Digital Switchover

dinorebel · 15-10-2012 7:51pm

Right so got a £20 Goodmans set top box from Asda went through the set up and all I have is the BBC channels-1 2 3 4 parliament CBBC and the news channel.So no C4 ITV C5 I do have all the RTE Radio channels but not RTE TV am really scratching my head now and not sure what to do next.

Noel Dempseys Den · 15-10-2012 7:59pm

dinorebel wrote: »

Right so got a £20 Goodmans set top box from Asda went through the set up and all I have is the BBC channels-1 2 3 4 parliament CBBC and the news channel.So no C4 ITV C5 I do have all the RTE Radio channels but not RTE TV am really scratching my head now and not sure what to do next.

You will not get RTE TV on a standard Freeview box.

Only a box capable of receiving Freeview HD or a Saorview accredited box will do it.

You will only get the non-BBC digital channels after 24 October from Strabane when the analogue services are switched off.

Return the box and get a refund.

homer simpson · 15-10-2012 8:02pm

dinorebel wrote: »

Right so got a £20 Goodmans set top box from Asda went through the set up and all I have is the BBC channels-1 2 3 4 parliament CBBC and the news channel.So no C4 ITV C5 I do have all the RTE Radio channels but not RTE TV am really scratching my head now and not sure what to do next.

That's all the UK / NI channels any box is getting right now(along with a good few other freeview channels), AFAIK ITV and the likes will follow along shortly on the 24th.

You'll not get any of the RTE channels on that box you've bought.

dinorebel · 15-10-2012 8:36pm

Noel Dempseys Den wrote: »

You will not get RTE TV on a standard Freeview box.

Only a box capable of receiving Freeview HD or a Saorview accredited box will do it.

You will only get the non-BBC digital channels after 24 October from Strabane when the analogue services are switched off.

Return the box and get a refund.

Sorry should of said I was never expecting to get the Irish channels it was the lack of the other UK channels that confused me.

sesswhat · 15-10-2012 11:05pm

homer simpson wrote: »

That's all the UK / NI channels any box is getting right now....

Unless of course you are getting one of the main transmitters, which in Donegal means Limavady or Brougher.

byte · 16-10-2012 10:58pm

sesswhat wrote: »

Unless of course you are getting one of the main transmitters, which in Donegal means Limavady or Brougher.

And the power from these will be ramped up significantly after the switchover.

Duster · 16-10-2012 11:54pm

Can anyone confirm if they can get UK freeview around ballyshannon / rossnowlagh ?

theblueirish · 17-10-2012 1:56am

benn getting freeview in Rossnowlagh for last two years. Signal not great on some channels but should be cured come October 24th.

Mint Sauce · 17-10-2012 11:37am

redt0m wrote: »

Wonder is some work being done in NI,all the BBC channels we got on friday are gone at the moment...

NIMAN wrote: »

Yeah the Beeb channels have been getting staggered out, in preparation for the big switch on.

Are we going to lose the BBC stations eventually, or will equipment changes be needed.

Have gone home for a few days. TVs at home are all within a few years old, had been picking up the UK freeview (Digital) with no problems, as well as the RTE Saerview with an attic aerial. In the last view days, the picture for the BBC Digital stations and some other UK freeview has gone, but event information is there. A retune has found them all again and can now be viewed as normal, although station repositioning was needed as retuned in a very random order.

Will retuning be needed again as well with the stagered anologe/digital switch overs in NI. I assume home is picking up its signals from Fermanagh (assuming they have a transmitter) or Strabane. Although I understand a retune might be needed on the 24th with the ROI switch.

Mint Sauce · 17-10-2012 11:41am

Duster wrote: »

Can anyone confirm if they can get UK freeview around ballyshannon / rossnowlagh ?

Have been getting it fine (up until last few days, and recently again as per my last post) across the bay from you.

muffler · 17-10-2012 12:13pm

irish-stew wrote: »

Will retuning be needed again as well with the stagered anologe/digital switch overs in NI. I assume home is picking up its signals from Fermanagh (assuming they have a transmitter) or Strabane. Although I understand a retune might be needed on the 24th with the ROI switch.

