Free to air- 'weak or no signal' for a few channels

dinneenp

Hi,
I have free to air and all channels worked correctly until a while back. Now for RTÉ 1 and a few others I get 'weak or no signal' but some other channels work.

Any idea what could cause this, I'd have thought either all would work on none.

Thanks,
Pa.

dulpit

dinneenp wrote: »

Hi,
I have free to air and all channels worked correctly until a while back. Now for RTÉ 1 and a few others I get 'weak or no signal' but some other channels work.

Any idea what could cause this, I'd have thought either all would work on none.

Thanks,
Pa.

There are 2 muxes for Saorview, so you might be able to pick up 1, but not the other. In addition, there were changes back in March (I think?) that had a bunch of frequency changes around the country, so no harm in doing a full re-scan first?

The Cush

https://www.saorview.ie/en/changes

dinneenp

The Cush wrote: »

https://www.saorview.ie/en/changes

Cheers but I got it sorted (or my local TV person kindly sorted it). 7 channels had changed frequency, RTÉ 1 used to be 55, changed to something else.

I put my Ericode into above link and for results it's giving my a blank.

dxhound2005

It always gives me a blank screen as well. This is the list of Channel Numbers. Transmitters which lost numbers 49 and higher have the replacement number shown in red.

https://www.dccae.gov.ie/documents/2RN%20DTT%20Television%20Transmission%20Network%20Post700MHz%20%20Rev.1.0.pdf

Gmac40

Up in the North..Getting signal from Greenore I think..Very bad signal on all channels in the 800,s.Re-scanned and same.No RTE 1...only thru Black Mountain,which is pointless as several programmes are blocked.
Using a Humax Box and Samsung TV..Before yesterday all channels were fine..so something has happened.Unsure as to change/tune different frequencies.
Cheers

Gmac40

Re-tuned and all is good again..
I had recorded a programme on RTE+1 and the last 30 mins was un-watchable..picture break up-hence the re-tune.

Cheers

Gmac40

Not so good on main TV.Rescanned and now missing channels..RTÈ1..+1,,RTÈ2+1RTÈ News now.
So the question is How to manual scan for these missing ones.Last post was regarding a HD Box..using same external roof top aerial

The Cush

What transmitter is recommended for your location - https://www.saorview.ie/en/get/coverage

Are you using the correct aerial for Greenore (41,44 V), Group K or old Group B, if that's your transmitter?

or are you using an old Group C/D for Clermont Carn?

May also be an aerial or cable issue like aerial alignment or damaged cable or bad connections etc. Can you check the condition of aerial/cable/connections?

Gmac40

I,ll check later today.I think it's the Clermont where we get our signal been using the same aerial with no issues.
Many Thanks..

The Cush

Gmac40 wrote: »

I,ll check later today.I think it's the Clermont where we get our signal been using the same aerial with no issues.

Clermont is Group K now, if its been up there a while it could be a Group C/D or W.

But if this is only happening now it could be another like I motioned above.

Gmac40

Thanks..Just had a look at the other TV in Dining room. Signal and Quality of Picture are 34/96%(RTE 1)Picture is crystal clear.That comes off the same aerial and all good there..
When OH finishes watching her programmes I.ll have a look at cabling etc..on main TV.

Cheers.

The Cush

Gmac40 wrote: »

Thanks..Just had a look at the other TV in Dining room. Signal and Quality of Picture are 34/96%(RTE 1)Picture is crystal clear.

Signal at 34% is way too low and could easily fall over the "digital cliff". It should be as high as possible to 100%.

Is there any amplifier in that setup?
How is the aerial split to the TV points?

Gmac40

There is a splitter box in attic serving 4 rooms. Has always been that. Will have a look at that too..There might be an amplifier on the aerial or as we all called them Boosters.(but that was years ago)

Gmac40

Checked aerial coaxial behind TV and re-tuned.All showing now.I have RTÈ 1 on Ch 860..there seems to be a lot of Unknown channels from 800 up.
A few days ago I re tuned Humax Box for same reason and all came back.Set up is Aerial to Humax to TV.
Maybe cabling needs renewed..been in since 2005.
With some UK Freeview channels there is a notice coming up to re tune after 22nd June.Maybe that's doing something to Soarview, frequencies up here.
Many Thanks for the info..Stay safe

The Cush

Gmac40 wrote: »

There is a splitter box in attic serving 4 rooms. Has always been that. Will have a look at that too..There might be an amplifier on the aerial or as we all called them Boosters.(but that was years ago)

Splitting the signal to that many points without amplification will definitely be an issue.

