Will the digital switch improve reception?

Paranoimia · 03-03-2008, 22:21

We live in a cabled area, and are Virgin Media subscribers, but I have a question about Freeview and the digital switchover.

I have a Sony Bravia and DVD recorder, both of which have built-in digital tuners. However, the reception in the area is and always has been very poor; I have an indoor analogue/digital aerial, basically to feed the analogue GuidePlus system on the DVD recorder. I can only get a digital picture on a perfect day, and then only if all the planets are in alignment and I spin around 3 times and offer prayers to whatever Gods will listen!

We live in a natural 'bowl', and even rooftop aerials offered little improvement in picture quality. Hence the entire local community used to be served by a huge antenna in the centre of the estate, which has long since been removed.

According to digitaluk.co.uk, this area will not switch to digital until 2011. My question is: when the switch happens, am I likely to be able to make proper use of the digital tuners in my equipment?

i.e. Will the switch boost or otherwise improve signal strength and reception? Or is it a case of a permanently poor signal, and being tied to cable until such (unlikely) time as a new transmitter is erected nearby?

At the moment, I feel I'm only using half the functionality of my equipment, and that's such a waste.

webcrawler2050 · 03-03-2008, 23:58

I wouldn't expect so!

Where I was born Grimsby / Cleethorpes, there was a factory that used to "block" Channel 5 and freeview to a certain extent, could this be the cause possibly?

I think *everywhere* in the UK is 2011 I think thats the *general* goal

Matth · 04-03-2008, 22:35

Some sites are sheduled to increase digital transmission power whan analog closes, though if all muxes move to 64QAM, that may only just be balanced by the power increase.

ntluser · 18-03-2008, 06:57

I currently get my TV channels via Sky,Virgin Media and Freeview.

The Freeview is built into my IDTV set and I receive it via a TV aerial.

I can also receive the current aerial signals so that TV Channels 1 to 5 have the usual terrestrial channels (BBC1,BBC2,ITV1, Channel 4 & 5).

This means that when I de-select Sky,Virgin & Freeview I can watch the terrestrial channals, which presumably are analogue at the moment.

When the digital switchover comes will I still be able to receive the digital equivalent of the analogue signals and still watch my terrestrial channels in the way I have described via my aerial?

AbyssUnderground · 18-03-2008, 08:15

My Auntie told me that quite a few areas are running on reduced digital power while transmitters are prepared for the switchover. She had a day a few weeks ago where digital was off all together because they'd turned the transmitter off for her area while they worked on it. Since then however, the signal has been better. They did have some people out to "fix" it thinking it was their aerial but they said it was probably because the transmitter was running on 25% power rather than full.

Have to remember, stray high power RF can kill people

altis · 18-03-2008, 08:49

Yep, digital switchover (or, more precicely, analogue switch off) will improve everyone's digital terrestrial reception.

The switchover (both transmitters and receivers) cannot be achieved overnight so, currently, we are going through a transition phase. This involves transmitting both analogue and digital signals at the same time while consumers buy and install their digital equipment. Unfortunately, all the TV broadcast spectrum is already used up so, in order not to cause any interference to the old analogue service, the new digital signals are broadcast at low power from only a few main transmitters. Once everyone is ready, one of the old analogue channels will be switched off and one of the new digital multiplexes moved into its place. This will have several effects. First, there will be a tremendous boost in power from the main transmitter. Second, all the relays that are tuned to that transmitter will automatically pick up the new digital signal and start re-broadcasting it. Once one multiplex has been switched over correctly then the others will follow.

More details about the whole switchover here:
http://www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk/...ect_report.pdf

Also note the thousands of Gigawatt hours per year of extra electricity this is all going to consume!

King Of Fools · 18-03-2008, 09:06

If you put your postcode and house number into:
http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/

and check the box "I am in the aerial installation trade" then you get a detailed prediction of your reception from now until 2013 as your transmitter and (surrounding ones) go digital.