Freeview COM5/ARQ A Channels Missing Since Hard Reset?

Smegatron

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Hello

Am hoping someone out there can help me...

My Sony TV was playing up last week (KD-49X8305C - have owned since 2016 with no issues) - it was completely unresponsive and laggy so did a hard reset. Since then am unable to receive any of the channels on Freeview via COM5/ARQ A MUX (Dave, Sky Arts, Sky News, Food Network etc).

I've followed all of the std guidance and protocols, such as digital auto tuning withot coaxial cable attached, followed by full digitial tunining with coaxial cable attached, manual tuning, making sure firmware was updated, another hard reset etc. I've been doing this for several days and no luck so far.

It can't be the aerial/cable because everything was fine until the hard reset. I can get 100% of channels on every other MUX and am in a good signal transmitter area (SE9 - which picks ups from Crystal Palace). It appears frequency channel 22 is the one I need to pull in for the specifc MUX I'm missing, but if I try to pull this through via manual tuning it just skips past it up or down.

Any ideas would be most welcome as this is driving me crazy!
Thanks in advance
 
It will be down to the aerial signal level/quality on that frequency being too poor for the TV to tune in (i.e. below the threshold that Sony put in to the device's software to process a signal during tuning).

It may be it worked before adequately because it had been tuned in on a better signal day.

Where is the aerial? what type of aerial is it? your own or communal? How old is the aerial and cabling? They degrade over time - often the highest and lowest frequencies 'go' first.

Go over the aerial cables and connections with a fine toothed comb. Check and remake any hand-made plugs or sockets. Ensure plugs are firmly seated and not loose. Try alternative moulded fly leads if using those.

Are any devices are connected via hdmi leads?
 
It will be down to the aerial signal level/quality on that frequency being too poor for the TV to tune in (i.e. below the threshold that Sony put in to the device's software to process a signal during tuning).

It may be it worked before adequately because it had been tuned in on a better signal day.

Where is the aerial? what type of aerial is it? your own or communal? How old is the aerial and cabling? They degrade over time - often the highest and lowest frequencies 'go' first.

Go over the aerial cables and connections with a fine toothed comb. Check and remake any hand-made plugs or sockets. Ensure plugs are firmly seated and not loose. Try alternative moulded fly leads if using those.

Are any devices are connected via hdmi leads?
Thanks for reply. I've only recently moved into the property and have been living here for 4 weeks. As mentioned, everything was fine until I did the reset as instructed by Sony/Freeview. Now I can't get a signal for COM5 (channel 22 for Crystal Palace).

Its a rooftop communal aerial. There are no apparent issues with the cabling etc. and when I moved in I did a full auto retune which scanned and picked up all the available MUX's and channels fine. I can't get on to the roof/outside to assess things in detail as its a block of 9 flats/maisonettes.

I've also tried removing all other devices connected such as HDMI leads, games consoles etc and unfortunately to no avail. I have ordered a new coaxial cable (mine is a bit old) to see if that will help but won't know anything for a few days until it arrives in the post and have plugged it in.
 
Check with your neighbours about their reception to see if they are also having problems.
One may even have a spare TV fly lead that they can lend you to try.

A block of 9 flats will be a fairly simple communal aerial system with amplifier(s) and splitters. So not a massive amount to go wrong.

Use the TV signal strength and quality meter to measure all the frequency muxes you can get and report back the numbers - they might give a clue to an issue?
 
Can you try another device? What about if you try a manual tune of the missing mux?
 
It appears frequency channel 22 is the one I need to pull in for the specifc MUX I'm missing, but if I try to pull this through via manual tuning it just skips past it up or down.
Which I read, and didn't understand (not had a Sony TV to play with for over 15 years). ;)
 
If a manual tune doesn’t detect anything, and another device, if available, gives the same result, then it’s something external which will need attention. Could be an iffy face plate, if used.
 
After a bit more digging and conversations with my new neighbours, they appear to be having the same issue via the communal roof aerial. I may have simply been lucky the day I moved in when I did the initial digital auto tune, which managed to scan and receive all available channels.

My neighbour has a separate cheap indoor aerial from Amazon and manages to access all channels when using this, so am hoping this can be my solution. In order to future proof myself I was looking at some of the amplified indoor aerials from One For All (via Argos, Amazon etc) but reviews tend to be mixed (the SV9436). Aesthetically they look good but wondered if anyone has any experience using this model and/or brand? Am reluctant to try these flimsy cheap things from Amazon etc which you stick on the window and look a bit ghastly!
 
An indoor aerial would help prove your point to your landlord, if a cheapie indoor aerial can receive the channels and the communal system can't. Your landlord has a responsibility here, but you need to prove the point first.
 
You are paying good money for that communal aerial system (one way or another); along with all the other residents.
It should be repaired.
Both you and neighbours need to report it.

Set top aerials are deprecated. The UHF transmitter network is designed around the use of outside directional aerial at rooftop level. NOT indoor aerials!!!

You might be lucky or find they are more trouble than they are worth. Indoor / Set top aerials - A.T.V. Poles, Brackets, Clamps & Aerials
 

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