Disappearing T.v. Signal

[addicted]

In the last few weeks I've lost count of the number of times we have had to re-tune the t.v. because we lose the signal. I found a number to phone and was told that high pressure was to blame. The problem invariably comes on a Friday night. Anyone out here experiencing the same problem?. Although we live in Cambridgeshire when we had a new aerial installed last year on the back of similar problems the installers said that a large tree was causing a reception problem and set the new aerial to receive the signal from the east midlands. So now we get "local news " from Leicester! We had no signal all last evening until about 10.00pm and even then some digital channels were missing or unwatchable.

 

Carole

[dnks34]

Do you use a seperate booster, if not getting one may help.

It sounds like it could be a weak signal or possibly something else in the environment affecting it, trees are a pain when you want a good reliable picture! 

 

[deebee29]

We use a multi output booster distributed to outlets in all rooms with our aerial in the loft and get a great signal on all channels (shame about some of the programs though )

Not had any problems although we are in the North East

[grendel]

I used to have no tv signal, despite the fact that we have a local booster transmitter, by looking at the map we were on an almost dead straight line from the transmitter through the tower of Canterbury cathedral  - we had no channels, fast forward 2 years and on one of my searches I saw that the local boosters had the aerials oriented vertically rather than horizontally (or is it the other way round), turned the aerial 90 degrees, and I now have all of the freeview channels (well all of the limited ones a booster transmits, basically bbc itv and a couple of others 12 in all)

[addicted]

Apparently we do have  booster ,I   think  that  it's 'just that digital is  rubbish and that' s 'the long and short of it. Once more in the name of progress quality has been compromised.

 

Carole

[deebee29]

Our tv has both Freeview and Freesat tuners built in and the satalite tuner works fine connected to our existing sky dish (I think Sky will be going when the contract is up as most of what we watch is on Freeview, Amazon & Now Tv)

[addicted]

we don't have sky but we do have a recently fitted state of the art  digital aerial. Prior to digital we never had a problem here.  Many years ago we lived in Brookmans Park and we had a transmitter of some kind about a mile away which caused all sorts of problems,  ie: an Asian radio programme instead of the sound track on the T.V. but only on one side of the house! We also had upwards of 100 trees in the garden which didn't help. But eventually we managed to find a company that knew what  it was doing and problem solved

 

Carole

[Timbo]

In the days when I watched television (I haven't had TV at home for eight years now, just two very large computer monitors 46" and 50", and I don't miss it one little bit.) I had a disappearing TV signal. Well to be exact some toerag had nicked my TV antenna.

An added bonus to not watching television is the sporadic visits of the TV Licensing people who no matter how many times you tell them that 'I don't watch TV' insist on calling and look horrified when they discover that...I don't watch TV. 

If you're having problems with the TV now is a great time to turn the thing off and leave it off. You would be amazed at how much better you sleep, how much time you now have...a bit like the 'Why don't you' programme when I was a kid, and how much more relaxed you will be. You won't miss anything...any programme worth watching has a book to accompany it which is more detailed.

[Arthur]

I do have to agree with you Tim

These days I very rarely watch television.

I remember years ago when there were only 2 channels.  BBC and ITV.

Our set was older and only had BBC.

Back in those days, despite some of the technical limitations there were good programmes made and some excellent drama.

Fast forward just over half a century and we now have hundreds of channels.

All mostly broadcasting 24 hours a day  C**P.

Have we readlly progressed?

I for one could easily do without it.

 

[addicted]

17 hours ago, Timbo said:

In the days when I watched television (I haven't had TV at home for eight years now, just two very large computer monitors 46" and 50", and I don't miss it one little bit.) I had a disappearing TV signal. Well to be exact some toerag had nicked my TV antenna.

An added bonus to not watching television is the sporadic visits of the TV Licensing people who no matter how many times you tell them that 'I don't watch TV' insist on calling and look horrified when they discover that...I don't watch TV. 

