Switchover is all Welsh to some

DigitAl's on and off switch or, in Welsh, the ymlaen and oddiar switch

Terry Drew thought he was all sorted for the big digital switchover this summer.

Terry, from Ilfracombe, bought the necessary equipment and prepared to enjoy all the new channels the digital era has to offer.

However, when he switched on his upstairs TV after the latest Freeview retune on 30 September, he found that a degree in Welsh was needed.

"It's been complete chaos," said Terry. "It's since the retuning. The channels change on a daily basis sometimes.

"You get up in the morning and you don't know where they'll be.

"And sometimes they're in Welsh."

Is Terry's experience a one-off, or have other parts of Devon also had problems?

What's your experience been of the digital switchover? Good or bad, the BBC Devon website wants to hear from you.

You can post your message on the form at the bottom of this page.

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I am a radio engineer and quite familiar with antenna issues, manual retuning etc. I have helped retune many peoples equipment. What I find annoying are brands of equipment where manual tuning is difficult and manual tuning is only a temporary fix because the sets default to wanting to retune to add channels. Panasonic seem a problem with these issues. Philips equipment where digital BBC text services slow and then fail as more chanels are tuned, and Panasonic again for using the switchover to hide their introduction of compulsory viewed advertising on the EPG.
Stephen Day, Wigan

Since the switchover on the 2nd Dec. my Samsung Freeview TV has consistently been loosing the BBC channels, sometimes even loosing all DTV Air channels excepting radio, all was fine before the switchover. This is driving me nuts.
Paul, Accrington

Its been a complete nightmare for me. My freeview now loses signal at 10:14 every bleeding night!!!!!! its got better, i was losing it for days sometimes but now its just annoying me!!! therefore Sky is getting installed next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kirsty, Plymouth

By the way for any techies reading this......2 brand new boxes tried and a new tv so my equipment is more than adequate!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't get any BBC North-West channels since the switchover, only the BBC ones which I don't want. All my neighbours have the same problem. Hopefully the powers that be will sort it out for us - but when????
John in Chester

Prior to the switch over we had a pefect digital signal, now it is steadily getting worse. It is now completely unwatchable from about 7:30 every evening. Rubbish distorted picture and the odd snippet of sound. Retunes do nothing. Well done Digital UK for your wonderfully pathetic performance.
Chris, Tamar Valley

Beginning on Sunday it has not been possible to get radio devon on the digital radio. Why is this please?
C Pearce

Since the digital switchover , i can get all the channels available but not any of the bbc channels. I have tried retuning several times but still no bbc. Why is it that i can get all the free channels but the ones i pay my tv licence for are not available. I wonder if this means i don't have to pay my tv licence probaly not. Very poor and no reasonable explanation from the bbc making for a very angry licence payer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jason Williams, Lancashire

Since switchover, I have to retune each time I switch on, have to watch BBC 1 Wales and no North West programmes, loss of several freeview channels, poor quality pictures etc etc- when can we expect explanations and solutions. It really is not good enough.
Diana, Wirral

Since switchover, NO BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC 3 digital channels. My box tells me 'no signal' What is going on?? Of course, no BBC analogue either.
Grumpy, Cumbria. (7 November 2009)

Since the digital switch over I am unable to get any of the BBC Northwest channels. I get BBC Wales (which I don't want) but the channels have constant interference and I cannot get full vision or sound. I have tried rescanning the channels on a daily basis with no success. What a mess! Can anyone suggest how I can resolve this problem? Jacky, Chester (7 November 2009)

Before we did the retune we where getting the BBC North West channels, we are now getting BBC 1 & 2 Wales, which although OK a lot of the regional news doesn't really apply and I want the North West variations back. Nick, Flintshire (5 November 2009)

Hey, ho - we now have BBC wales, BBC 2 Wales and no ceefax and we are in Cumbria!
Duncan, Cumbria (5 November 2009)

Since the re-tuning exercise on 30 September, on occasions I lose all signals, sometime for several hours, before they suddenly reappear. I have also noticed that the signal strength for the ITV channels is very low. I believe that I receive signals from Huntshaw Cross and not a relay. Why the problems? Before the changeover I was receiving all channels with no problems. Why the decrease in quality of transmission?
Les, Bideford (2 November 2009)

