Freeview problem

[batman]

I re-scanned the channels on my Freeview box yesterday as I received a message telling me new channels were to be added. I have done this several times before without a problem. However this time all the channel setting are all over the place and half of them have 'delete' next to them. All the channels are there including the new ones. I cannot seem to return things to 'normal'. Any suggestions or helpful hints would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Steve Crook]

name='batman']I re-scanned the channels on my Freeview box yesterday as I received a message telling me new channels were to be added. I have done this several times before without a problem. However this time all the channel setting are all over the place and half of them have 'delete' next to them. All the channels are there including the new ones. I cannot seem to return things to 'normal'. Any suggestions or helpful hints would be appreciated. Thanks.

Switch it of and on again

Seriously, it is generally good advice. Pull out the power lead. Wait 10 minutes, then power it back up again.

If that doesn't sort it out, call the help line



Steve

[MovieLover12]

Same here, my channels are all over the place with delete next to them.

[Steve Crook]

name='MovieLover12']Same here, my channels are all over the place with delete next to them.

Sounds like they've screwed it up at their end - or sent you all a dodgy update

Call the help line



Steve

[sippog]

I read somewhere that they have changed some aspect of freeview transmission - a frequency or something - so that older model set-top boxes don't work any more. Apparently you can upgrade the chip in them but it may not be economical to do so.

[MovieLover12]

I never had an update, I only got them scrambled after retuning after the box said, "No Signal".

[MrT]

Approximately 250,000 okder freeview boxes will not work after the latest "upgrade" - mine included - because they are not "digital ready". This will include ALL boxes five years old. All I got after the upgrade was a totally blue screen - the upgrade gave the nox a mortal blow.



Yet another example of built in obsolescence. Like the early dvd recorders that could only write to 1 x 4 speed discs and nothing higher. (Try getting those now in either +d or -d format)



Mike (MrT)

[Steve Crook]

So that "one off payment" everybody had to make for Freeview ...

... now has to be topped up with another payment.



Nice



Steve

[batman]

Thanks all ...... my box is exactly 5 yrs old, we got it after coming back from our first holiday with TBW. I suppose it's another ploy to get us to buy a digital TV before we actually need to, but will any TV we buy now be obsolete in 5 yrs too?

[julian_craster]

You can buy a new Freeview box for £16.95 from latest Argos catalogue.....my first box 5 years ago cost £125 from Dixons !



5 years use is pretty good for a box you use every day......so I should throw it away....

[David Challinor]

Clearly the great path of Progress is being made here chaps....for the electrical shops more money, and for the environment more burdensome useless plastic boxes being tipped away.



How much are electrical retailers paying for that little lousy Digital character to be advertised?



...I guess many of you are for the digital-takeover. I for one am not, for one major reason:

All too often our shaky signal in Surrey goes down and guess what we end up doing - that's right, heading off to our precious analogue signal. Analogue WILL be missed unless someone seriously pulls their finger out. Why can't the signal-switch off be delayed until the technology beds in another decade?



I bet others are having similar probs - are you forever 'rebooting' your box? We have already Progress huh!? we already have one useless freeview box in the shed!



And have you noticed how little is being said by govt/media about all the useless analogue-only TVs being chucked into our great holes in the ground in the next decade (and please, nobody give me that line that people will rushing out to buy several digi-boxes for the black & white telly in the attic or in the caravan ...those tellies will go on the skip - there you go! Skip Hire - now that's a gonna be a growing market in our shaky economy!)

[batman]

In general our Freeview signal is pretty good, but we do have to reboot the box at least once a week. I have thought about all the TVs that will be chucked ut in a few years. One chap I know recycles old TVs into fish tanks!

[rskershaw]

These are the boxes that no longer work



BBC - Newsbeat - Technology - Some Freeview boxes stop working



However, if you want Freeview HD, we will all have to get new Freeview boxes anyway



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7328029.stm

[julian_craster]

If you want HD you should seriously consider FREESAT....wider choice of HD channels....

[rskershaw]

name='julian_craster']If you want HD you should seriously consider FREESAT....wider choice of HD channels....

Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to hang a dish outside my property and cable does not cover my area.

[autolycus]

name='julian_craster']If you want HD you should seriously consider FREESAT....wider choice of HD channels....

Um, yes, one! BBC HD :-( and that only broadcasts half a dozen (usually repeats) per day. ITV does put out the occassional HD program, on the red button, but it's hard to know when. Oh, and there's Luxe TV - not sure what that's all about.



Some other HD channels are avaiable via sky, but these aren't strictly freesat.



So, no need to rush out and buy a freesat HD box, tho' freesat might be an option for people like David who have trouble getting a freeview terrestrial signal

[EHV_Emmetts]

name='rskershaw']Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to hang a dish outside my property and cable does not cover my area.

I'm in the same boat as you.

[batman]

After buying a new Freeview machine and recovering the channels ..... I have now lost them all again! When we switched on this morning there was no picture and the onscreen instructions read 'no signal - retune channels', so I did and everything promptly vanished. Any ideas anyone?

[Bernardo]

Happens to us too sometimes but we are on the East Coast and will be the last area to go fully digital so our signal is weak. We tend to lose the signal early morning if the engineers are tinkering but more often during extremes of atmospheric pressure. We have a wacking aerial on the roof of a three storey house with no obstacles and we suffer your problem while 12 miles away to the North my daughter has a 9 inch aerial in the loft hanging, nay swinging on a piece of wire and gets 100% reception! I do not think the technology is quite there yet, same for DAB radio. Reference above to freesat, I am a gadget freak and have freesat in the bedroom, true only one HD plus ITV if you are lucky only advantage over free sky is you do not get a host of channels that smuggly tell you to phone and pay.

[batman]

name='Bernardo']Happens to us too sometimes but we are on the East Coast.

I am only a few miles from the East Coast. Thank goodness most of the programmes are rubbish so at least we're not missing much. Our analogue reception is still OK.