Rubbish reception over Christmas period

[nickf99]

Hi, for years I have subscribed to BTVision. I have a YouVision box which I bought outright. My television is old but HD ready, and has worked fine for years. When I tune it I get perfect reception for all the main terrestrial stations. I have never had this with my BTVision box, it has always been patchy to say the least. I have an idea that the reason for this is because my aerial points to the main relay station in my district, however when I check with various websites it tells me that for my post code I should get the signal from a subordinate relay station. My BTvision box insists that I fill in my postcode and share it, otherwise I get no terrestrial stations at all when I retune. I believe that the BT Vision box then gets whatever signal it can from the subordinate relay station and ignores the good one. Can anybody help???? It's driven me mad for years.. I have an old Humax box (the same as the BT Vision offering) which always worked perfectly and never gave me this problem.

[WilfH]

Since you've posted in the YouView box forum Ibassume you have a BT YouView box and not a BT Vision box.

The YouView boxes with the most recent firmware definitely doesn't insist on a post code.

Either way though since you say that you aren't getting your signal from the recommended transmitter this is most likely your real problem.

There is no guarantee that the TV and the BT box aerial
Inputs have the same characteristics and the TV may well provide some initial signal gain to improve reception whereas the BT box may well be more susceptible to noise on the signal.

In the first instance I'd get your aerial reprinted to the main nearest transmitter to see if that improves things. The other option would be to add something like a 6dB aerial amp between the aerial and the BT box to see if that improves matters.

[nickf99]

Many tanks for your help. Sorry for any confusion - Yes it is a YouView box and sw is as up-to-date as it will allow. I have taken the post code out, and as suspected still the same result - certainly no HD channels (which was never a problem with the old Humax box).

I think I understand what you are suggesting, but that means paying someone to re-direct the aerial in the hope that it might improve. things. I still can't understand why the old Humax box worked perfectly and the same box, adapted with BT sw doesn't?

[S4Brains]

Got similar problems myself.  Some recommending amplifiers and others recommending attenuators.  At the end of the day we just want to watch TV and the chumps that we are we fall for the latest waffle about the latest kit and it's a load of rubbish.  The parameters for the signal seem very tight but there is no remedial equipment in the box e.g. if an amplifier is needed why not have one built in and if an attenuator is the answer then why is it not part of package also.  Just want your money and then leave you to get on with it.

[WilfH]

For the record I think the BT YouView service itself is very good but their hardware platform itself is poor and the boxes are not as good as normal Freesat and Freeviee boxes. Ergonomically, the remote is appalling.

Y suspicion is that you really need an aerial amp rather than attenuators but I'm afraid it'll take trial and error to get this right. I'd suggest you buy an amp a try it and return it for a refund if it doesn't work out.

A lot of people on these forums complain bitterly about BT support. Frankly it's no better or worse than Sky or Virgin and I have first hand wxperience of both. The advantage we have with BT is it's probably cheaper than the others.

[nickf99]

Absolutely - they promised the digital revolution would make things better - Hah - they forgot about companies like BT intervening..........

[nickf99]

Thanks again, over the last few years I have spent loads of money on boosters, attenuators etc.etc. but still the only problem television I have is the one linked directly the the BT YouView box, which of course just happens to be our main television. And surprisingly on that TV any streaming services like Netflix, or BT internet services work pretty well !!

Many apologies for my rant but someone recently asked me to recommend a broadband/TV supplier. My response was "none of them"  I have been with BT for years but could never recommend them to anyone.

[nickf99 · Accepted solution]

Hi WilfH - I think what you are telling me is that if I want to watch Freeview, DON'T use BT Vision. If, however, I want to spend loads of money on channels that I never watch DO use BT Vision. I think I will go and buy another really cheap Freeview box - many thanks for your help !!

[WilfH]

Remember the BT Youviee platform delivers quite a lot more than the Frreview channels and for where I live is the only real
Alternative to Sky - Virgin haven't cabled our area and don't seem likely to in the short to mid-term. If you are paying BT for the service it might be worth getting it to work and doing so might be more cost effectiveness than other options. As I said before, if you're I. A weak signal area there are no real guarantees that another freeviee receiver will necessarily be better.

[nickf99]

Thanks again, but the new little TV in the kitchen has freeview built-in - no problem, the really old TV in the bedroom has our old Humax box attached - no problem. The only TV with a problem is the one in the Living room attached to the BT YouView box. Simples !!!