DTT Reception

bucks73

Hi all,

Been keeping an eye on this forum for a while regarding the digital trials and now have a question. Last week I bought a new LCD TV. Its an LG 32LG5700 and the main reason for buying it was the price. I looked it up beforehand and from what I could see it wouldnt be capable of receiving the the digital terrestrial tests currently ongoing. Although even in the manual I still cant see anything regarding MPEG2 or MPEG4 signal decoding.

However, today I hooked it up to the aerial in my attic to get the analog channels anyway and did a scan.

As well as the analog channels it found 5 DTV channels (RTE1, RTE2, TV3, TG4 and RTENL Test) and also the four radio stations.

The sound and teletext works perfectly for the radio stations.
The sound and teletext works for RTE1 and RTE2 but there is no picture.
There is no sound, picture or teletext for TV3, TG4 and RTENL.
There is EPG data for all channels.

So Im wondering now is my TV capable of receiving the tests and if so is there anything I can do to get the picture on the TV channels. Could it be my aerial? I have tried using UK and France as the location and has made no difference.

EDIT: Selecting France as location results in no sound or teletext on RTE1 and 2.

I am in Dooradoyle in Limerick and have almost a clear line of sight to Gallows Hill.

Cheers in advance.

danjo

Check the sticky at the top of this forum for a listing of TVs with MPEG4 decoders to see if yours is listed.

I suspect it has only MPEG2 so the sound will be available but no video.

Rick_

If you're getting no picure then the TV is MPEG2 and won't decode the signals. The only way to get pictures working would be to buy an MPEG4 CAM and plug it in to the side of your TV and it will decode and downscale the picture so your TV can display it. That, or wait until the service launches and but a MPEG4 STB which might work better as some MPEG4 CAM's have been reported to run hot and might cause problems later on. Best to wait until the servie launches methinks and look at the situation then?

That or, if you can, leave the TV back and get a different one that is known to have an MPEG4 tuner in it? If they won't take it back tell them you were under the impression it would work with the DTT here and it isn't or something!

zbluebirdz

The **LG**** models have mpeg2.

Most of the newer **LH**** models have mpeg4.

I have a LG 32LH4000 TV and it displays the Irish TV stations with no major problems. One minor thing is the slow channel switching (about 1-3 seconds).

I have a TM-6900 combo box and it is able to switch the Irish channels faster than the LG tv. However, the LG is slightly better at lower signal strength ...

Also, the LG is capable of showing the teletext and subtitles. The TM-6900 combo is having a bit of trouble there (probably because signal strength is not high enough for it).

bucks73

Cheers lads. Thought as much. Think I will wait a while until official set top boxes come out.

patrick whitty

the signal is only 28% from mt.leinester but there are no rte channels on it only 6 terres chs. can any body tell me what terres is.