UK & Saorview for elderly person

Jacknaw

Sorry I'm probably asking a question that has been covered several times already but I can't seem to find a definite answer.

I'm helping an elderly person get set up for digital swithover and I'm just not certain on one thing.

They live in south Leitrim quite high up not far from the Leitrim/Cavan border, they currently receive the Irish & 4 UK stations from a roof aerial, although the UK station aren't that clear and are bit snowy.

I have tried a box to check if saorview is okay and it seems fine but I'm not sure what to do with the UK setup.
I know its switching too and that its possible they still may be able to receive the 4 UK stations and more when NI turn up the transmitters to full but this is where I not sure, I know the switchoff is on the 24th same as here, but will I be able to tell before this if the aerial will work or will I have to wait until the 24th to be sure? I seen some places saying that on the 10th Oct the power will be turned up or am I mixing something up.

I was going to leave a box them and run a cable from the box to the TV so they could use saorview and still get the analogue UK staions but it made the UK stations picture far worse so I left them with the old set up for now.

And if the aerial doesn't work for the UK stations, would a satellite and a combo box probably be the best option?

Thanks for any help.

ardmacha

I know the switchoff is on the 24th same as here, but will I be able to tell before this if the aerial will work or will I have to wait until the 24th to be sure?

You'll know on the 10th October when BBC2 analogue is switched off and that channel is used for Freeview. Additional freeview channels will become available on the 24th.

If you have an analogue pciture, albeit snowy then Freeview reception should be possible perhaps with amendment of the aerial kit.

reslfj

Jacknaw wrote: »

...
They live in south Leitrim quite high up not far from the Leitrim/Cavan border, they currently receive the Irish & 4 UK stations from a roof aerial, although the UK station aren't that clear and are bit snowy...

Try to make a note of the UHF channels now used for UK analogue and Saorview. This should allow you to idenfify the two transmitters - Freeview and Saorview.

Then check the direction of their aerial.
Install http://earth.google.com and locate the transmitter(s) and their house and check directions and distance.

You may need two aerials ?

Lars

mrdtv2010

ardmacha wrote: »

You'll know on the 10th October when BBC2 analogue is switched off and that channel is used for Freeview. Additional freeview channels will become available on the 24th.

If you have an analogue pciture, albeit snowy then Freeview reception should be possible perhaps with amendment of the aerial kit.

Try the Page 284 test on Ceefax BBC2 and BBC1, UTV and Channel 4. That is informative.

Jacknaw

ardmacha wrote: »

You'll know on the 10th October when BBC2 analogue is switched off and that channel is used for Freeview. Additional freeview channels will become available on the 24th.

If you have an analogue pciture, albeit snowy then Freeview reception should be possible perhaps with amendment of the aerial kit.

Ah right this makes sense now, so from the 10th on a scan on a soarview box will let me know if the aerial will be okay or not.

Of the current two aerial setup that's there the larger one for the UK staions is there a few decades so may need some work, if work is needed then I'd leave it to a pro, I see on the nationalguild site that there are approved installers in this area, hopefully they wouldn't try to rip off and old person but I'd keep and eye on things anyway.

reslfj wrote: »

Try to make a note of the UHF channels now used for UK analogue and Saorview. This should allow you to idenfify the two transmitters - Freeview and Saorview.

Then check the direction of their aerial.
Install http://earth.google.com and locate the transmitter(s) and their house and check directions and distance.

You may need two aerials ?

Lars

I'm not certain but I'd guess it'd be cairn hill for the Irish ones and possibly Brougher for the UK ones but maybe I'm wrong and its a different one or a relay NI.

mrdtv2010 wrote: »

Try the Page 284 test on Ceefax BBC2 and BBC1, UTV and Channel 4. That is informative.

Is there a particular way to read it or is it just a case of if its clear and not broken then digital will probably work?
(EDIT) I've looked here Techtir and it seems to make it clear enough.

Also will the fact that the current reception is poor enough mean that this test may not work at all? like here if the reception is poor then you can't read teletext as its patchy and mixed up.


Sorry for all the questions guys, you've been very helpful.

ardmacha

Also will the fact that the current reception is poor enough mean that this test may not work at all? like here if the reception is poor then you can't read teletext as its patchy and mixed up

test or no test, most opinion suggests that digital will extend a few Km further than analogue, so I wouldn't panic until 11th October.

coylemj

OP, based on your location you're probably receiving either Belcoo or Brougher Mountain, they are both switching at 6 a.m. on Oct 10th so do a rescan and see what you get, BBC2 analog should be gone at that stage.

The other relays in the Brougher Mountain group are low power (4-11W) and unlikely to make it to south Leitrim.

Jacknaw

coylemj wrote: »

OP, based on your location you're probably receiving either Belcoo or Brougher Mountain, they are both switching at 6 a.m. on Oct 10th so do a rescan and see what you get, BBC2 analog should be gone at that stage.

The other relays in the Brougher Mountain group are low power (4-11W) and unlikely to make it to south Leitrim.

So just so I'm clear, when they turn off BBC2 analog on Oct 10th then they will turn on BBC2 digital fully so if a rescan shows BBC2 digital then it'll likely be okay for the rest however if after the 10th BBC2 analog is gone and the digital BBC2 doesn't show up on a rescan with a settop box then ether the aerial will need work or its time to put up a satellite, have I got this right?

MarkK

BBC 2 Analogue will be replaced by the BBC A Mux, which will not just carry BBC 2 digital, but all of the BBC TV and Radio channels except the HD ones.
So as you say. if the 10 October change goes ok it will be a good indicator that you will get UTV/C4 on the 24th.