Full Freeview on the Oxford (Oxfordshire, England) transmitter
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The symbol shows the location of the Oxford (Oxfordshire, England) transmitter which serves 410,000 homes. The bright green areas shown where the signal from this transmitter is strong, dark green areas are poorer signals. Those parts shown in yellow may have interference on the same frequency from other masts.
Are there any planned engineering works or unexpected transmitter faults on the Oxford (Oxfordshire, England) mast?
Oxford transmitter - Oxford transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 22/04/2024 Pixelation or flickering on some or all channels 
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Digital television services are broadcast on a multiplexes (or Mux) where many stations occupy a single broadcast frequency, as shown below.
64QAM 8K 3/4 27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
DTG-12 QSPK 8K 3/4 8.0Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which Freeview channels does the Oxford transmitter broadcast?
If you have any kind of Freeview fault, follow this Freeview reset procedure first.Digital television services are broadcast on a multiplexes (or Mux) where many stations occupy a single broadcast frequency, as shown below.
64QAM 8K 3/4 27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
DTG-12 QSPK 8K 3/4 8.0Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which BBC and ITV regional news can I watch from the Oxford transmitter?
BBC South (Oxford) Today 0.4m homes 1.6%
from Oxford OX2 7DW, 6km west-southwest (258°)
to BBC South (Oxford) region - 6 masts.
BBC South (Oxford) Today shares 50% content with Southampton service
ITV Meridian News 0.9m homes 3.4%
from Whiteley PO15 7AD, 102km south (182°)
to ITV Meridian/Central (Thames Valley) region - 15 masts.
Thames Valley opt-out from Meridian (South). All of lunch, weekend and 50% evening news is shared with all of Meridian+Oxford
How will the Oxford (Oxfordshire, England) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1950s-80s | 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2011 | 2011-13 | 2013-18 | 2013-17 | 23 May 2018 | ||
| VHF | C/D E | C/D E | C/D E | C/D E | C/D E T | W T | W T | ||
| C2 | BBCtvwaves | ||||||||
| C29 | SDN | ||||||||
| C31 | com7 | com7 | |||||||
| C37 | com8 | com8 | |||||||
| C41 | BBCA | ||||||||
| C44 | D3+4 | ||||||||
| C46 | _local | ||||||||
| C47 | BBCB | ||||||||
| C49tv_off | C5waves | C5waves | |||||||
| C50tv_off | SDN | SDN | |||||||
| C51tv_off | LOX | LOX | |||||||
| C53tv_off | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | +BBCA | +BBCA | +BBCA | |||
| C55tv_off | ArqB | ArqB | ArqB | com7tv_off | |||||
| C56tv_off | COM8tv_off | ||||||||
| C57tv_off | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBCB | BBCB | BBCB | |||
| C59tv_off | -ArqA | -ArqA | -ArqA | ||||||
| C60tv_off | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | -D3+4 | -D3+4 | -D3+4 | |||
| C62 | SDN | ||||||||
| C63 | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves |
tv_off Being removed from Freeview (for 5G use) after November 2020 / June 2022 - more
Table shows multiplexes names see this article;
green background for transmission frequencies
Notes: + and - denote 166kHz offset; aerial group are shown as A B C/D E K W T
waves denotes analogue; digital switchover was 14 Sep 11 and 28 Sep 11.
How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?
| Analogue 1-4 | 500kW | |
| BBCA, D3+4, BBCB | (-7dB) 100kW | |
| SDN, ARQA, ARQB | (-10dB) 50kW | |
| Analogue 5 | (-11dB) 40kW | |
| com8 | (-14.7dB) 17.1kW | |
| com7 | (-14.8dB) 16.4kW | |
| Mux 1*, Mux 2*, LOX | (-17dB) 10kW | |
| Mux C*, Mux D* | (-18dB) 8kW | |
| Mux A*, Mux B* | (-19.2dB) 6kW |
Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Oxford transmitter area
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Monday, 7 November 2011
J
jb385:32 PM
Simon: At only 17 miles away from Oxford its best that you leave the booster out of circuit for the time being.
To be perfectly frank about it, the only way you can verify if the software up date you carried out has been fully successful is to try and borrow another Freeview device purely for purposes of checking the levels being received between Mux Ch's55 & 59, as although these software updates can effect a cure, its unfortunately not necessarily always as effective as a device that was made correctly in the first place, and so if a secondary Freeview device indicates the levels as being reasonably similar then you know where the problem is.
You see its not just a negative offset problem but this applying along with an 8k signal although the box is listed as being 8k compatible, even the updated version of these chassis can give odd problems when on multiplexes that doesn't have an offset signal, these being exaggerated response to even the slightest signal glitches, or showing a blank screen when first switched on, having to notch up one channel then back down again to trigger it into operation, plus the occasional stuttering of recorded programmes.
