Everything else

Audio Description

obadmin — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 08:26:46 +0000

Audio Description obadmin 24 October 2018

This help guide will explain what AD (Audio Description) is, how to find out what programmes will have AD as well as on how to turn AD on and off.

What is Audio Description?

AD provides additional audio to compliment the programme by providing commentary to what is happening on screen in between speech. AD is available on all TV platforms (and �鶹Լ�� iPlayer) but is not available for every programme.

How do I turn Audio Description on or off?

How you turn AD on and off will vary slightly depending on the platform you are using. Once enabled, AD will be on by default on all channels until AD is turned off. Select the platform you use for instructions:

�鶹Լ�� iPlayer

Freely

Freesat

Freeview

Sky

Virgin Media

How do I know what programmes will have Audio Description?

Use the EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) on your television. If a programme has audio description, ‘AD’ will be listed in its programme description.

Also, some devices can play a noise when a programme starts to let you know that the programme has AD. Please refer to your manual/manufacturer or service provider.

How to check your cables for water damage

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 16:35:31 +0000

How to check your cables for water damage Anonymous (not verified) 28 January 2019

Cracked, split or damaged cables and connectors can cause reception problems, especially if water gets into your aerial or satellite dish installation. The water will reduce the quality of the signal going through the cable and cause pixelation and loss of channels.

If possible, check the external cable for any signs of damage, such as cracking and tears. Damaged cables can cause reception problems and can allow water into your installation.
Find the cable that goes from your aerial or satellite dish into your television, radio or set top box and unplug it. This may be from a socket on the wall or a direct cable through the wall.
If you are using a satellite dish to receive your television, you will also need to check the LNB and cap for any signs of water damage. You may need to instruct a qualified installer to assist you with this.
If it is a direct cable, check for any obvious signs of water or a green build-up on the connector. If it is from a wall socket check both the connector on the cable and on the wall socket for any signs of water or green build-up. A green build-up is a sign that water has at some point got into your installation.
If you find water damage then it is likely that the cable will need replacing by a qualified aerial installer.

We cannot recommend individual installers. However the CAI (Confederation of Aerial Industries) is a recognised trade body which will be able to put you in touch with one of their members in your area.

Troubleshooting Red Button and Connected Red Button

Vivien.Stuart-Mossop — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 17:29:46 +0000

Troubleshooting Red Button and Connected Red Button Vivien.Stuart-Mossop 07 February 2019

Follow the guidance below for troubleshooting problems with Red Button and Connected Red Button.

Red Button

Follow these troubleshooting steps to resolve issues with Red Button:

Perform a factory reset/auto retune
Both of these actions will reset the memory of the television/set-top box. A factory reset may be called by another term, depending on your manufacturer. For example, ‘First time installation’ or ‘Shipping Condition’.

Clear memory
Perform an auto-tune with the aerial lead removed. This will clear the memory and remove the unwanted, stored channels. The aerial lead will then need to be put back in again and a manual re-tune completed. For more information on manual retunes see Manual Retuning - to restore reception or missing channels
Check for updates
It’s worth checking that the software that is running your television/set-top box is up-to-date. Refer to your manual on how to do this.
Check whether your device is actually using Connected Red Button
If you are trying to access Red Button text services, but instead only are presented options to access iPlayer, you are using the Connected Red Button. If your television/set-top box uses Freeview, and you want the red button text services, you could try disconnecting the television from the internet and restart it.

It’s possible that your television does not have the technology (MHEG) to support Red Button. This is more common on newer devices. If this is the situation for you, Connected Red Button will be the only option, and the television would need to be connected to the internet.

Connected Red Button 

Follow these troubleshooting steps to resolve issues with Connected Red Button:

Restart the television/set-top box and check the internet connection
It’s always worth restarting the television, by switching it off at the plug and back on again. And as the Connected Red Button requires the television/set-top-box to connect to the internet, check the internet connection. See whether iPlayer (or another on-demand streaming service) works. If it doesn’t, then the issue is with the internet connection.
Check for updates
It’s worth checking that the software that is running your television/set-top box is up-to-date. Refer to your manual on how to do this.
Check whether your television is actually using (broadcast) Red Button
If your Red Button contains text services, like news, then you are not using the Connected Red Button. Try connecting your TV to the internet if you would like to try Connected Red Button. If you still cannot access Connected Red Button, check whether your television/set-top box supports ‘HBBTV’, which is the technology required to run Connected Red Button. You may need to confirm this with the manufacturer.

