Hi.

I hope this isn't too much of a stupid question. Last night, several
channels went dark on Freeview; the above, as well as Sky3 and perhaps
others. Now Sky3 is back, but BBC1, 2, 3 are still absent. BBC4 is ok.

I've bounced the Freeview box, retuned SEVERAL times, but still
no luck.

Does anyone know what's happened?


Thanks.


Martin

In article ,
	Fleetie wrote:
> Hi.

> I hope this isn't too much of a stupid question. Last night, several
> channels went dark on Freeview; the above, as well as Sky3 and perhaps
> others. Now Sky3 is back, but BBC1, 2, 3 are still absent. BBC4 is ok.

BBC4 is on the same mux as BBC1, 2 and 3. If you get that, you should
get the others.

I'd suggest a Factory Reset on the Freeview box to clear out the old
configuration.

-- 
Paul Martin

> Hi.
>
> I hope this isn't too much of a stupid question. Last night, several
> channels went dark on Freeview; the above, as well as Sky3 and perhaps
> others. Now Sky3 is back, but BBC1, 2, 3 are still absent. BBC4 is ok.
>
> I've bounced the Freeview box, retuned SEVERAL times, but still
> no luck.
>
> Does anyone know what's happened?
>
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> Martin

You need to tell us the make and model of your equipment.

The BBC channels are using a different transmission standard that your box will
not have encountered before, (8K COFDM)

Some early boxes and even IDTVs are not compatible. Full stop.
S
ome, like my Vestel 80gig PVR need a firmware update applying. See my conversation with
Mark Carver in the recent thread "Winter Hill analogue QRT shedule"
The people giving switchover advice do not seem to be addressing this too well..

See if it hasn't put the BBC channels up in the 800s, this might happen if the receiver
found another BBC multiplex earlier in the scanning process



-- 
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

Graham. wrote:
>> Hi.
>>
>> I hope this isn't too much of a stupid question. Last night, several
>> channels went dark on Freeview; the above, as well as Sky3 and perhaps
>> others. Now Sky3 is back, but BBC1, 2, 3 are still absent. BBC4 is ok.
>>
>> I've bounced the Freeview box, retuned SEVERAL times, but still
>> no luck.
>>
>> Does anyone know what's happened?
>>
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>>
>> Martin
> 
> You need to tell us the make and model of your equipment.

It's a Grundig GDT1500. Google suggests it's from 2003. Googling this
problem doesn't bring up any exact matches; not surprising given the age
of the box and the recent onset of the problem.

I can't see a way in the menu or on the box itself to to a full factory
reset, and others on Google were asking the same question for this STB.
It seems it's not (easily) possible to do that.

Someone did suggest removing the aerial and doing a full auto retune
"to clear out the existing channels".

(Later:) No, that hasn't worked.

> The BBC channels are using a different transmission standard that your box will
> not have encountered before, (8K COFDM)
> 
> Some early boxes and even IDTVs are not compatible. Full stop.
> S
> ome, like my Vestel 80gig PVR need a firmware update applying. See my conversation with
> Mark Carver in the recent thread "Winter Hill analogue QRT shedule"
> The people giving switchover advice do not seem to be addressing this too well..

The STB tells me that the firmware is "up-to-date"; at least no more
recent version is available.

> See if it hasn't put the BBC channels up in the 800s, this might happen if the receiver
> found another BBC multiplex earlier in the scanning process

Someone on Google did report that (800s channels).

(Later:) No, not even in the 800s. It only goes up to channel 728
("Heart").

I guess it might be time to chuck this STB. Given that it was from a
now-ex girlfriend, it will not pain me at all to do so; I'd just rather
not have to shell out for a new one when there was NO BLOODY PROBLEM
before yesterday. From my (and many other people's, apparently) point
of view, the powers that be have taken something that wasn't broken,
and BROKEN IT.

So now I get to shell out 20 or 30 quid for ZERO perceived advantage
(apart from being shot of ex's STB)!

Thanks anyway.


Martin  >:-/

"Paul Martin"  wrote in message 
news:slrnhf3ojn.r02.pm@nowster.eternal-september.org...
> In article ,
> Fleetie wrote:
>> Hi.
>
>> I hope this isn't too much of a stupid question. Last night, several
>> channels went dark on Freeview; the above, as well as Sky3 and perhaps
>> others. Now Sky3 is back, but BBC1, 2, 3 are still absent. BBC4 is ok.
>
> BBC4 is on the same mux as BBC1, 2 and 3. If you get that, you should
> get the others.
>

No, there's a duplicate BBC4, still being carried on the old pre-DSO muxes.

Fleetie wrote:
> I guess it might be time to chuck this STB. Given that it was from a
> now-ex girlfriend, it will not pain me at all to do so; I'd just rather
> not have to shell out for a new one when there was NO BLOODY PROBLEM
> before yesterday. From my (and many other people's, apparently) point
> of view, the powers that be have taken something that wasn't broken,
> and BROKEN IT.

The problem is that, in the rush to produce cheap 'Freeview' boxes in 
the early/mid-2000s, many manufacturers cut corners and made equipment 
that did not (and does not) conform fully with the specifications.

People in possession of this equipment, which was sold faulty, should 
return it to the retailer under the Sale of Goods Act wherever possible. 
It is demonstrably not fit for purpose.