Digihome PVR80 dropping ITV4 when rebooted

[Rabmac]

My Digihome PVR80 often freezes and has to be rebooted. After I scanned to bring in the new channel list lately, however, I noticed that after a freeze and another reboot, ITV4 (Freeview Channel 24) was missing from the line-up.

After initiating another scan, ITV4 reappeared on the channel list — but dropped out again after another freeze and a fresh reboot.

Anyone know why this is?

Many thanks.

 

[Geofbob]

I don't know why your PVR80 should be freezing so often, but the loss of ITV4 is probably not due to the recorder. One of the unfortunate results of the 30 Sept retune exercise was that many viewers lost ITV4, and you may be one of them. This document - http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/__data/a..._Re-tune_Briefing_FINAL_VERSION1_25Sept09.pdf - has some information on this (see para 5).

 

[Rabmac]

Geofbob, thanks for your reply.

The thing is, I get ITV4 when I perform a rescan. It's just that it disappears again when another freeze happens and I reboot (which I can remedy by again rescanning).

This didn't happen before the recent channel changes, though, and I wondered why.

 

[Gavtech]

Geofbob, thanks for your reply.

The thing is, I get ITV4 when I perform a rescan. It's just that it disappears again when another freeze happens and I reboot (which I can remedy by again rescanning).

This didn't happen before the recent channel changes, though, and I wondered why.

Look at this list of channels and find Mux D.
Note all the channels there. If you lose ITV4 which is on that mux, you must be losing all the other channels on that mux also.

Mux D must be right on the cusp of receivability for you and sometimes rising and falling above the threshold.
Make sure your aerial connections are as clean and direct as possible. Try other flyleads if you can.
Otherwise you may need a small aerial booster.

Do you know which transmitter you receive from?

 

[Rabmac]

Look at this list of channels and find Mux D.
Note all the channels there. If you lose ITV4 which is on that mux, you must be losing all the other channels on that mux also.

Mux D must be right on the cusp of receivability for you and sometimes rising and falling above the threshold.
Make sure your aerial connections are as clean and direct as possible. Try other flyleads if you can.
Otherwise you may need a small aerial booster.

Do you know which transmitter you receive from?

Gavtech - many thanks. I'm getting my signal from the Blackhill transmitter and have checked the list on the link you gave me. Film4 and Yesterday (12 and 15, which I most often watch from that Mux list) are okay. Not affected at all when I reboot. Only ITV4 drops out.

Curiouser and curiouser!

 

[Geofbob]

Look at this list of channels and find Mux D.
Note all the channels there. If you lose ITV4 which is on that mux, you must be losing all the other channels on that mux also.

Mux D must be right on the cusp of receivability for you and sometimes rising and falling above the threshold.
Make sure your aerial connections are as clean and direct as possible. Try other flyleads if you can.
Otherwise you may need a small aerial booster.

Do you know which transmitter you receive from?

According to the Digital UK briefing document to which I provided a link in my previous post, ITV3 & 4 have been moved to commercial multiplexes that have more limited transmission, and in particular are not broadcast by Relay transmitters. So it seems ITV4 is no longer in Mux D.

However, I'm puzzled that the document does not seem to mention Scotland -did the retune apply there, or was it only for England & Wales?

 

[Gavtech]

According to the Digital UK briefing document to which I provided a link in my previous post, ITV3 & 4 have been moved to commercial multiplexes that have more limited transmission, and in particular are not broadcast by Relay transmitters. So it seems ITV4 is no longer in Mux D.

However, I'm puzzled that the document does not seem to mention Scotland -did the retune apply there, or was it only for England & Wales?

Hi Geofbob.

The document does mention 'Nationwide' on page 1.


The 'mux complication' is dependent on whether a transmitter is Pre - or post DSO

The list I linked to above shows the state of the muxes pre DSO at the top of the page and post DSO at the bottom ... where the muxes change name.

In Rabmac's case, he is receiving from Blackhill which is still pre DSO and so Mux D still applies and does have ITV4.


This is a very odd case.
If the other channels are still present - indicating the mux IS being received it suggests to me there is perhaps a memory problem.
The channel placeholder appears to be being corrupted to produce this odd effect.

This is speculation on my part of course... but I cannot find anything else to explain such odd behaviour.

 

[Geofbob]

Thanks Gavtech - I've now read the document more carefully - in fact, I think footnote 2 on page 1 explains the situation more clearly than the body of the briefing. My geography is fairly hazy - but is it possible Rabmac is south of Blackhill, & receiving some of his signals from a relay transmitter in Borders region, which is not transmitting ITV4?

 

[Rabmac]

Thanks Geofbob and Gavtech. I'm in Edinburgh, and the update scan applied here on the same date it did elsewhere in the UK.

As I say, the online programme guide shows all the Freeview channels (including ITV4) when a new scan is performed, and I'm getting a good signal (I had my aerial upgraded for digital recently).

The Digihome PVR80 I've got has always been prone to freezes, sometimes two or three a week, but at other times it will go for a month before a recurrence.

Until the recent channel changes, a reboot brought all the Freeview channels back to the programme guide. Now after a freeze and reboot ITV4 is missing (but another scan brings it back again).

Maybe it's a software problem?

 

[Geofbob]

Hi Rabmac - Having a PVR80 myself, and being a great fan of Vestel clones, I am reluctant to admit that anything could be the fault of your PVR - but have to concede that it sounds as though this may be the case! On the other hand, I do find it something of a coincidence that the very channel you're missing is one of those most affected by the retune exercise. Before giving up, you might see if the Helpline on this website is any use - TV Re-tune

 

[Rabmac]

Geofbob: yes, general info is that some ITV channels may be lost in certain areas ... but that is not the case with me as I can get all the ITV channels.

It's just when I reboot that the problem arises.

Like you, I've found the Digihome PVR okay and am quite happy to accept its foibles.

I can still get ITV4 if I rescan, which only takes a couple of minutes (which I'll continue to do when I want to watch or tape something).

Thanks for your (and Gavtech's) advice - much appreciated.

 

[Futaura]

Which software version is your PVR80 running?

When performing the rescan, are you using the "First time installation" or "Automatic channel scan" option? If the latter, try the former.

 

[clemenzina]

are you using the "First time installation" or "Automatic channel scan" option? If the latter, try the former.

That's what I would suggest, it's what I did with my Vestels.

clemenzina

 

[Rabmac]

Which software version is your PVR80 running?

When performing the rescan, are you using the "First time installation" or "Automatic channel scan" option? If the latter, try the former.

Many thanks Futaura. I've been using the "First time installation" option. I'll try "Automatic channel scan" next time and post the result.

 

[clemenzina]

Oh If a first-timer didn't hack, an automatic is unlikely to. How about trying a manual scan for whatever UHF channel your recalcitrant ITV4 is on?

clemenzina

 

[Rabmac]

clemenzina: thanks — I'll try an auto first and see what happens. (I'm not sure how to perform a manual scan anyway; I'd have to dig out the manual)

Cheers

 

[clemenzina]

I'm not sure how to perform a manual scan

Menu/Setup/Installation/Manual channel scan...

enter the UHF channel number that ITV4 is on in your area, press OK.

clemenzina