Freeview reception problem - new re-align aerial or replace?

Hello all,

Just bought the cheapest Digifusion freeview box (£25 from Currys Digital)
but although some channels are perfect BBC1/2 BBC3/4 etc I cannot get Ch 4
or Ch 5 and several other channels. I'm in the GL4 area of Gloucester (very
good analouge reception) and should be able to get freeview but may have
required an aerial replacement.

I did a google search for freeview reception problems and it seems that the
channels I'm not recieving are associated with certain 'multiplexes' so my
question is do I definitely need to invest in a new wide-band aerial (and
have it mounted on the roof) or do I just need to realign the current one in
the loft?

TIA

BillL

"BillL" wrote in message
.uk...
Hello all,

Just bought the cheapest Digifusion freeview box (£25 from Currys Digital)
but although some channels are perfect BBC1/2 BBC3/4 etc I cannot get Ch 4
or Ch 5 and several other channels. I'm in the GL4 area of Gloucester
(very good analouge reception) and should be able to get freeview but may
have required an aerial replacement.

I did a google search for freeview reception problems and it seems that
the channels I'm not recieving are associated with certain 'multiplexes'
so my question is do I definitely need to invest in a new wide-band aerial
(and have it mounted on the roof) or do I just need to realign the current
one in the loft?

TIA

BillL

If you are receiving Central ITV South you will be using Ridge Hill.
Analogue reception from RH required a group A aerial, whereas digital needs
a wideband. You seem to be missing MUX 2 and MUX A which are higher up the
band, and further from the passband of a group A aerial.

Choose a quality wideband aerial with a fitted balun, use double screened
copper co-ax and get the aerial outdoors if possible.

BillL wrote:
Hello all,

Just bought the cheapest Digifusion freeview box (£25 from Currys Digital)
but although some channels are perfect BBC1/2 BBC3/4 etc I cannot get Ch 4
or Ch 5 and several other channels. I'm in the GL4 area of Gloucester (very
good analouge reception) and should be able to get freeview but may have
required an aerial replacement.

I did a google search for freeview reception problems and it seems that the
channels I'm not recieving are associated with certain 'multiplexes' so my
question is do I definitely need to invest in a new wide-band aerial (and
have it mounted on the roof) or do I just need to realign the current one in
the loft?

If you are using the Ridge Hill transmitter (nr Hereford) you will probably
need to upgrade your aerial from what is likely to be a Group A, to a
Wideband. Ridge Hill analogue has Chs 1-4 between UHF Chs 22 and 32, C5
analogue is on UHF Ch35. All the Freeview muxes are between UHF 42 and 63.
A group A aerial only properly responds up to UHF Ch 37 (34 for older versions).

http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/tx_m.html

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

"Mark Carver" wrote in message
...
BillL wrote:
Hello all,

Just bought the cheapest Digifusion freeview box (£25 from Currys
Digital) but although some channels are perfect BBC1/2 BBC3/4 etc I
cannot get Ch 4 or Ch 5 and several other channels. I'm in the GL4 area
of Gloucester (very good analouge reception) and should be able to get
freeview but may have required an aerial replacement.

I did a google search for freeview reception problems and it seems that
the channels I'm not recieving are associated with certain 'multiplexes'
so my question is do I definitely need to invest in a new wide-band
aerial (and have it mounted on the roof) or do I just need to realign the
current one in the loft?

If you are using the Ridge Hill transmitter (nr Hereford) you will
probably need to upgrade your aerial from what is likely to be a Group A,
to a Wideband. Ridge Hill analogue has Chs 1-4 between UHF Chs 22 and 32,
C5 analogue is on UHF Ch35. All the Freeview muxes are between UHF 42 and
63.
A group A aerial only properly responds up to UHF Ch 37 (34 for older
versions).

http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/tx_m.html

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

Thanks for the replies - I guess getting a new (external) aerial and having
it installed (no way I could do it myself with my fear of heights!) will be
in the region of £60 - £100? Looking to be a relativly expanseeve £25 for
the new freeview box now! ;o)

BillL

"BillL" wrote in message
.uk...