Only been able to receive BBC Channels in all their glory since the switch over. When you told us to get DVB-T boxes, and now you have supposedly started optimising the system, that was supposed to signify advances not steps backwards. I also use a FreeSat+ box, on which Life looks stunning in BBC HD, as it does on other televisions in SD. But the lack of E4 and such has left my TV watchings in their minority.
Fred, Shipston-On_Stour (21 October 2009)

I used to work in TV engineering, but finished up teaching coms at uni,I live in the high part of my town.I see Caradon hill mast cornwall 15 miles away but the low part of town relies on the local relay.Carradon hill starts at ch25,aerial group A the relay starts at ch55 aerial group c/d so one of my boxes scans the low chanels on caradon,90% signal strength and over writes the relay chanels @ 20% signal on top of the caradon chanels (results poor reception). To overcome the problem I un plug the aerial after its scaned the strong Carradon chanels,so its only got the one set of chanels fron the main stronger transmiter, this has solved the problem. The relays only transmit 20 chanels, main masts transmits 63 so its better to try to get your aerial on a main mast if posible, use a longer pole with a masthead amplifier.
Mike, Fowey(20 October 2009)

YOU TOLD US TO GET READY FOR DIGITAL - WE GOT READY FOR DIGITAL - BUT DID YOU GET READY FOR DIGITAL? YOU KNOW THE PROBLEMS SO GET IT SORTED OR NO LICENCE FEE.....THERE`S A DEAR.
Fred, Salcombe (20 October 2009)

Since 5th October we have been having continuous problems with bad reception on BBC 1 and 2 with almost incessant distortions in pixellation as well as sound interference. It is NOT a problem with either our television (a brand new Sony Bravia) nor our tv aeriel and we know that our neighbours are experiencing similar problems. I also heard from Freeview UK that there are known problems with the Stockland TV transmitter. The situation is totally unacceptable - why should we pay a £142 licence feee to fund channels we cannot receive?
Clarke, Axminster (20 October 2009)

Prior too full swith over had all main channels + freeview.Since switchover can only get bbc1 bbc2 no ITV CHANNEL 4 OR CHANNEL 5 AND ONLY VERY FEW FREEVIEW CHANNELS LIKE FIVER BUT NO DAVE YESTERDAY OR BLIGHTY.This is very poor and I have always have good analogue signal + channel 5 .
Andy, Plymouth (18 October 2009)

We purchased a new TV and ariel in readiness for the switch over. Everythng was great until the switchover. Now we have had nothing but problems. First of all lost nearly all the Freeview channels, then they came back, then they got lost again and the story goes on. Currently have lost most of the channels again. Who knows they may all come back again tonight!
Donna, Westward Ho! (16 October 2009)

My TV now switches itself off at around 7.15 every night and takes several attempts to switch back on, nearly all of the ITV channels break up, and my sky box freezes continually so I have only sound and a frozen picture. How long is this going to continue???
Sue, Plymouth (15 October 2009)

This seriously needs sorting out as not only am I fed up with our reception but i have had to try to explain to my elderly relatives why they cant get the programmes they used to. I saw the man on your programme and he was basically saying "tough" How tough will it be when your advertising or licence falls because their is no one watching.
Tim, Weymouth, (14 October 2009)

Like many other posters, I get low quality Welsh TV signals, and regular instructions to retune, when random stations appear and disappear, mainly unwatchable for one reason or another. We were told it was an issue with the aerial, but obviously that's not the case. I suspect there are rather more than 300 homes in Ilfracombe with problems. An extremely expensive botch-up.
John, Ilfracombe (14 October 2009)

You lot are lucky - we have welsh tv all the time. I unplug my aerial half way through a scan so i only get Mendip. cant wait until the final situation when we should get Huntshaw reliably in Swansea. Come on BBCSW - make sure we can get Spotlight!
Paul, Swansea, (14 October 2009)

Before 30thSept,62 TV channels,after 23 channels. Nearly 40 channels lost,ITV 3&4 being the biggest loss.All because I live in an area of Torrington whose TV reception comes from Huntshaw Cross via a Relay mast at Taddiport.
David, Torrington (14 October 2009)

