Page 1 of freeview problem

ive got a wharfdale box connected to an lcd via scart. on the whole the pictue is fine, sometimes very good. but over the last few weeks ive lost itv/ch4 and ch5 channels. i expect the odd channel would go but this is around 7. ive done scans and fresh installs but it doesnt even pick them up. i did have them a few weeks back but it was hit and miss wether they would even come on. usually they wouldnt. i had no trouble on an old segem box, the channels played ok, and downstairs they are all fine. i dont want to change boxes as the wharfdale gives a better picture than the sagem.

any ideas? i dont want to change ariel as it seems to be working ok, is there a problem with those channels?

cheers.

I suspect that you are in a weak signal area or that your aerial is struggling with the Freeview reception. This is the time of year that weak channels will disappear from view. Reception varies greatly from Brand to Brand and Wharfedale (rebranded Goodmans) are not one of the strongest, I`m afraid. Sagem are a good brand, as are Humax and Nokia. I previously had an Echostar box (now discontinued) that could hold onto the weakest signal without ever breaking up.

One thing you can try is a signal booster, although sometimes this can do more harm than good. If you can`t cure it with that, you really do need another box. I would recommend Humax as having a brilliant strong holding tuner and excellent picture quality.

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Why don`t you come up and see me sometime? www.digitalvideoforum.co.uk

cheers.

tried the box downstairs and although it found all the itv/ch4 and ch5 channels it wouldnt display them, no signal strength.

so i brought the box back upstairs and when i plugged it back in the channels played ok. well an hour or so on and they are still ok, so i go into the next room and turn my pc on when i go back into the room all the channels that worked a few minutes ago are know showing no signal, yet the others, bbc etc are fine. the tv ariel comes into the house through the side window and through the room with the pc in, then through the wall into the room with the lcd. is there some interference going on that may affect those channels?

it may have nothing to do with that, may just be a coincidence but i usually have the computer on most of the evening even when im in the other room watching tv, and i never even considered it maybe a problem until know.

ill turn my computer off and go see if the channels re-appear.

thanks.

when i turned my pc off i checked the freeview, and all the itv etc channels played fine again. so i went to check the cables. both the internet cable and tv ariel come into the far room near each other,they touch and are close as they go through the room, so i seperated them as best as i could. turned the pc back on and although the channels did come on they were going on and off all the time.

so im a bit stuck. could it be interference with the pc in any way/the internet cable? seems very odd that when the pc is off the freeview works fine. especially as the ariel passes through the room with the pc in.

im going to try the older box upstairs, if that works and i can get this box to work downstairs then ill just do a swap. bit odd though.

cheers.

Let us know how you get on with that. I`ve never heard of a PC interfering with a TV signal, so I don`t know whether that is actually the case or whether it`s just coincidence. :/

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Why don`t you come up and see me sometime? www.digitalvideoforum.co.uk

just an update. the channels do still go occasionally, and sometimes it is when i have the pc on, infact the other night i had itv on it was fine, i went in the next room and put the pc on and when i went back itv was flickering then went off and the no signal message came up. but most of the time the pc is on the picture/channels are ok. so i guess it is a combination of poor signal/pc and basic freeview box. but to be honest on the whole its been stable and gives a good picture so thats fine.

i dont really want to get a new ariel, because of the cost and i dont watch a great deal of tv. but i think i need something because when the channels go like the other night they are gone for hours. so i was wondering about boosters. i know they were mentioned earlier in the thread but can anyone expand on them. the signal does seem to be the problem. would a booster help or do they just improve picture quality? also i dont want to spend too much, i saw a few in a catalogue for around £10. i would only need it when the channels go so that sort of price seems about right. or am i best just leaving things as they are and getting along with it.

cheers.

Boosters vary in quality a lot. You need a mains powered one, and it needs to have variable gain (not all have this function). Then you will be able to adjust the strength to suit your signal.

Sometimes boosting a Freeview signal can do more harm than good. With an analogue transmission, the booster strengthens the picture, but with digital, there is only noughts and ones, so that is all it boosts, and if there are gaps, then the gaps get bigger. Basically it can make the picture break up more or even disappear altogether.

Sorry that`s not a very technical explanation, but I`m not a very technical person.

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Why don`t you come up and see me sometime? www.digitalvideoforum.co.uk

the freeview has been pretty stable over the weekend. i think ill leave it as it is for know, but take a look at some boosters, so if the freeview starts playing up, i can go out and get one.

thanks for the advice.