Missing Channels

[The Spaniel]

I have a rather annoying problem that I am beginning to think I will never solve.

I have rather old but useful Panosonic DMR ES20D DVD recorder which I use to watch commercial and home made DVDs and record the odd off air programme.
I am have no need for the latest high tech all bells and whistles machines, I tend not watch that much TV nowadays, so if it 'aint' broke why fix it?
The problem is that after re tuning in November last year I have lost some channels, particularly annoying is losing ITV 3 on channel 10 and Drama on 20.
I thought it was about time I tried to sort it out.

It shares an Ariel with the main TV, which has no problem receiving all channels.
I have tried the add channel option, re-tuned with and without the Ariel connected, connected the Ariel lead direct without going via the splitter and even going back to factory settings and leaving it powered down overnight before re-tuning.
I have even tried it on the separate Ariel which feeds the upstairs TVs.
I have tried re-tuning with and without a booster connected.
Both of my TV antenna are in the loft (the council used to have a rule about mounting an Ariel on the roof) but as I am only 15 miles (less as the crow flies) from the transmitter (I can see its navigation lights from my bedroom window) this has never been a problem.

Now the odd thing is I can pick up some, but not all, channels on the same multiplex.
For example 21, 26, 27, 30, 37, 44, 62, 66 and others, but not 51, 55, 61 and others.
Those channels do not appear on the EPG, for example it goes from 9 to 11 and 19 to 21.
However, if I manually punch in the channel number using my remote, it comes up with the message 'channel unavailable' and 'no signal,' which makes me think it recognises the channel but is not receiving any signal.

It is not life changing because I can watch those channels on Freesat, or catch up TV if I really want to, or If need be I can record the missing channels from my Freesat box by setting the recorder to AV2 and making sure the satellite box is tuned to the required channel.

It would just be interesting to know if anyone has an any idea or can offer a reason why I have lost certain channels and not others, I am beginning to suspect a fault with the ageing machine.
It seems, to me at least not being a techo phobe, to be no logical reason why I can pick up some channels but not others on the same multiplex.
It has driven me mad for months.
Any help would be appreciated.

[Sadact7]

Get Sky

[antdad]

If your signal strength is fine it may have allocated ITV3 or ITV3 +1 another number like 800+ , it may do that if your'e receiving from more than one transmitter.

[The Spaniel]

Get Sky

No thanks.
There is enough rubbish on free to air TV, I don't fancy to paying for it.

[The Spaniel]

If your signal strength is fine it may have allocated ITV3 or ITV3 +1 another number like 800+ , it may do that if your'e receiving from more than one transmitter.

Thanks for your reply.
My transmitter is Sandy Heath, the nearest other main transmitter is Crystal Palace, but I am just too far north and out of range of that one and would be lucky to get a signal from there even with an outdoor Ariel.

I don't seem to have numbers in the 800s. After BBC One comes AV 4.3.2.1 and then 732 LBC, with channel numbers descending.

All missing channels are nowhere to be seen, it is very puzzling as the missing channels are all on 51, but others on the same channel are received at full strength.

[antdad]

Is your firmware fully updated?

[m4rkb]

If this is one of those freeview boxes, then in most cases you need to do A FULL FACTORY RESET to get the new channels.

I've had this problem on six of these boxes recently where scanning doesn't do anything beyond what you already have. Two of the boxes were my own, the other four were friends experiencing the same problem.

Some boxes do a wipe and reinstall in one go, others need the dual process of factory reset and then full scan. In every case ALL the new channels came up.

I imagine there are a few boxes that don't work in this way as they hope to sell you a new one but all the ones I came across worked perfectly afterwards with the full list of channels.

[The Spaniel]

I have tried updating the firmware, but it always comes back with no updates available.
Mind you, it is an ancient machine, there are probably no more updates available for this model.

It is a DVD recorder with built in Freeview.
I have re-set it to factory settings, makes no difference. It seems to be a problem with no clear answer.
If the machine did not pick up any channels from the same mux, I could understand it better, but just to pick up some but not others just seems very odd, especially as it has worked without problems for years, it just happened after a re-tune.

Maybe I will keep trying and maybe I will get lucky, or not.

[m4rkb]

I have tried updating the firmware, but it always comes back with no updates available.
Mind you, it is an ancient machine, there are probably no more updates available for this model.

It is a DVD recorder with built in Freeview.
I have re-set it to factory settings, makes no difference. It seems to be a problem with no clear answer.
If the machine did not pick up any channels from the same mux, I could understand it better, but just to pick up some but not others just seems very odd, especially as it has worked without problems for years, it just happened after a re-tune.

Maybe I will keep trying and maybe I will get lucky, or not.

I think you've gone as far a you can hope for with it now Spaniel. Time to resign it to the bin and get something more modern.

you've had a good innings with it as most built in obsolescence these days goes little beyond 18 months, just in time for any guarantee to be just as obsolete.

[antdad]

What version of the firmware are you up to? Just because there are none available doesn't mean you have the latest one, they just might not be supporting it any longer.

As a final throw I'd join an AV forum, there may be a bod with the same model (or slightly later) than can be of more assistance...

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=984858


Tell you what, if no luck with that I have a Humax digital 9200T PVR (upgraded to 500gb/200hrs) doing nothing, it has a great EPG with series link and sensitive twin tuners but it's only SD so no longer in use. I need to check it over but for the cost of a courier + packing + effort ( say £20) you can have it, pm me if interested.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/Humax-PVR ... der-review

[mark]

Good man.

[The Ghost of Alex Higgins]

the nearest other main transmitter is Crystal Palace

There's your problem

[The Spaniel]

the nearest other main transmitter is Crystal Palace

There's your problem

I wouldn't have thought so. Looking at the CP coverage on their map my town is out of range. Although many areas to the East and South, which are on higher ground, can receive programmes from both transmitters, even those just a few miles away. Most of the antenna locally are all aligned towards SH.
It may be possible to receive programmes from CP, but It would need a roof mounted Ariel aligned in a different direction to pick up any sort of signal, my Ariel is in the loft and aligned towards SH, so I would have though it unlikely I would get any sort signal.

[The Ghost of Alex Higgins]

Don't underestimate palarse SCUM

[antdad]

Your abuse is wasted in this section Ghost.

[Jonathan]

Your abuse is wasted in this section Ghost.

Funny but yes, wasted in here as Reg doesn't venture this far

[Reg]

Your abuse is wasted in this section Ghost.

Funny but yes, wasted in here as Reg doesn't venture this far

Reported.

[The Ghost of Alex Higgins]

I knew he'd sniff this out. Sorry to OP this was a cheap derail, hope you get it sorted.

[Reg]

I didn't sniff it out, I stumbled upon it by accident.

Now. as a result of this discovery, I am going to have to go through 4,714 other threads to make sure you haven't been libelling me and my football club elsewhere.