UK TV Digital Switchover

[GrahamGKD]

Hi Folks,
Nothing to do with welding or metalwork but looking for some help please....

My mum is expecting digital switchover in April. She already has all the digital kit so I think we were both assuming that the analogue signal would be switched off but that here existing digital kit would carry on as before.

She has recently read that here digital boxes will need re-tuning at switchover (potentially twice). I've had a quick grope around on google and, although I have seen mention of this, the information does not seem to be conclusive.

Perhaps someone who has already been through switchover might be able to confirm whether her digital will stop altogether or whether she will just need to re-tune to get any additional channels?

Re-tuning is straight forward enough for most of us but perhaps a bit more daunting for an octogenarian with numerous and varied digital tuners (several TVs, recorders, etc.). Unfortunately it's a 6 hour return trip for me to go up and sort it out for her.

Cheers,
Graham

 

[Coo]

We re-tuned the in-laws freeview things....after their region went digital only.
Found more channels, simple to do, no new equipment needed.

We're getting the adverts now for our region....they do advise re-tuning.

Also, it's worth retuning now and again anyway as channels change etc...
Does no harm

 

[tigler]

It's almost certain that the digital channels will be available now so she can just start watching freeview now without waiting for any proposed switchover date.
I don't know what sort of TV etc that she is using but if she has a freeview ready TV all that is needed is to select the digital option and start viewing ! Any recorders will just use the TV digital system for their record input so nothing is needed for them.

If you could detail the equipment she has I could give more info on the subject.

I've been watching freeview for years now and I installed a flatscreen , freeview TV for my Mother 3 years ago. The switchover date for her area is 2013 !!!!

There is so much hype and nonsense over this whole Digital thing, the aerial installers have been raking it in !! My aerial was installed 10 years ago and is providing a good strength signal on freeview channels even though it was not described as a 'digital' type. My mums aerial was over 20 years old and gave a good signal on freeview, I replaced it only because she wanted a TV in another room and I needed to split the feed, which would have dropped the signal too much.

 

[Robotstar5]

Our old "analogue" antenna is running 3 digital TV's (via amp/splitter), the only problems you may get with older antennas is losing some channels as band E may not be covered. At present digital transmitters in "mixed" areas are deliberately run at lower power to stop interference with analogue and will be turned up at switchover date so reception should improve.

Info here and here.

 

[GrahamGKD]

....sorry folks, slight misunderstanding, I think?

She already has all of the kit set up and is already using the digital freeview (has been for a good while). What she is worried about is that she will need to re-tune on switchover day. I don't see why this would be the case but it does seem to be suggested, e.g. here:

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/

hover over step 2 're-tuning and trouble shooting'.

If her telly will keep working pretty much as it is now and will just need retuning to get any new channels then fine - she will be happy until I go up on a periodic visit and can re-tune all of the boxes for her. If the existing mainstream digital channels stop working she will be in a flat spin and I will need to sort it out for her pronto!

Thanks,
Graham

 

[Chickenjohn]

If she is already on satellite or freeview then there is no need to do anything.

 

[tigler]

As above. Regular retuning is a good idea though, channels are added and sometimes change to another number. There will be an option on the TV or boxes menu to do this though.

 

[pedrobedro]

If you do an install as when it was first fitted it will find the channels and set up the time etc. It tells you somewhere on the transmitter page on the net what kind of aerial you need, some need wideband but ours runs fine on our old B group which I fitted 27 years ago. I fitted a satellite dish last year as well but you don't get all the fiver and quest on that so the old one still gets used plenty.

 

[Nomolos]

If you’re still in an analogue area the digital signal is not being transmitted at full power as it had the potential to interfere with the older analogue system so was held back somewhat before the change.
When they make the switch there is the potential for extra channels that were not originally able to be used to suddenly become available, now the digi box needs to “learn” that there now there, same as in the old tv you would need to tune the channel into a button when you rescan the digi box it’s doing the same thing and then adds the new channel to the on-board program guides so you can see and select them to watch.

This is actually something to do every few months as they seem to tinker with what’s being transmitted and adding extra channels from time to time, it takes a few minutes and would be the same procedure you used when it was originally installed.

On a plus note my mums gotten to the point where she’s happy to do this herself and just gone 70, I personally think it’s more a case of the fear of braking things with the older generation than a real “can’t do” thing, when I think back to what we had to do to set up video recorders to recorded time shifted programs a retune is nothing in comparison.

For me it was just to reassure her that there is nothing that can be broken in doing this (and there is not ) and let her do it when your there rather than jumping in and doing it for her, let her try and guide, it might make all the difference if you can build her confidence up with the new-fangled gadgets

Best of luck

 

[Alex.]

If you put your Mum's postcode into digitaluk and also tick the "I am in the aerial installation trade" box just below you will get all the facts you need. I had to retune twice around switchover and there's another one scheduled for this Spring.

Another useful forum is at http://www.avforums.com/forums/digital-tv-switchover-uk/

 

[GrahamGKD]

Thank you all for all of the help and advice - much appreciated.
Graham.

 

[Chickenjohn]

As above. Regular retuning is a good idea though, channels are added and sometimes change to another number. There will be an option on the TV or boxes menu to do this though.

Easiest way of re-tuning, is to turn the digi box off, unplug it from the wall, count to ten and then plug in and switch it back on again. The digital tuning units seek the channels again when they power up.

 

[pkr]

My transmitter ( Sandy Heath ) is switching in March/April and that will require two retunes.

The first retune is on the 30th March and the second will be 13th April. The reason for the two retunes is to do with the BBC2 frequency ( channel 27 ) I think. Essentially analogue BBC2 disappears on the 30th and the rest of the analogue signals disappear on the 13th.

So to answer the OP, yes the switchover can take two retunes and certainly will with the Sandy Heath transmitter.

 

[SC_BK]

You will want to retune atleast twice and you may lose some channles during the switchover period


If you have a really old digital box (like the old ondigital paces) it may not work after switchover, as the new signal is on a different frequency

 

[malcolm]

As the opening question seems to have been answered could I swing slightly off topic:

Is there anything that I can do with the little telly in the kitchen that currently uses an aerial on top of the fridge? It's only used to watch BBC2 at lunchtime, but it's not great with analogue so I'm guessing digital won't work.

 

[pkr]

As the opening question seems to have been answered could I swing slightly off topic:

Is there anything that I can do with the little telly in the kitchen that currently uses an aerial on top of the fridge? It's only used to watch BBC2 at lunchtime, but it's not great with analogue so I'm guessing digital won't work.

It may actually be better with digital assuming the signal strength is adequate for the aerial. At the moment, our analogue is essentially unwatchable ( we're towards the fringe of the transmitter's range and below a small hill ) but digital is a lot better on most muxes and should be even better after the switchover and the digital signal strength gets ramped up.

Try the aerial with another TV set already digitally enabled to see if it works?

 

[malcolm]

Try the aerial with another TV set already digitally enabled to see if it works?

Now that's a good idea - I'll give that a shot -will save buying digital boxes for testing.

 

[brightspark]

buy a signal strength meter there only 12 quid. screwfix or ebay ideal for setting aerials up

 

[pkr]

Cheaper to buy a £10 freeview box off eBay and use the integrated signal strength meter!

 

[brightspark]

Cheaper to buy a £10 freeview box off eBay and use the integrated signal strength meter!

not a bad idea if your in no rush and u dont want it on the roof with u to set the aerial up