type digital panasonic TX28DT4 TV?
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