ANALOGUE TV,ANALOGUE VCR,2 DIGI BOXES- I CAN WATCH,SAY,BBC1 AND RECORD BBC2-NO CHANGE TO AERIAL EITHER.HOWEVER SINCE 30 SEPT. NO ITV3 NO ITV4 AND NEVER HAD FILM4. SOLUTION- NO COMPLETE FREEVIEW SERVICE = NO COMPLETE LICENCE FEE-"SIMPLE" (AS MEERKAT SAY!).
Howard, Chillington.(14 October 2009)

I could get itv 3/4 etc. from July to 30th Sept. but as I am on relay I have been told that I am now NOT getting them. what I want to know is WHY! as I could get them before why not now?
Carol, Braunton (14 October 2009)

Before the 30th of september we were enjoying spotlight news on freeview and it was good, now we can't get English BBC1 BBC2 or ITV1 or Channel4. We want english channels now not welsh. There are a lot of older people who can't get any channels.
Ian, Ilfracombe (13 October 2009)

We got ready for digital a couple of years ago by upgrading our aerial and bought new Tvs with built-in free view. When the switch over came to our area, we had a few problems which were resolved easily and we enjoyed 3 months of multi-channel, crystal clear viewing. In August, out of the blue, another area of Devon had their analogue switched off and we lost our BBC digital connection. Have'nt seen it since. We re-tune every day without success. Digital UK ask us to be patient while work is being done at Stockland Hill trasmitter. We are considering witholding our license fee. How else do we protest.
Ken, Sidmouth (13 October 2009)

What transmitter are the people in Plymouth with problems coming off, we get our pictures from Plympton, here a Hartley, and our signal is perfect. Only snag in the whole process was BBC1 and BBC2 were on 801 and 802 for a few hours on Sept 9, then all fine!!!
Mark, Plymouth (13 October 2009)

We never picked up BBC Cornwall until the switchover. Now instead of getting BBC Bristol as our default channels we get BBC Devon/Cornwall instead which obviously haven't got as strong a signal and hence we get slightly jumpy pictures now. Plus it's had an adverse affect on our Humax freeview box and it's behaviour which has worked fine for 3.5 years until 2 weeks ago !
Derek, Cwmbran (13 October 2009)

I live in line of sight of Huntshaw transmitter, splendidly lit with its red lights 2/3 miles away. Tonight lost itv3, retuned now it has vanished from the listings completely and the channels are no longer as per EPG, more fun. Reception has always been excellent before and after digital, since the last retune we have had pixelated pictures, no signals, sound out of sync. Retuned later and retrieved the missing channel plus others but pictures pixalated Added to this I am attempting to keep my 80 year old Mum's set tuned, she lives south of Shebbear always had perfect Caradon signal, now cannot always retune and all the problems that go with that, TV engineers have concluded that the 2 transmitters are "bumping" each other resulting in no signals at all. It is costing her money she can ill afford for a problem not of her making. The end result of digital TV across Britain beggars belief is there no project management? Or are we back to "2nd rate 21st century Marconi's" who are not achieving comparable success with todays multimillion budgets?
Sue, Bideford (13 October 2009)

I live in Plymouth and bought a new philips 19" integrated freeview TV last year in readiness for the "switchover" this year on the understanding that it would be compatible. However, since the retune following switchover, I am able to tune in all the digital channels ok but as soon as the power is turned off it refuses to store the folowing block of channels:ITV1, CH4, Ch5, ITV2, CH4+1, MORE4, ITV, E4 and 33 ITV! This means to watch any of these channels I have to retune each time which is ridiculous! I had another TV doing the very same thing and managed to resolve it by going back to factory settings. However, this procedure does not work for this set. The set I feel is pretty useless as it doesn't do what it should and was working fine before switchover. Last week I contacted Philips who eventually agreed to look into the matter of a software problem...still waiting for a reply and frustrated.
Sue, Plymouth (13 October 2009)

Channel 5 has definatly had a bandwidth reduction. Recordings from ch5 on my Freeview+ box are now less then half the size they were last month. This shows that the bandwidth allocated to ch5 has been halved. If a satellite recorder was cheaper then £300 (I'm ignoring subscription subsidised Sky+) then I'd certainly be looking at freesat
Mark, Exeter (13 October 2009)

