Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Martin S on May 5, 2014 at 17:56

Most of the recent posts/discussions are the same problem, I believe nothing to do with equipment but transmitter problem.

If you try to auto tune when the picture quality is low say 10% you get no channels for prime, choice, sommet etc. If you auto tune when the signal is higher your tv/receiver is saving the channels but you get poor quality pixel picture as the quality is variable.

Most posts are saying it was ok before May 1st.

Hope the techos sort it soon after all this is national TV not the Mickey Mouse Channel or Pirate TV.

Permalink Reply by Bel @ Freeview on May 5, 2014 at 18:52

Hi Martin, are you having the same problem?  Are you on the North Shore? Thanks
 
Martin S said:

Most of the recent posts/discussions are the same problem, I believe nothing to do with equipment but transmitter problem.

If you try to auto tune when the picture quality is low say 10% you get no channels for prime, choice, sommet etc. If you auto tune when the signal is higher your tv/receiver is saving the channels but you get poor quality pixel picture as the quality is variable.

Most posts are saying it was ok before May 1st.

Hope the techos sort it soon after all this is national TV not the Mickey Mouse Channel or Pirate TV.

Permalink Reply by Matt on May 5, 2014 at 19:07

I just got home from work and tried the suggestion that was made regarding tuning Panasonic devices and can confirm that I now have Maori TV, Prime, Sonnet, etc back on both my Panasonic TV and HDD recorder.

My setup has the aerial cable going from the wall in my apartment to the HDD recorder, and then another cable goes from the HDD recorder to the aerial input of the TV (so the TV piggybacks off the recorder).  To resolve the issue I disconnected the 'piggyback' aerial cable and did another autotune on the HDD recorder.  The missing channels were picked up and saved.  I then disconnected the aerial cable from the recorder and fed it straight into the TV and did an autotune on the TV - the missing channels were picked up straight away.

Thanks to those who suggested this solution earlier in this thread...

Permalink Reply by Biggles on May 5, 2014 at 19:17

Well done Matt.

This tends to prove it is not a Freeview problem or a Panasonic problem but just the way the tuning is done. Connections other than the absolute minimum required can have a drastic effect when tuning when the signal is weak. Also why I recommend manual tuning. On my Panasonic I did a manual tune and could see the signal strength bar indicate very low initally then increase to 10 over a few seconds. Obviously Autotune can easily miss the signal.

Matt said:

I just got home from work and tried the suggestion that was made regarding tuning Panasonic devices and can confirm that I now have Maori TV, Prime, Sonnet, etc back on both my Panasonic TV and HDD recorder.

My setup has the aerial cable going from the wall in my apartment to the HDD recorder, and then another cable goes from the HDD recorder to the aerial input of the TV (so the TV piggybacks off the recorder).  To resolve the issue I disconnected the 'piggyback' aerial cable and did another autotune on the HDD recorder.  The missing channels were picked up and saved.  I then disconnected the aerial cable from the recorder and fed it straight into the TV and did an autotune on the TV - the missing channels were picked up straight away.

Thanks to those who suggested this solution earlier in this thread...

Permalink Reply by Matt on May 5, 2014 at 19:23

Yeah it's a bit of a strange one - when I was trying the manual scan (before applying the solution above) I was seeing signal strengths of 8/10 - 10/10 for the missing channels and yet it still wouldn't pick them up.  Well at least it's sorted now.  :)

Biggles said:

Well done Matt.

This tends to prove it is not a Freeview problem or a Panasonic problem but just the way the tuning is done. Connections other than the absolute minimum required can have a drastic effect when tuning when the signal is weak. Also why I recommend manual tuning. On my Panasonic I did a manual tune and could see the signal strength bar indicate very low initally then increase to 10 over a few seconds. Obviously Autotune can easily miss the signal.

Matt said:

I just got home from work and tried the suggestion that was made regarding tuning Panasonic devices and can confirm that I now have Maori TV, Prime, Sonnet, etc back on both my Panasonic TV and HDD recorder.

My setup has the aerial cable going from the wall in my apartment to the HDD recorder, and then another cable goes from the HDD recorder to the aerial input of the TV (so the TV piggybacks off the recorder).  To resolve the issue I disconnected the 'piggyback' aerial cable and did another autotune on the HDD recorder.  The missing channels were picked up and saved.  I then disconnected the aerial cable from the recorder and fed it straight into the TV and did an autotune on the TV - the missing channels were picked up straight away.

Thanks to those who suggested this solution earlier in this thread...

Permalink Reply by Alan Cobcroft on May 5, 2014 at 20:34

Something to be aware of in Apartment buildings, Hotels, Motels, Complexes that share an Aerial.

