What happens when Kippure switches off?

Kashkai

I've recently installed a new aerial and the picture is brilliant on RTE 1 & 2 and acceptable on TV3. However, from what I've read, this is because VHF signals (RTE) have a longer range than UHF signals (TV3). So if the VHF signals are switched off when analogue goes will I lose my great reception on RTE or will the new digital signals be stronger.

BTW, I scanned for the DTV signals but got nothing on my Samsung series 6 (I know its not MPEG 4 tv but I thought I might get audio at least) or is this because Kippure wasn't broadcasting the DTT test signals

STB

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

I've recently installed a new aerial and the picture is brilliant on RTE 1 & 2 and acceptable on TV3. However, from what I've read, this is because VHF signals (RTE) have a longer range than UHF signals (TV3). So if the VHF signals are switched off when analogue goes will I lose my great reception on RTE or will the new digital signals be stronger.

BTW, I scanned for the DTV signals but got nothing on my Samsung series 6 (I know its not MPEG 4 tv but I thought I might get audio at least) or is this because Kippure wasn't broadcasting the DTT test signals

You will need a set top box.

What model of samsung ? The LE40A686 ?

gtg60

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

or is this because Kippure wasn't broadcasting the DTT test signals

Firstly, Kippure isn't broadcasting DTT yet and secondly all DTT will be on UHF so you won't be getting a great signal (if any) from your VHF aerial.

Can you get Mount Leinster or Three Rock from where you are?

Kashkai

The tv is the 46A656 model and I was thinking about getting the Mvision combo box to handle the dtt signals.

Mount Leinster is a possibility but I think I'm just outside 3 Rock's radius.

Whats going to happen to Kippure then? To be taken off the air completely??

STB

Analogue will eventually be switched off a few years down the road..... and digital broadcast will be blasted from Kippure instead.

That Samsung model may take a Neotion Card that you leave in the cam slot and it enables the picture. The 676 in that range is the MPEG4 version.

Outside of the Neotion list I am nearly positive I saw claims of that range being enabled by the Cam (which is about €50-€60). So you may not need to buy the STB.

gtg60

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Mount Leinster is a possibility but I think I'm just outside 3 Rock's radius.

Whats going to happen to Kippure then? To be taken off the air completely??

What I did was get a UHF aerial and tuned in a channel I knew was coming from Three Rock and worked from there.

All Analogue will be switched off in 2012 so should be good til then.

Kashkai

If I get a UHF aerial, can I mount it on the same pole as the VHF aerial without causing interference between the two? The side of our house is getting crowded with the new 80cm sat dish, 4 sat cable runs and now the VHF aerial which I've fed into the attic to a 4 way amplifier. This amp has a F plug connector for UHF so I could plug the UHF aerial in here if I get one - correct?.

Plugging the card into the Samsung to enable it for MPEG 4 would be good news and a lot cheaper than buying a set top box.

gtg60

Yes, just keep them as far apart as possible and yes just connect it to the UHF input on your distribution amp.

Buy a decent high gain Wideband one and even if you can't pick up Mount Leinster ot Three Rock you will be able to get TV3 and TG4 from Kippure.

Whereabouts in Kildare are you? I know somebody from Kildare town that can get DTT from Mount Leinster.

Kashkai

gtg60 wrote: »

Yes, just keep them as far apart as possible and yes just connect it to the UHF input on your distribution amp.

Buy a decent high gain Wideband one and even if you can't pick up Mount Leinster ot Three Rock you will be able to get TV3 and TG4 from Kippure.

Whereabouts in Kildare are you? I know somebody from Kildare town that can get DTT from Mount Leinster.

I'm about a mile outside Prosperous village on the Naas side. How high a mast would I need to be able to get a signal from Mount Leinster?

gtg60

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

I'm about a mile outside Prosperous village on the Naas side. How high a mast would I need to be able to get a signal from Mount Leinster?