"Mark Carver" wrote in message
...
BillL wrote:
Hello all,

Just bought the cheapest Digifusion freeview box (£25 from Currys
Digital) but although some channels are perfect BBC1/2 BBC3/4 etc I
cannot get Ch 4 or Ch 5 and several other channels. I'm in the GL4 area
of Gloucester (very good analouge reception) and should be able to get
freeview but may have required an aerial replacement.

I did a google search for freeview reception problems and it seems that
the channels I'm not recieving are associated with certain 'multiplexes'
so my question is do I definitely need to invest in a new wide-band
aerial (and have it mounted on the roof) or do I just need to realign the
current one in the loft?

If you are using the Ridge Hill transmitter (nr Hereford) you will
probably need to upgrade your aerial from what is likely to be a Group A,
to a Wideband. Ridge Hill analogue has Chs 1-4 between UHF Chs 22 and 32,
C5 analogue is on UHF Ch35. All the Freeview muxes are between UHF 42 and
63.
A group A aerial only properly responds up to UHF Ch 37 (34 for older
versions).

http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/tx_m.html

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

Thanks for the replies - I guess getting a new (external) aerial and having
it installed (no way I could do it myself with my fear of heights!) will be
in the region of £60 - £100?

I thing that you should expect to pay more. There would be no harm in trying a
wideband aerial in your loft first. Ideally test this with the STB and maybe a
portable TV in the loft - just to avoid any expense associated with replacing
the dowlead.


Looking to be a relativly expanseeve £25 for
the new freeview box now! ;o)

Compared with the cost of a new aerial, the Sky satellite offer is not that bad
value for money!

--

Michael Chare

Thanks for the replies - I guess getting a new (external) aerial and
having it installed (no way I could do it myself with my fear of heights!)
will be in the region of £60 - £100? Looking to be a relativly expanseeve
£25 for the new freeview box now! ;o)


I think £150 would be nearer the mark.
It may be worth trying it in the loft first as Michael has suggested, but do
get a good quality Antiference, Triax, Blake aerial or similar.

"Doctor D" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the replies - I guess getting a new (external) aerial and
having it installed (no way I could do it myself with my fear of
heights!) will be in the region of £60 - £100? Looking to be a relativly
expanseeve £25 for the new freeview box now! ;o)


I think £150 would be nearer the mark.
It may be worth trying it in the loft first as Michael has suggested, but
do get a good quality Antiference, Triax, Blake aerial or similar.


Well in the end I've returned the box for a refund. I actully have TW
(through their TV DRive PVR) in my room but wanted more choice in the
lounge on the few occasions I use it (and £25 wasn't too much to spend for
this). I did ask the landlord if he'd be willing to replace the aerial but
no dice (I didn't push the issue) and in the end I'm not going to invest a
lot of dosh in a new aerial.

I could look at getting a second STB from TW box as I think this would only
cost me a fiver a month (or it did at my old address) then again I could
probably live without!

BillL

"BillL" wrote in message
.uk...

"Doctor D" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the replies - I guess getting a new (external) aerial and
having it installed (no way I could do it myself with my fear of
heights!) will be in the region of £60 - £100? Looking to be a
relativly expanseeve £25 for the new freeview box now! ;o)


I think £150 would be nearer the mark.
It may be worth trying it in the loft first as Michael has suggested, but
do get a good quality Antiference, Triax, Blake aerial or similar.


Well in the end I've returned the box for a refund. I actully have TW
(through their TV DRive PVR) in my room but wanted more choice in the
lounge on the few occasions I use it (and £25 wasn't too much to spend for
this). I did ask the landlord if he'd be willing to replace the aerial
but no dice (I didn't push the issue) and in the end I'm not going to
invest a lot of dosh in a new aerial.

I could look at getting a second STB from TW box as I think this would
only cost me a fiver a month (or it did at my old address) then again I
could probably live without!

BillL


Might depend where you are in Gloucester. Here in SW Cheltenham a USB
Freeviw Dongle works OK with nearly full signal strength using a cheap
Poundshop indoor aerial. The existing outdoor aerial didn't work though. I
just used the cheapest W/B aerial from B&Q fitted at eaves level & it was OK
for the main installation, total installation cost about £20. It rather
depends on where you are and whether Ridge Hill is shaded by buildings (or
the Malverns).

Or you could wait until the switch over, I gather all the multiplexes are
then moved to well inside Group A.

Chris K