I’be lost my BBC TV Channels!
I’m trying to get the Freeview BBC channels on my BT Vision box. How do I do it? It says signal too low.
Submitted online by Ian
Troubleshooting Missing Channels
Tracking down problems with missing channels can be tricky. The problem is likely to be one of the following four things:
- You’re outside the coverage area and can’t get some or all of the channels
- A problem at the transmitter site – that would affect Freeview across your area
- Something between you and the transmitter causing interference (bad weather, buildings, etc)
- Something to do with your box, aerial, aerial cabling, aerial connectors or signal booster (if you have one)
| Digital Switchover? If your area has just completed the Digital Switchover, note that some of the channels and channel groups have moved around . You will need to get your Freeview TV, Freeview set-top box or BT Vision box to rescan for channels, to pick up the changes that have been made to the channel lineup. There is normally an “add channels” or “scan for channels” option in the on-screen menu. |
Here are some things to check:
In a coverage area?
Not all of the Freeview channels are available to everyone. Check that you should be able to get the channels in question using the Freeview Coverage Checker. Note that this checker assumes you have a good quality rooftop aerial.
Transmitter problems?
These are pretty rare. Check with neighbours or friends in the area. If their Freeview is unaffected, then it’s unlikely to be a transmitter problem.
You can also check for transmitter problems on this site: BBC Transmitter Problems
Things to check at your end:
If you’re missing some of the Freeview channels, here is a checklist of things to try:
1. Are you in a good Freeview coverage area? (See above)
2. Are your neighbours affected? (Checking this helps to confirm whether it’s a problem with signal, or your setup)
3. Are other Freeview receivers in your house affected? (Again, this helps to confirm if the problem is with your receiver)
4. Have you tried a channel rescan?
To do this on a BT Vision box, Press the BT Vision button, scroll to “Settings”, then choose “TV Settings” and select “Add channels to TV Guide”. The box will then scan for all Freeview channels. This may take a few minutes
5. If it looks like the problem is with your setup, then there are a few things to try – See the next section
Checking your setup:
If you’re getting some of the Freeview channels, but not all of them, that would normally indicate that the box is not getting a strong enough signal on some of the channel groups.
- Connectors – Check that all of the aerial connectors are plugged in correctly
- Signal Strength – See if your receiver has a signal strength meter. This may be one of the on-screen menu options. If the box is getting a weak signal, this may need to be addressed (possibly with a booster)
- Reboot – Try rebooting the receiver – unplug the Freeview / BT Vision box from the mains for 30 seconds
- Connection – Try making a direct connection from the main aerial feed straight into the receiver (in other words cutting out any extension leads, or mess of wires). Just try a basic connection
- Check other box – If you have another Freeview receiver in the house (or can borrow one), try that. If no receiver can get the channels, that could point to an aerial issue. If some receivers can get a signal, it could be cabling
- Box upgrade? Some Freeview receivers struggle with the new format that’s used after the Digital Switchover. It may be that your Freeview receiver needs a software upgrade, or if it’s a very old box, it may be obsolete. Try a Google search for your make and model of Freeview receiver, to see if other users are having similar problems.
- Aerial – Check that the aerial is not damaged, or is out of alignment
- Aerial Leads – Make sure you use decent quality aerial leads (don’t have leads any longer than they need to be)
- Aerial Upgrade – There is a chance that your aerial is not suitable – See our answer to I get Interference on some Freeview channels, but not all
It’s important to use some trial-and-error to see if the problem is just in your house, or if it’s affecting others. Checking with your neighbours, or trying other Freeview receivers is a great way of eliminating some of the more common problems.
Still got missing channel?
Please add a comment in the box below, and we’ll try to help. Include your postcode (so we can check signal), and the make/model of your Freeview receiver. Also, let us know the results of the checklist, so we know what you’ve already tried.
I have lost sky news channel since digital switchover, can you tell me why
Probably for one of the reasons above. Without knowing where you live, whether everyone in your area is affected or not, and what you have tried to do to fix this, it’s hard to give any more detailed advice.
why have i lost channel 15 & 24 on freeview since switchover
Probably for one of the reasons above. Without knowing where you live, whether everyone in your area is affected or not, and what you have tried to do to fix this, it’s hard to give any more detailed advice.
i have lost film 4 and yesterday channels on my two freeview boxes.and the televisions. tried retuning but no success.any ideas
We list a whole load of suggestions above, including a way to check if the problem is with the transmitter, your box or your cabling.
Try working through those suggestions, and if you’re still having problems, let us know the results of your checks
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