I wouldn't have a clue, might be worth ringing a few local aerial installers and ask them, they should be able to tell you what's needed (if possible).

medoc

Sorry for going way off topic but why were all the transmitters not converted to UHF especially where TV3 and TG4 were on UHF.

pedantic pat

medoc wrote: »

Sorry for going way off topic but why were all the transmitters not converted to UHF especially where TV3 and TG4 were on UHF.

no - kippure is still VHF band 3 for rtes and UHF for tv3 and tg4 - i receive from kippure so have a UHF group CD aerial and an old antiference VHF log periodic mounted on the same pole as my sat dish

pedantic pat

medoc wrote: »

Sorry for going way off topic but why were all the transmitters not converted to UHF especially where TV3 and TG4 were on UHF.

i didn't really answer the question in the last post (didn't answer it at all)

maybe there are problems with allocating channels because of interference issues and they're just waiting for digital to come on stream as its far more efficient from a bandwith perspective

The Cush

medoc wrote: »

Sorry for going way off topic but why were all the transmitters not converted to UHF especially where TV3 and TG4 were on UHF.

UHF frequencies were allocated for RTE 1/2 on the five high powered VHF transmitters but were not used following recommendations from the EBU, ODTR etc. The allocated frequencies were replanned for DTT.

Original Analogue VHF/UHF Plan & GE06 Digital Plan
Transmitter| RTÉ1| RTÉ2| TV3| TG4|| Mux 1|Mux 2|Mux 3|Mux 4
Kippure| E (37)| H (65)| 62| 59||54|58|61|64
Maghera| E (52)| H (56)| 66| 68||55|48|67|65
Mount Leinster| F (30)| I (34)| 26| 23||39|42|45|49
Mullaghanish| D (21)| G (24)| 27| 31||21|24|25|28
Truskmore| I (53)| G (57)| 60| 63 ||52|56|53|57
(in brackets) indicate the UHF frequencies that were planned to replace the VHF frequencies

"The migration of RTÉ’s high powered VHF transmitters to UHF should be frozen to allow DTT to use the high powered UHF allocations and hence receive a coverage ‘kick-start’."

"RTÉ has been carrying out plans to migrate the transmissions from the main, high powered stations to UHF from VHF. These plans have now been paused following the EBU nominees’ recommendations that no further migration should take place. RTÉ is awaiting a decision from the ODTR as to whether to complete this migration. No decision has yet been taken as the ODTR are awaiting decisions on the approach to DTT. There is an ongoing programme of coverage improvement under which some VHF transposers are being transferred to UHF.
It has been estimated by RTÉ that were the existing VHF main stations to be transferred to UHF, the coverage of RTÉ1 and Network 2 would drop from 99.5% to around 97% and therefore additional UHF transposers would be required."

"Further conversion from VHF to UHF of the main transmitters of the two RTÉ networks is not advised because remaining on VHF
- facilitates the possibility for introduction of digital television
- probably requires less (UHF) relay stations
- does not make the operation of the RTÉ networks more expensive
- is not in contradiction with CEPT policy

Technically, this conclusion is sound. In particular, the use of VHF band III for RTÉ’s two national networks instead of UHF provides unused, high powered UHF assignments which could be used to provide a ‘coverage kick-start’ for an Irish DTT service. However, the use of VHF for DTT should also be considered for the following reasons:
• the coverage provided by VHF transmitters is greater than that of an equivalent cost UHF installation;
• many viewers already have VHF antennas installed at their homes, hence VHF DTT would not impose additional costs on the consumer for this element of their installation;
• it is not in contradiction with CEPT policy;
• there is little interference from the UK which uses band III for low powered, mobile services;
• regional, single frequency networks at VHF could provide low cost coverage to very large areas of the country."

Source: THE FUTURE DELIVERY OF TELEVISION SERVICES IN IRELAND (A Report for ODTR Prepared by NERA and Smith - March 1998 London)