MY TV`s FREEVIEW CHANNELS HAVE WORSE PICTURE QUALITY AFTER SWITCHOVER !

[chris murphy]

"Hello All",

I have had Freeview on all of the TV`s in My Home since Freeview became available - all with a Great Picture.

I live in London as We have just had the `Switchover` on 4th and 18th April - Since then the TV Pictures have been NOT Great and have been adversely affected by the recent `Bad Weather` / Rain etc.

I am sure that I read often in the run up to the Switchover that the Signals would be `Better` and that Bad Weather would NOT affect the Signals ?

I have never seen the Weather affect the Picture / Signals before the Switchover.


I am near the Transmitter Tower for My Area and have had Great Pictures / Signals for over 25 Years - UNTIL NOW !

I cannot imagine that this means I would need to change My Aerials - Why would I have been receiving Great Pictures in the YEARS preceding the `Switchover` BUT Worse Pictures / Signals since then - when it had been stated that the Switchover would Improve the Signals ?


I have tried having the Aerial positions adjusted slightly - but they needed to be returned to the original positions to receive the now Inferior Signals / Pictures.

I cannot Try / use Signal Boosters as I have Sky wired to and connected to the Aerial Sockets of 2 of the TV`s - a Signal Booster interferes with the Signal from the 2nd Output from the Sky Digibox - I think via the small voltage supply to the Magic Eye for the Remote Controls [?] - causing NO Sky Signal - Remove Signal Booster = Sky Signal Works again.


I am hoping for comments from Members regarding the points about My Freeview Signals being Worse since the Switchover AND the Signals / Pictures being BADLY Affected by Bad Weather / Heavy Rain - as most Areas have had the Switchover quite a long time ago do any Members remember these Problems in their Area ?


Regards,


Chris

 

[chris murphy]

"Hello again Ian",

Thanks for your reply - My over long explanation should really just have read that I don`t feel the Intermittent Problems [During Heavy Rainfall] on TV`s in usually `Spare` Bedrooms merits paying out for an Aerial Installer to try and rectify the Problems - for the Kitchen - just watch a Channel that is NOT Disrupted during Heavy Rain.


I was trying NOT to irritate You or any Aerial Installer / Company with My comments and I know that there are GOOD / Reputable Aerial Installers - But the Industry has received plenty of `Bad Press` recently due to the Cowboy`s that also carry out this work.

I know that EVERY Industry has the `Over Chargers` - I would NOT want to single out Aerial Installers.

I am a Heating Engineer and obviously for the Gas Installation part of My Trade I am Gas Safe Registered - BUT People could quite easily get a Gas Safe Registered Engineer / Installer who was Fully Qualified and Registered [A Legal Requirement] BUT they could still be a `Rip Off Merchant` !

Just as with any Trade / `Governing Body` there are Disreputable People / Companies and `Over Chargers`.

I would never have expected an Aerial Installer to give Me a Fixed Price without seeing the scenario regarding My Aerials / Cables etc. and the Signal / Reception Disruption - Just as I would not give a Price for Heating - Plumbing or Gas Work without visiting the Property.

Regarding an Industry Registration Body deciding on what would constitute `Over Charging` / Inappropriate Charges I have had experience of trying to Help a Family Member who was Over Charged by a Company - The Industry `Mediators` had ridiculous ideas about `Fair Pricing` / Charges.

Even the Legal Profession have ridiculous views about `Fair Charges` for Trades and Services - As their Charging Structure is based on HIGH Charges.

I would NEVER need an Industry Body to Complain to about any `Over Charging` as I simply would NOT Pay an Exorbitant Amount for ANY Service.

Thanks again Ian for all of your suggestions - IF I ever do get the problems resolved I will Post the result on here.


Regards,


Chris

 

[UNG]

I came across this site while looking for some info for a job and looked at the Crystal Palace info with this thread in mind hope it may be of some help

Crystal Palace Transmitter

 

[chris murphy]

View attachment 13308

I came across this site while looking for some info for a job and looked at the Crystal Palace info with this thread in mind hope it may be of some help

Crystal Palace Transmitter

"Hello UNG",

Thanks very much for the Information and Link to the webpage about the Crystal Palace Transmitter - this has some interesting / informative information.

If You were mainly referring to the section about Aerial Types [?] - I have the correct `Group A` Aerials - Specifically for Group A Transmitters - Crystal Palace being one of those - My Aerials are very similar in appearance to the Aerials in the Attached Picture.

Since My last Post about the Digital / Freeview Reception issues I have experienced the previously described problems on a couple of Days when there was NOT Heavy Rainfall !

As Members / Readers would have read from My Posts I had only been getting the problems during periods of Heavy Rain and I had thought that this was the ONLY time that the Reception problems occurred - getting the Unwatchable Channels situation during Days that had Good Weather surprised Me.


