Hi all,

I live near London and we had to re-tune our TVs on Wednesday. Since re-tuning, the BBC channels are stuttery and unwatchable but the rest of the channels are unaffected.

This is only a problem with my Humax box - we have another TV contacted to the same aerial and are experiencing no problems with that. I have re-tuned the Humax box manually to pick up a signal from only Crystal Palace (where the aerial is pointing) but this has made no difference. I've also tried a new aerial cable for the box and switching off any other equipment that may be causing a disturbance but I still have the problem.

Has anyone else had a problem since the re-tune on Wednesday and does anyone have any suggestions about what could be causing this?

Thanks in advance,

Nick

[Standard question] Any channels in the 800's?

Which BBC channels are 'stuttery'?

Some of the BBC channels are certainly duplicated between multiplex B and the new PSB1: for example BBC4, CBeebies and Parliament, but not BBC1 and BBC2.

In any case, with an auto-tune it should pick up the PSB1 channels first and put the others in the 800s, so there shouldn't be a problem.

PSB1 is more powerful - in fact I think it is full power (as all the multiplexes will be after DSO-2).

Check out the signal strength, quality and the UHF channel number for the channels you are having a problem with - the channel number is near the top of the screen that shows the signal strength - it should be 23.

800 BBC Four
801 CBeebies
802 BBC Parliament


BBC1, 2 and News. I haven't tried the others.


They are on UHF channel 23. The signal strength is 81% and quality keeps jumping between 40% and 90-100%.

81% strength is plenty. The variable quality is worrying, and usually caused by interference from electrical appliances.

It would be worth checking some other channels for comparison, such as ITV1, Dave and Film4.

Those should be weaker. PSB1 should be the strongest of the lot.

Hi,

For those channels I get:

ITV1 - strength 76%, quality 100%
Dave - strength 78%, quality 100%
Film4 - strength 77%, quality 100%

I've switched off all other devices but still get the problem. I've also tried a different aerial cable and I've ensured that none of the other wires are touching the cable but with no luck. I'll contact Humax next week to see if they can help.

Thanks,

Nick

I live in Enfield - this is what my Humax PVR9300T shows today

Mux 1/PSB1 88% strength 100% quality
Mux 2/PSB2 83% strength 100% quality
Mux A/Com4 81% strength 100% quality
Mux C/Com5 81% strength 100% quality
Mux D/Com6 82% strength 100% quality

I also kept the details of the old strength and Mux 1 was 84% strength 100% quality last week.

at no time since I first moved in has quality dropped below 100% so if I was you I would do a factory reset as it may solve the problem.

This may be a problem that goes away at the next stage of switchover. Do you have an amplifier in use; if so does switching it off improve things?

Hi all,

Ive just tried retuning my Humax box for the second stage of the digital retune and all of the channels are now stuttery and unwatchable! I tried tuning it both manually and using the automatic search but it doesn't make a difference.

I have also attached an old Wharfdale freeview receiver to the same TV using the same cables and I get perfect reception on that. Could the problem be a fault with the Humax box? I only bought it in January but it has also started to reboot occasionally when I play back recordings so there may be something wrong with it.

Nick

Similar problem here on same model. I have an indoor aerial and was getting good reception until today's switchover. I have improved some channels - mainly the BBC ones - by manipulating the aerial but others aren't so good, especially Channel 4. I have 80% strength and 100% quality on all. I haven't got around to fiddling with the connections yet. The problem is usually most notable later in the evening, even if I've just switched on.

I wonder if the increase in transmitter power levels are now causing your problems, maybe due to increased close in reflections which are creating the signal quality issues.

Try an in line attenuator to reduce the level from the aerial.
If that isn't available try pulling the aerial lead out of your box very slowly to create a small air gap in the connection to reduce the signal level temporarily to see if your problems disappear.

Vic

Thanks, I'll give it a try. I might even try going back to my old 'bent coathanger'! The oddest thing is that I had terrible stuttering during the Channel 4 doumentary about Liz Taylor's jewellery. I eventually switched off because it was becoming unwatchable. I also had it on record and, checking back this morning, it has recorded perfectly!

I doubt it's anything to do with your signal level then but anything is worth a try.

It was announced long time ago signal strength would increase about 7 fold when analogue closed, my HD in SE Essex from CP has gone from about 40% to 82% strength so there could be interference from other transmitters that have had their power increased, on one of my boxes(3view) I now get 450 signals from London.Kent,East Anglia,previously it was about 250

I have no idea what an in line attenuator is, so I did the next best thing and put my old aerial back - and it worked! I swapped my shiny new aerial for the battered old thing that has given me perfect reception sitting on top of a series of analogue TVs for over twenty years. BBC1 is still prone to the occasional twitch but all the other channels seem to be back to normal.

Sounds like your old aerial is not as compatable as the new one & is being an attenuator due to less sensitivity thus reducing signal strength