[Past My Best]

EPG to have and to have not

I’ve very recently bought a Sony KDL-40S5500. It works fine in Analogue, Digital and when connected to my Sky+ box

My problem is that very few listings appear in the Freeview (EPG) guide. I get BBC1, BBC2, I don’t get ITV and so on. I probably only see about 10 programmes listed. I have no problems accessing the channels, I just can’t see listings in the Freeview EPG.

I did a digital retune very recently but the EPG wasn’t shown before the retune, so I don’t think that is the problem

I did a matrix check (lots of dots on the screen via teletext?) of the aerial on my old CRT telly and got positive results

Could someone please help me?

[Geofbob]

Are you using Guide Plus, or the standard Freeview EPG? There seems to be a problem with the former - so if you are using it, you should switch to the standard EPG option. (BTW have you got the model no right - can't find it.)

[Past My Best]

The freeview is actually within the TV.

I'm NOT at home but I think there is only one button to push on the remote named GUIDE.

How could I access the other guide?

Thanx for notifying me, the model is: KDL-40S5500.

Bryfly a member on these forums is also getting the same problem. He thought (or was advised) that it was the Isle of Wight transmitter. I live just north of Chester.

I'll amend the TV above.

[Past My Best]

I've just viewed the manual on the Sony site and it seems that there is only the one button GUIDE.

Do you think the lack of EPG details would be grounds for returning the set to Sony?

[ROYOLD]

Originally Posted by Past My Best

I've just viewed the manual on the Sony site and it seems that there is only the one button GUIDE.

Do you lack of EPG details would be grounds for returning the set to Sony?

There is an option to select which GUIDE you wish to use. Read your manual.

[Past My Best]

Thanx but, no, on this model there is only one Guide.

I've had an email from another member who has been speaking to Sony, they told him to try choosing the alternative guide. He advised them that this model only has one guide and after checking (!!!!) confirmed there is only one.

Do you have this particular model? If you do please advise me how to access the other guide.

Thanx

[Geofbob]

Originally Posted by Past My Best

Thanx but, no, on this model there is only one Guide.

I've had an email from another member who has been speaking to Sony, they told him to try choosing the alternative guide. He advised them that this model only has one guide and after checking (!!!!) confirmed there is only one.

Do you have this particular model? If you do please advise me how to access the other guide.

Thanx

As you say, the instruction manual refers only to one EPG, & the illustration in the manual is of the standard Freeview EPG, not Guide Plus. Presmably yoiu're receiving from the Winter Hill or Storeton transmitter, which are due to go fully digital on 2 December, when the digital signal should improve. Perhaps you should wait until then, before taking any drastic action.

[Past My Best]

Yes, thanx again. I called into Currys today on my way home from work. The manager said that changes were underfoot and it should improve. He also stated that with his own TV (he didn't state which one) that quite often he can't see all programmes on the EPG and has to rely on the Radio Times. Good Eh?

Thanx again

[ROYOLD]

Originally Posted by Past My Best

Thanx but, no, on this model there is only one Guide.

I've had an email from another member who has been speaking to Sony, they told him to try choosing the alternative guide. He advised them that this model only has one guide and after checking (!!!!) confirmed there is only one.

Do you have this particular model? If you do please advise me how to access the other guide.

Thanx

Sorry, no. My Bravia is the KDL 37P3020.

I only use the Guide plus on this TV. Mistakenly, it seems, I assumed all the Bravia models had the dual guide option.

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by Past My Best

EPG to have and to have not

I’ve very recently bought a Sony KDL-40S5500. It works fine in Analogue, Digital and when connected to my Sky+ box

My problem is that very few listings appear in the Freeview (EPG) guide. I get BBC1, BBC2, I don’t get ITV and so on. I probably only see about 10 programmes listed. I have no problems accessing the channels, I just can’t see listings in the Freeview EPG.

I did a digital retune very recently but the EPG wasn’t shown before the retune, so I don’t think that is the problem

I did a matrix check (lots of dots on the screen via teletext?) of the aerial on my old CRT telly and got positive results

Could someone please help me? :lease

Have you channel nos in the 800's ?. If so you need to delete all your digital channels and manually add the 6 digital mux.

[Past My Best]

Hi Graham.

Yes I do have channels in the 800’s. On initial set up 001 was BBC1 Wales, and I think 801 was BBC1 North West, so I swopped them around, likewise with BBC2. I’m NOT unhappy to retain BBC Wales because they were showing the recent Wales Rugby game.

After the recent re-tune date, I re-tuned and had to move the programmes again – I expected that to happen.

Unfortunately I don’t know what you’re suggesting by adding the 6 digital mux (I’m just a country boy). What exactly are mux?

One thing I have noticed is that the EPG is intermittent, looking at it late last night it showed many programmes but after selecting one of the programmes and then selecting the EPG button, most of them had disappeared.

When you say delete all digital channels do you mean 001 – 800(something) or just the 800 series?

[Past My Best]

Quote from GeofBob - Presmably you're receiving from the Winter Hill or Storeton transmitter............

Is there a way of determining which transmitter I'm receiving my signal from?