Since the re-tune on 30th September, my 18 month old TV, has had dire problems - no text, can only change channel in EPG, no radio stations (says there is 27), constant re-tune every day, EPG rarely has all station info, cannot get back to factory settings on TV. On all previous re_tunes I have had no problems. It has all started on the 30th Sept!!! What an absolute farce, to say all has gone well on this digital switchover. Pick up my signal from Caradon Hill.
Andrew, Inwardleigh (13 October 2009)

I'm SO pleased we opted for Freesat instead of Freeview. We have a super picture, and only lose the signal occasionally, if it's atrocious weather. Neighbours have Freeview, and no end of problems, breaking up picture, missing channels,etc---as has been discussed by others. We were both making our choice of method to access digitally at the same time, and with the same television model, so a 'like for like' comparison. Hope it gets sorted out soon for everyone. It reminds me of the days when this area could only pick up Welsh channels years ago. We are supposed to be in the new Millenium now!
Pam, Ilfracombe (13 October 2009)

To Judith in Westbury. Your TV / digi box is picking up the "wrong" TV transmitter, Stockland Hill in Devon (BBC South West) and not Mendip in Somerset (BBC West). Due to bad design and total lack of regulation (= OFCOM's fault) most freeview boxes scan for their channels form the lowest frequencies moving up toward the highest frequencies. Stockland Hill is on the lowest TV frequencies and Mendip on the highest TV frequencies. Thus, your digi box finds the Stockland Hill TV signals first and keeps them. You might find BBC west on channels around 800 currently. To return the digi box back to BBC West - reset your digi box - with the TV aerial disconnected. Then rescan to digi box - half way through the channel scan plug the aerial back in. This will stop the digi box picking up the Stockland Hill TV signals but allow it to pick up the Mendip TV signals.
Richard, Ilminster (13 October 2009)

What was the point of the switchover!!!!If it was'nt broken why try to mend it!!! Since the switchover I do not receive half the channels I was getting beforehand and have lost radio channels I used regulary, and to record is a hit & miss!!
Jennie, Ilfracombe (13 October 2009)

Since the "Retune" on Sept 30, picture quality has noticeably deteriorated on all channels particularly Channel 5. The picture is less crisp and has mosaic-like pixellation, with jagged edges and fuzzy noise around captions. Two new tvs using separate aerials are both affected. The picture was excellent before the retune. Cant help wondering if the bandwidth or digital resolution been downgraded, to squeeze in yet more channels?
Derek, Bude (12 October 2009)

For over two years prior to switchover I received a good digital signal and a full range of channels. After the first retune I lost BBC1,2 and news 24. After ringing Uk digital and waiting over 12 minutes on a premium 0845 phone line awaiting a reply I was told that my set top box was NOT on the list of obsolete boxes so it must be my aerial. I upgraded my aerial without any improvement. I then when to the UK Digital stand in Plymouth city centre and was again told that my box was not on their list. Since the last changeover I have no reception on that set. My concern is that no record was made of my problem on the phone call or at the stand in Plymouth. I was told that they were there to help people with the retune and not to offer help or record problems. On another set my picture very occasionally freezes (it was particularly bad on bbc1 on Sunday evening, all other channels were OK) My question is how does UK digital know the size of the problem if they are not keeping records? As expected this Government, rather than the individual, thinks it knows what the individual wants. On some other top of the range DVD recording equipment the clock got its signal from the analog signal so now I have to leave the equipment on standby, so much for global warming.
Roger, Plymouth (12 October 2009)

I was pleased to see this area (Okehampton, Devon) go digital, and to date I have not had any reception problems. Being on a relay transmitter there were a limited number of channels, but they included all the BBC and ITV channels, channel 4 and channel 5, and I was very happy with that arrangement. Following the 30 Sep switchover, I am disillusioned. I have now lost ITV3 and ITV4, both of which I watched quite frequently (albeit for just a few weeks), and have had these decent stations replaced by ITV2+1 and Channel4+1. Why? There is no point to these "catch-up" channels. As for Rabbit and Gay Rabbit - what a waste of space. And why on Earth are radio stations taking up valuable space on the multiplexes only available via relay stations? I am really annoyed about this as this area only had the full range of TV stations for about 3 weeks. I have tried to complain to Ofcom, but their set up is rigged so you can't complain about this unless you write, and ITV seem to have closed down their e-mail section. Pathetic. Who thought we would be better off by having ITV2+1 and Channel4+1 in our set-up instead of ITV3 and ITV4? For my part I would like to see our digital reception returned to the pre 30 Sep situation with ITV3 and ITV4 being broadcast. I am not at all fussed about any other channels apart from these main ones. I would guess this would be the case with most folk on a relay transmitter.
Robin, Okehampton (12 October 2009)

