Lost Freesat

Padraig H

Established Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2010
Messages
215
Reaction score
13
Points
86
My tv Samsung Q 90R 55; when I bought this tv these forums helped and showed me how to toggle between the
the freeview HD tuner and the Freesat HD tuner on the tv.
On the large black remote control; press CH list, press right and the the option to select between the two comes up great no problem.
I have always used the large black remote
But today I was trying something with the silver metal Smart remote control and it looks like Ive introduced some sort of conflict or issue, when I select the Freesat HD tuner option the channels dont show.
The Freesat HD tuner was working perfectly just before I touched that little metal smart remote,
Ive been having a signal problem with my freeview which I have to sort out but for now I have to get my Freesat back. Any ideas
 
Update, relief! Ive found the problem, it was nothing to do with the remote control
Because I've been having signal problems with with the freeview tuner Id been checking connections
between freeview humax PVRs etc. I accidentally disturbed the Sat cable connection.
I should have checked it before but with the freeview signal problem at least I had the Freesat HD tuner to fall back on I panicked.
Now back to sorting the freeview signal problem which starting on Monday I may need help.
 
I remember you providing me with excellent info about aerials, masthead amp and so on
but I never did get them back to replace the old aerial with the new one on the chimney where it should have gone. BBC4HD was a problem but receptions been good apart a few times.
I live in Kilburn North West London.
Since Monday signal problems all channels, breaking up ,sometimes blank screen, no signal,
it sometimes runs perfect picture for 15 mins or so but breaks again.
On the Samsung signal test its showing 100% strength and 100% quality but
suddenly the BER jumps from 0 to 2000 for a second.
The aerial with masthead amp was installed in May 2018 and I've never had any problems like this.
 
Check out Restore TV | TV Signal Interference | TV Filters to see if you've had some new mobile phone alterations that are overloading your masthead amplifier.

I'm guessing they never took down your old aerial on the chimney. Did they leave the old cable in place (or re-use it on the log periodic at gutter level)?

If the old aerial comes into your home try that? (You'd lose COM7 - Four HD etc.,. but it should help diagnosis of the problem.)
 
The old aerial is still on the chimney. They re-used the old cable on the log periodic.
I was angry they didn't install it on the chimney, they stuck it at that gutter level without even
telling me. But even at gutter level here at least its one storey higher than a normal house.
I have been getting good freeview picture lovely recordings on my freeview Humax PVRs
Just checked today and if anything its worse. one thing I forgot to mention they put a Channel 59 at800 filter before connecting to the Humax Fox T2.
I've not received any postcard from Restore TV, never even heard of them.
May need to find an engineer, not sure if I qualify for any help from them.

 
Latest mobile 5G rollout is in the 48-59 uhf spectrum - the 700 MHz clearance and why COM7 is expected to close around June time.

Restore TV is the new name for AT800 (800 MHz clearance) who are dealing with the lower frequency interference issues.

Go through the diagnostics bit of the site and they'll come back to say if they think it may be due to something local to you opening up and any next steps.

Which Humax PVR model(s)??
If they are ok but the TV - fed via RF loop through? - is not try using a splitter to feed the
aerial -> psu -> splitter IN and then the two outs to TV and PVR.

That'll avoid more amplification in the Humax boxes from overloading the TV tuner. Possibly.

A splitter can also act as an attenuator to the signal to the problem TV.

Also try alternative fly lead cables and keeping the hdmi leads and UHF TV lead well apart. Poor screening can allow cross-interference. Double-check any hand made TV plugs, too. They can alter over time with heating expansion and cooling contraction of the component parts.
 
Latest mobile 5G rollout is in the 48-59 uhf spectrum - the 700 MHz clearance and why COM7 is expected to close around June time.

Restore TV is the new name for AT800 (800 MHz clearance) who are dealing with the lower frequency interference issues.

Go through the diagnostics bit of the site and they'll come back to say if they think it may be due to something local to you opening up and any next steps.

Which Humax PVR model(s)??
If they are ok but the TV - fed via RF loop through? - is not try using a splitter to feed the
aerial -> psu -> splitter IN and then the two outs to TV and PVR.

That'll avoid more amplification in the Humax boxes from overloading the TV tuner. Possibly.

A splitter can also act as an attenuator to the signal to the problem TV.

Also try alternative fly lead cables and keeping the hdmi leads and UHF TV lead well apart. Poor screening can allow cross-interference. Double-check any hand made TV plugs, too. They can alter over time with heating expansion and cooling contraction of the component parts.
 
From the power unit the lead with the Channel 59 filter plugs into the Humax FoxT2 and from
that into the Humax 2000T and then into the Samsung TV.
I've never had any problems with this setup whither the Humax PVRs are switched on or off
recording or not.
I've just phoned Restore TV and with my post code they say I'm within range of a mobile mast.
They are sending me a filter; Channel 48 indoor. 1to 5 working days
I'll just wait and see if that solves the problem.
 