The ROI switchover wont require any retuning as such if you already have Saorview. If you dont have it you will just have to scan for the new digital Irish channels (Saorview).

The Strabane transmitter has removed the BBC analogue signal last week so if you were receiving the signal from there you will have to re-scan for the BBC channels only. On October 24 all the NI transmitters will switch to digital so to get the available UK channels you will have to re-scan again.

donegal. · 17-10-2012 12:52pm

i get saorview and analougue stations from the transmiter in malin head (to the north of me) and the closest freeview transmitter is in limavady (to the southeast of me ).
will my aerial pick up a signal from two different directions, or will i have to get a second aerial?

muffler · 17-10-2012 1:19pm

donegal. wrote: »

i get saorview and analougue stations from the transmiter in malin head (to the north of me) and the closest freeview transmitter is in limavady (to the southeast of me ).
will my aerial pick up a signal from two different directions, or will i have to get a second aerial?

Im no expert on these matters....I just pick up on a few points in the satellite forum but my understanding is that you will need two separate aerials.

As the transmitters are in different locations it would be logical enough to assume that 2 aerials will be needed but apart from that I think the the digital signals are different in any event but Im open to correction on that point.

ei8dqb · 17-10-2012 10:58pm

On my Irish bought TV I can get the Irish Soarview channells and BBC 1,2,3,4.
I need a soarview box for the old TV in the bedroom, does this meen that I will recieve the UK channels on this as well. Also will I get UTV CH4 ect when their signal becomes stronger on October 24th.
Ant thoughts?
Kieran

byte · 17-10-2012 11:15pm

ei8dqb wrote: »

On my Irish bought TV I can get the Irish Soarview channells and BBC 1,2,3,4.
I need a soarview box for the old TV in the bedroom, does this meen that I will recieve the UK channels on this as well. Also will I get UTV CH4 ect when their signal becomes stronger on October 24th.
Ant thoughts?
Kieran

You should do, providing the bedroom gets the same levels of signal as the other room.

In theory (I'm saying this coz I don't know your specifics, nor your signal levels), you should get UTV and Ch4 (and Ch5 as these all share same Multiplex) after ASO.

muffler · 17-10-2012 11:28pm

ei8dqb wrote: »

On my Irish bought TV I can get the Irish Soarview channells and BBC 1,2,3,4.
I need a soarview box for the old TV in the bedroom, does this meen that I will recieve the UK channels on this as well. Also will I get UTV CH4 ect when their signal becomes stronger on October 24th.
Ant thoughts?
Kieran

You wont get the UK channels with the saorview box. You will need an appropriate aerial and a digital tv or if you're keeping the old tv you will need a freeview box for the UK channels and that depends where you live basically.

If you can pick up the analogue ITV channels at present you will get them on digital as descibed above. If you cant get them now its unlikley you will get them after the switchover with an aerial anyhow. You would need to look at getting freesat.

muffler · 17-10-2012 11:30pm

byte wrote: »

You should do, providing the bedroom gets the same levels of signal as the other room.

In theory (I'm saying this coz I don't know your specifics, nor your signal levels), you should get UTV and Ch4 (and Ch5 as these all share same Multiplex) after ASO.

Just seeing your post byte. I wsnt aware that a saorview box would also double up for the UK channels or Im I reading that wrong?

redt0m · 18-10-2012 11:38am

muffler wrote: »

Just seeing your post byte. I wsnt aware that a saorview box would also double up for the UK channels or Im I reading that wrong?

A Saorview box will receive the UK Channels, but only in Standard Definition. A Freeview HD box will get the UK Channels and their HD counterparts (there are only a few available at the moment), and will also get the Saorview channels.

theblueirish · 18-10-2012 1:38pm

Freeview box will only do UK in Standard Def.
Freeview HD will do UK and ROI in HD but may not do the interactive services (teletext etc)
Saorview will do UK and ROI but only the Standard Def from UK.

byte · 18-10-2012 8:28pm

theblueirish wrote: »

Freeview box will only do UK in Standard Def.
Freeview HD will do UK and ROI in HD but may not do the interactive services (teletext etc)
Saorview will do UK and ROI but only the Standard Def from UK.

Yep, essentially what he said ^^^

maggie magoo · 18-10-2012 11:15pm

Hi.. just been reading this thread here. Does anyone know approx what it should cost to get a loft aerial installed? The house is wired, with tv points, in all the rooms already & it seems that the wires are there in the attic. And does it it have to be any particular type of aerial to get saorview/freeview. It's for friend of mine & different people have been saying different things. Thanks

theblueirish · 19-10-2012 1:24am

Do you need a new aerial?
If so expect to pay €120-€200

maggie magoo · 19-10-2012 1:24pm

It's a rented house.. no aerial on it at the mo but the attic & house seems to be wired for one. So, yes, would need a new aerial, loft or roof-top.

byte · 19-10-2012 10:33pm

TBH, it'll depend on a few different factors, especially where the location of the house is.

For some, in the attic might be grand and therein it'll be cheaper. However for some, it might need to go outside to optimise signal levels, and that adds cost for the relevant brackets, lashing, mast and extra time. Other contributing factors can be masthead amps, if needed.

And of course, there are areas that won't get Freeview (or Saorview either in extreme cases), due to location (my house being one

).

Best thing to do is ask a local aerial rigger, familiar with the area, for an estimate.

sesswhat · 20-10-2012 8:09pm

donegal. wrote: »

i get saorview and analougue stations from the transmiter in malin head (to the north of me) and the closest freeview transmitter is in limavady (to the southeast of me ).
will my aerial pick up a signal from two different directions, or will i have to get a second aerial?

Have you or your neighbours ever had BBC through an aerial?

If you are in the Carndonagh area, Limavady could well be blocked by the hills. If you find out that it is possible, you may need a good Group C/D aerial. This would be mounted horizontally, same as for Malin.

Otherwise the UK channels can also be received free with a satellite system.

Senna · 22-10-2012 3:24pm

Just need conformation on this;

My Mums Digital TV in Letterkenny has its aerial pointing at Burt / Limavady direction (pretty sure she's not getting a signal from Strabane as its blocked out). It gets all the RTE's and BBC1/2/3/4 at the moment via a digital signal (v good picture), will she get digital ITV/CH4 after the 24th?
She can get ITV/CH4 via terrestrial at the moment but the picture isn't great.

Noel Dempseys Den · 22-10-2012 3:28pm

Senna wrote: »

Just need conformation on this;

My Mums Digital TV in Letterkenny has its aerial pointing at Burt / Limavady direction (pretty sure she's not getting a signal from Strabane as its blocked out). It gets all the RTE's and BBC1/2/3/4 at the moment via a digital signal (v good picture), will she get digital ITV/CH4 after the 24th?
She can get ITV/CH4 via terrestrial at the moment but the picture isn't great.

Your Mum is receiving Strabane, possibly Derry but definitely not Limavady, as the only digital terrestrial the NI relays are carrying right now are the BBCs.

She will definitely receive ITV/C4/C5 plus others on switchover on Wednesday.

muffler · 22-10-2012 3:39pm

Noel Dempseys Den wrote: »

as the only digital terrestrial the NI relays are carrying right now are the BBCs.

Thats what Senna said - "BBC1/2/3/4"

Your mum should have no problems after Wednesday Senna.

donegal. · 22-10-2012 3:44pm

sesswhat wrote: »

Have you or your neighbours ever had BBC through an aerial?

If you are in the Carndonagh area, Limavady could well be blocked by the hills. If you find out that it is possible, you may need a good Group C/D aerial. This would be mounted horizontally, same as for Malin.

Otherwise the UK channels can also be received free with a satellite system.

i get the uk analogue stations at the minute, and yes i live near carn.
i looked at the freeview coverage map linked above and it doesn't show coverage for my area.
so would a "good Group C/D aerial" pick up freeview or would i be better of going with freesat/saorview combi ?

Senna · 22-10-2012 4:05pm

muffler wrote: »

Your mum should have no problems after Wednesday Senna.

Great, there'll be hell to pay if she misses Countdown

Digital Switchover

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