Sagem Freeview Box

ps2mint · 30-06-2006, 08:34

Hi, purchased one of these, 20 pounds.

When I set it up, i get all channels except ITV1 and Channel 4.

Also, all channels work perfectly except both BBC 1 and 2, which appear all 'blotchy', if you understand what i mean.

Is this a signal issue/ ariel problem, or is it more likely a tuning prob (set it up using the search feature)?

Many thanks!

**Graham M** · 30-06-2006, 08:37

Sounds like a signal issue, ITV and 4 are 2 of the most difficult channels to pick up on a low signal, you COULD try a Freeview booster from Argos but there's no guarantee that it'll have any effect

ps2mint · 30-06-2006, 08:42

Is something like this what you mean!?

---------- Post added at 08:42 ---------- Previous post was at 08:41 ----------

Is something like this what you mean!?

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5344228.htm

**Graham M** · 30-06-2006, 08:54

Yep thats the one I have at home and it does help quite a bit

**Chris** · 30-06-2006, 10:29

Are you sure you have the right rooftop aerial? You may need to have a wideband antenna to get all the Freeview channels properly. Also, what do the various online predictors say about whether you should be able to get coverage?

There is a very detailed predictor here:

http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?

ps2mint · 30-06-2006, 10:36

They appear to say that i should be able to receive it!

Also, i have brought one of these boxes for my home, but i have a really old TV!!

I am trying to use the RF Out port, which could connect into two white and two red ports called 'video' in the back of the TV.

Would this idea work, and if so, what cable to i need (one with 4 connectors on the end i think!) but not sure which one!

jonifen · 28-08-2006, 00:37

Apparently if your aerial is pointing to a repeater and not the actual transmitter, freeview rarely works. We had the same problem here.

Bought the indoor one4all booster aerial (the power loop one) from Argos for ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£17.99 - works a treat, get all channels without any breakup in signal.

edit: we have the exact same Sagem box (ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£20 from TJ's)

**Chris** · 28-08-2006, 09:47

Do have a look at the reception predictor I linked in post 5. It will give detailed data on any transmitter, including fill-ins.

altis · 28-08-2006, 11:27

Yep, there are relatively few actual transmitters - about 49 by my count. Look for the green blobs on the map here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/trans...ns/index.shtml

As I understand it, the signal gets to them by underground fibre optic cable. They are very powerful (for example, near us, Winter Hill pumps out 500kW) but the signal still cannot find its way into all the little folds and valleys of our land. To do this we have lots of things called relays. These receive the ordinary TV signal from the nearest transmitter and re-broadcasts it again on a different frequency. If you click on one of the transmitter green blobs you'll see a long list of relays that are associated with it.

Along comes digital TV requiring a whole new set of frequencies. It would have been very expensive to upgrade the whole network so, as a temporary measure, the main transmitters have been upgraded but most of the relays have not. When analogue TV is switched off, they can re-use all the old analogue relays for the new digital signal.

This image from the BBC shows when each area is being switched over.

**Chris** · 28-08-2006, 12:04

Just to add, you can tell whether you are receiving from a main transmitter or a relay by the way you point your aerial. Main transmitters require the aerial to be horizontal, while relays require it to be vertical.

altis · 28-08-2006, 12:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

Just to add, you can tell whether you are receiving from a main transmitter or a relay by the way you point your aerial. Main transmitters require the aerial to be horizontal, while relays require it to be vertical.

Although this is often the case there are some relays that break this rule. For example, Winter Hill uses horizontal polarization and most of its relays use vertical. However, Cartmel, Far Highfield, Haughton Green, Kendal Fell, Lees, Melling, Newchurch, Roose, Stockport, Walton-le-Dale and Warton all use horizontal.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/trans...winterhl.shtml
(Look for an 'H' at the end of the Aerial Group column)

Clarkvcr · 29-08-2006, 22:01

Hope you don't mind me butting in but I don't receive Film4 through my freeview box. Channel 31 doesn't exist and film4 doesn't appear on the channel guide. Other stations have a good picture/signal strength.
Any thoughts
Cheers

**Chris** · 30-08-2006, 08:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clarkvcr

Hope you don't mind me butting in but I don't receive Film4 through my freeview box. Channel 31 doesn't exist and film4 doesn't appear on the channel guide. Other stations have a good picture/signal strength.
Any thoughts
Cheers

Have you manually forced your box to do a re-scan for new channels?

Clarkvcr · 02-09-2006, 11:33

Box worked ok in mates house accross road. Film4 is now listed in the guide but signal strength low. A new outside aerial will solve the problem. [Current one at least 15 year old]
Cheers.

taylorjohn21 · 17-09-2006, 03:54

I have successfully connected the SAGEM ITD 64 box to my VCR and TV using the aerial and scart cables - when I switch to Freeview the "Line In/AUX/AV" symbol appears on my screen - however I am unable to assign any of the video channels on my VCR to the Freeview box. Do you have any ideas on how to resolve this?