New tv issing channels on analogue UPC

omniscient_toad

I've been trying to tune in a Pansonic TX-P42G30B receiving analogue UPC and for some odd reason despite manually scanning through all frequencies all I can find are Channel 4, E4 and the Discovery Channel. It's a UK spec tv but this should only be relevant to digital Saorview/Freeview compatibility rather than analogue shouldn't it? The signal seems fine as an old crt I tried it with is capable of tuning everything in fine so I'm not sure what to try next!

The Cush

omniscient_toad wrote: »

It's a UK spec tv but this should only be relevant to digital Saorview/Freeview compatibility rather than analogue shouldn't it?

No VHF tuner on UK spec Panasonics, the channels you've tuned in are in the UHF band, the others are in the VHF band. A know issue/problem with Panasonic UK models when used in Ireland.

Once upon a time I went to purchace a hi-tech Panasonic VCR/DVD combi in Limerick but the shop was good enough to point out that it didn't have a VHF tuner and so wasn't of any use to me as I received RTÉ from Mullaghanish in the VHF band. Haven't been a fan of Panasonics since.

dowtchaboy

Any of the old farts on here remember the yoke that was available years ago to convert UHF-Only TV's to be able to receive VHF? Was it called a Tele-Verta perhaps?

The OP might be advised to ask at an old-fashioned TV shop if there's one lying around!

omniscient_toad

Cheers guys that's very helpful I had no idea the UPC signal carried both UHF and VHF, I might try and run the UPC signal through an old vcr with a tuner or something if I can dig it out and see how that works. It is getting amusingly low tech for a fancy new "smart" tv

Mike 1972

Tele Verta's were also handy for use with older sets when cable TV starrted carrying more than 9-10 channels.

I could never understand why manufacturers bothered having separate models (sans VHF tuner) for the UK market. Surely the cost savings were minimal and were outweighed by

1) Having to tool up production lines to produce separate models for the Republic
2) Alienating users in parts of NI (where RTE was available on VHF) and people shopping/moving across the border/channel
3) The possibility that the UK authorities could have reversed their policy of not using VHF for 625 line television. (Consideration was given to this on at least two occasions)

watty

I had a Labgear converter in 1983 for my TV and VHS. No Woodcock hill then.

winston_1

Panachronic are well known for crippling their products to only work in one country. Look at all the problems with the Freesat TVs with an MPEG4 decoder that would not work with Saorview.
Multiband tuners are cheaper than UHF only types if you check spares price list, presumably due to higher numbers of multiband types sold.

Some years ago I had a brand new Panachronic 14" CRT TV that tuned UHF only. I took the back off to investigate changing the tuner and found it already had a multiband type. A bit more investigation and I discovered that having got into the hidden menus I could change it to tune all VHF/UHF/hyper.
Maybe, just maybe, the same applies to your set.