Freeview, channel changes ... are you going to have to re-tune?

[#1]

Watching a film on Freeview, a "splash" was showing that, "if you are watching on Freeview, you may have to retune"...

So I went to this site

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/operations/700mhz_clearance

after a google search "freeview retune 2019"...

It seems that the 700MHZ frequencies are being "re-allocated" for mobile data use... so some channels on Freeview will be moved.

you can check your local area here...

https://www.freeview.co.uk/tvchanges

Enter the post code and your house number ...

[#2]

Our next re-tune listed as Q1 2020 (Sandy Heath transmitter)

[#3]

No retune required for me..

[#4]

Haven't had to retune the TV since god knows when. Even back a few years ago when they were moving channels it was all retuned automatically. But I could do with a new TV, getting onto well over 6 years old.

[#5]

I use the Winterhill transmitter and I get prompted probably at least once a fortnight to retune as the program map has changed.

[#6]

@Browni

We are also on the winter hill transmitter and get the message on both the TV and PVR to update at least once every few weeks.

Absolute pain in the butt.

[#7]

@Browni, @gleneagles, also on the Winter Hill transmitter here, but we've not had to retune in a long time.

[#8]

@pjmarsh

At a guess I would think the reason for the frequent reminders to retune may be to do with either channels changing position in the menu or new channels being added including radio channels.

Odd you do not get these reminders ? Perhaps your system has a automatic update going on in the background ?

[#9]

Some of them maybe.  One is a fair bit older, and it does prompt us to re-tune occasionally, but it hasn't in quite some time.  A year or more, at a guess.

[#10]

[#11]

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@gleneagles wrote:

@Browni

We are also on the winter hill transmitter and get the message on both the TV and PVR to update at least once every few weeks.

Absolute pain in the butt.

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Every other day in our area. To be honest I'll be glad if they do change frequencies here as I swear one of the neighbours is operating some unlawful radio equipment - we randomly get interference that goes on for ages and then completely stops. It's very sudden, no gradual degradation or improvement, it's just like someone has turned something on / off.

[#12]

@7up

Many years ago I was involved in amateur radio and it was not uncommon to get complaints from some neighbours that amateur radio transmissions were causing interference with their televisions, this only applied to certain televisions and was due to the tv manufacturer saving a couple of pence by omitting a filter, the cure was to wrap the tv lead around a ferrite core.

As those holding a licence were legally allowed to transmit the only solution was the above.

Not suggesting that is the cause of your problem but the number of people using the air waves these days from taxis, police and a host of other services it could well be someone using legal equiptment.

I am a bit out of date now but I think you can get some sort of scanner to identify frequency ranges.

Hope you get it sorted.

[#13]

@7up

I'm not sure of the present situation, and depending on which TV channel grouping your local TV transmitter uses, but it was/is possible for 4G telephone signals using the 800Mhz band (previously used for UHF TV channels) to interfere with some TV channels.  ISTR it's possible to order a free inline aerial filter to eliminate this if it turns out to be the likely cause.

Google terms such as 4G TV interference to find out more.

[#14]

Just as a note, if you think there is a chance that your Freeview channels are being affected by 4G signals, you can do a short questionnaire here: https://at800.tv/decision-tree/our-online-diagnostic-tool-will-help-you-determine-if-the-interferenc... and if they agree they'll send you a free filter.


They also have free engineers, you have to be eligible but I can't see where they tell you what determines eligibility.

All of that said, it seems to be mostly aimed at areas where 4G is coming into service rather than where it has been in operation for some time (hence the questions referring to "new" interference) - they aren't entirely clear as to whether you can also get the filter if (for example) you move into an area that is affected and has been for some time.

[#15]

Useless site.

I put my post code & house number in.

It says "Most likely transmitter: Hannington" - I think that's about 50 miles away, in Reading - in reality I use the Crystal Palace transmitter - 10 miles away.

Why do these mobile companies keep nibbling away at the tiny portion of UHF allocated to TV?

Video requires more bandwidth than these people talking nonsense or sending tweets and cat pictures to each other.

They've already got the high bandwidth upper frequencies anyway.