Back to analogue TV!

[Dave2002]

We, in the South/SW area of London seem recently to have been experiencing lower signal levels on digital TV. OK - our main set still works, but a couple of lesser beasts have given up, so we've resorted to going back to analogue. The picture isn't very good, but at least there is one - rather than a message saying something like "check your aerial, etc'".

Could this be anything to do with the digital switchover?

[Angle]

It could be something to do with your aerial.

[Serial_Apologist]

I have a digibox. However, recently, not finding anything whatever worth viewing on digital channels, I have been reverting to analogue for purposes of watching some of my vast collection of VHS tapes. Very annoying it is to be constantly reminded, with a semi-transparent notice which keeps popping onto half of my screen, blocking the picture, that the transfer to digital takes place in April next year.

[Petrushka]

I have a digibox. However, recently, not finding anything whatever worth viewing on digital channels, I have been reverting to analogue for purposes of watching some of my vast collection of VHS tapes. Very annoying it is to be constantly reminded, with a semi-transparent notice which keeps popping onto half of my screen, blocking the picture, that the transfer to digital takes place in April next year.

We've been fully digital for a couple of months now and the problems you are experiencing down there are fairly typical of what happened here. The technical boys are probably doing work on the transmitters. You shouldn't have any problems once the switchover takes effect apart from the need to re-tune a few times which is a bit of a pain. That done all should be well. Reception here is much better than it once was.

[barber olly]

Analogue?

[rauschwerk]

When the analogue signal is turned off in your area, the digital signal will be boosted and that will almost certainly help. Even so, it would be just as well to get your aerial checked.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Our Freeview channels with the lower strength signals (ITV3, etc.) crack up completely when there is the slightest breeze. We've had the aerial checked and it's perfectly stable. In very bad weather, even Freesat is affected. However, the analogue signal remains constant, though not very good!

[Dave2002]

It could be something to do with your aerial.

Elementary my dear Watson, but unfortunately we have several aerials, and several sets, so can compare. Our roof mounted aerial, which we also use with boosters into our TV, still gives good results, but other less effective aerials, which until now have proved satisfactory, are now not good enough. I really don't want to have the house rewired, or have one of these in the kitchen.

[MrGongGong]

KITCHEN ?

Surely a kitchen is a place for preparing (and eating) food ???
how would a TV ariel help you create the perfect Souffle ?

[Richard Tarleton]

In our very rural W Wales location a Sky satellite dish is technically the only option since our analogue switch off - but we opted for Sky 10 years ago as our analogue signal was always very poor, and no chance of getting a digital signal any other way. We recently upgraded to Sky+HD - fantastic. Inter alia some great music broadcasts on Sky Arts, on which Mr Pee had a thread a while back. I watched an excellent Lied von der Erde recently with Abbado/BPO. Frozen Planet - brilliant.

[old khayyam]

Werent they announcing a digital switchover a few years ago? I seem to remember a TV trailer studded with a string of celebrities (I can only remember Penelope Keith) telling us the switchover will occur the following year. Somehow i knew it wouldnt happen.

[Richard Tarleton]

In some parts of the country it's already happened, the analogue signal has been switched off. I think they began with the Celtic fringe, NW and SW as they were easier areas to experiment on.

[Norfolk Born]

Most of East Anglia switched earlier this year, and Freeview users served by the Tacolneston transmitter require one final retune later this month. The switchover seems to have been very largely trouble-free.

[VodkaDilc]

In our very rural W Wales location a Sky satellite dish is technically the only option since our analogue switch off - but we opted for Sky 10 years ago as our analogue signal was always very poor, and no chance of getting a digital signal any other way. We recently upgraded to Sky+HD - fantastic. Inter alia some great music broadcasts on Sky Arts, on which Mr Pee had a thread a while back. I watched an excellent Lied von der Erde recently with Abbado/BPO. Frozen Planet - brilliant.

The analogue system here disappeared in September. However, having started using Sky some years ago (when Artsworld, now Sky Arts, first appeared), it has made little difference. I agree that there are some excellent arts programmes available - and that Sky+ is indispensable (Fast forwarding means no more adverts!)

Reception with Sky is excellent 99%+ of the time. The only weather 'events' which have caused problems are heavy snow on the dish (obviously), which has happened only once, and less rarely, but still only very occasionally, very heavy cloud, perhaps just before a severe thunderstorm. In the first case a long-handled brush was necessary; in the second, a wait of a few minutes while the cloud passed.

[MrGongGong]

In some parts of the country it's already happened, the analogue signal has been switched off. I think they began with the Celtic fringe, NW and SW as they were easier areas to experiment on.

aaaah yes up in the "testing ground"

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