Digital switchover help please

[ifeelloved]

We have an older tv but a free view box with a set top aerial.

We have some of the free view channels but not all. We have tried retuning but it hasn't done the trick.

We were hoping it might mean a new tv, but we have another one that is a newer digital tv and that has the same problem.

I've tried looking on the digital uk website but can't really find any answers. HELP!!!!!

Well we got the newer one to but are still flummoxed with the older one.

Anyone?

There are two different coding systems used for digital TV, when digital terrestrial first started to this country they told manufacturers that they would be using the one coding system.

So all things made exclusively for this country such as the original OnDigital set top boxes and entry level budget priced boxes used that system, things designed for use in all Europe such all digital ready TVs used both systems (because the other one was/is used in Europe).

Now what has happened with the switch over is the bastards have changed their mind and switched to the other coding system so all the old digital boxes that where designed solely to work in the UK don't work.

You can blame the government for that, they set the standard and then years later decided to change it, it's not the manufacturers fault they where just following the guidelines.

You might need to buy a set top box, you may need a new ariel if it's on the roof or it may need to be moved, it's hard to say. if you've tried moving the ariel around between retunes try a newer set top box

Any idea how far from the transmitter(s) you are ?

I know some areas have a limited set of channels on Freeview (for example, my sister in Leek has only 2 of the 6 multiplexes so she gets the main channels such as BBC, ITV, C4, C5 but not all the extras). The Leek transmitter only rebroadcasts two of the signals available from the Midlands 'main' transmitter site(s).

They have Sky in the lounge and feed other rooms from their Sky box RF output (so other rooms can view the same channel as on the Sky box, as an analogue TV signal... for non-Sky pictures they have Freeview boxes with SCART leads).

You might find improvements over the coming months as more power will be allowed for the Digital signals (now the old analogue channels have all been turned off) but a set-top box will only work well if you have a strong signal, and some of the changes may affect you more with an aerial indoors.

Thanks for your replies.

The other (newer) tv is now working so we do get all the channels. We're in se London so I think it's crystal palace.

Dh been looking into more, think it might be a new freeview box. Not as costly as getting a new tv or aerial though!

You might want to visit www.play.com and search for Freeview... Find the iCan Easy HD 2851T which is a Freeview box for 29.99 that can show the general channels and the 4 Freeview HD channels, and has BBC iPlayer too.

I saw it on HotUKdeals.com and mine arrived on Saturday. Box has SCART and HDMI plus RF feed-through so you can plug aerial into the box and then into a TV or some other device (eg feed sigs from aerial into a second room).

Thanks network. I also got your pm and will have a proper look later.

Thanks again all