Freeview Reception Glitches on ITV and C4 channels

davads · 05/03/07 - 14:16

Hi there, wonder if anyone out there can help. Our Freeview service has been playing up of late, refusing to give us any signal on the ITV and Channel 4 channels. In other words, the likes of ITV1 through to ITV4, Channel 4, More 4, Film 4, CITV and so on. All we get is, at best, a very jumpy picture every few seconds – or more often, just a black screen and “Bad Signal” on the EPG.

We’ve tried doing an Auto Setup on several occasions but to no avail; the box just refuses to pick up the afflicted channels to any decent strength channel.

The box is a Panasonic TU-CT20 - but the fact that it’s only certain channels leads me to wonder if it’s a transmission problem. We’re in Edinburgh. Is there anybody in this area who knows if there’s any glitches occurring with ITV and C4 channels? All this has started happening in the last week or so.

All BBC stuff is fine...

Heinz · 05/03/07 - 14:40

You're missing Multiplex 2 - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/terrestrial/mux/

Sounds like your aerial's the problem to me.

trphil · 05/03/07 - 14:44

Similar situation but obviously unrelated, my parents live in south Essex and have their aerial pointing at Sudbury (even though they are significantly closer to Crystal Palace) but about 3 weeks ago they stopped receiving the ITV Mux completely on their Sony IDTV and got a jumpy picture on their Digifusion PVR. When I investigated it seems that the Sony was tuned to Sudbury and receiving nothing, the Digifusion was getting a cr*p signal from Crystal Palace. Various rescans have been done and in fact yesterday the Sony was able to get a decent signal from Sudbury but the Digifusion can still only find Crystal Palace through the back of the aerial. All the other Muxes are fine from Sudbury and the BBC1 mux also gets a decent signal from Crysal Palace. I presume that this was caused by the aerial moving slightly in the recent strong winds...

David (2) · 05/03/07 - 19:32

If the unwanted signals are from behind the aerial, an aerial with a decent reflector would help. Where I live our aerial points to Mendip, but the Oxford signal is almost directly in the other direction (behind the aerial), plus the aerial is "wideband" so its compatible with both transmitters, but the large reflector stops the Oxford signals from being picked.

Dave

[Deleted User] · 07/03/07 - 09:24

It really would be good to know what is happening at the moment with the ITV/CH4 mux from Crystal Palace. There have been a few threads here over the last few weeks with people reporting loss of strength and quality in the South East on these channels so I don't think it is just coincidence or bad aeriels/boxes.

albertd · 07/03/07 - 10:35

OldBoy wrote:

It really would be good to know what is happening at the moment with the ITV/CH4 mux from Crystal Palace. There have been a few threads here over the last few weeks with people reporting loss of strength and quality in the South East on these channels so I don't think it is just coincidence or bad aeriels/boxes.

It is interesting that the problems seem mainly to be affecting people to the north of London, whereas to the south it seems fine.

[Deleted User] · 08/03/07 - 10:36

We have the same problem in Yorkshire, bought a Humax box last week and all the channels bar the ITV mix are great but I couldn't even get a signal for the ITV channels, I bought a booster and I now get a picture on all these channels but it constantly breaks up and is pretty unwatchable.

Richard46 · 08/03/07 - 10:52

albertd wrote:

It is interesting that the problems seem mainly to be affecting people to the north of London, whereas to the south it seems fine.

I am north east London (Stratford/Forest Gate) and I got a moments pixilation on Tuesday night. Reception here is always rock steady from Crystal Palace in the past.
Did not notice till watched the recording on a Topfield last night.
However it was on BBC2 (Natural World) not ITV /Ch4.

Richard

[Deleted User] · 09/03/07 - 13:05

davads wrote:

Hi there, wonder if anyone out there can help. Our Freeview service has been playing up of late, refusing to give us any signal on the ITV and Channel 4 channels. In other words, the likes of ITV1 through to ITV4, Channel 4, More 4, Film 4, CITV and so on. All we get is, at best, a very jumpy picture every few seconds – or more often, just a black screen and “Bad Signal” on the EPG.

We’ve tried doing an Auto Setup on several occasions but to no avail; the box just refuses to pick up the afflicted channels to any decent strength channel.

The box is a Panasonic TU-CT20 - but the fact that it’s only certain channels leads me to wonder if it’s a transmission problem. We’re in Edinburgh. Is there anybody in this area who knows if there’s any glitches occurring with ITV and C4 channels? All this has started happening in the last week or so.

All BBC stuff is fine...

I'm in Edinburgh and just bought my first Freeview box last night... most channels I receive are good quality but I'm missing a whole bunch compeltely, like E4, Sky Sports News, Sky Three... based on the reply to your post, I think I'm not getting the channels on Multiplexes 2 or B.

Would this be best solved by buying a better aerial? I'm relying on an internal aerial as I live in a flat with no external aerial coming in.

Heinz · 09/03/07 - 13:27

Fedgin wrote:

I'm in Edinburgh and just bought my first Freeview box last night... most channels I receive are good quality but I'm missing a whole bunch compeltely, like E4, Sky Sports News, Sky Three... based on the reply to your post, I think I'm not getting the channels on Multiplexes 2 or B.

Would this be best solved by buying a better aerial? I'm relying on an internal aerial as I live in a flat with no external aerial coming in.

Welcome to the DS forums Fedgin.

If you are missing E4+1 and the Sky channels, you are not getting Mux. B.

