Digital TV – Dealing with Reception Problems

Digital TV is now available across the UK, although reception is better in some areas than others. From time to time poor reception can also be a problem for any household, so what do you do when digital TV reception problems occur and how do you avoid an unplanned interruption to your viewing schedule?

Schedule and Unscheduled Maintenance

Occasionally, planned engineering work to transmitters will interrupt digital TV signals; this is unavoidable but it’s normally well publicised and you can double check if your lack of signal is caused by engineering by checking the Digital UK website here. If engineering is at the bottom of the problem your TV reception should return to normal once the work is completed. If engineering work is not the cause of the poor reception then the next simple checks should completed. Firstly check that cables and connections are in good working order, unplug any connections and plug them back in ensuring that they are not loose. Check cables for damage or wear and tear, if the cables are in poor condition consider replacing them. Once everything has been checked, if you are still experiencing difficulties with the reception, try a retune (see below). Regular retunes should be performed (experts recommend every three to six months as a good schedule) as channel information changes relatively frequently. If you continue to experience difficulties after retuning try the oldest IT trick known to geeks everywhere – turning everything off and switching back on again!

Fine Tuning and Retuning

As mentioned above, retuning your digital TV every few months is a good idea to ensure that you are receiving all the channels available in your area. Retuning is straightforward, requires limited technical abilities and can normally be done using only your remote control.

• Switch on your digital TV and set top box (if you have one) and press ‘menu’ on your remote control.
• Next select the ‘installation’ option, this is sometimes displayed as ‘set up’; if you are prompted for a security code (and didn’t set your own when you first installed the set) it will normally be 0000 or 1234.
• A full retune or factory/default reset should be shown in this menu and you should select this option. Often the menu will ask if you wish to delete all channels – don’t panic, this is part of the retune process – and you should select yes.
• The set will now run a full retune and should correctly install all channels automatically – the process normally only takes a couple of minutes.

If your menu options are not as above and you are having difficulties finding the correct options to retune your digital TV, check with the manufacturer’s instructions. If these have been stored in a ‘safe place’ try an internet search for the correct model.

Common Problems after a Retune

In some areas you may receive a digital TV signal from transmitters in different TV regions – this can mean that after a retune you receive a different regional news broadcast to your own area. If this happens after retuning your set you’ll need to do another retune, using the ‘manual retune’ option; this allows you to select your preferred region. If, after a retune you are still not receiving all the channels that should be available in your area, try switching off your digital set top box or (if you have a digital TV without a box) switching to analogue TV. Perform a full channel scan (no digital channels will be found during this scan) and then switch back to digital and retune as above.

Aerial Issues

In some cases reception problems with digital TV can develop over time as your aerial deteriorates; most TV aerials have a lifespan of 10-15 years, depending on their position. External aerials are often exposed to poor weather conditions and can gradually become less effective. If you have checked coverage in your area, checked all internal connections and cables, retuned your TV and your signal is still poor, then consider contacting a local digital TV aerial engineer to check and replace (if necessary) your aerial. In poor reception areas an aerial installer can also offer advice on how to boost the signal that you receive. If your current TV aerial is an internal one (in the loft in many houses) you may find that replacing with an external aerial will improve the reception. Again, an engineer should be able to offer advice on external/internal aerials and find the most appropriate solution for your property.

About the author:
Freelance writer, blogger and TV addict Eric Compton takes a look at how to deal with digital TV reception problems.