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My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound o

My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound or the channel line up is wrong

My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+
published on UK Free TV

To deal with the problem you must clear the channel list completely and then rescan - if your box has it in the menus, please the 'installation menu' to do an initial scan or a reset to factory settings or First Time Installation. You MUST delete the entire existing list of channels. On most boxes this technique can be also be used:

Try this:

1) unplug your Freeview box (or idTV) from the mains;



2) unplug the aerial from the Freeview box by disconnecting the cable from the 'RF in' socket;



3) wait 30 seconds;

4) plug Freeview box (or idTV) mains back in;



5) do a complete scan for channels - it will fail without the aerial. (This may be in the installation or initialization menu, and is distinct from any 'add channels option'). Once this is done your channel line up should be empty;



6) reinsert aerial by reconnecting to the 'RF in' connection;



7) do a complete scan for channels again.



The Freeview channel line-up provided by six "multiplexes" - each of which carry five or more TV channels, radio channels, text services and EPG data. In this diagram each ROW represents a multiplex. If you are still missing a whole multiplex (ie everything on the row) you may need to replace your aerial with a wideband type, purchase a larger aerial or you may have interference from a VCR, games console, Sky Digibox or similar.



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Comments
Monday, 7 February 2022
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

2:10 AM

Michael Ellis:

In addition to what StevensOnln1 has said, in answer to you last question, I agree there's no need to turn it down to 77%, in fact 97% may well have been fine. What is important is the Quality figures if they remain at 100% then all is fine.

Over recent weeks, high pressure weather systems have periodically been accompanied by "Temperature Inversion/Tropospheric Ducting" where signals from distant transmitters in Europe or the UK are carried further than normal, due to the particular layers of the atmosphere. It causes interference to your wanted signals. This can result in changes to received signal strength and quality, picture and sound breakup.
The problems can last for seconds, minutes ,hours, sometimes even longer. Do NOT retune, you are likely to just lose your correct tuning.

If this was the sort of problem you were having , and your reception is currently good (and has been good for the last 24hrs), and you are correctly tuned, just post the postcode and strength & quality figures for each multiplex and we might be able to offer further advice.

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Chris.SE's 4,101 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 8 February 2022
B
Brian Lofthouse
3:55 PM

I have a Panasonic TV Full HD which is about 11/12 years old. About two years ago the TVguide started showing only the first two or three hours(not next day or seven days). I have done all the usual retunes and factory reset. I contacted Panasonic who said it is the age of the processor which can't handle all the new info ! Over the last few days two of my friends have the same problem and one as the same model has me. Would you agree with the Panasonic or is there something else I can try ? The TV itself works fine but I do miss the guide !

Brian

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Brian Lofthouse's 5 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 9 February 2022
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

2:02 AM

Brian Lofthouse:

Hmm, sounds like a bit of a cop-out or fob-off to me. I don't personally see what the age of the processor has to do with it, it may just be somewhat slower. I find it strange that your friend with the same model TV has only just had the problem!
If you and your friend could each check what version of firmware your sets have.
You could then possibly check maybe on Panasonic's website if that is the latest firmware for your set.
I've a vague feeling that the EPG format was changed slightly a while ago (it may well be a couple of years ago) and the firmware in use didn't cope with it. There could have been a firmware update, if not try asking Panasonic about firmware updates?

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Chris.SE's 4,101 posts GB flag
B
Brian Lofthouse
1:24 PM

Hi Chris thanks for the info have written to Panasonic !

much appreciated

Brian

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Brian Lofthouse's 5 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 29 March 2022
J
John Hunt
5:52 PM

Dear UK Free TV, for the last 10 days or so I have not been able to get any HD channel on Freeview. Prior to this all HD channels were normal. All SD channels are fine. Do you know of any reason why this might be happening? I have retuned several times (auto). Equipment: Sony Bravia Freeview HD built-in TV. Location: Ellingham, 8 miles north of Alnwick, Northumberland. Many thanks, John Hunt

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John Hunt's 1 post GB flag
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

7:33 PM

John Hunt:

Assuming that you are roughly central to Eglingham and you made a typo with the spelling (a full postcode could have been useful, however) then your aerial should be pointing pretty well due N at the Chatton transmitter about 7km from you, with its rods (or squashed Xs) horizontal.

The HD channels are carried on multiplex BBCB HD/PSB3 which is on UHF channel C47 at Chatton.
If you retuned when there was no signal on C47 it will have just cleared your correct tuning. It's never advised to retune when you have no signal or badly pixellated pictures.

Try a manual retune on UHF C47. If that doesn't restore the channels, then look in your TV tuning section for Signal Strength and Quality (or Error/BER) figures for each multiplex's UHF channel and post the figures, this may help give us a clue as to what is happening.

UHF channels as follows, in the multiplex order PSB1/BBCA, PSB2/D3&4, PSB3/BBCB HD, COM4/SDN, COM5/ArqA, COM6/ArqB for Chatton are C41, C44, C47, C29, C31, C37

Have you looked at your aerial to make sure it's still pointing correctly and that the downlead is secure and not flapping in the wind?

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Chris.SE's 4,101 posts GB flag
Thursday, 31 March 2022
M
Mike Freeman
7:26 PM
Stamford

Our freeview signal changed in past couple of weeks, vision keeps breaking up pixelation and sound crackling - cannot be viewed at all. We are PE9 1FH

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Mike Freeman's 1 post GB flag
Mike's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Friday, 1 April 2022
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

5:45 AM

Mike Freeman:

It will depend on which way your aerial is pointing Mike. Whilst your most likely transmitter is Waltham which is Central (East) region, you're predicted to be able to get two other main transmitters in your locale - Belmont, which is Yorkshire region and Sandy Heath which is Anglia.
For Waltham, your aerial should be pointing at a compass bearing of 306 degrees, that's fractionally W of NW. Have you looked at your aerial to see which way it's pointing?

None of the transmitters have any faults recently listed, and only Belmont is currently (or recently) listed for Planned Engineering.

A couple of weeks ago, weather conditions were causing interfernce to some viewers. There was also some programme channel (EPG LCNs) on Monday.
Now if you happened to retune a couple of weeks ago if you had no signal or pictures were badly pixellated then you could have got incorrectly tuned to another transmitter.

If you post back which way your aerial is pointing (as best you can), which regional news you normally receive and which you are currebtly getting, and when you last retuned - Do NOT retune at the moment, it could just clear any correct tuning.
Also check your aerial downlead isn't flapping in the wind.
We should be able to advise further with that information.

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Chris.SE's 4,101 posts GB flag
S
Steve diggle
8:19 PM
Tiverton

Any issues with it, ch4, check etc in ex16 area

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Steve diggle's 1 post GB flag
Steve's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

11:13 PM

Steve diggle:

EX16 is a large area, and it may depend on exact postcode as to which transmitter you are receiving.
In the general area you might get one of 3 transmitters, the Tiverton Relay, or main transmitters Stockland Hill or Mendip.

Your most likely transmitter is Stockland Hill if you normally receive all 6 multiplexes (over 100 channels).
Which way is your aerial pointing?
For Stockland Hill it should be roughly at compass bearing 114 degrees - 24 degrees S of due E, that's pretty much ESE.

I can't find any faults listed for any of those 3 transmitters and Stockland Hill is currently listed for Planned Engineering with "Possible Pixelation or flickering on some or all channels".

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Chris.SE's 4,101 posts GB flag
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