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Terrestrial receiver to suit someone in North, to get Irish and British channels.

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  • 17-09-2020 6:29pm
    #1
    NIMAN
    Registered Users Posts: 32,977 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi

    I know an elderly couple who have been having issues with a Manhatten freeview box recently, in that it keeps losing Irish channels.

    I am assuming there has been frequency changes and since it's not Saorview approved I have to visit and do a retune to get the channels back.

    Is there a box which will do it automatically, AND also get them the Freeview channels from the north?


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    #2
    ei9go
    Registered Users Posts: 1,014 ✭✭✭ei9go


    What about setting the TV to IRL in setup and just using the freeview box for UK channels


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    #3
    NIMAN
    Registered Users Posts: 32,977 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    ei9go wrote: »
    What about setting the TV to IRL in setup and just using the freeview box for UK channels

    I might have to try that. It's a very old tv so not even sure if that would be an option.

    I went and did a retune for them again and most of the Irish channels are not being found. Only getting rte1, rte1+1, rte2+1, virgin media 3 and rte junior. Rest nowhere to be seen.


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    #4
    muffler
    Registered Users Posts: 45,820 ✭✭✭✭muffler


    If its any help the only terrestrial channels I have at the moment is the BBC channels, RTE1 and +1 and VM3. Havent looked at RTE Jr but all the ITV, Ch4, Ch5 E4, Film 4 etc are all missing.


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    #5
    muffler
    Registered Users Posts: 45,820 ✭✭✭✭muffler


    ...and the Freeview channels appear to be all back again but the Saorview channels as mentioned above are still off air


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    #6
    Elvis Hammond
    Registered Users Posts: 491 ✭✭Elvis Hammond


    muffler wrote: »
    ...and the Freeview channels appear to be all back again but the Saorview channels as mentioned above are still off air

    They're almost certainly not 'off air'; just being interfered with due to atmospheric conditions bringing in distant signals that wouldn't usually cause trouble.


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    #7
    jj880
    Registered Users Posts: 4,235 ✭✭✭jj880


    NIMAN wrote: »
    Only getting rte1, rte1+1, rte2+1, virgin media 3 and rte junior. Rest nowhere to be seen.

    Just did a rescan here myself. Only getting the same channels + the saorview information channel. Nothing on the information channel or saorview.ie about channels being unavailable. Strange.


  • Options
    #8
    dxhound2005
    Registered Users Posts: 20,484 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    NIMAN wrote: »
    I might have to try that. It's a very old tv so not even sure if that would be an option.

    I went and did a retune for them again and most of the Irish channels are not being found. Only getting rte1, rte1+1, rte2+1, virgin media 3 and rte junior. Rest nowhere to be seen.
    jj880 wrote: »
    Just did a rescan here myself. Only getting the same channels + the saorview information channel. Nothing on the information channel or saorview.ie about channels being unavailable. Strange.

    You are both getting only one of the Multiplexes (Mux) from the transmitter . From this list try to identify which transmitter, and the frequencies / channel numbers.

    https://www.2rn.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2RN-DTT-Television-Transmission-Network-Sept-2019-Rev.1.2.pdf

    See what signal strength you are getting on Mux 2, which is the one that carries RTE1 and those other channels. There should be a Menu to tell you that.

    You are missing Mux 1 which has RTE 2, TG4, Virgin 1 and 2 plus others. A better aerial installation will get all the channels.


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    #9
    jj880
    Registered Users Posts: 4,235 ✭✭✭jj880


    dxhound2005 wrote: »
    You are both getting only one of the Multiplexes (Mux) from the transmitter . From this list try to identify which transmitter, and the frequencies / channel numbers.

    https://www.2rn.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2RN-DTT-Television-Transmission-Network-Sept-2019-Rev.1.2.pdf

    See what signal strength you are getting on Mux 2, which is the one that carries RTE1 and those other channels. There should be a Menu to tell you that.

    You are missing Mux 1 which has RTE 2, TG4, Virgin 1 and 2 plus others. A better aerial installation will get all the channels.

    Ok thanks for that.

    However I find it hard to believe that all of a sudden mine and someone else's aerial are now defective when yesterday they were fine. Surely either something has changed on saorview's end or it's some kind of outage / issue?


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    #10
    NIMAN
    Registered Users Posts: 32,977 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    Thanks Muffler and co....interesting that a few of us are having the same issues.

    I take it these issues aren't happening on Saorview approved boxes? Just UK freeview ones?


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    #11
    dxhound2005
    Registered Users Posts: 20,484 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    jj880 wrote: »
    Ok thanks for that.

    However I find it hard to believe that all of a sudden mine and someone else's aerial are now defective when yesterday they were fine. Surely either something has changed on saorview's end or it's some kind of outage / issue?

    There are regular posts over the years where people lose one of the Mux's. Please look at the Menu to see what signal strength you are getting on Mux 2. It could be a weak signal but just strong enough to give a stable picture. A very small difference in signal on Mux 1 would result in no picture. Which transmitter are you receiving?


