Tv Tuning Question, Where did ITV3 go?

[mcmoonter]

Recently our TV lost ITV3. We've tried retuning as per the instruction manual and its still a no show. I'm too mean to subscribe to Sky so we only receive Freeview(Cooncil in Scotland) Channels. We live about a couple of miles from the transmitter with an almost clear view of it.

However on Speyside , my partner has next to no signal and can receive a selection of stations we cant.

Do I need to do a Rod Hull, ditch the emu and get up the ladder and twiddle the ariel? Or just suffer the emu complaining that he cant see I'm a Celebrity Get me out of Here?

MC

[steelcityuk]

Does your partners aerial point to the same transmitter as yours? It used to be the case that not all transmitters (and relay stations) broadcast all the channels. Another possibility is that the signal is too strong for your tuner, in which case an attenuator could cure it. Finally not all aerials are suitable for digital, generally wideband type get fitted these days which are good for digital but the older narrowband type aren't so good.

Steve.

[robertxmb]

Hi Mc,
Try turning the STB or TV off at the mains to reset the software. If you are stuck try the freeview section of the forum Digital Spy (google for it).Lots of helpful gurus there if you don't find an answer to your problem here.
Robert.

[Peter.N.]

If retuning and rebooting don't work, assuming ITV3 is still being transmitted, your problem will be weak signal. The fact that you can see the mast doesn't really mean a lot. Digi is transmitted from an array of aerials spaced round the mast and at relativly low power, until analogue is switched off the the power will be increased. The radiation pattern is like the petals of a flower and if you happen to be facing a gap rather than a petal, you will recieve a poor signal. You can try moving the aerial or fitting a higher gain one.

Another possible cause is poor quality cable. If the flylead (goes from to TV to the aerial socket) is of poor quality a substantial ammount of signal can be lost. Either get a better quality one (thicker) or better still get a couple of coax plugs and a length of proper aerial cable and make your own.

Peter.N.

[robertxmb]

Since ITV was ok then lost indicates a software / tuning problem rather than the aerial unless that has changed in some way eg water entering cable. You could try manual tuning frequency if you know it.However, you seem to lack the full complement of channels, which if available from your transmitter, could indicate a poor signal from aerial. I agree with Peter on the importance of a good aerial installation and worth doing in any event. You can get ones optimised for digital signals and use the co-ax cable that has copper foil screening (satellite type) rather than braid screening. The digital signal is more liable to electrical interference -pixellation of picture and screeching on sound. Unlike analogue you either get a picture or you don't, no half measures.
Robert.

[Norman]

I would try for the search for new channels option. they have recently changed the majority of the channels about most digital tv's outo tune not so the set-top boxes so a re-scan should refind the channels

[mcmoonter]

We have a wideband ariel fitted. Its only 5 years old and the cable we used was the foil type. I tried switching off at the main and auto retuning. All channels worked except ITV3.

It would bother me more if there was something worthwhile to watch on it. I should see it as a sign to get out into the cold and fix the reversing lights on the Mothership.

MC

[Peter.N.]

Digi is strange stuff, the signal has to be strong enough for it to work at all. A weak analogue signal will just give a grainy picture but digi has a cutoff threshold below which it wont work. Channels are grouped in 'multiplexes' equivelent to one of the old analogue channels, if the signal is weak on one particular group you would think that you wouldn't recieve any of the channels - not so, you can loose just one.

I dont really understand digi and as I am retired now I am pleased I don't have to. I grew up with valves and they are really the things I still understand best!

Peter.N.