If you are missing E4, you should not be getting ITV1, 2, 3 or 4 etc. either.

JamesE · 09/03/07 - 14:16

Fedgin wrote:

Would this be best solved by buying a better aerial? I'm relying on an internal aerial as I live in a flat with no external aerial coming in.

A better aerial, outside, as high up as possible.

Miss Spentyouth · 14/03/07 - 11:35

I thought I'd just add to this, but you must bear in mind that I am the biggest technophobe ever !

I'm having the same trouble as a few on here, in that I am not receving the channels on Multiplex 2.

I always thought that we came under the Sandy Heath transmitter but when I just checked by entering my postcode on http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe? it came up with Sandy Heath and Crystal Palace.

What I wanted to query is that we did get these channels up until probably 3 months ago and then they disappeared, so could it really be that we need a better ariel ?

I'd appreciate your advice.

[Deleted User] · 14/03/07 - 16:47

I live in North East Essex Near Witham and have Free view signals from both Sudbury and Crystal Palace. I have two new Aerials one pointing to Sudbury and one towards Crystal Palace.

There are two ITV1/2/3/4 / Channel 4 muxes coming from Sudbury one on Channel 56 and one on Channel 68. It is well known that these frequencies are either very directional or broadcasting at reduced power due to the interference they cause either in the UK or in Holland.

As a result although I am over 30 miles from Crystal Palace I tend to use this for ITV/Channel 4 broadcasts. As Sudbury has never delivered enough sognal even though it is 8 Miles away.

If you are getting signals from two transmitters it could be worth haveing two Aerials errected and Muxed together you can then select the best Signal from each transmitter. If you are having a new Aerial put up anyway the extra cost will not be more than £50.

Jaymac · 17/03/07 - 15:00

I'm on Medip and have noticed itv1 playing up usually end o f a commercial block and when it is a all region programme. Almost as if there are relay switching problems at fault?

[Deleted User] · 18/03/07 - 00:35

I'm in the glasgow area,
My freeview was working perfect until a couple of weeks ago- i can also only pick up the bbc channels like other forum members- i have tried retuning many times- can any one help me?

[Deleted User] · 18/03/07 - 01:06

Heinz wrote:

You're missing Multiplex 2 - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/terrestrial/mux/

Sounds like your aerial's the problem to me.

Has there been an epg clean up.. I seem to only now have 80 channels, all seems to be there, but stuff like cartoon network, have gone..

[Deleted User] · 18/03/07 - 09:02

I'm in Kent, near Sevenoaks. Aerial is pointing South-ish same direction as the neighbours. Got a big aerial and booster. Signal strength on the Sony freeview TV and Sony separate freeview box are 100%. A week ago we lost IVT1, C4, etc. Re-scan didn't help. Something weird is going on here !!

[Deleted User] · 18/03/07 - 22:25

gpweston wrote:

I'm in Kent, near Sevenoaks. Aerial is pointing South-ish same direction as the neighbours. Got a big aerial and booster. Signal strength on the Sony freeview TV and Sony separate freeview box are 100%. A week ago we lost IVT1, C4, etc. Re-scan didn't help. Something weird is going on here !!

Thats what happened to me...seems like the same problem. I am technophob and really dont know what to do..any one got any anwsers please?

Ray Cathode · 18/03/07 - 22:38

Try looking at the analogue (old) signal.

[Deleted User] · 19/03/07 - 17:59

i'm in tyne and wear area, all has been fine until a couple of weeks ago itv ch4 etc went missing, aerial engineer said aerial was ok, stb must be faulty, replaced under warranty by tesco, next box displayed the picture but with a huge amount of breaking up. replaced the box with a borrowed goodmans gdb3 and everything works perfectly.so would i be right in presuming a signal strength problem? and as everything used to work ok and reading the previous posts has the signal strength of the itv ch4 channels been turned down?

soulboy77 · 19/03/07 - 18:13

I have twice in recent weeks experienced problems on mux 2 from Crystral Palace. The pictures on ITV1 and Ch 4 badly degraded with freezing / blockiness and the signal level dropped quite low for the best part of an hour before recovering.

Ray Cathode · 19/03/07 - 18:15

Also teletext has gone missing on several occasions. Maybe some changes coming up?

soulboy77 · 19/03/07 - 18:24

Ray Cathode wrote:

Also teletext has gone missing on several occasions. Maybe some changes coming up?

Yes, thanks Ray you have just reminded me that when ever new services are being added we seem to get a few reception glitches.

[Deleted User] · 19/03/07 - 23:45

I'm posting on here after a week of getting a ghostly interference. I can make out ITV in the background, especially text going from left to right, top to bottom. Never had a problem until now. Using Durabrand Freeview pointing to Oxford.

[Deleted User] · 20/03/07 - 00:19

katkin wrote:

I'm posting on here after a week of getting a ghostly interference. I can make out ITV in the background, especially text going from left to right, top to bottom. Never had a problem until now. Using Durabrand Freeview pointing to Oxford.

On digital freeview picture or on normal tv.. My box did that.. but it was my scart cables... and the tv/video button on my freeview box.

Ray Cathode · 20/03/07 - 00:59

The Space X launch has just aborted 1 minute from take off so I thought I'd speculate that maybe a new stream could be launched on Mux2 and shared by ITV and C4 for live interactive coverage of all their reality shows.

It could be possible if they reduce their bit rates slightly on the non legacy channels and get rid of all the extra Teletext services over the 3% they are entitled to

Hey there!

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