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    #12
    muffler
    Registered Users Posts: 45,820 ✭✭✭✭muffler


    NIMAN wrote: »
    I take it these issues aren't happening on Saorview approved boxes? Just UK freeview ones?
    No box involved. I have 2 aerials which connect directly to 2 different TVs and its been hit and miss all night with both.


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    #13
    Elvis Hammond
    Registered Users Posts: 491 ✭✭Elvis Hammond


    Problems that just cropped up in the last day or two, I'd say are down to atmospheric conditions.

    There's certainly no point rescanning for lost channels.


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    #14
    jj880
    Registered Users Posts: 4,235 ✭✭✭jj880


    dxhound2005 wrote: »
    There are regular posts over the years where people lose one of the Mux's. Please look at the Menu to see what signal strength you are getting on Mux 2. It could be a weak signal but just strong enough to give a stable picture. A very small difference in signal on Mux 1 would result in no picture. Which transmitter are you receiving?

    Ok I looked up my signal strength just now based on your PDF link and looks like I'm getting my signal from here:

    HOLYWELL HILL Donegal Mux1: 22 Mux2: 25

    Looks all good this morning so I re-scanned and all saorview channels are back.

    Glad I posted in here though as I didnt know how to check my signal strength or that there were 2 signals that needed to be checked.


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    #15
    jj880
    Registered Users Posts: 4,235 ✭✭✭jj880


    Elvis Hammond wrote: »
    Problems that just cropped up in the last day or two, I'd say are down to atmospheric conditions.

    There's certainly no point rescanning for lost channels.

    I would never have thought of this.

    Seems to be the most likely at the moment since all the channels are back today.


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    #16
    dxhound2005
    Registered Users Posts: 20,484 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    jj880 wrote: »
    Ok I looked up my signal strength just now based on your PDF link and looks like I'm getting my signal from here:

    HOLYWELL HILL Donegal Mux1: 22 Mux2: 25

    Looks all good this morning so I re-scanned and all saorview channels are back.

    Glad I posted in here though as I didnt know how to check my signal strength or that there were 2 signals that needed to be checked.

    Looks like strong signals from an outdoor aerial. Can you get any Freeview? Limavady, high power and Strabane, low power have some footprint into parts of Donegal.

    https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Limavady

    https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Strabane


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    #17
    jj880
    Registered Users Posts: 4,235 ✭✭✭jj880


    dxhound2005 wrote: »
    Looks like strong signals from an outdoor aerial. Can you get any Freeview? Limavady, high power and Strabane, low power have some footprint into parts of Donegal.

    https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Limavady

    https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Strabane

    Yes I have a double aerial on the roof. I get 122 tv stations in total including the HD channels from N. Ireland. All good quality. There also quite a few radio stations on top of that. The aerial cost 300 euro in 2008 which I thought was a bit steep but it has lasted well.


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    #18
    muffler
    Registered Users Posts: 45,820 ✭✭✭✭muffler


    dxhound2005 wrote: »
    Looks like strong signals from an outdoor aerial. Can you get any Freeview? Limavady, high power and Strabane, low power have some footprint into parts of Donegal.

    https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Limavady

    https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Strabane
    Im in pretty much the same situation. I get Freeview form Strabane and it has been mostly off air all yesterday evening and last night. Havent checked it today yet. The mast is probably about 10 - 12 miles from me.

    I get the Saorview signal from the Ballybofey transmitter which is less than a mile. A lot of those channels wee off air also.

    I have a LG540V telly but i have no idea how to test signal strength or quality.


  • Options
    #19
    jj880
    Registered Users Posts: 4,235 ✭✭✭jj880


    muffler wrote: »
    Im in pretty much the same situation. I get Freeview form Strabane and it has been mostly off air all yesterday evening and last night. Havent checked it today yet. The mast is probably about 10 - 12 miles from me.

    I get the Saorview signal from the Ballybofey transmitter which is less than a mile. A lot of those channels wee off air also.

    I have a LG540V telly but i have no idea how to test signal strength or quality.

    My tv is Panasonic. I went to:

    Menu >> Settings >> Installation >> Signal Information


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    #20
    Elvis Hammond
    Registered Users Posts: 491 ✭✭Elvis Hammond


    muffler wrote: »
    Im in pretty much the same situation. I get Freeview form Strabane and it has been mostly off air all yesterday evening and last night. Havent checked it today yet. The mast is probably about 10 - 12 miles from me.

    I get the Saorview signal from the Ballybofey transmitter which is less than a mile. A lot of those channels wee off air also.

    'Off air' makes it look like the transmitters are down; they're not.

    BBC reception checker for Strabane advises that weather could be affecting reception. Obviously this also applies to reception of other services in the area.


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    #21
    muffler
    Registered Users Posts: 45,820 ✭✭✭✭muffler


    Elvis Hammond wrote: »
    'Off air' makes it look like the transmitters are down; they're not.
    Yeah, its just my poor way of describing it. "Not receiving" or "unable to receive" signals would probably be more appropriate but "off air" is shorter and easier to type ;)


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