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BBC channels have stopped working

missing_link — Tue, 07 May 2024 19:08:42 GMT

Hello. We've had a gradually degrading signal for a while now. Despite paying for all the bells and whistles, since early this year we've tolerated free view channels in SD as HD was patchy. I've tuned and retuned, reset the box, reset the router etc etc. A couple of weeks ago BT sent an engineer, but of course, I tried a retune just before he came and lo and behold all channels worked perfectly 🙄

Now we're worse off than ever, as last weekend we lost BBC1 &2 in both HD and SD. I can get ITV in SD but that is temperamental. It cannot be the aerial as our aerial feeds into a splitter and the other TV without a BT box works faultlessly. This second TV is not on when the TV with the BT box is on (so it's not degrading the signal).

I've checked all the connections and they're solid. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to try next (other than switching to Sky?!!). TIA.

Re: BBC channels have stopped working

Anonymous — Tue, 07 May 2024 19:34:41 GMT

Are you watching the box's tuner or that in your TV?

If the former, take the two cables out of the back of the BT box & join them together. If the TV then receives BBC then you know the issue is with the box.

If the latter, make sure that aerial pass through is enabled in settings. If that's the case, there are suggestions that the boxes can be overwhelmed by a strong signal. So a cheap attenuator may be worth a try,

Re: BBC channels have stopped working

Anonymous — Tue, 07 May 2024 20:27:51 GMT

@missing_link

"This second TV is not on when the TV with the BT box is on (so it's not degrading the signal)."

Unless you are either using an aerial switch, (as opposed to a splittter), or physically removing the aerial plug from the TV when it is switched off, the signal level will still be reduced regardless of whether the second TV is on or off.

Too high a signal level could actually be the problem here, (as previously suggested).

Re: BBC channels have stopped working

zulu17 — Tue, 07 May 2024 21:26:13 GMT

Interesting that you mention

, I tried a retune just before he came and lo and behold all channels worked perfectly

I wonder whether you are experiencing issues at times with your main transmitter (too strong a signal or interference for example) and the box is selecting an alternative weaker transmitter.

Checking the signal strength and quality measurements and using (ideally a variable ) attenuator to reduce any overly strong signal.

An alternative approach assuming you have sufficient broadband speed is to discuss upgrading your existing box with the EE TV Box Pro which has many of the FreetoAir channels delivered by IP rather via the aerial. A third option is to switch from BT broadband and to New EE take the EETV service with them and make use of their (up to 2j free multi boxes. If switching to IP mode you could still use your aerial direct into your TVs to view those Freeview channels not provided on EE TV IP mode.

Re: BBC channels have stopped working

Hunter2660 — Wed, 08 May 2024 14:38:53 GMT

@missing_linkwrote:
Hello. We've had a gradually degrading signal for a while now. Despite paying for all the bells and whistles, since early this year we've tolerated free view channels in SD as HD was patchy. I've tuned and retuned, reset the box, reset the router etc etc. A couple of weeks ago BT sent an engineer, but of course, I tried a retune just before he came and lo and behold all channels worked perfectly 🙄
Now we're worse off than ever, as last weekend we lost BBC1 &2 in both HD and SD. I can get ITV in SD but that is temperamental. It cannot be the aerial as our aerial feeds into a splitter and the other TV without a BT box works faultlessly. This second TV is not on when the TV with the BT box is on (so it's not degrading the signal).
I've checked all the connections and they're solid. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to try next (other than switching to Sky?!!). TIA.

Just a thought, but have you connected the BTTV box to the other TV to see if the same thing happens, just in case it's the splitter causing the problem.

Re: BBC channels have stopped working

missing_link — Tue, 28 May 2024 20:29:36 GMT

Thanks for all the replies, and sorry for the delay in responding, I had a couple of weeks away from home.

So, your responses led me to consider the aerial in a bit more detail, and I looked at the connection into the BT box. Wiggling the cable seemed to have an effect on the picture, so I played around with it a bit more, and tried an alternative cable into the box (no mean feat as the other end is buried into a boxed label in the wall, and it's got one normal coax end and the other is the spikey screw on kind, although I'm guessing there's a more technical term for it than that!).

Looks like the cable is the problem. I've had to order a longer one, but the temporary fix enabled me to retune all the terrestrial HD channels and has been working perfectly for the past couple of days.

Many thanks for your advice. I'm not sure I'd have come to that conclusion without your excellent questions back.