Subtitles

Jane.Frydenlund — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 18:11:39 +0000

Subtitles Jane.Frydenlund 05 April 2019

Subtitles have been developed to improve access to television for people with a sensory impairment.

Subtitles are available on all television platforms and set out on screen the words being spoken. When you record a television programme, the subtitles will also record, even if you do not have them switched on.

While subtitles are accessible on all television platforms, they may not be available for every programme. To turn subtitles on or off, there is normally a button on the remote control.

What do aerial filters do?

Jane.Frydenlund — Fri, 24 May 2019 13:08:23 +0000

What do aerial filters do? Jane.Frydenlund 24 May 2019

An aerial filter is used to prevent unwanted signals from reaching your equipment, whilst allowing the wanted ones to pass through unaffected.

Some filters may need to be installed before any amplification, while others should be installed directly before the receiving equipment.

A qualified installer should be able to suggest the best option for you.

High-pass filters

Filters stop unwanted signals from radio amateurs and CB enthusiasts which can interfere with TV and radio reception. Since many amateur transmissions are lower in frequency than TV and FM signals, a high-pass filter can be fitted to the receiver to prevent the low frequency amateur signals from reaching it and causing problems. High-pass filters are a common component in what are known as ‘TVI' filters, sometimes called ‘TETRA' filters.

Band-Pass filters

Band-pass filters allow only a range of required frequencies through, rejecting all others. Band-pass filters must be specified for the correct use. For example, using a television band-pass filter on an FM tuner will prevent reception of FM signals - and vice versa.

Braid Breakers

Braid-breakers work by preventing low frequency signals from reaching TV or FM equipment down the outside of the aerial cable. If you have several devices connected to your equipment, you may need to fit filters to the inputs of all of them.

Ferrite rings

Sometimes strong, amateur signals can interfere with audio equipment as well as TV or radio. This usually happens because the loudspeaker wires or mains cables act as ‘aerials' and conduct the signals inside the case. You can wind a short section of the cable in question around a ferrite ring using a number of turns, and to do so as near to the hi-fi /TV/radio as possible.

Examples of filters, braid breaker and a ferrite ring

Qualified Installer

The �鶹Լ�� cannot recommend individual Installers. The CAI (Confederation of Aerial Industries) is a recognised trade body which will be able to put you in touch with one of its members in your area.

Is my problem reception or interference?

Michael.McAuley — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 10:51:02 +0000

Is my problem reception or interference? Michael.McAuley 16 October 2019

Sometimes it's difficult to know whether the problem is due to poor reception or to interference. It’s important to try to find out which because the causes and solutions can be quite different.

If you’ve had the problem continuously for some time and especially if it is not affecting neighbours using their own aerials, it is likely to be a reception problem. If it occurs intermittently, but reception is otherwise good and it affects your neighbours’ reception at the same time in the same way, it’s more likely to be interference.

Reception problems can be caused by a number of different things. They are normally the responsibility of either the householder or the broadcaster to overcome, depending on what it is. It could be due to a problem with how you receive the signal or your aerial could be damaged.

Interference happens when an unwanted signal is received along with the wanted broadcast one, which itself may be perfectly good. This disrupts your ability to receive your wanted signal. When the unwanted one isn't there, reception is normal. Usually the only way to solve the problem is either to get rid of the unwanted signal, or take steps to avoid picking it up. You may need outside help to do this, although certain types of interference can be caused by something in the home, or be due to a problem with the installation.

Reception problems

Reception trouble is usually the result of one of four things:

1. Set-up faults

Loose cables, incorrectly tuned televisions or set-top boxes and faulty aerials are the most common reasons for reception problems. We have installation guides for each platform in our Help Guide section.

2. External factors

It is important you have a clear line of sight between the aerial and the transmitter anything in the way, like a large tree, will disrupt reception.

3. Weather

Weather such as high pressure, or very heavy rain, can affect reception, but normally only for a short time. There is usually very little that can be done about this. See How autumn and winter weather can affect reception and what to do about it and How can high pressure affect my Freeview reception?

4. Transmitter problems

We occasionally undertake maintenance, or a fault may occur. Please use our transmitter checker tool which has live updates on any faults or maintenance.

Interference problems

Interference faults usually have a distinct pattern and will often start and stop at around the same time each day. Here are some examples of interference sources:

Thermostats

Should the thermostat in your home, or a neighbour’s home, develop a fault it can disrupt your reception. This is caused by an electric spark which is picked up by your radio or television and blocks the signal for a very short time.

