Where have my TV channels gone?

Lasher · 12-08-2007, 18:46

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere - I am new here!

At about the same time as NTL became Virgin, I cancelled my service because I was peed off with their poor customer service. Anyway, after much begging from small children, I asked Virgin to reconnect me. They said they had to send out an engineer to set up a new line etc. etc.

The engineer turned up and swapped the old NTL box for a Virgin box. With the old set-up, I used to be able to get terrestrial channels 1-5 and all digital channels through channel 6. The signal also ran via a splitter and booster to two other tv's in the house.
Since the engineer visited, I can now only get digital on channel 7 and no terrestrial at all. I cannot understand why this is and how I can fix it.

Any clues or advice gratefully appreciated.

Thanks
lasher

Paul · 12-08-2007, 18:47

Some boxes do not have analogue passthrough so you will lose the analogue channels if you do not have an aerial.

**Graham M** · 12-08-2007, 18:48

On your old setup you will have had an analogue bypass, they've stopped fitting these now because the analogue signal will be being turned off in the near future and these bypasses will become obselete.

Lasher · 12-08-2007, 18:51

so is there nothing i can do about it now? basically, it means i cannot watch any channel except whatever te cable box is set to. doesn't seem fair or right to me!

Paul · 12-08-2007, 18:55

Have you no aerial? If not then it's not really VMs fault you have no other signal source to work with. Even freeview will not work without an aerial to feed it so unless you are looking to make your move to VM permanent you may need to deal with the situation at some point.

Lasher · 12-08-2007, 19:00

Alas, I cannot get a reasonable terrestrial TV signal where I live. Nor am I able to get freeview or Sky which left VM as the only option for getting a decent tv signal. However, If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have let the guy take the old box away with him. It now means, for instance, that if my wife & I want to watch a movie in one room which is not suitable for children, they cannot watch a terrestrial channel elsewhere. Completely unfair if you ask me!

homealone · 12-08-2007, 19:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lasher

Alas, I cannot get a reasonable terrestrial TV signal where I live. Nor am I able to get freeview or Sky which left VM as the only option for getting a decent tv signal. However, If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have let the guy take the old box away with him. It now means, for instance, that if my wife & I want to watch a movie in one room which is not suitable for children, they cannot watch a terrestrial channel elsewhere. Completely unfair if you ask me!

It won't be an issue, soon, as the terrestrial channels available over the cable are due to be switched off.

Only people with the boxes fitted with a bypass unit are able to get these extra channels, so you have been 'lucky' to be able to get them - nowhere in any VM terms and conditions does it state they will be provided.

Oh and the VM terrestrial channels being stopped, soon, is a separate issue from nationwide analogue TV being phased out - as far as I know it will happen before this year is out.

piggy · 15-08-2007, 12:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lasher

Alas, I cannot get a reasonable terrestrial TV signal where I live. Nor am I able to get freeview or Sky which left VM as the only option for getting a decent tv signal. However, If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have let the guy take the old box away with him. It now means, for instance, that if my wife & I want to watch a movie in one room which is not suitable for children, they cannot watch a terrestrial channel elsewhere. Completely unfair if you ask me!

its more money but you could always get a second stb....if your aerial signal is as bad as you say then theres not many other options