All posts by Briantist
Below are all of Briantist's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
The original date has been modified in line with Sky's published figures - from 17 May to `11 June 2006. If you take the New Media Markets prediction for 6.8 Freeview homes by 31/12/05, this would make the crossover date 25 May 2006. UK History broadcasts mainly BBC archived history programs. B
ITV 2Saturday 21 January 2006 9:03PM
Three of Channel 4's flagship programs demonstrate it's alternative appeal: "Big Brother" the pop-psych reality TV show, "Countdown" and the unmissable "Channel 4 News". You are correct in saying that PO19 does not get official Freeview predicted coverage.
Rowridge will switch over to high-power digital transmission in 2012. Until that time the Freeview signal strength from this transmitter will not change. Currently C30 (mux A, channel 5 etc) is low-power, and C52 (mux 1, itv/C4) is "out of group".
You may find raising the aerial up higher will get you all services. The service is really really called "Digital Video Broadcasting - Terrestrial" if you want to get picky. "Freeview" is the name given to the relaunced service that the consortium gave it. Diana, This is the classic problem caused by the 64QAM transmitter mode. The multiplexes were allocated under the assumption they would use the same mode. You will probably need (unless you want to wait until 2012) a new class-I aerial to receive the "mutliplex" that carries ITV1-4, C4, more4 and E4. See : 
Freeview modes. This is a common problem for people in Brighton and Hove who receive their signal from Whitehawk Hill. I take it you are missing a digital channel "five" as well (because it's analogue signal is stronger). Some people have found that the channels that broadcast using the 64QAM mode cannot be watched whist channels using 16QAM mode can. For everyone else the signals are strong enough to provide the whole basket of Freeview channels, or they get nothing. Tests have shown that 64QAM channels seem to be at somewhere around half to one quarter the power of 16QAM ones. There have been reports that some people who watch Freeview from the Carmel transmitter have lost multiplexes C and D: E4+1, Sky News, Sky Sports News, Sky Three, UKTV History, on C68 (850MHz) and ftn, Men and Motors, Ideal World, The Hits, TMF, UKTV Bright Ideas, on C66 (834MHz).
If this has happened to you, please let us know! Ken: The first thing I would check is that the box works at all. If you've done everything you say and you are predicted to get coverage, after checking the box works OK (at another address or the store you got it from), you might find that pointing towards another transmitter will help. If you are getting intermittent problems on all channels, the problem may be caused by "induction" from anything with an electric motor: fridge, freezer, hoovers etc. You can use a filtering power supply (from a computer shop) to fix this problem. Syncopated problems could be caused by legal (mobile phone) and illegal (pirate radio). If possible, raise your aerial by at least one meter. Your ex-contract Sky card will work indefinity to provide access to ITV and Channel 4 channels. If the card doesn't work, I have been told you can get a new one by calling Sky on 0870-606 1111 with your debit or credit card details. I would suspect that if you are getting problems on analogue and digital since Christmas, your aerial may have been damaged by weather. Do your neighbours experience the same problems? The maps cover the UK as 420,088 km squares. The areas shown for each transmitter are those where it has been reported possible to receive at least one of the six multiplexes transmitted. The "My Freeview" section provides tailored information for each of the UK's postcodes. I'll have a look at providing higher-resolution images. Both Freeview and Freesat services use the DVB system, but the systems have different reception circuits. DVB-T can receive on the "UHF TV" frequencies (470-854 MHz). DVB-S receivers are designed for powered satellite LNB receivers that operate on the 10.7-12.7Ghz frequency range.
Whilst it is quite feasible to have a dual-mode box, it is cheaper to provide boxes that only support one system or the other.
David. The best place to start is to completely rescan your channels. You have got the BBCi interactive channel 302 mapped incorrecty. If this is the case, it may be that your Sony TV does not support three-digit channel numbers. Please call Sony on 01635 869500 (or 0870 5111999) and ask for TV customer services. "... our advice to customers is to manually tune in any extra channels that
are released in the future. We do not anticipate that this will be a problem
despite the limitation on only storing 99 channels as there is very little
available bandwidth on the Freeview platform, which in itself limits the
amount of channels that can be broadcasted."
