Channel 4 reception

Tue 19 Aug 2008, 20:22

See www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1044291/Up-250-000-TV-screens-blank-upgrade-leaves-Freeview-boxes-obsolete.html

Maybe this is you?

Mon 11 Aug 2008, 18:38

The problem is the conflict between the two transmitters, one analogue the other digital. Signal strength will vary with the weather, especially torrential rain. The BBC's website will not guarantee digital reception in Charlbury, but considering this is a mere ten or twelve miles from Oxford and there's no possibility of any alternative apart from SKY you'll need to retune your digital box every once and a while.

Turning it off and disconnecting the power cord prompts a hard reboot that is sometimes effective in restoring reception on weak signals. You just have to wait for it to scan the stations again.

BT's Vision Box piggy-backs their broadband connection which can mean getting 5 and 5US and better reception on the other digital, but I find it sporadic at best.

Virgins' TV and broadband service is supposed to be excellent, but cable coming to Charlbury before next century is unlikely.

Mon 11 Aug 2008, 16:54

This weekend, we lost all digitial signal. Banbury Aerials installed the new aerial about 6 months ago and its pointed at Beckley. But although the scanner now finds 6 frequencies, it finds no channels. Is everyone else's freeview OK?

Fri 8 Aug 2008, 13:52

buy a satelite dish and throw your old aerial in the recycling bin.

Thu 7 Aug 2008, 10:46

What I have gathered over time is as follows, and I hope it is accurate! The geographically lower areas of Charlbury (Dyers Hill, Market Street, Church Street, Park Street, Nine Acres etc.) can't get a signal from the main Oxford regional transmitter at Beckley, so a very low power relay was set up at Walcot (the mast is very visible beside the Oxfordshire Way). The Walcot relay does not carry Five or any digital channels,so you know if you are tuned to Walcot. I have read that the Walcot transmitter will be converted to digital before the analogue switch-off, but in any case the power of the digital signal from Beckley will be increased at that point.

However, lots of people have found that if they erect an extra tall aerial (and probably install a booster) and point it towards Beckley (near enough the exact opposite direction to Walcot) they can get the Freeview channels -- and of course Five on analogue if they want it. If you look around you'll see quite a lot of these aerials: the one on the Rose and Crown is an obvious example.

As you go up the hill, more and more aerials point to Beckley.

Wed 6 Aug 2008, 21:23

Nice to have C4 back again

Wed 6 Aug 2008, 17:18

I should have made it clear in my post. The webpage link states the position of the transmitters. From the coordinates given it is about 1000ft west of the cottages at Walcot.
I've noticed a drop in signal quality on analogue tv and some digital channels - I assumed it was the new aerial lead I installed last Wednesday!

Wed 6 Aug 2008, 17:17

Tim - your feedback is much appreciated. Funny enough Channel 4 is back to normal now!

Wed 6 Aug 2008, 16:29

I did phone the number you gave Charlotte and they said they have had a few calls today regarding this and they have passed it on to the engineers so they will hopefully resolve the problem.
Cheers Hamish for the comment by the way,had a look at the page you suggested, but drew a blank to be honest with it hopefully things will be sorted soon.

Wed 6 Aug 2008, 14:53

Whoops - I meant Tim (not Tom)! So sorry - how embarrassing! I was so chuffed by getting a thanks – I momentarily lost the plot. Thanks to Hamish too for his info, but haven’t got a clue what it all means. Is our local aerial height too low and the power too weak? Is that also why we don’t have FIVE?

Wed 6 Aug 2008, 14:19

Thanks Tom. Has anyone else rung the number - with any feedback? I rang the other day and told them about the problems with channel 4 and how it affected all in our area (that’s those without Sky) and they did say that an engineer would be investigating. However, I reckon the more people that ring – something is more likely to be done about it.

Wed 6 Aug 2008, 14:03

Wilcote, Wilcot, Whatever... Well put Tim. Just a few minutes on Google turned up the above webpage.

www.bbc.co.uk/reception/transmitters/tv/tv_oxford.shtml

Hmm, do I see a tail between legs' and the smell of humble pie? Got to love that community spirit....

Wed 6 Aug 2008, 11:34

many thanks Charlotte Penn for your information regarding the aerial reception, its nice to see someone out there has some usefull information it seems that some people out there are all to quick to make poke fun at people who may had made a typo error or it could be that they are having a laugh at people that just can't spell im not to sure, anyway we can't all be perfect can we !
As life must be so dull for those that are.
Many thanks again

Tue 5 Aug 2008, 16:03

There's info on transmitters on -www.channel4.com/corporation_faq.html
Here's the number to ring: 0845 0760191. May have been struck by lightning in last week's storms?

Tue 5 Aug 2008, 14:58

Ah well derek they say the answer lies in the soil,maybe thats what they meant and i have been missing it all these years . Sky is good though and you dont need to face walcot then the only down side is you have to pay for 900 odd channels ,but there are some good ones well having said that it does depend on what you like to watch.

Tue 5 Aug 2008, 14:39

When I first moved here four years ago, I got Banbury Aerials to come out and try to improve my signal. I think they told me that the nearest transmitter was, to the best of their knowledge, "up a tree, somewhere in Walcot". Hope this helps!

Tue 5 Aug 2008, 13:03

To be honest I haven't got the faintest idea where my aerial points---I only said possibly Wilcote becasue someone mentioned it and it sounded familiar !!

Tue 5 Aug 2008, 10:53

and these folks are local??

Tue 5 Aug 2008, 08:18

If you lot are trying to locate a transmitter at Wilcot, you're certainly on a wild aerial chase. Not that you'll find one at Wilcote either...

Mon 4 Aug 2008, 10:55

I also thought it was just me and my (not very new) telly. Yes, Channel 4 has been hopeless since last Tuesday. I'm not sure where my aerial points but I assume it's Wilcot.

Mon 4 Aug 2008, 09:00

I thought it was only me who had lost C4 reception i presume that your aerial is pointing towards the Wilcot aerial

Mon 4 Aug 2008, 08:42

has anyone else got bad picture from channel 4 since last tuesday.