[Mark C]

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

Does it say anywhere that the entire transmitters were replaced?, and how would they do that in an entire region over night?. Many transmitters didn't have room to install an extra set of transmitters and remove the old ones later - none of the ones I've been in do.

At some sites one of the four analogue transmitters was removed, and replaced with a containerised 'emergency' Tx located outside. That ran until DSO, while the space liberated in the Tx hall, was used to install the post DSO DTT transmitters.

At other sites, completely new buildings were constructed for the post DSO DTT plant, at others buildings were extended.

However, AntiStatic is correct, all the pre DSO DTT transmitters have been/will be decommissioned at DSO.

[spiney2]

we could indeed have freeview on portable devices. we wont get it because there is loads of money to be got by selling video service on 3g and 4g ........

......... digital tv has the cliff effect. reception is possible with far lower field strenght. but reception on portable devices wd require similar field strength to analogue with lower data rate.

see shannon hartley law.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by Mark C

However, AntiStatic is correct, all the pre DSO DTT transmitters have been/will be decommissioned at DSO.

My apologies to AntiStatic - I hadn't noticed that he had changed the discussion from pre-DSO transmitters to pre-DSO DTT transmitters, obviously any low-power pre-DTT transmitters were only temporary and would need replacing with higher power ones, or switching DTT to the previous high power analogue ones.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by spiney2

we could indeed have freeview on portable devices. we wont get it because there is loads of money to be got by selling video service on 3g and 4g ........

......... digital tv has the cliff effect. reception is possible with far lower field strenght. but reception on portable devices wd require similar field strength to analogue with lower data rate.

Portable devices have never really worked - and the superior coverage of Freeview probably means it works better now than it did on analogue?.

The obvious difference is the so called 'digital cliff'. where as with analogue you got a picture that was too poor to watch, now you get nothing.

[Anti-Static]

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

My apologies to AntiStatic - I hadn't noticed that he had changed the discussion from pre-DSO transmitters to pre-DSO DTT transmitters, obviously any low-power pre-DTT transmitters were only temporary and would need replacing with higher power ones, or switching DTT to the previous high power analogue ones.

I was referring to all transmitters. The old low power DTT from the mid 1990s and all analogue kit. Everything that is in service post DSO is brand new and installed as part of the switchover project.
It would appear a waste when the low power kit could have been adapted and re-used. But, a decision was made to build a totally new network from scratch.

[joshua_welby]

Originally Posted by Anti-Static

I was referring to all transmitters. The old low power DTT from the mid 1990s and all analogue kit. Everything that is in service post DSO is brand new and installed as part of the switchover project.
It would appear a waste when the low power kit could have been adapted and re-used. But, a decision was made to build a totally new network from scratch.

That is right, even the buildings holding the new gear is brand new, as they are getting rid of the old buildings Post DSO and of course after the have emptied them

Source: EVE Babcock the builders of the new Transmitters for the DSO Project on behalf of Arqiva
http://www.worksmart.org.uk/company/...hp?id=00245626

[FRANKIE RAY]

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

I'm afraid not

The transmitter power hasn't gone down, and coverage is FAR better than before DSO, it's as simple as that. Unfortunately some people can't understand what power figures mean, or how they are measured.

Surprise Nige!

I agree with you.

Since DSO the power has increased dramatically in direct comparison terms comparing the minimum signal needed for DVB-T in a telly or STB , compared to UHF analogue.

For those who don’t get it I am sure someone will explain, as I have to rush .(On a promise)

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by joshua_welby

That is right, even the buildings holding the new gear is brand new, as they are getting rid of the old buildings Post DSO and of course after the have emptied them

This is an even more ludicrous claim - they 'may' be doing this at a few sites, where they built new buildings to hold temporary equipment - but the vast majority still use the original buildings, no need or reason to change them.

NONE of the transmitters I've seen have had new buildings, I would imagine it's only some main stations?.

[Mark C]

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

This is an even more ludicrous claim - they 'may' be doing this at a few sites, where they built new buildings to hold temporary equipment - but the vast majority still use the original buildings, no need or reason to change them.

NONE of the transmitters I've seen have had new buildings, I would imagine it's only some main stations?.

Rowridge has a brand new building to contain the post DTT kit, but the old building (and mast) still contains the BBC national and local FM transmitters, DAB, and third party services.

Hannington had a new building in 1998 for DTT, that was extended in 2011 for DSO. The 'old' buildings there still contain FM and DAB radio kit, a maintenance base workshop, and third party Tx/Rx kit.

I don't think Arqiva will be in a rush to demolish any buildings, at any site. They are even dragging their feet over removing the old masts at Rowridge, and Taccy, presumably with an eye on future COM 7/8/9 capacity,

[harry1967]

The single biggest contributory factor in blocking/poor reception is peoples own antenna systems. They don't like to admit it but its true, the general public is in denial. This wonderful world of digital is less tolerant on poor installations. If you are on the edge of decodability, cleaning a tarnished coax connector can make all the difference....and how many connectors are in your system before it gets to your telly?

The planners have done a wonderful job. Planned a whole new 6 mux network at 80sites +3muxes at 1074 sites, whilst maintaining the Low Power 6 mux network and the 5 analogue channels. And to make their lives even more interesting, Ofcom took away 14 UHF channels !!!!..

[joshua_welby]

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

This is an even more ludicrous claim - they 'may' be doing this at a few sites, where they built new buildings to hold temporary equipment - but the vast majority still use the original buildings, no need or reason to change them.

NONE of the transmitters I've seen have had new buildings, I would imagine it's only some main stations?.

The Sandy Heath Transmitter has a new building and I had a tour of the inside of it, Lucky, Lucky me

The new building at Sandy Heath has the brand new Post-DSO kit inside it