Free to Air TV reception problems (building antenna)

[Demonstorm]

Hi Guys,

Watching TV via free to air digital is very frustrating - channel 7 especially breaks up with pixelation - assume signal not strong enough - we pay enough in body corp fees - we should get an antenna upgrade

 

[s&t]

Yep - I'm getting pixelation too, but strangely not on channel 7.
I'm getting pixelation on both channel 9 and SBS tonight.

 

[John]

This has been mentioned by several members in the Foxtel thread.
As this is a separate issue, I will move the posts here.
If anyone else is having problems with your free to air reception (e.g. picture break-up, sound "glitches", picture freezing, loss of picture / loss of signal, please report it here.

 

[Matt F]

I can't get channel 7 either! All the other channels are O.K. for me tho.
(Lucky the AFL season is finished, else I'd be looking for a new place ASAP!)

I have got none of the other channel 7 stations either:

7 = Main channel 7
70 = same as 7
71 = same as 7
72 =7TWO
73 =7mate
ALL DEAD. NO SIGNAL.
But I can get channel 7 on channel 371 - but it 'freezes' and 'pops' pretty regularly.

Please can this be fixed before the AFL 2013 season starts? else I'm outa here!

 

[s&t]

For the last 3 days I am getting terrible reception on channel 7 (Tennis is unwatchable)
Digital breakup "glitches, pops, freezes etc." - on all channel 7 channels i.e. Seven 2, 7mate and channel 7 repeater channels.
(I'm using the buildings internal socket - Not my own antenna)
Anyone else ?
Matt, are you still getting free-to-air TV reception problems ?

 

[Matt F]

channel 7 is crap on all channels (e.g. 7, 7two, 7mate) BUT I can get it perfectly, for now, on channel 368.
Give that a go.

 

[GrantK]

thanks Matt! I was getting interference on channel 7 too, while trying to watch the tennis. I still get the occasional freeze & breakup on channel 368, but no where near as bad as before.
(P.S. I have been browsing this forum for a while, but signed up to say thank-you to Matt)

 

[GrantK]

Terrible channel 7 reception tonight.
All channel 7 stations on digital receiver and antenna plugged into the wall.
AFL unwatchable - freezes and sounds terrible.
This is a joke.
Who do we complain to?

 

[Matt F]

Grant, write to the building manager, here is the link.
My guess is the building is using an "old" (pre-2005) analogue antenna which are not designed for picking up digital channel 7. Read below. The building needs a new antenna for digital TV.

This from the "whirlpool" forum-

More likely it's because Seven and ABC use the old analog channels 6 and 12 respectively for their digital broadcasts.
Both of those are at the extreme ends of VHF band three. Most metropolitan TV antennas made before about 2005 were designed to work best on analog channels 7, 9 and 10. Channel 6 (Seven network) shouldn't be too much of a stretch. But channel 12 (ABC network) is a substantial stretch from channel 10.
The problem will mostly occur where the TV signals are not all that strong, or there are quality problems due to interference in the local area.
Luckily most new designs offer full VHF band three coverage, and dump the old VHF band one (analog channels 0, 1, 2) which will never be used for digital TV. Band 1 uses the longest antenna elements, so getting rid of those makes for a more compact antenna design.
One of my pet peeves is that people spend $2000 (or in the past $8000) on a huge new TV and won't spend $100 on a new antenna. I have friends like this!

Grant, for now, try #373 for channel 7 (368 moved to 373)
How is channel 7 on 373?

 

[amwolf90]

hi guys

I am in 703 and I am having problems throughout the spectrum, I have a feel it may be a dodgy cable, but no 7, abc, 10 or SBS.

I also have foxtel, but I have no had it transferred to the new residency so I will have to see if this will be a smooth process.

 

[Matt F]

Hi Alex
Yeah, unfortunately TV (free to air) reception problems are a big issue for some ppl here, like me.
Can I confirm you are using a digital TV box/PVR plugged into the TV socket in the wall?
First, you gotta try a new cable, and if that fixes it, consider yourself lucky.

I also have problems from time to time, but have managed to work around it, by finding repeater channels elsewhere in the digital spectrum. (e.g. 373 instead of 7 for channel 7 etc.)
It sux bad that we pay a very high rent here and can't even get decent TV reception. I have notified my agent many times but they are not interested.

More bad news with your Foxtel.
You might want to find the Foxtel thread in these forums. I'm not sure what the exact problem is, but it is unlikely you are going to get your foxtel working here.

 

[amwolf90]

Hi Matt,

Yeah I believe this cable I grabbed from my parents place, is a little old and average.

I have read that forum, the previous tennants i believe had foxtel and the owners left me a document talking about foxtel connections, amongst other things, so potentially it may be worth giving the owners a call and asking.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[Matt F]

no worries.
Ah, if your unit already has Foxtel connected, you should be o.k.
The issue is something about maxing out all avaialble connection, so if u connect it fast - BEFORE anyone else in the building trys to grab your last connection - u should be allright.

 

[s&t]

Is it just me?
or is free-to-air TV reception more rubbish than usual at the moment ?
all channels no/bad signal except SBS.