Saorview problems?

Weird one alright, normally a fault will be on one frequency or the other, but the channels you list with/without a fault are across the two muxes.

External Saorview network issue or internal TV processing issue.

I would suggest a full power down followed by a retune.

What Saorview transmitter is recommended for your location, have a look at the Saorview coverage checker.

What signal strength and quality readings is the TV's internal meter giving you?

What satellite receiver are you using? If it's a basic FTA box then channels can cease or move frequency, in this case a retune may be required to restore missing channels and a resort to get them where you want them. Sky and Freesat boxes do this automatically.

Ok, the TV is confirming what the coverage checker is indicating, received signal isn't good.

The frequencies are from the low power Arklow transmitter.

What aerial type is installed and is it pointing towards Arklow, how far between house and transmitter approx?

Maybe a higher gain aerial (+ masthead amp?) could pull in a better signal, e.g. this Blake DMX10A (I have one of these for approx 10 years)

As regards the satellite channels, there is no link between the Saorview and satellite feeds. Is the TV Freesat or just the FTA channels?

Signal quality is the important figure but you need decent signal strength to reinforce that. Mux 1 signal is way too low for a stable signal and Mux 2 could be better.

First thing to do would be to try realigning the aerial for optimum signal between both muxes but my guess would be little overall improvement. Increasing aerial height would be another option, without knowing the terrain between your location and the transmitter difficult to know what height would see improvement.

The aerial, a Group T or W wideband, probably performs better higher up the frequency range, a Group A specific hi-gain aerial would probably perform better for your location.

Looking around the general area what is the general situation with aerials, height, larger hi-gain aerials, masthead amps fitted to the mast near the aerial etc.

Regarding the TV I'm not sure if its Freesat capable or just a basic FTA satellite tuner, missing channels would indicate FTA and set to Ireland as the country/region. Retuning with the TV's region to UK would ask for a UK postcode on setup for Freesat, if built in, but mess up the order of the Irish channels which would be stored at random in the 800s.

Just to update, the installer came out. I wasnt around. He needed to add an amplifier to the aerial and said he needed access to the mobile home itself to do something as part of the fix.

Charged 20 euro for call out as had been out before to install it last year & 60 for amp.

Will do, might be a couple of weeks before Im back down there.

Out of interest is 60 for an amp expensive? Big mark-up?

Posting back here on this thread having posted last year with similar issue.

Mobile home in Wicklow has a satellite & aerial to get Saorview and UK channels. No box or anything as TV in conjunction with aerial & satellite gets channels.

Last year signal on RTE 2 and related channels on same MUX was really bad and would often go black, whereas RTE1 signal was a only bit better but could always view the channel.

Got installer back out last August who added an amplifier to the aerial and a booster inside the mobile which I plug in as well.

I hadn't been back down since last year when he did the job but other family members were and said RTE 2 etc. was back working perfectly after he added the amplifier.

Roll forward to this year and first time for any of us down since last September.

Signal on RTE 2 & related channels is either really fuzzy or no signal at all.

RTE 1 is fine and is showing 100% signal strength & 100% signal quality.

RTE 2 signal strength is showing at 95% whereas signal quality moves between 0% to 15/20%.

It was fine before the Leinster match this afternoon then went bad during the game and has been no signal since.

Is it possible over Winter that either the aerial moved and needs to be realigned or that something else changed?

If anything the trees around the immediate area of the mobile have been cut down lower.

Thanks

Thanks for your reply 'The Cush'.

From my understanding, it is a masthead amplifier as it has been attached to the pole holding up the aerial and the booster is inside the mobile and is required to be plugged in.

I unplugged the booster and checked all the cables were firmly in and everything looks ok from that side.

I will probably get back onto the installer and ask him to test it next time he is in the area doing work for someone else.

Maybe, I am expecting too much for it to be able to go a couple of years without there being some sort of issue.

Likely to be a single cable from the aerial split with a passive splitter or similar.

Could be a bad connection or weak signal because of the split.

Check any cable connections for security.

If you find the split fit a distribution amp to give the signal a boost. Amplification is best closer to the aerial, to compensate for any loss down the cable to the TV point.

A word of caution on the coverage checker, where local fill in transmitters are indicated as the best option:

It is not always the case and very much depends on the physical characteristics of your location, this is particularly relevant in Wicklow where local terrain can vary considerably.

I am in a location where I am nearest to the Greystones filler on Kindlestown Hill, Glen O' Downs. This is the suggested best option.

I have two separate tv's using Saorview one with antenna for Greystones and one for the legacy provider signal at Kippure. The Kippure signal is much stronger and the fill in at Greystones is just above borderline service.

In 'challenging' coverage areas, correct antenna grouping and alignment is crucial.

Anyone know how I can get audio description off the RTE Player when I am watching something on demand? Pain in the you know what.