Poor Digital/Freeview Reception on ITV/C4 in East Dulwich?

[p_in_ed]

Over the last few weeks I've noticed sporadic poor reception on all of the ITV/C4 digital channels that I receive through my Freeview box. Is it just me/my aerial? Or is it a general problem in the area? I wondered if it was related to engineering work on the Crystal Palace transmitter in some way. Some nights it's fine, some nights it's lousy. Any ideas? Or do I just need to get someone to look at my aerial?

[CamberwellOz]

I live at the top of Camberwell Grove and ours is always bad. Dropping in and out for no real reason.

[Brendan]

I think it?s the cloud cover. Ours has gone all banjoed in the last few weeks as well but I seem to be noticing a pattern. When there are clear skies the reception is better.

[tiddles]

I gave up on freeview as our service was very intermittent despite having a brand new aerial installed. Had to go to cable

[woodie]

i tried freeview and it was really bad. seemed i needed to reduce the signal because we are so close to crystal palace tower.

what i was told anyhow. seemed nuts..

[ianr]

CamberwellOz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I live at the top of Camberwell Grove and ours is

> always bad. Dropping in and out for no real

> reason.

Drop-outs for a second or two can be due to local electrical interference. I can get them just by switching something like a heater or lamp on or off nearby. And in the front room, some is very obviously due to passing traffic: a two-stroke bike is an obvious culprit, though a few 4-wheelers also seem able to cause it. That's all using indoor aerials, btw.

[timtim]

Considering how close we are to the Crystal Palace transmitter, the Freeview reception is cr@p. We switched to Virgin and wouldn't go back.

[ed_pete]

I'm not an expert but I believe it's common misconception that the proximity of East Dulwich to the Crystal Palace transmitter should guarantee a good digital (Freeview) picture. With digital tv the signal quality is as important as signal strength and that is affected by the quality the aerial, cable and connections. In my case the strength of the signal was too high for my Freeview box decoder, which I cured using an attenuator - a gizmo that lowers the level of the signal. This could be worth a try if you are confident your aerial and cable are OK.

Loads of information out there about digital tv and reception issues all over the internet - this site I found reasonable accessible to the layman.

[CamberwellOz]

We have bought several aerials (some quite expensive) and it made no difference. In the end we use a metal coat hanger.... it works the best. Go figure.

[ed_pete]

Analogue or digital, i.e Freeview ? Analogue is far more forgiving on signal quality.

[LuvPeckham]

glad this has been raised as I get a really awful signal even with a super new (size of the loft) ariel installed... Lord help us all come the switch off day... I can't even get 5 now... (then again it is also rubbish on analogue too)

[Brendan]

We have always had trouble (we have an indoor aerial) Then about 4 months ago I got another aerial that worked perfectly until just recently it went all crap again.

[ed_pete]

Freeview boxes also vary in quality. Until recently our Philips Freeview box (fed from a rooftop aerial) connected to our kitchen TV regularly froze and had to be turned off/on again to reset. I've switched to a Sony VTU-D800U - which seems to be considered "the daddy" of set-top boxes - and so far its worked perfectly. Regularly available on ebay for ?40-50 as people buy new TV's with in-built tuners. Can also be bought new for arounf ?80.

[jocelyn]

Yeah I live on marmora road and our signal is terrible. Thought it was because we are in a basement but no! I think it must be the area as our TV is really new with a good aerial.

[p_in_ed]

An interesting website ed_pete; thanks for the steer; full of information but complex, and I haven't had a chance to plough through it yet. With regard to the Sony Freeview box, though, I have the same model but still have problems. The poor reception on C4/ITV started earlier in the summer. Prior to that I always had an excellent picture. As far as I can see, nothing about my setup has changed. I've had a good look at the rooftop aerial and it doesn't appear to have shifted. Also, on occasions, I get a good picture now, which makes me think it's nothing to do with the aerial/cables/Freeview box. When I look at the 'Technical Information' item on the Freeview box menu. it often tells me that I have a strong signal but it is of poor quality. I have a suspicion, based on no research and no information, that it may be something to do with engineering work in preparation for the Analogue->Digital switchover. Frustrating.

[ed_pete]

According to this site engineering work is taking place between November and May 09 on the Crystal Palace transmitter but there is supposed to be no effect on digital reception.

[Dez]

I live on Lordship Lane and get perfect Freeview reception. However I did have problems with interference from buses and trucks when I was using just the on board aerial at street level. I installed a loft aerial and I've not had a problem since.