Only 25 Freeview channels available on YouView

[nikev21]

I'm on BT Infinity broadband, I wanted to add the TV essentials pack & YouView box. When I go to online to sign up I come across a TV Channel Availability checker that says my area can only receive 25 Freeview  channels out of  the 74 Freeview channels that are available. That's a lot less channels than I'm getting now from my Freeview TV set or from the my DVB-T card in my PC. Don't know why this is ?

[Devon_Dave]

I suspect that the on line checker is in correct, of course it does not know your existing set up that you can already receive 74 channels.

You should be ok with youview.

[Colin_London]

The checker probably thinks you are receiving from a local relay transmitter when in fact you are receiving from a main transmitter.

If you can get 74 channels on Freeview now you'll get them using a Youview box. They are the same signals!

[nikev21]

OK my mind is at rest, many thanks

[umpire]

It's worth finding out and making a note of which transmitter you are picking up the signal from and which 6 UHF frequencies you are picking up the 6 possible Freeview multiplexes on.

This site will provide you with all the information. http://www.ukfree.tv/transmitters.php

Just go to the Freeview section and enter your postcode. Then click on the Full Details tab to see all the signals, strengths and UHF frequencies for your location.

Main transmitters provide all 6 multiplexes (3 public service broadcast ones and 3 extra commercial ones). Local relay transmitters usually only provide the three public service broadcast multiplexes and hence a reduced number of channels.

Like others have said, if you can receive all 6 multiplexes on your TV then you should be ok to receive the same on a BT Youview box.

[nikev21 · Accepted solution]

Well I spoke to BT before ordering YouView today and was told that whatever Freeview channels I'm getting on my TV now will be what I will be getting when the service is activated next week. I got a pretty good deal, with 10 months left to run on my Infinity 2 contract I get the YouView box and (I think) a couple of Power Line adaptors for £49 plus postage, with no charges for TV Essentials for 12 months. I had to sign a new 18 month Infinity 2 contract, but that was OK by me because I would've been doing that anyway, Infinity has been outstanding for me since I signed-up in March 2011, not a single outage.