For the masthead amp on the mast, is there a power supply somewhere feeding it, if not it's just another thing causing a reduction in signal.

The Cush

Gmac40 wrote: »

With some UK Freeview channels there is a notice coming up to re tune after 22nd June.Maybe that's doing something to Soarview, frequencies up here.

Frequencies are coordinated between the 2 services, that shouldn't be the issue. The issue is most likely somewhere within your installation.

Elvis Hammond

Gmac40 wrote: »

With some UK Freeview channels there is a notice coming up to re tune after 22nd June...

The COM8 Freeview mux is going, with some of the channels moving, & others closing. It won't affect Saorview in any way.

Gmac40

The Cush wrote: »

Splitting the signal to that many points without amplification will definitely be an issue.

15 years with the same set up..will get engineer down to see if he can find anything..
It is, indeed a 4-Way Amp that,s up in attic..only 2 TV,s using both Freeview/Soarview

Cheers

Gmac40

Had to re-tune my Mum,s HD PVR and guess what..Have lost All channels from Soarview.
When the Digital switch-over happened, us up North had to purchase a Set-Top-Box which had to be Freeview HD to get to view all Channels (RTE and Virgin Media).
These tuners have twin tuners DVB-T2 This is the same with some newer TV,s purchased in the North.This is what I check before buying now.
The next thing I will do is try and tune this box with my set-up..It,s the same..External aerial etc...

Cheers

AwaitYourReply

Gmac40 wrote: »

Had to re-tune my Mum,s HD PVR and guess what..Have lost All channels from Soarview.
When the Digital switch-over happened, us up North had to purchase a Set-Top-Box which had to be Freeview HD to get to view all Channels (RTE and Virgin Media).
These tuners have twin tuners DVB-T2 This is the same with some newer TV,s purchased in the North.This is what I check before buying now.
The next thing I will do is try and tune this box with my set-up..It,s the same..External aerial etc...

Cheers

This was also the case across the Republic of Ireland at the time of completion of digital switch over which happened on 24th October, 2012 and I understand the date used was same for both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. For those who already had a subscription down south with Sky Ireland or local digital cable tv provider did not have to do anything.

After the analogue switch-off/digital terrestrial switch on, unless viewers had a TV Set with the appropriate in-built digital tuner as otherwise, you had to obtain a digital terrestrial set-top-receiver used with an aerial to access all available digital terrestrial tv channels on Saorview (IRL) and/or Freeview (UK) tv systems on the island of Ireland. Many people who purchased brand new televisions from around 2010 onwards probably had a digital tv tuner built-in to their TV set model much like older tv sets had analogue tuning mechanisms in earlier days.

Gmac40

Engineer came and fitted a new diplexer.Re-tuned and all OK.
Many thanks to all who assisted.

Cheers

Elvis Hammond

Gmac40 wrote: »

Engineer came and fitted a new diplexer.Re-tuned and all OK.

The old diplexer was probably to suit pre-switchover Freeview from Divis (with a mux on ch.48), & would have badly weakened the new Clermont Carn frequencies.

Digifriendly

Elvis Hammond wrote: »

The old diplexer was probably to suit pre-switchover Freeview from Divis (with a mux on ch.48), & would have badly weakened the new Clermont Carn frequencies.

Find this interesting as I have a diplexer that was fitted some 18 years ago with a wideband aerial for Divis to be able to receive the mux you mentioned which was out of band from the other Freeview frequencies (Divis) pre DSO and the new CC frequencies are coming through very well without any change to aerial system whatsoever. In fact on one of my 2 TV sets I can watch all Saorview channels with masthead amp switched off. As mentioned elsewhere on these forums I now struggle to get a stable signal on C0m 7 (Divis). Signal actually improves when masthead amp for Saorview is switched on. I suppose this all goes to prove that areial signals are indeed a dark art.