If you're having problems with the TV now is a great time to turn the thing off and leave it off. You would be amazed at how much better you sleep, how much time you now have...a bit like the 'Why don't you' programme when I was a kid, and how much more relaxed you will be. You won't miss anything...any programme worth watching has a book to accompany it which is more detailed.

Is this how you found the time to hone your ironing skills Tim?

 

Carole

[Timbo]

1 hour ago, addicted said:

ironing skills

A combination of skills from Dad....soap up the inside of creases to make them razor sharp, always iron dress shirts starting with the yoke...and skills learned as a student...slap clothes on a coat hanger straight out of the washing machine and hang them on the shower rail in the bathroom and all the creases fall out..and if you really can't be arsed nip down Tesco and get a complete new outfit for under £25.

[Viking23]

We never had poor TV reception on the Broads since they went digital, but as we are now on the Thames, we will cross quite a few TV transmission areas. I have seen the "Ballade"  tv aerial, it looks like a tennis ball shoved in the top of an ice cream cone, it has it's own amplifier and is not directional, so can pick up without any more adjustment, around £35-£40 just wondered if they are any good. We haven't ventured out much from our marina yet, in fact not even retuned the TV to see if it even works. lol.

[ranworthbreeze]

TV reception on the Broads has certainly got better since digital, but since we have been coming here for a good number of years we bring DVD's with us to while away the evening hours assuming we are not playing games or doing crosswords.

We might watch the occasional program but not many.

Regards

Alan

[LondonRascal]

At my dads place in Cambridgeshire, we used to (prior to digital switch over) have two aerials - one pointing one way and another the..other way.  It meant we could get both Anglia ITV and Central region. Quite a few locals  did the same.

We then had a choice to upgrade the aerial for digital or go down the Satellite route with 'Free Sat'. We opted for Satellite, and I obtained some decent set top units for the bedrooms, and a nice Humax receiver with Hard Drive for the lounge.  A local installed just fitted the dish with a 4-way LNB.  We can get all the usual digital channel and then a bunch more beside and have no issues with reception, and no ongoing subscription or pressure from Sky.

As the Broads, over Christmas we got all our content streamed - but then you had different issues with signal, being the phone signal for data using EE. Overall it worked well and through the various channel's Apps, Netflix and Amazon Video we had a massive choice of viewing not to mention music through Spotify.

If (big if) the Broads ever get a good, fast phone signal it would be possible to dispense with aerials and go to streaming as the default way of getting your content and that is far neater and better than those ugly satellite domes you see on some hirecraft.

[trambo]

4 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

TV reception on the Broads has certainly got better since digital, but since we have been coming here for a good number of years we bring DVD's with us to while away the evening hours assuming we are not playing games or doing crosswords.

We might watch the occasional program but not many.

Regards

Alan

Same here Alan, maybe the news, start a DVD and usually I'm away nodding off. Never go to bed as early than when on a boat.

Fred

p.s but never miss the Archers on the radio!

[Jonathan]

On 22/01/2017 at 10:08 AM, Jonzo said:

 - Look at how bad the signal used to be on the Broads.

Actually, they have put up a brand new, taller transmitter mast at Tacolneston to transmit the digital TV signals, so it's not just an analogue versus digital thing.  Also, the frequencies have changed, so the aerial required to receive the digital signals is not the same as that for the old analogue signals.  Old aerials will still work, but are not designed for the new frequencies and so will supply a poorer signal.  In other words, with the correct aerial, an amplifier should not be necessary (most of the time!).

[Regulo]

Go here: http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/coveragechecker/ and tick the "detailed view" box. It will tell you what your best signal is likely to be, what channels they're broadcasting on, what aerial group you need, whether it's horizontal or vertical polarisation, and the bearing to the chosen transmitter. If your transmitter is broadcasting on CH 58 or above you might also need a "800" filter, to prevent interference from 4G phone signals.