mrdtv´s analysis (see message below) is totally correct. It is numbing to see that the BBC and other authorities do not publicly recognise the basic problem and the physics of digital uhf propagation and interference. Many of us, like mrdtv, saw it coming... Ofcom plans to sell off big chunks of the uhf spectrum which could be used to solve this problem - and its replications which will arise elsewhere as digital switchover "progresses"... Some will not have a line-of-sight to the satellite at 28°East, or be able to afford the additional cost. All pay the same licence fee: equality? This has to be addressed and resolved at the highest level. Maybe a general election would help... Folks, get writing and emailing!
Michael, nr Ilfracombe (12 October 2009)

WE RECIEVE OUR PICTURES FROM THE PLYMPTON TRANSMITTER AND WE HAVE HAD FANTASTIC RECEPTION ON ALL THE CHANNELS BEFORE AND AFTER SWITCHOVER..REALLY CAN'T COMPLAIN
Mark, Plymouth (12 October 2009)

Re-tune has been a disaster for us, picture constantly breaking up, losing ITV 3 & 4, red button works when it feels like it. What a waste of time, and not even of our doing. I agree there seems to be a cover up, when we questioned this after the first re-tune and then the one in September we were just fobbed off with "you're on a relay - tough".
Shane, Brixham (12 October 2009)

We were promised that better service and quality would result following the recent switchover. As far as I'm concerned the reverse has happened, with less channels (itv 3 and 4)and no improvement in quality. What was the point of it all?
Paul, Plymouth (12 October 2009)

We paid for a new Freeview TV so we could recieve all these wonderful channels.. then they took some off us just so the rest of the country could get Channel 5 (have you ever seen channel 5?? One of the worst channels on there, why would they want that?!!) So now we've been told to use ITV's websites to watch ITV 3 and 4 or buy sky. I repeat, we have only just bought a new freeview tv that we didnt really need only to not get what we were told we were going to get. Now they want us to go and pay more for our broadband so we can recieve a fast enough broadband to watch their programmes on their websites or buy sky.... This is totally wrong. Especially as others living in Dawlish who live just slightly higher up than us can get 100 channels! Wheres the newer better technology we were promised. Oh , it only works if you live so many metres high!!! This has all been a disaster and now those responisible wont come on tv and explain or improve it so that we all are treated equally. Will freeview be giving us our money back for our TV and giving us back our old service? (We may not have had CHANNEL 5 (WHOOPEEDOO) but at least the TV didnt keep breaking up and we knew exactly what service we were getting without waiting and wondering what they will take off us next.
Steve, Dawlish (12 October 2009)

complete cock-up, no itv 3or 4 get your act together
Roy, Teignmouth (12 October 2009)

We saw on spotlight that Radio Devon received lots of calls re changeover on the 30th September. Here in Bodmin, we have also lost a lot of programs including ITV 3 and told by Expert that we will not get reception while get picture via landline.
Jean, Bodmin (12 October 2009)

Since September 30th so many channels are unwatchable being blocky and out of sync. I used to love watching Dave, E4, Sky News to name a few but now they are unbelieveably bad! Someone mentioned going back to the manufacturers of the digital boxes, well I don't believe it can be anything to do with the boxes as we have 3 different freestanding and one built in and they are all bad!Have Sky got shares in Freeview and are hoping that we'll all be forced to go to them? Makes you wonder? Rebecca, Willand (12 October 2009)

We had over ten Freeview boxes to retune on the 30th September,like everyone else,and it was a nightmare.The auto tune picked up BBC1 & BBC2 Wales first and the local BBCs on Channels in the 800s,very strange i thought until deleting all the channels then did a manual retune (Frequency channels 54 (BBCs etc) and 61 (ITV1 etc)and it worked. The picture still freezes at times but it is local and no welsh in sight.
Peter, Ilfracombe (12 October 2009)

