Missing HD Channels after move

Steppy

Active Member
I have recently moved into a new build property and had a new aerial fitted in the roof last week, but realised I can now only get the main five HD channels. I am missing BBC4 HD, Channel 4+1 HD, BBC News HD etc.

I queried this with my aerial installer and he said it was due to a recent change where something went from vertical to horizontal, or maybe it was the other way round (sorry didnt really understand what he meant). I am not very technical with this kind of thing, but I did question why I cannot get them anymore as I used to in my old house which was only 3 miles away and get my signal from the same transmitter (Rowridge). He said they could come back and tweak it, but it could make the other channels weak and lose some of them??? Iahve done several re-tunes and get the same result, from my 4000, HDR and built in TV tuners.

I phoned up the Freeview helpline and after some checks they said there is no reason for me not to have all the HD channels and to make sure they fitted a wide band aerial. They talked me through some manual tuning, but all the numbers they asked me to try resulted in no signal. I can just about see the aerial in the loft, but I have no idea if its wide band or not, is there a way to tell?

Guess it would be a good idea to see what my neighbours get, but as yet I haven’t had the opportunity to have a chat anyone

Am I being fobbed off?

Thanks
 
Possibly, yes.
Tell us about where you live (nearby postcode) and 'we' can then see what's what.
The horizontal to vertical is likely to be a load of blx. Depending on the transmitter, you might need a wideband where you had a group A previously (Crystal Palace springs to mind)

The stuff you are missing are transmitted on what are known as Com7 and 8, which are usually lower in power that the 'main' multiplexes.

Without knowing where you are and your most likely transmitter, further specific help will be difficult.

Having said that, If the geezer was giving you channels to tune to, and you got no signal, then the possibilities are
a. Aerial not actually connected /badly connected to coax in the loft.
b. Short circuit in the coax I(badly fitted plugs)
c. Aerial pointing in the wrong direction
d. Wrong band aerial
e. Weak signal because aerial is in the loft.
f. Any combination of the above.
 
Hi Trev

Thanks for the help.

I am in the same SO31 post code, but have gone from 6.. to 8..

The property has aerial points in every room, but he only connected the aerial to the points we needed in 3 of our rooms.

I have noticed that satelitte dishes seems quite popular, so maybe its not a very good reception area even though its only a short distance from my old property.

EDIT: I have just found the Digital UK Coverage checker website and it looks like I am lucky to be getting what I have as it seems I shouldn't even be getting Freeview???

Old address
1539245867515.png

New address
1539245892471.png

I have looked at how to distinguise a wide band aerial so will have a look in the loft when i get a chance.

Thanks
Steve
 
The problem is that the muxes that carry those channels (com 7 and com 8) were moved to much higher frequencies than the historical Rowridge output (group A). This means that unless you have a very strong signal the usual aerials in the area can't catch enough signal. Even a wideband may not work as they have lower gain across their wider range and com 7 & 8 are relatively low power.
I live across the water from you in a weak area or spot which needed a big aerial and amplifier even before the change. I ended up adding a second aerial to grab these two muxes. (See Extra aerial )

Note though that this is a temporary situation and in a couple of years time those muxes will move again or disappear entirely so that (we expect) everything will be back in the group A zone. It's to do with clearing the higher frequencies out for mobile phone use which is needing a lot of shuffling over several years to avoid people losing TV completely for large chunks of time.
 
Hi Mike

Thats interesting, the aerial guy did mention something about a possible change in a couple of years which may result in getting all the channels again, so maybe he is legit.

I think now with yours and Trev's advice I will see how things go. As long as I can get the main ones then I will be happy, but I watch quite a bit of BBCFour content and I think its that one that I am really bothered about, but I will just make do with SD for now.

Thanks
Steve
 
Someone on the IoW solved the problem from Rowridge by putting up another correctly grouped aerial (for Com 7/8) alongside his existing Group A aerial.
 
Who in their right mind puts an aerial in the loft in a marginal signal area?
And you wonder why it doesn't work?
Really?

Is the aerial horizontally or vertically polarised?
I'm guessing it's vertical, as that gives the strongest signals on COM4-6, but no COM7, COM8 or Local.
Changing it to horizontal will make COM4-6 weaker but will give all muxes.

Any decent installer would never have put it in the loft in the first place in such a location.
It's fairly obvious what the next step is.
 
As long as I can get the main ones then I will be happy, but I watch quite a bit of BBCFour content and I think its that one that I am really bothered about, but I will just make do with SD for now.
Yes, it was mainly the loss of BBC four HD that made me go to the trouble of adding an extra aerial as we do watch quite a lot of that.
If you have decent internet you might be able to get better quality for some programs by using iPlayer, though I expect some won't be available there. Record in SD, then when you're ready to watch have a look on iPlayer first.
 
Someone on the IoW solved the problem from Rowridge by putting up another correctly grouped aerial (for Com 7/8) alongside his existing Group A aerial.
You are probably thinking of me - see link in post #4. I'm not on the IoW but someone who was had similar problems and was involved in the discussions in the thread that was running then.
 
Who in their right mind puts an aerial in the loft in a marginal signal area?
And you wonder why it doesn't work?
Really?

Is the aerial horizontally or vertically polarised?
I'm guessing it's vertical, as that gives the strongest signals on COM4-6, but no COM7, COM8 or Local.
Changing it to horizontal will make COM4-6 weaker but will give all muxes.

Any decent installer would never have put it in the loft in the first place in such a location.
It's fairly obvious what the next step is.

Do you really have to give such a brutal reply to someone with little technical knowlege who relies on a professional to do a correct install?

I am asking for some simple advice to which Trev and Mike have very kindly given me some useful pointers.
 
Yes, it was mainly the loss of BBC four HD that made me go to the trouble of adding an extra aerial as we do watch quite a lot of that.
If you have decent internet you might be able to get better quality for some programs by using iPlayer, though I expect some won't be available there. Record in SD, then when you're ready to watch have a look on iPlayer first.

Thanks Mike, I will see how things go for, but again thank you for your help.

Steve
 
Do you really have to give such a brutal reply to someone with little technical knowlege who relies on a professional to do a correct install?
prpr was talking about the person who installed the aerial, not necessarily you.
 
I don't think "And you wonder why it doesn't work? Really?" was aimed at the installer.

There is a restrictive covenant on the property that does not allow roof top aerials so that is the reason it has to go in the loft.

Anyway, thanks again for your help Trev, I will take what I have now and see what the future holds.
 
There is a restrictive covenant on the property that does not allow roof top aerials so that is the reason it has to go in the loft.
Was the one in the old house also in the loft or outside?
Apparently having to get through a roof can cost 30 to 70% of the signal depending on the materials, so it's a big difference.
 
There is a restrictive covenant on the property that does not allow roof top aerials so that is the reason it has to go in the loft.
Is your satellite dish going to go in the loft as well?

Restrictive convenants (like leaseholds) are the spawn of the devil and should be outlawed.
 
Was the one in the old house also in the loft or outside?
Apparently having to get through a roof can cost 30 to 70% of the signal depending on the materials, so it's a big difference.

The old one was on the roof, so with your comment above, it is the obvious reason why I am not getting all the channels I had before. I have no idea why I didn't make that correlation before and didnt realise how much difference that would make...

I am satisified now that what I have got is going to be the best that I can have and will accept that.

Thank you.
 
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