Freeview: The DTT Thread

Although i bet you'd be the first to complain if there was no warning at all.

Five have started running a subtitled promo telling viewers to retune on the 30th to keep receiving Five, it's more bearable than an MHEG overlay.

Retuning guide now on 302.

Isn't it inaccurate - it advises you to do a first time installation, when all that should be required is a full channel scan.

Don't get why they're pushing this retune so much. Understandable to have MHEGs on ITV4 and Five, who will be directly affected, but it feels like they're making this retune out to be a much bigger deal than it actually is.

Because they are clearing a Mux, that's why.

My TV doesn't seem to have a First Time Installation service. My old one did though.

A first time installation will wipe the box. It's probably advised in this fashion so people who are borderline don't get ITV1 on 3 and another region somewhere higher up, which is perfectly possible if you do a channel scan on its own.



Really?

So tomorrow is the big day, and so much mis-information around. I think a number of people though who don't receive all Freeview Muxes will discover this retune will see them lose ITV3 and ITV4, which I think is pretty appalling for the biggest Digital TV provider and the biggest commercial channel operator.

It's all about keeping the "PSB" terrestrial channels on the two remaining PSB muxes (as OFCOM robbed the third), but I feel, and I'm sure many others do too, that in the digital age people expect all services from the PSBs - so ITV1-4 and all of C4's and Fives channels to be as widely available as the main channels, and indeed the BBC digital channels such as BBC Parliament.

Ironically it's all about ensuring BBC HD, ITV HD, C4 HD and Five HD will be available on a PSB mux, but until HD is much more widespread I don't see how 99% coverage (in reality much smaller when HD set-top boxes are taken into consideration)for those channels can be justified over a place for the likes of ITV3, ITV4 and Film4 on a PSB mux. At DSO that will mean 90% coverage, which may not seem too far off - but with 20m+ boxes in circulation, in theory up to 2m could be affected.

I hope I'm actually on Sutton Coldfield & not a bloody relay(I'm just north of Walsall)?

I've got Sky but I've got Freeview on the big telly built in, plus a couple of Pacific STBs from the local Asda bought a few years ago for back up/spare tellies, so I hope those boxes plus the Samsung telly don't die after rescan, like what happened elsewhere last year?

I'd be interested to see what the take up is for Sky & Cable after this, if people on relay transmitters really want ITV 3 & 4?

Sutton Coldfield covers a bloody great transmission area. UkFreeTV map suggests it's theoretically receivable as far south as Tewkesbury and as far north as Macclesfield. There is a relay in Brierley Hill but that's so far south westerly it won't concern you in Walsall.

I don't live all that far away from you (other side of the M6 from Walsall and south westerly Dudley way). Sutton Coldfield is closer to you on the map and I get everything from Sutton Coldfield.

The physical transmitter is located here, not exactly a state secret:
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=52.600822,-1.83386&spn=0.1,0.1&t=m&q=52.600822,-1.83386

Speaking of Sutton Coldfield, apparently work will be going to make it even taller than it already is, 80ft taller. Anybody know if work's started on it yet?

Well Five, ITV3 and ITV4 have gone blank from Winter Hill at 9.35am, tried to rescan but it's still the same, it's great how they're telling people lunchtime is when you should rescan.

Same on Emley Moor. Five still comes up with the MHEG retuning message, but nothing else. ITV3, ITV4 and ITV2+1 are totally blank.