Thanks again for your interest - I really appreciate You trying to help.


Regards,


Chris

 

[Aok1]

You need an aerial company which has a spectrum analyser so your signal levels, carrier to noise, bit error rate etc can be checked.

Cheap signal level meters are not much use with digital transmissions.

1)Your issue could be water damage to the aerial
2) Poor signal levels
3) Excesive signal
4) Interference caused by impulse noise or tetra radio can cause problems
5) If you have sky looped in then the modulator inside the receiver may be faulty or set incorrect.
6)Coax damage or water in the coax
7) Multipath distorsion

The only way to solve this is to get an engineer out with the right test equipment.

I think you would pay about £55-£85 for callout in london.

check this lot out - You need an aerial company which has a spectrum analyser so your signal levels, carrier to noise, bit error rate etc can be checked.

Cheap signal level meters are not much use with digital transmissions.

1)Your issue could be water damage to the aerial
2) Poor signal levels
3) Excesive signal
4) Interference caused by impulse noise or tetra radio can cause problems
5) If you have sky looped in then the modulator inside the receiver may be faulty or set incorrect.
6)Coax damage or water in the coax
7) Multipath distorsion

The only way to solve this is to get an engineer out with the right test equipment.

I think you would pay about £55-£85 for callout in london.

Check this lot out - FixMyAerial.com i can say all these guys know what they are doing and have proper equipment.

 

[chris murphy]

You need an aerial company which has a spectrum analyser so your signal levels, carrier to noise, bit error rate etc can be checked.

Cheap signal level meters are not much use with digital transmissions.

1)Your issue could be water damage to the aerial
2) Poor signal levels
3) Excesive signal
4) Interference caused by impulse noise or tetra radio can cause problems
5) If you have sky looped in then the modulator inside the receiver may be faulty or set incorrect.
6)Coax damage or water in the coax
7) Multipath distorsion

The only way to solve this is to get an engineer out with the right test equipment.

I think you would pay about £55-£85 for callout in london.

check this lot out - You need an aerial company which has a spectrum analyser so your signal levels, carrier to noise, bit error rate etc can be checked.

Cheap signal level meters are not much use with digital transmissions.

1)Your issue could be water damage to the aerial
2) Poor signal levels
3) Excesive signal
4) Interference caused by impulse noise or tetra radio can cause problems
5) If you have sky looped in then the modulator inside the receiver may be faulty or set incorrect.
6)Coax damage or water in the coax
7) Multipath distorsion

The only way to solve this is to get an engineer out with the right test equipment.

I think you would pay about £55-£85 for callout in london.

Check this lot out - FixMyAerial.com i can say all these guys know what they are doing and have proper equipment.

"Hello Aok1",

Thank You very much for your suggestions and advice - I am sure that everything that You stated could affect the Digital / Freeview Reception on My Home`s TV`s.

BUT - What could cause ALL of them - 5 TV`s / TV & Freeview Boxes to have Great Reception for YEARS until `Day 2` of the Digital TV Switchover - and from that point onwards have problems that make watching some Freeview Channels Impossible ?


With regard to perhaps receiving a Signal that is `Too Strong` - I have tried the Attenuator / Double Attenuator adjustment process - No noticeable improvement at all.

As I have written some VERY Long Posts I presume that You have not seen that I have 3 separate Aerials.

So even if it could have been Water Penetration into the Cable Connection or Cable on One of them on the Exact Day [Day 2] of the Digital Switchover - this would not account for the same Reception problems on ALL TV`s - connected to the other 2 Aerials.

The 3 Aerials and their Cables were inspected visually just after these problems occurred for any sign Movement or Damage to the Insulation - all were in very good condition as they were fitted clipped to the Party Wall and Brickwork of the House - not left blowing about in the Wind as I often see.

I have had the Sky Boxes connected to the Bedroom TV`s for Years with no problems.

What has baffled Me is the problems started exactly `ON` the Digital TV Switchover - Day 2 [London].

I have had the Freeview / Digital Receivers working perfectly for YEARS before that Day.

I even purchased a `Digital Switchover Approved` Freeview Box to try that on All of the TV`s / Aerials - I wanted to rule out the possibility that the `Older` Freeview Boxes could not handle the New / Increased Power Signal [I had read about that possibility] - the same problem exists with the New Freeview Box.

I will keep your suggestion details - about getting an Aerial Installer who has a ` spectrum analyser` to come and check My TV Aerials Signals - BUT - the problems ONLY [usually] display during periods of Heavy Rainfall - I would have to be able to arrange for a Visit during Heavy Rain - this would NOT be easy to definitely predict.

Thank You very much for your interest and for your suggestions and advice - I really appreciate it.

Regards,

Chris