Faulty lights or LED lamps

Low-voltage, LED lamps can sometimes cause interference. The problem is worse with 12V types. The more lamps switched on at the same time, the worse it becomes. Also, fluorescent lights and street lights cause problems when they become faulty. Typical examples are the break-up or freezing of TV pictures and breakthrough on your radio. The time of the problem can change depending on the time of year and when it gets dark.

Taxis

Problems can occur either when the viewer or listener lives very close to a base station, or where taxis congregate (railway stations, supermarkets, clubs etc.) close to a residential area. However, it is important to realise that the mechanism by which reception can be disrupted is not the fault of the taxi companies, but a proximity effect.

Passing traffic

Every time traffic passes the property there is an interruption to the wanted signal which is not affected at any other time.

Problem Assistant

To help you we have created a problem assistant that will help you to diagnose the problem and work out whether it is reception or interference.

How does bad weather affect my television?

Jane.Frydenlund — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 13:23:47 +0000

How does bad weather affect my television? Jane.Frydenlund 16 November 2022

In autumn and winter, we can expect wetter conditions, strong winds and snow, all of which can cause problems with your television reception. We’ve brought together some guidance on the different types of weather conditions, the problems they can cause and what you can do.

Before we start, remember to use our transmitter checker tool first to see if there is a known problem.

Rain

Water can get into the aerial system. This is usually caused by cracked, split or damaged cables. It can cause a break-up or loss of channels until the system dries out, which could be a while after the weather changes. Wet leaves on nearby trees can also cause problems.

Freesat and Sky users could also experience problems when very heavy rain interrupts the signal to and from the satellite. The rain maybe locally or where the services are uplinked to the satellite. Whichever the case, it is usually short lived, and services will return to normal afterwards.

It might be worth getting the aerial or satellite system checked by an aerial engineer.

You can read more on what to look for in our help guide How to check your cables for water damage.

Wind

Aerials can be moved or damaged by strong winds. Old aerials may become brittle and parts of the aerial can be damaged by the wind and reduce the capability of the aerial. This is also true of the cables from the aerial, especially if it is not securely attached to building. A lose cable is more likely to become cracked or split. This can cause reception to break-up or be lost completely.

Satellite dishes can be moved out of alignment by the wind. With satellite reception, even a small amount of movement can affect the signal.

If you are experiencing reception issues after strong winds, consider getting your aerial or satellite system checked by an aerial engineer.

Snow

We mostly hear of snow causing problems to satellite reception, rather than Freeview. A build-up of snow on the dish and LNB (the unit in the centre of the dish that receives the signal) can affect reception. If the dish is at a low level and safe to access, carefully try clearing the snow off (without moving the dish). Otherwise, reception will return when the snow starts to melt.

Aerial Engineer/installer

If you continue to have problems once the weather improves, consider the use of an aerial engineer/installer. We cannot recommend individual companies. 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.

�鶹Լ�� iPlayer and �鶹Լ�� Sounds

If you still have the access to the internet when the weather is causing problems to your reception, consider using �鶹Լ�� iPlayer and Sounds until the weather changes or until the problem is fixed.

How to listen to �鶹Լ�� Radio online

Steven.Derrick — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 11:58:13 +0000

How to listen to �鶹Լ�� Radio online Steven.Derrick 18 July 2023

Listening to �鶹Լ�� radio online can provide a more personalised experience and offers additional features you do not get with traditional ways of listening. Here are all the ways you can listen:

�鶹Լ�� Sounds website

You can access the �鶹Լ�� Sounds website from your computer or smartphone/tablet web browser.

Smart Speakers

Ask your smart speaker for your favourite �鶹Լ�� radio station. To find our more, visit our FAQ - Can I use �鶹Լ�� Sounds on my Smart Speaker?

�鶹Լ�� Sounds App for your television

Most connected televisions that support �鶹Լ�� iPlayer also support the �鶹Լ�� Sounds app. To find out more, visit our FAQ - How do I use �鶹Լ�� Sounds on my TV?

�鶹Լ�� Sounds App for your smartphone/tablet

The �鶹Լ�� Sounds app is available for Android and Apple smartphones and tablets and offers more features than accessing �鶹Լ�� Sounds from a web browser. To find out more, visit our FAQ What is the �鶹Լ�� Sounds mobile app?

