Digital switchover has killed my channels!..

[Kriminal]

Hi,

 

We've recently had the digital switchover in Bristol, so a couple of days ago I done a re-tune to our HD ready telly, and all appeared ok.

 

I got home tonight to find that I've lost ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5, and ITV2 to list the ones I noticed.

 

I scrolled down the list to see if they'd been placed elsewhere in the sequence, but nope....nothing!

 

Has anybody else had this, and how did you correct it (if so)

 

Thanks

[SOD'EM]

I had a similar problem in the 80's.

 

But it was the video that killed the radio star:confused:

 

 

Sorry mate, I couldn't resist.

 

Have you telephoned your digital TV supplier. ie. Virgin Media?

[griffzilla]

Kriminal,

 

What Brand of TV is it? Does it have built in freeview, or do you have a freeview box?

 

G

[nicolee2931]

Have you tried re-tuning the TV?

 

If so this is a common problem with some brands of TV and was expected to happen at the point of switchover. The problem lies withing the Network Information Table (NIT) more info here.

 

Program Specific Information - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

 

The problem you have is the existing software within the TV is unable to decode the new way in which the digital stream is broadcast. This is either because the TV manufacturer has not released updated software, the manufacturer has released updated software but the over air update has been missed for some reason such as the TV being unplugged from the mains, or finally due to incompatible hardware or hardware which is out of date.

 

All you can do is contact the manufacterer to see if there is updated software to fix the issue but I wouldn't hold out for this unless your TV has a CAM or Conditional Access Module slot at the rear as it will be near enough impossible to update over the air.

 

Best thing to do if the TV has been wrote off due to switch over is get a cheap new freeview box and connect that to the set to get your channels back, don't under any circumstances get a new set at the moment unless you know for a fact it will be compatible with the coming upgrade to DVB-T2, it doesn't have to receive DVB-T2 as this is the new standard for HD over freeview it just has to understand how to bypass DVB-T2 signals. As the DVB-T2 signal is probably responsible for the loss of channels on your set.

[andydd]

I had a similar problem in the 80's.

 

But it was the video that killed the radio star:confused:

 

 

Sorry mate, I couldn't resist.

 

Have you telephoned your digital TV supplier. ie. Virgin Media?

 

I assume he means Freeview not Cable.

 

The problem is a known documented one, some (oldish) freeview boxes just can't cope when channels are renewed or moved around, as suggested it may need a firmware upgrade, but for some boxes there is no upgrade and they are unsupported, I recently had a Blu Ray player that wouldnt play any new discs and the company were not going to release any new firmware...I sold it on ebay.

 

Andy

[dx100uk]

all you have to do is a retune

your tv if hd ready will not be one of those that is non compatiable with it.

 

March - June 2010

 

Bristol Ilchester Crescent Transmitter

 

Serving parts of Bristol

The switchover process will start on 24 March and complete on 7 April 2010.

Bristol Kings Weston Transmitter

Serving parts of Bristol

The switchover process will start on 24 March and complete on 7 April 2010.

Mendip Transmitter

Serving parts of Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol

The switchover process will start on 24 March and complete on 7 April 2010.

 

you might find it better to do a factory reset or new install from the menu as this will pickup any software update also.

 

dx

[nicolee2931]

all you have to do is a retune

your tv if hd ready will not be one of those that is non compatiable with it.

 

It depends on brand some Sony & Panasonic HD sets can't handle the split-NIT configuration of certain multiplexes often moving the programs contained in those multiplexes up in to channel 800's. Although it can fixed with a firmware upgrade its still an annoying fix.

 

However the main cause for failure believe it or not is the device missing its over the air upgrade, and the most common cause for this is unpluging the STB or TV from the wall at night. The best advice I can give is do not unplug or switch off at night, leave on standby as these updates are not broadcast on an on-going basis, each manufacturer has a broadcast slot which is repeated several times but if missed can cause a major problem which isn't fixed easily. In the case of a STB it means the unit ends up in the bin, with a TV it normally means a visit into the repair shop for the upgrade which will cost a bit or relying on the manufacturer to sent out a CAM upgrade in the post which will also cost due to additional hardware being supplied.

[dx100uk]

i hear what you are saying which is why i said my last bit about a factory reset

 

as for updates for freeview equipment [over the air] boxes/tv's

the updates are always there [on demand] and leaving a TV on all night is plain stupid, even on standby it will not update itself, as you probably are already aware.

 

as for cable and STB's, then as VM etc often sprout, you should leave your STB in standby overnight.

 

dx

[pin1onu]

Hi,

 

We've recently had the digital switchover in Bristol, so a couple of days ago I done a re-tune to our HD ready telly, and all appeared ok.

 

I got home tonight to find that I've lost ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5, and ITV2 to list the ones I noticed.

I've had this at times with set - certain channels go missing.

 

AIUI it was BBC2 that was turned off on the 24th with the remaining analogue channels being switched off tomorrow (07/04) - you need to do a retune after this.

 

I'd be inclined to wait for the switchover tomorrow and then try a re-tune. I believe the signal strength gets increased when they shutdown the analogue signal.

 

From what I've read the switchover should be pretty much complete after mid-morning on the 7th.