For three years we have watched digital tv & listened to digital radio transmitted from the Stockland Hill transmitter with only the occasional slight loss of signal, normally due to a road vehicles interference. When they first did a major upgrade earlier in the year the quality increased. Now come the end of September what a disaster after retuning I am now left with some channels not received and general quality has got worse with picture and sound drop-out across many channels.Perhaps they want us all to go to sky / Freesat then thy won't need the transmitters.
Janet, Sidmouth (12 October 2009)

Two items: Invest in:
1. A good 'Digital' aerial and point it in the right direction ( for Freeview )

2. Get Freesat and watch whatever region you wish ... ( that is why I was able to follow this on BBC Devon )
John, Co Antrim (12 October 2009)

My mother in Weston-s-Mare had the same problem - Welsh channels instead of local west country ones. I called the TV supplier but they wanted £30 before they would come and look at the problem. However, they did say try this: unplug the aerial cable from the TV and start the auto tune process and then plug the cable back in when the progress indicator gets to half way across. I tried this and it worked! Of course you shouldn't have to do this, but it could provide a temporary solution whilst the so called experts sort the mess out. Gordon, Par (12 October 2009)

I can't believe the Freeview people are blaming this whole problem on the boxes! They are the ones incapable of being able to supply us with the 'better' service than before. Surely they would have known there would be problems with boxes if there are this many problems to begin with. I have lost all my +1 channels which I need if I want to watch the programmes I want when I get home from college. I have scanned and retuned about 20+ times but still no more channels appear. Also, there are no channels above 745. They need to make access to information easier and actually tell us the exact problem and not vague solutions. Charlotte, Willand (12 October 2009)

Thank goodness for satellite so we can watch Spotlight. We live in Gloucestershire and have had to put up with our "local " news talking about Bristol for most of the time and we have had Harlech TV for years with all the welsh adverts.
Ian, Chipping Sodbury (12 October 2009)

As the alternative was a reduced number of channels on the relay here (cf the analogue situation here for years), we receive from Marldon mast. I am unable to discover why, in poor weather, only the BBC channels break up, and why the Signal Quality Monitor shows them them to be poorer than all the others.
Ray, Ashburton(12 October 2009)

Just to add to everyone's confusion,since the digital switchover we no longer get West TV from Bristol, but Spotlight South-West. I am not complaining though- it reminds me of summer holidays in Cornwall!We live between Frome and Westbury but are definitely in Wiltshire.
Judith, Westbury (12 October 2009)

The problems at Ilfracombe arise from the fact that the three public service digital tv multiplexes (BBC, ITV, Four, Five) etc use exactly the same frequency channels as the commercial Freeview channels broadcast from the Carmel (Carmarthen) transmitter across the Bristol Channel. Carmel 'drowns' out the Ilfracombe channels or hijacks boxes which have auto channel tuning because Carmel transmits at 10kW on these affected channels and Ilfracombe transmits at 56W. The only solutions are: a) The BBC, Ofcom and others should change the frequencies used at Ilfracombe, b) You buy Freesat or Sky, c) Learn Welsh.
mrdtv, Woody Bay, (12 October 2009)

Re digital TV in N Devon, my elderly Mum has had people in from the free service provided for the elderly, when we went digital in July her reception from the local transmitter was fine, but once Wales came on her local reception was zero, the engineer said her reception was so poor from the transmitter less than a mile away she would need to have free sat installed, first she was told she would have to pay £80, but now is to get it free as she can't get a local signal. It may be worth letting all the people entitled to the free set up to get in touch at 0800 4085902 and state their case. Not everyone can get a free upgrade or afford £80 so I guess it's Welsh lessons for us all
Lin, Ilfracombe, (12 October 2009)

The digital switchover has been a complete disaster as far as I am concerned. I frequently have no picture at all on BBC channels, sometimes no ITV channels and other times the breakup and sound quality is so bad, I have to switch it off to keep my sanity. They claim the switch over has been a success but I think there has been a big cover up/con by the powers that be, judging by the responses on the phone-in over the last few months.
Lyn, Torbay (12 October 2009)

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