Channel 4 is currently encrypted on the Astra 2 satellites. To restrcit viewing to just the UK, Channel 4 reception requires a viewing card. However, Channel 4 is expected to go free-to-air (with FilmFour, E4 and More4) soon. When this happens you may need a very large dish to pick up the signals as they will be focused on the UK using the Astra 2D satellites. Yes, but you will require a dish that is directed to the Astra 2 satellites, which are over the equator at 28.2 degrees East. The more southerly you are, the bigger dish you will require You Sky digibox will only work with digital video broadcast satellite (DVB-S), not with Freeview which is DVB-T (terrestrial). If you've still got your dish, connect it back to the Digibox (with the power off!) and you will get all the free-to-view television channels that you would get with an expired contract card, with the exception of Channel 4 and five. You will need a Freeview box to receive digital TV though your aerial. The "Today's transmitter work" for Angus lists "Multiplexes 1,B liable to interruption" between 0800-1630. See: 
Transmitter work. If you still have problems have 4:30pm today, let us know. Transmitter work is unusual, but necessary. British Eurosport is also on Top Up TV, Channel: 33, Hours: 13:00 - 23:00, £8 per month. Original numbers are [BM] W Mids: Midlands Today (West Mindlands, Birmingham) 949
[MR] N West: North West Tonight (Manchester) 948
[HL] E Yks&L: Look North (East Yorkshire & Linconshire, Hull) 947
[LS] Yorks: Look North (Yorkshire & North Midlands, Leeds) 946
[NO] E Mids: East Midlands Today (Nottingham) 950
[NC] East(E): Look East (East, Norwich) 951
[CB] East(W): Look East (East (W), Cambridge) 952
[BS] West: Points West (Bristol) 956
[TW] S East: South East Today (Tunbridge Wells) 953
[SO] South: South Today (Southampton) 954
[PY] S West: Spotlight (Plymouth) 957
[NT] NE&C: Look North (North East & Cumbria, Newcastle upon Tyne) 945
[OX] Oxford: South Today (Oxford) 955
[LDN] London: LDN (London) 944
[CI] Channel Islands: Spotlight Channel Islands 958 ITV told UK Free TV last week that they "are still working with the BBC to work out all the details". Following this there was a report in the Independent on Sunday reporting ITV saying it will be "next year" and the BBC "It might be available at the end of the year, but timings change." ITV did not wish to comment on the reports in the IoS, but told UK FREE TV today (Feb 28 2005) that they are "continuing to work with the BBC and the Freesat project is progressing well." A stream of the Olympics coverage carried BBC TWO, so the live Olympics channel could be viewed as part of the Interactive service. B
ITV 3Thursday 2 March 2006 5:40PM
Thanks :D I've fixed the URL to the correct one. It sounds like your box has switched from R-G-B mode to Composite or SVideo mode. Check the Settings/Picture menu. Also, check your SCART cable that connection your TV to your digibox has not become disconnected, as they do this sometimes. Philip Ellis: The equipment you suggest will give you good Freeview reception. The signal from Emily Moor is good, and you should be OK with any Freeview box, as they all require around the same signal level. Please see Winter Hill for details of main transmitter. "To receive Freeview from the Winter Hill transmitter you will require an aerial of group C/D positioned horizontally. This transmitter is 704 meters above sea-level, and transmits at 9,166 watts. Macclefield transmitter details are here: Macclefield transmitter . Switchover for Macclefield is late 2009, so you will be able to receive some Freeview services with your exisiting aerial then.
08:32
bad science: Voodoo Experimental Design Masterclass for an article that you should read before visiting a shop that sells shiny cables under bright lights.
Ofcom: Driving Digital Switchover
BBC HD NEWS 24.