All the aerials in our street seem to point in the same direction.

[ROYOLD]

Check the main channels which carry the six digital multiplexes (muxes).

Winter Hill is currently using main channels
56, 62, 63, 66, 67 and 68. These channels will change on Wednesday 2nd. December to the ones shown in this link:

Freeview on Winter Hill TV transmitter | ukfree.tv - independent digital TV + switchover advice, since 2002

Moel-Y-Parc (Near Rhyl) is using main channels
30, 34, 45, 58, 61 and 64. These channels will change at complete dso on Wed 25th. November to the ones shown in this link:

Freeview on Moel-Y-Parc TV transmitter | ukfree.tv - independent digital TV + switchover advice, since 2002

You seem to be picking up channels from both these transmitters.

Do a manual scan on the six main Winter Hill channels if possible after first clearing the TV tuner of all data by deleting all channels. This should then leave you with just the Winter Hill freeview broadcasts.

You will have to do another rescan on the 2nd. December in any case (or 25th. November if you are storing the MYP channels.

[Past My Best]

Thanx Royold

Thanx but I’m still confused (I fully realise you are trying to help me)

Freeview on Winter Hill TV transmitter | ukfree.tv - independent digital TV + switchover advice, since 2002

I went to your 2nd link and it doesn’t actually show Muxes for the period 5th November - 1st December but thereafter it suggests: 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61 & 62 (Total 9)

I spent a bit of time today looking at other posts and one pointed to this site:

TVRetune - Postcode checker

This site suggests (my correct postal code) that at the moment I should be tuned to muxes 62, 66, 68, 56 & 63 (Total 5). (Strangely enough they have groups 1-6 excluding Group 3).

When I click on the link (within Manual re-tuning) and read the pdf guide, it suggests I should write down the 6 channel numbers. As I’ve said above there are only 5.

The first link actually suggests there will be 9 after 2 December.

Is it possible to manually enter more than 6 muxes?

Obviously after 2 December I’d like to be able to access all the English Channels and also be able to “Poach” onto BBC Wales to watch the occasional rugby match.

Does each individual channel eg BBC Wales have a dedicated mux or channel number?

[ROYOLD]

They are not showing you the current sixth mux on Winter Hill which is BBCB on Channel 67. This is going to be used for High Definition freeview when it starts but as yet there is no receiving equipment for it so you could bypass this channel when scanning manually which is what they are suggesting on the retune website.

The current BBC Wales channels from MYP are being transmitted on main channel 45 which has already switched to dso and will remain on this channel when the remaining channels change. This BBCA mux is PSB1 and the Winter Hill BBCA, PSB1 mux is channel 62. Therefore if you have both it causes problems with programme numbering so one lot will appear in the 800 range and the other in the BBC correct identity as 001, 002. This is likely what is causing the problems with the EPG.

There will be more muxes than 6 after complete dso.

You could have two aerials fitted if you want the Welsh channels. I have two aerials which gives me MYP in one room and Winter Hill in the other. This setup is used because I have problems with WH in bad weather due to a very close and high hill which cuts down some of the signals from WH. Hopefully I will have better reception from WH after completion of dso.

[Past My Best]

Thanx ROYOLD. I think, as was suggested to me earlier in the thread that I'll wait until after 2nd Dec before I do anything drastic.

Thanx to your help, I do now understand things a bit better. But I have one further question regarding the manual retune.

I've read that the best way to do it is to disconnect the TV from the mains, unplug the aerial, switch back on, do auto search, which shouldn't show any channels because the aerial is disconnected, plug the aerial back in and then start with a manual retune.

Having looked at the manual re-tune sequence in my TV manual and having had a play at it, without committing (saving) anything I reach the part where I would enter the Mux number, at the moment it is obviously populated with the number that TV programme is showing, say BBC1 = 62. I didn't change anything, I exited and found other programmes which showed another Mux Number and so on.

So back to my question if I go to manually enter the 2nd Mux number, would the first Mux number, which I’d just entered already be shown in the box and by entering the 2nd number obliterate the first and so on? Or on a manual retune is the box empty each time? Sorry that is two questions.

[ROYOLD]

When you do a manual scan after clearing out the old data you select the main channel you wish to scan (search). Each manufacturer has their own way of how you select the channels. Usually you are shown a list and highlight the channel you wish to scan. Sometimes its a box which shows the lowest channel (21) and you change this by use of the up/down arrows on the remote. After scanning the channel you have selected it usually shows the channels on that particular mux or indicates the number found. If it requires you to SAVE the channels then do so. Then select the next main channel (mux) you wish to scan.

If you start with an initial setup then the tuner holds no data. If you manually scan each mux main channel then these should remain in the tuner as you scan each mux channel. Having completed the scan some TVs may require you to save the info entered, others may save the info automatically.

Winter Hill transmissions will be much stronger than MYP after the dso so I am hoping that just clearing the tuner and then doing an autoscan with the aerial connected will find all the new WH muxes and sort them into correct order. The manual scan is the last resort action.

All the changes may not be completed on December 2nd so it may be the next day or two before everything is working correctly.