Last edited:
Received the channel 48 filter from Restore TV but that's not made any difference.
Maybe a filter at the external aerial is what's needed.
not sure if I qualify for them to send an engineer out.

If its a mobile phone mast that's causing the problem does it make any difference whither the aerial
is at gutter level or higher on the chimney like my situation.
If I have to pay someone to fix the aerial back on chimney like old one.

Just phoned Restore TV and their sending an engineer round on Tuesday.
Amazing, I'm well pleased with that.

This is what their website says;
(What if you have a rooftop aerial amplifier? If you have a rooftop aerial amplifier, a weatherproof filter needs to be installed. We can arrange for a Restore TV engineer to do this for you providing you do not have satellite or cable and are eligible for an engineer visit.)
 
Update;
TV Restore sent an engineer a week ago.
problem maybe not entirely down to mobile phone mast but did fit a filter to the rooftop aerial amp. and fitted the channel 48 indoor filter as well
They also replaced the 30 year old aerial cable.
What ever other changes they made has made a significant improvement.
On the Fox T2 Humax PVR which is the first feed from the power unit the Signal strength was always around 80%-82%, its now 88%-90%.
They also pointed out to me the very poor quality fly leads I had between the two Humax PVRs and the Samsung TV.
Can you advise me on a good quality Fly Lead and are they available on Amazon or any shops that sell them.
The reason I waited a week to post this update was to see how things panned out
On Wed. night a tiny break lasting 10/15sec on the FoxT2, and last night picture froze and sound and picture no signal which lasted about 15 secs. on the Humax 2000 and then returned perfect.
Maybe this proves I'm not entirely out the woods yet but all the recordings on the 2 PVRs have
been generally great over the last week. I had not been able to use them at all for over 2 weeks.

I did raise the issue of relocating the aerial back on the chimney pointing out my old aerial installed in 1992 was giving me good picture except BBC4 HD and other channels but when Freeview guys installed the new aerial at gutter level they had to resort to a mast head amp.
but they didn't seem to keen on that, but I'm still so grateful for what they have done and the help I've received on these forums.
 
CoAx 2m quality fly lead, All my fly leads are male to female, would I need the female back to back coupler. does the length of these leads make any difference, the PVRs and Tv box are all near each other on the TV stand, even 1M length is more than enough, but if that's the shortest ok.
 
You will need a coupler F-F to turn the male into female.
Talk to Justin/his team to get custom lengths made (although that can work out quite expensive)?

These can be diy made from the compnent parts (using all copper double screened coax cable). Especially if twist on F plugs with adapters to TV plugs and sockets are used.
 
update
I bought one copper double screened 1M fly lead( not yet from the place you mentioned for now) to run from the Humax Fox T2 to the Humax 2000.
Since the TV Restore guys carried out work 2 weeks ago all recordings good apart from a few odd glitches, especially on the H 2000. Last night I was looking out for any problems with the new lead.
Everything good on the 2000 so far.
The Restore TV guys told me the Fox T2 was the one to stick with because that's the first tuner from the power unit and its testing good not so the 2000 or the Samsung TV tuner.
But last night I lost 4 recordings on the FoxT2 long periods of complete break up blank screen just like before the TV guys sorted it.
While this was happening I checked the tuners on the 2000 and the Samsung tv both perfect.
But what an amazing coincidence with the new quality lead running from it to the 2000 but surely that would not have anything to do with this.
Both PVRs seem ok today but maybe this is a problem where the cause is elsewhere.
I'm gutted, I thought I was starting to get somewhere with this.
 
Now I'll ask for signal strength and quality readings for all 7/8 multiplex frequencies you receive from CP.
EACH mux frequency, EACH frequency with Signal Level Quality. (So 7-8 sets of numbers.)

No 'overall' number. Precise numbers for each frequency please (and if fluctuating a bit upper and lower numbers - e.g 71-77% S, 100 % Q.)

We (I) need the numbers:
For the Humax Fox-T2.
and For the Humax T2000.
and for the Samsung TV.

Then I can put em in a spreadsheet or on a bit of paper for comparison to see if there's any pattern to the numbers.

NB You have:
Log Periodic Aerial with inherent gain.
Masthead amplifier with (high?) gain and added noise.
External filter for ch 48 (typical 4dB insertion loss 48 and below, 6dB between ch 50 and 55, and 13dB rejection above ch 56.) https://cpc.farnell.com/sac/ae5102/700mhz-lte-5g-filter-ch48/dp/AP03715
Power unit for the above with termination losses, perhaps.
Second low pass filter with more losses.
Humax HDR-Fox-T2 with amplifier gain and added noise.
Humax T200 with another amplifier gain and added noise.
Samsung TV set.