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D
David Pinfold7:34 PM
Banbury
Simon - Just a reminder that SDN ARQA & ARQB multiplexes are restricted to 12.5KW ERP until April next year at which point they will increase to 50KW ERP following the switchover of the High Wycombe & Hemel Hempstead transmitters. If you live in a less than ideal reception area & there is quite a big dip in Buckingham then you may well experience reception problems until then.
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David's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
M
Mark12:01 AM
Briantist: Thanks.
Out of interest, how wide a band do these communal system boosters cover?
The reason that I ask is that ArqA and SDN are also on new frequencies (C59 & C62) and they are working fine. There were channels on C60 and C63 before though, so I guess there are probably boosters for these adjacent channels.
In contrast, the closest previous frequencies to ArqB's C55 were C53 & C57.
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Mark: You would normally expect there to be one for each required frequency.
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N
Norman6:24 PM
jb38: Thanks for your helpful comments. The Freeview box is a Philips DTR220, I believe.
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S
Simon6:42 PM
Buckingham
Thanks Jb and David for your comments.
I think David may well be right, we are in a dip here and I also notice we're right on the border for the Oxford and Sandy Heath transmitters. They are sending out C59 and C67 respectively on very low power. Hopefully when the signal is boosted it will all be resolved.
I don't have another box to check the channel with at this time, and may just watch my missing channels on the Internet until April.
Thanks for your help
All the best, Simon
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Simon's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb389:30 PM
Simon: Yes, David's perfectly correct insomuch that these COM multiplexes are on very low power, and which I was aware of, but my only reason for suggesting you try and borrow another box was because of you reporting that you received a good signal from Mux Ch55 whereas Mux Ch59 was very erratic.
As these two multiplexes are allegedly on the same power, then the "only" way of determining the exact cause of the problem and possibly eliminating your updated Sharp TU-160H, was by trying another box that wasn't known to suffer from possible offset problems, as if Ch59 was also received poor on another box then that's inclined to indicate a problem out with your control "if" you have already tried various aerial positions within the loft.
No need to acknowledge as I was just clarifying a point.
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Wednesday, 16 November 2011
A
Andrew Wilkins2:41 PM
The Oxfrord Mail carries the followeing report that may explain some off problems reported here:
DIGITAL UK has admitted for the first time that some households in Oxfordshire will struggle to get all television channels until next April.
Although the county went digital in September, Digital UK has confirmed some fringe households may have to wait until the switchover has completed in London before they get extra Freeview channels.
The move to digital has left some residents fed up, claiming their viewing has been made worse, not better.
Eric Sheppard, of Lower End, Piddington, near Bicester, said despite getting a new TV and digital box, his picture is more like a broken jigsaw puzzle.
He said the problem was intermittent but affected all channels on both televisions in their home at different times.
Electrical store Wadleys, in Market Square, Bicester, confirmed it had been getting up to five complaints a day for the past 10 days about problems with picture quality.
But Digital UK said broadcasting in Oxfordshire is as expected, and the switchover completed successfully.
Mr Sheppard said: It was going okay until the switchover and now you get a broken jigsaw puzzle where the picture is cracking on screen.
What happens is you are sitting watching TV and the picture freezes. It can last for 30 seconds and then the rest of the evening it could be okay.
We get it five days out of seven.
Its annoying because if you want to record something you dont know if it will have interference.
I expected to have a better picture after the switchover, but its not what it should be, plus we havent got some Freeview channels.
I was told it will be next year until it gets sorted out its not good enough.
Dick Brown, of Charlton Road, Wantage contacted the Oxford Mail to say his TV was fine, but he could not record BBC programmes without the signal breaking up.
Keith Wadley, of Wadleys, said: The official line from Digital UK is the Oxford transmitter has been put on reduced power which is whats causing the problem.
He advised people to replace or adjust aerials, which could help improve the signal.
But Digital UK denied the transmitter is operating on reduced power.
A spokesman said: Now that switchover has been completed in Oxfordshire, all homes served by the Oxford transmitter can receive Freeview including the main channels funded by the licence fee.
However, some homes on the fringes of coverage may struggle to receive all available commercial services until switchover has been completed in London next April.
Once this happens, the power and coverage of these channels can also be increased.
It is difficult to comment on individual reception problems without more information as these can have a number of causes, from equipment issues to misaligned aerials.
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Thursday, 17 November 2011
M
Matt Crowther3:04 AM
Aylesbury
Exactly my problems in that article quoted. Done stuff I've seen on the site but still happens. I don't record on Film4 as that breaks up bad now and same with ITV4 sometimes. Sit tight until April I guess.
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Matt's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
John J8:48 PM
Aylesbury
I live in Aylesbury, postcode HP21 9TZ. All my channels work fine with 80% strength and 100% quality except the C62 group, i.e. ITV3, ITV2+1 etc. Those channels show a jumping signal and are often unwatchable. Has anyone got any ideas why just one group would be weak?
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John's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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