Losing Channels

[Shutpa]

Over the past 6 months or so, we have been losing some of our Freeview Channels. First Ch 6 disappeared, then 15 and yesterday 10 and 18. All have gone 'No signal' and there are others but these are ones we dont watch. One that we do watch, Ch 5, is breaking up as I type. Any clues on this one? The aerial was put in a year ago when we got the flat screen and both the tv and the DVD recorder have the built-in Freeview facility.

 

[plugwash]

are there any amplifiers involved?

 

[aptsys]

Any damage to the aerial from large birds?

 

[Shutpa]

are there any amplifiers involved?

Sorry Plugwash, but I'm a bit green. By amplifier do you mean a 'thing' to boost the signal?

 

[Shutpa]

Any damage to the aerial from large birds?

No visible damage aptsys!

 

[aptsys]

I should also add that some channels have shifted with the introduction of Channel4 + 1 and a few others. Have you tried a retune? (although this wouldn't explain the breaking up on Ch5)

 

[Shutpa]

I should also add that some channels have shifted with the introduction of Channel4 + 1 and a few others. Have you tried a retune? (although this wouldn't explain the breaking up on Ch5)

Will have a try at this when mother in law stops watching her film!

 

[nozspark]

Have you had any high winds? Could your aerial have moved slightly?

 

[TicklyT]

When the signal quality or bit error rate thresholds have been exceeded, the worst affected digital channels may be declared unreceivable by the decoder.
We found some 'lost' channels by replacing a coax lead that had been crushed, but only after running a new channel search.

Is the aerial still looking in the direction it should be?
What sort of signal levels and signal quality are you getting on the working channels compared with six months ago?
Any trees or building work going on around that may cut the 'line of sight' from your aerial?
Any chance the weather could have got into your downlead connection to the aerial?
Any damage to the downlead?
Any new aerial connection points installed?`

 

[Shutpa]

I should also add that some channels have shifted with the introduction of Channel4 + 1 and a few others. Have you tried a retune? (although this wouldn't explain the breaking up on Ch5)

Nothing succeeds like success. Cheers aptsys, (the retune did the trick) and thanks to all.

 

[aptsys]

No problemo

 

[Shutpa]

I should also add that some channels have shifted with the introduction of Channel4 + 1 and a few others. Have you tried a retune? (although this wouldn't explain the breaking up on Ch5)

After the retune, I only checked on those channels that we had lost or were apparantly losing. Last night daughter got all excited when she discovered that the retune had uncovered more channels than we had lost. Would it be a good idea to retune now and again, or is there a chance that we might lose channels in the retune?

 

[electronicsuk]

Digital channels are constantly being moved around as new multiplexes are being added and as part of the digital switchover. I suppose you could argue that it would be a good idea to retune every couple of months, certainly if you know that mux's have been moved to other channels.

 

[Shutpa]

Digital channels are constantly being moved around as new multiplexes are being added and as part of the digital switchover. I suppose you could argue that it would be a good idea to retune every couple of months, certainly if you know that mux's have been moved to other channels.

Ta for that but I have decided to leave it as it is and if the same problem comes back I'll retune I'll retune again.

 

[aptsys]

One of my set to boxes automatically searches for software updates and re-scans for new channels every night at 3.30am if it's on standby.

I manually do the others every two or three weeks.