Retune Steps to check

Apartment Buildings have MATV systems in Place (Master Antenna Television) - Basically a shared Aerial.

The incoming TV signal has to be amplified so all receivers (TV's, Set top boxes) all get a good signal level.

These amplifiers normally are set up to only amplify working TV channels, otherwise you get interference from non working channels affecting the service.

As the Kordia channel (Mux 40/45) (FV 5,10,12,14 etc) has changed, the MATV system is not amplifying the new channel (Mux 36/37), hence the loss of service.

Such MATV system's need adjusting and you have to contact your building manager to get it sorted.

Permalink Reply by Denise Taylor on May 5, 2014 at 22:38

Hi Bel thanks for responding, we are below Mt Eden so have the mountain between us and Sky Tower.  At the moment it is on manual scan Channel 37 being my starting point.  Green bar flashing for signal strength but signal quality is a red line.  No channels are showing below these bars. Been scanning for 5 minutes now.  I will happily try anything you suggest.    Many thanks

Bel said:

Hi Denise, your TV already have a box/receiver built-in so you don't need any additional equipment.  What you may want to do is check the troubleshooting tips here and also try what Biggles suggested earlier - manual scan.

What's your location, where is your UHF aerial pointed at? I'll give you the RF CHANNEL numbers for your manual scan if you could please let me know those 2 details. Thanks
 
Denise Taylor said:

Nice to know I am not the only one that cannot re-tune the channels by auto scan or manually on our Panasonic Viera TV.  Panasonic customer care take no responsibility and say Freeview needs to find a solution as it was working fine of our tv before the 1st of May change.  I have done the suggestions posted on this forum of disconnecting recorder then doing a re-scan (many times) but still nothing.  We have the tv connected to an aerial on the roof.  IF we purchased a freeview box would we then be able to get the channels?

Permalink Reply by Bel @ Freeview on May 6, 2014 at 0:21

Hi Denise, if your aerial points to Skytower, then the RF Channel you're entering for manual scan to pick up Prime, Sommet Sports, Choice TV, Parliament TV etc should - i believe - be 36 (not 37).

Added this RF chart to hopefully help with the manual retune process...please let me know if manual tuning with the Skytower RF numbers work for you.  I'll update the troubleshooting process as well to include manual tuning as a must-try as well on the other side of sunrise :)

Let me know if the chart makes sense - want to make it as clear as possible but could do with advice. Thanks in advance

Permalink Reply by Biggles on May 6, 2014 at 8:29

Denise

Which way is your antenna pointing and what polarity (vertical or horizontal)?

Denise Taylor said:

Hi Bel thanks for responding, we are below Mt Eden so have the mountain between us and Sky Tower.  At the moment it is on manual scan Channel 37 being my starting point.  Green bar flashing for signal strength but signal quality is a red line.  No channels are showing below these bars. Been scanning for 5 minutes now.  I will happily try anything you suggest.    Many thanks

Permalink Reply by Denise Taylor on May 6, 2014 at 9:17

Hi Biggles it is horizontal and pointing to sky tower.   As suggested by Bel I am manual tuning right now.  Getting a green bar on signal strength which goes up and down and nothing on signal quality for both Channel 36 and 37.  I have also disconnected the DVD/VHS recorder and only have the aerial cable plugged into the tv.

Biggles said:

Denise

Which way is your antenna pointing and what polarity (vertical or horizontal)?

Denise Taylor said:

Hi Bel thanks for responding, we are below Mt Eden so have the mountain between us and Sky Tower.  At the moment it is on manual scan Channel 37 being my starting point.  Green bar flashing for signal strength but signal quality is a red line.  No channels are showing below these bars. Been scanning for 5 minutes now.  I will happily try anything you suggest.    Many thanks

Permalink Reply by Biggles on May 6, 2014 at 9:23

OK. If pointing at Sky Tower it needs to be vertical or you are wasting your time. If Mt Eden is between you and Sky Tower then I'm guessing Waiatarua might be a better option.  If you can see the Waitakeres then you should be pointing at Waiatarua and Horizontal. Sky Tower will be CH 36 and Waiatarua CH37.

Also Sky Tower is a much lower powered transmitter. I'm on the North Shore and use Waiatarua which is direct line of sight. About 5 years ago I tried tuning Sky Tower  using a STB without success. I can see the top of Sky Tower but couldn't tune a signal from it even when my antenna was vertical and pointed at it.

Permalink Reply by Denise Taylor on May 6, 2014 at 9:37

Thanks Biggles, have tried both 36 and 37 when scanning manually.  I do get a half way green line on signal strength but no signal quality and no channels appearing on 37.  It just says searching.

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