When using �鶹Լ�� Sounds on a mobile device, as well as streaming stations and programmes on your Wi-Fi network, you can also listen over a mobile phone network. This will use mobile data, so be aware of your allowance. To help with this, you can download programmes and podcasts before leaving home.

Internet Radio Devices

�鶹Լ�� live radio is also available on internet radio devices. Please check with the manufacturer/retailer whether a specific device supports �鶹Լ�� radio. You may also find the following FAQ useful - How can I get �鶹Լ�� Sounds on my Hi-Fi?

Need further help?

If you need help using �鶹Լ�� Sounds or have further questions, head over to the �鶹Լ�� Sounds help site.

How to listen to �鶹Լ�� Radio on your television

Jane.Frydenlund — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 06:45:26 +0000

How to listen to �鶹Լ�� Radio on your television Jane.Frydenlund 22 September 2023

It is possible to listen to Radio on your television or via the internet if you are unable to receive either FM or DAB at your location?

Radio on TV

On your television, you can listen to all the �鶹Լ�� network radio stations, such as �鶹Լ�� Radio 2. You will also find all our digital only stations, such as �鶹Լ�� Radio 4 Extra. Depending on the platform, you may also be able to find several �鶹Լ�� local radio stations or nations radio stations appropriate to where you live.

All you need to do is select the channel number of the station you would like to listen too. For example, on Freeview �鶹Լ�� Radio 4 Extra can be found at channel (EPG) number 708

See the links below for the radio channel numbers for all the TV platforms.

Freeview – list of channel numbers for radio

Freeview Play - list of channel numbers for radio

Freesat/Sky – lists of channel numbers for radio

Virgin cable - list of channel numbers for radio

�鶹Լ�� Sounds App for your television

Most connected televisions that support �鶹Լ�� iPlayer also support the �鶹Լ�� Sounds app. To find out more, visit our FAQ - How do I use �鶹Լ�� Sounds on my TV?

Changes to Radio 4

Jane.Frydenlund — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:42:52 +0000

Changes to Radio 4 Jane.Frydenlund 15 February 2024

Radio 4 is no longer be available on medium wave. Medium wave listeners need to retune their radio to Radio 4 on FM or DAB, or listen via smart speaker, �鶹Լ�� Sounds or digital television.

Radio 4 on longwave

Daily Service and the extended edition of Yesterday in Parliament are now available on �鶹Լ�� Radio 4 Extra on DAB, Digital TV and �鶹Լ�� Sounds, this change happend on the 1st April.

Upon its return, Test Match Special will continue uninterrupted on Radio 5 Sports Extra on DAB, Digital TV and �鶹Լ�� Sounds.

The Shipping Forecast will continue to be broadcast on �鶹Լ�� Radio 4 twice a day (weekdays) and three times a day (weekends). This will be available on all platforms: FM, DAB, �鶹Լ�� Sounds, Digital TV.

The LW platform is owned and operated by a third party. It is coming to the end of its life as a technology.

With the continued migration of listening from Longwave to other platforms offering enhanced quality listening such as FM, DAB and online, it is anticipated that the Longwave service will cease at some point in the future. A decision on when this will happen has not yet been made. Such decisions are not taken lightly and are evaluated to ensure that alternative means of listening are available for the audience to enjoy our services.

Radio 4 on medium wave

Effective 15th April, Radio 4 is no longer be available on medium wave. Medium wave listeners will need to retune their radio to Radio 4 on FM or DAB, or listen via smart speaker, �鶹Լ�� Sounds or digital television.

Teleswitching

The �鶹Լ�� do not own the Radio Teleswitching System (RTS), we simply deliver the signal using our transmitter on behalf of the Energy Networks Association (ENA).

The �鶹Լ�� has a long-standing relationship with the ENA to transmit Radio Tele-switching data on 198kHz alongside the �鶹Լ�� Radio 4 Longwave signal. Ofgem is the regulator for the RTS system, for more information visit the Ofgem website

Energy regulator Ofgem has set binding annual installation targets for electricity suppliers to roll out smart and advanced meters to their remaining non-smart customers. Radio teleswitches are being replaced as part of the smart meter rollout programme. To enable the programme to continue the life of the radio teleswitching system has been extended through to June 2025.

If you have any questions regarding Economy 7, Economy 10 storage heaters, moving to a smart meter, or Radio Teleswitch, please contact your energy supplier. You may also find information on the Energy Networks Association website helpful.

More information about the changes to Radio 4 can be found in this blog