Every connect point has the possibility of letting in interference, and cross-interference between hdmi cables and poorly screened TV aerials is quite common.

But the -T2 can be relatively sensitive and early users reported good results with S between 30 and 50 % (and Q 100, of course).

Is the antenna pointing through trees at all? Windy weather yesterday would move those about a bit, and trees often cause signal fluctuations?

FYI My -T2 reports 75% for COM7 and 82-85 % for the others on the loft "high gain" aerial a relatively short distance from Sandy Heath. But it's not used in anger at the moment, and I didn't have pen/paper to hand when doing a quick and dirty check earlier to note each mux more precisely.
I tend to aim to get 60-70% when out in the caravan to provide reliable reception.


I'd seriously be considering a passive 3-way (or 4-way) splitter after the power unit (removing the second filter) to feed each device separately rather than looping through the two PVRs if I were in your shoes. PROception Wideband TV & Satellite Splitter 4 Way | Toolstation Using double-screened cables, of course.

It would take out some of the amplification/added noise issues as well as allowing easier separation of hdmi and aerial cabling, I'd hope.
 
-T2 :rtfm: page 56

Menu... Settings... System... Signal Detection
then you change the frequency channel by <right arrow> and up/down to the different tuned frequencies.

DTR-2000T is You View and the manual page 18 mentions it under System Information...

Not sure about the TV- usually a similar sort of menu - sometimes under tuning (manual)?

Some devices you need to tune to a channel on the different multiplex and then get the diagnostics page up to do each in turn. Channel listings for Industry Professionals may help with that (if necessary).
 
Update
I haven't got round to carrying out those tests on all the multiplex frequencies.
The reason been amazingly for the last near twenty days all recordings on both PVRs great, no signal problems. Its puzzling, I haven't moved or changed anything.
It was Thurs. 7th April and Fri.8th at the same time both nights 9pm to 11.30 appx
the Fox T2 went haywire not just breaking up but mostly no signal.
About a year ago I had a few signal problem issues but nothing as bad as this time.
So I guess the problem will eventually return and would that be the best time to carry out those multiplex tests.
with regards to a splitter I will need someone with know how and tools to help me.
 
Update after 3 months
They decided to fix the aerial on a 16ft pole. 12th May
Got rid of mast head amp, power unit indoor filter.
all these issues you pointed out, and now even much higher than the
old aerial on the chimney.
Everything fine since, no problems.
"Amplification is the last resort of an aerial install, aerial height and gain should be used first"
20220512_143618.jpg

This advice has proved to be spot on.
 
That antenna looks to be a bacofoil aerial (to quote Justin of ATV aerials who you also have quoted, above.) Not one he'd have recommended to be used in your location but it is what it is now.

NB It looks to me to have the reflector and cross-rods vertical rather than horizontal as the other three antennas pictured are... Hopefully that's just a photo perspective issue as Crystal Palace is Horizontal.

I also can't see the coax cable, or it's ties on to the pole (surely it's not been installed to run inside the pole with the inevitable sharp edges). :censored: At least it looks to be 2 inch diameter.

A few better quality really close up photos of your antenna install at the top and bottom of the pole wouldn't come amiss for me (and hopefully prove me wrong).
 
My tv Samsung Q 90R 55; when I bought this tv these forums helped and showed me how to toggle between the
the freeview HD tuner and the Freesat HD tuner on the tv.
On the large black remote control; press CH list, press right and the the option to select between the two comes up great no problem.
I have always used the large black remote
But today I was trying something with the silver metal Smart remote control and it looks like Ive introduced some sort of conflict or issue, when I select the Freesat HD tuner option the channels dont show.
The Freesat HD tuner was working perfectly just before I touched that little metal smart remote,
Ive been having a signal problem with my freeview which I have to sort out but for now I have to get my Freesat back. Any ideas
same problem here, did you find any solution here?
 
Last edited:
same problem here, did you find any solution here?
He'd disturbed the sat connection as stated in post #2 if you'd read on ???
Update, relief! Ive found the problem,

accidentally disturbed the Sat cable connection.
It's usually best to start your own, new, thread with fuller details of your problem and what you've tried so far...
Otherwise this thread gets too confusing!
 
Had to dig out my SLR gear with long telephoto lens, hope photos are better than phone.
Same type of antenna on other houses in the street look to to be installed the same way round.
 

Attachments

  • _MG_5807.JPG
    _MG_5807.JPG
    119.8 KB · Views: 29
  • _MG_5808.JPG
    _MG_5808.JPG
    123.4 KB · Views: 27
  • _MG_5810.JPG
    _MG_5810.JPG
    144 KB · Views: 25
  • _MG_5809.JPG
    _MG_5809.JPG
    390.4 KB · Views: 30

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom