Freeview

What is the effect of trees on reception?

Jane.Frydenlund — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 12:49:04 +0000

What is the effect of trees on reception?

During wet weather, when covered in moisture, all trees can have an appreciable effect on signals. As trees sway in windy weather the screening effect varies, leading to fluctuations in the quality of reception.

Few people are aware of the effect trees can have on the reception of television broadcasts. The greatest effect of trees tends to be on the higher frequencies, that is on channels 39 and above.

UHF transmissions closely resemble those of light waves. As with light, objects such as hills, buildings, or tall trees can obstruct or deflect the UHF signals, creating deep shadow patterns in which reception is difficult. The screening effect of trees has a further disadvantage in that it can vary greatly with the season and weather conditions, and is especially important in areas where television signals are weak.

When the surrounding trees are below the level of the rooftop, there should be no problem, provided that an adequate roof-mounted UHF aerial of the correct type is used. Where trees are above the level of the rooftop it may be necessary to install aerials so that they are above the trees. This can sometimes be achieved by mounting the aerial on a pole attached to the chimney stack or by using a remote aerial clear of the trees. The problem is more difficult for people who live in single-storey houses. However, it is sometimes possible to site a receiving aerial so that it is below the main branches of the trees. If there are no other obstructions at a low level, then satisfactory reception may result. When deciding the height of an aerial, allowance should be made for the growth of the tree. It is also possible to install a type of aerial called a ‘grid’ these can give better results than standard ones but it can often be a case of experimenting

If the aerial cannot be mounted above the tops of the trees, the signal will inevitably be weakened in passing through the trees. This is not necessarily disastrous but it may involve the use of a high-gain aerial, possibly with a masthead amplifier. In any case, it is desirable to use a good quality low-loss feeder to connect the aerial to the receiver, and it will often be advantageous to try an alternative position for the aerial - on a different chimney stack for instance.

Jane.Frydenlund 13 January 2023

Why does my recording not always work when using the EPG guide?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 May 2020 15:05:05 +0000

Why does my recording not always work when using the EPG guide?

If the schedule changes, for example news stories or live programmes running over, etc. this can result in the programme not recording. This is because the recorder only remembers the time and channel, and not the specific programme.

Most recorders have an option to add minutes to the start and end of the recording. Refer to your manufacturer's handbook for further instructions. For any live event it is always worth doing this.

Anonymous (not verified) 21 May 2020

Why can't I get the new Freeview Play IP streams?

Jane.Frydenlund — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:16:12 +0000

Why can't I get the new Freeview Play IP streams?

To check if your TV can carry the new IP streams launched in June 2023, please go to channel 100 (the ‘Freeview Explore’ service) on your Freeview Play device and select “Help and Settings.” In the bottom right hand corner of the screen, you will see a collection of numbers and letters which are the ‘Freeview Play platform ID’ – if that ID appears in the list below, then your TV should work with the new streams when connected to the internet.

As long as the TV is connected to the internet, the streams will appear in the EPG. If you disconnect your TV from the internet, the IP streams will ultimately stop being listed and you will not be able to access these services without reconnecting to the internet and retuning.

Below is a list of television brands (and release years) for those TVs which can support the the new IP streams when connected to the internet.

Freeview Play platform ID, shown on Freeview Explore (channel 100)	TV Brand/s - Year of release
HI21-2K	Hisense – 2021
HI21-4K	Hisense, Loewe (by Loewe) - 2021
HI22-962K	Hisense – 2022
HI22-964K	Hisense – 2022
HI22-99	Hisense – 2022
HI23-96	Hisense – 2023
LG22-F22	LG – 2022
LG22-K8AP	LG – 2022
LG22-K8HP	LG – 2022
LG22-K8LP	LG – 2022
LG22-LM21AN	LG – 2022
LG22-O22	LG – 2022
LG23-K8HPP	LG – 2023
LG23-K8LPN	LG – 2023
LG23-LM21ANN	LG – 2023
LG23-M23	LG – 2023
LG23-O22N	LG – 2023

The following devices will get the IP streams after a firmware update at the end of 2023:

V20-MB180G31	Bush, Digihome, Hitachi, JVC, Panasonic, Toshiba - 2020
V20-MB180G32	Bush, Digihome, EGL, Luxor, Nordmende, Polaroid, Solas, Techwood, Toshiba, Walker - 2020
V20-MB181	Altimo, Bush, Digihome, EGL, Hitachi, JVC, Logik, Luxor, Medion, Mitchell & Brown, Nordmende, Panasonic, Polaroid, Techwood, Toshiba, Visitech, Walker - 2020
V21-AFTVBX	Amazon Fire TV - 2021
V21-AFTVJ	Amazon Fire TV - 2021

Jane.Frydenlund 06 September 2023

What should I do if my TV reception gets worse at night?

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:44:09 +0000

What should I do if my TV reception gets worse at night?

If you suffer from reception problems in the evening, this suggests that the signal getting to your television is not quite strong enough. Changes in the weather, temperature or atmospheric pressure can cause an already poor signal to break up or be lost.

To fix this, you will need to look at ways of improving the signal strength and quality. Once your receiving setup has been optimised (so you have a strong signal), if the signal does drop slightly in strength, your television receiver will still have enough signal to prevent the picture and sound from breaking up. We recommend you read the Good Installation Guide for suggestions on what to check.

It is also worth checking whether your television is tuned to the transmitter that supplies the best signal for your location. Use our Transmitter Checker Tool to see if you are in an area where more than one transmitter can be received. Then use our guidance on performing a manual retune, which allows you to tune to the best transmitter for your location.

Get help from an Aerial Installer

If you continue to have problems, consider the use of an Aerial installer. We cannot recommend individual Installers. However, the CAI (Confederation of Aerial Industries ) is a recognised trade body that will be able to put you in touch with one of its members in your area.

If you are a tenant or use a communal aerial system, contact your landlord/managing agent.

Anonymous (not verified) 03 October 2019

Why does �鶹Լ��4 not start before 7pm?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 May 2020 15:10:25 +0000

Why does �鶹Լ��4 not start before 7pm?

Prior to 7pm the frequency is used to broadcast other services. With this in mind, �鶹Լ�� 4 programmes cannot start until 7pm.

Anonymous (not verified) 21 May 2020

Why don't some of the services work on my TV?

Anonymous — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 20:05:03 +0000

Why don't some of the services work on my TV?

When a television reaches a certain age it is no longer supported by the manufacturer. Therefore when services are updated, for example Red Button, Green Button or iPlayer, they will not work on the television sets.

Anonymous (not verified) 03 March 2024

What is 4G and will it cause me interference?

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:47:06 +0000

What is 4G and will it cause me interference?

Mobile phone operators are rolling out new fourth-generation (4G) mobile networks, to provide customers with faster wireless broadband. There is a small chance some 4G signals may interfere with your Freeview reception.

Restore TV provides support for problems with TV received through an aerial - such as Freeview, BT, TalkTalk or YouView - caused by mobile signals. Their role is simple - to make sure you can still watch TV when mobile signals are upgraded.

If you would like more information about 4G, and to determine whether you are affected, simply contact Restore TV on 0808 13 13 800, or visit the Restore TV website.

Anonymous (not verified) 03 October 2019

Why am I receiving the wrong regional news?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 May 2020 15:45:08 +0000

Why am I receiving the wrong regional news?

Your television can sometimes receive signals from more than one transmitter, which may be transmitting different regional news. This is more likely to occur following a retune of your television. To ensure you are receiving the correct regional news programmes from the transmitter your aerial is pointing towards, you will need to do a manual retune. Please see our help guide on a manual retune.

If you are using satellite to watch TV, please see our FAQ here

If you're using cable to watch TV and are getting the wrong regional news, it is likely a technical issue and you'll need to speak to your cable provider.

For help setting the correct regional news on iPlayer, see our FAQ here

Anonymous (not verified) 21 May 2020

Could the quality of my television installation have any effect on interference?

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:47:06 +0000

Could the quality of my television installation have any effect on interference?

Many cases of perceived interference, are a direct result of a poor quality, or damaged installations. It is your responsibility to ensure your receiving equipment is of good quality, and is appropriately maintained. Before proceeding further, you may wish to give your system a health check by a local approved aerial installer. To see what makes a good installation, please see our Good Installation guide.

Anonymous (not verified) 03 October 2019

Will an attenuator help improve reception?

Anonymous — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 11:10:02 +0000

Will an attenuator help improve reception?

Attenuators can be used to decrease the incoming signal if it is too strong without distorting it. It is effectively the opposite of an amplifier, though the two work by different methods. While an amplifier provides gain, boosts the signal, an attenuator provides loss, reduces the signal. Attenuators are always a compromise and should only be used if absolutely necessary. There are many different types of attenuators on the market and it is important that you purchase the correct one for your installation.

Anonymous (not verified) 23 June 2020