[BorderCollie]

I live in the SW Scotland region and receive digital signals from the Caldbeck (West Borders) transmitter in Cumbria, which we can actually see from our home.
Since our full switchover, we receive no analogue channels, and the digital signal registers at 99% strength using our outside aerial, and even 87% strength using our tiny bedroom set-top aerial.
I am having problems with our set-top digibox- a "Philips" DTR 21005 recent type.
Everything worked fine on it during the 3 months following switchover, until a recent upgrade to channels was carried out on our Caldbeck, Cumbria digital transmitter.
Now, every time the digibox is switched to standby, or switched completely off at the mains plug, even for only 1 minute, on switching it back on again, I lose the same channels every time- Film 4, Yesterday, 4 Music, Viva, Ideal World, ITV 4, Dave Ja Vu, etc, etc.
The signal strength display shows I am still receiving a signal on these channels, but nothing is displayed, even the epg says 'no information available'.
I have to rescan the digibox in order to get the channels back again, which means I am doing this up to 2-3 times daily, plus every morning, and it is getting so annoying.
I tried scanning for a software update to see if this could solve the problem but none is available.
Anyone any ideas what has caused this problem and if anything can be done to fix it?
Border Collie, Dumfries, Scotland.

[Geofbob]

When you rescan for channels, how are you doing it? If the recent upgrade you refer to was the modification on 30 September, then you should have done a "First Time Installation", not simply a "Scan for Channels" (or whatever it is termed on your receiver). In fact, you may have to carry out a "Factory Reset" if such an option exists on the receiver; but first try a "First Time Installation".

[BorderCollie]

Thanks for replying.
We've actually had 2-3 transmitter new 'updates' to do, from the Caldbeck(West Borders) digital transmitter since Sept. 30th- the latest one was on Monday this week, after the transmitter was off-air for 30 minutes, for 'maintenance' issues !!
And yes, I've tried "First time Installation" set-up several times over the last few weeks, with the problem still remaining.
Haven't got a factory reset option on the digibox- even tried leaving the box unplugged for 24 hours to see if any residual charge was still in the memory, then tried unsuccessfully again.
Since learned that the channels involved are in the 'Multiplex 5" digital channel group- I'm beginning to suspect that although its a "Philips" brand of digibox, it may well use a generic DTR encoder that the digiboxes known to have stopped working after switchover, also use ??
Maybe not though, 'cos if this was the case, how come all the missing Multiplex 5 group of channels return working fine, after I've done either a rescan or new install? The other sets just don't work, full stop.
The annoying thing is, the tiny DTR 'dongle' which plus into my living-room's laptop p.c. and which uses a miniscule 3" high rod aerial,works great on all channels, and the signal strength from the 3" aerial is 100% ! (I bought it for £8.50p on Ebay).
The journey continues.....
Border Collie

[Geofbob]

Bon Voyage!

[ROYOLD]

I would try a different make of STB to check whether this would retain the channel information after switching off.

Your aerial signal strength doesn't matter too much - it's the QUALITY of the signal received which is more important.

I note that the UKFreeTV website for Caldbeck states that after digital switchover you need to have a wideband aerial, horizontally polarised.

Caldbeck digital TV transmitter | ukfree.tv - independent digital TV + switchover advice, since 2002

[johntheexpat]

Have a look at this thread.
Not the same box, but the symptoms may match.

[radioredcat]

Iv'e encountered similar problems with a philips DTR200 it would loose the last mux that was tuned MUX A CH 68 from winter hill after being unplugged.

The problem was we receive the 6 muxes + winter hill B 8 muxes in total 2 muxes being duplicates and the philips box only remembers 6 muxes so manual tuning the 6 muxes cured the problem.

In the case of the op's box could be if the box see's muxes from a distant transmitter then that might causing it not to remember the last mux to be tuned.

Try manual tune and see what happens.

andy