General : Brighton BBC One Region Change?

[thegrail]

I've sent this question to Virgin but had no response and looked on the forum and found nothing, so perhaps someone can help?

In March 2012, as part of Freeview DSO, the local Brighton TV transmitter at Whitehawk Hill (and the associated relays) will switch from BBC 1 South to BBC 1 South East.

Will Virgin Television in this area (I think it is area 20) also be switching to BBC 1 South East at the same time? If not then when? Or alternatively can we be given the option to select the BBC region?

Thanks in advance...

[nodrogd]

Unlikely that Virgin's channel allocations will change. If there are additional regions input to your area they will be found on Channel 858 for BBC and Channel 870/871 for ITV.

The main reason for the change at Whitehawk Hill is that with DTT it must be fibre fed, as the tortuous link from Rowridge via Findon used for analogue was not suitable for digital.

[thegrail]

Originally Posted by nodrogd

Unlikely that Virgin's channel allocations will change. If there are additional regions input to your area they will be found on Channel 858 for BBC and Channel 870/871 for ITV.

The main reason for the change at Whitehawk Hill is that with DTT it must be fibre fed, as the tortuous link from Rowridge via Findon used for analogue was not suitable for digital.

Thanks nodrogd - that explains the "why".

As far as I can recall, Sky already treats Brighton as part of the South East rather than South. I assume (probably incorrectly) that Freesat does the same.

With Freeview switching to the South East from March, I imagine that BBC South will cover even less Brighton news than it does at the moment so Virgin Brighton customers will be missing out.

I managed to watch a BBC South East news broadcast the other day and I was very impressed with the amount of local (Brighton) items covered, compared to loads about Southampton, Basingstoke and Oxford shown on BBC South.

It would be nice if Virgin Media could respond directly on this...

Thanks again.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by nodrogd

Unlikely that Virgin's channel allocations will change.

Virgin will be changing as well

[thegrail]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Virgin will be changing as well

Thanks BenMcr - wonderful news

[Rao Vantika]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Virgin will be changing as well

I assume Virgin pick up BBC One off air DTT from Whitehalk at Portslade ?

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by Rao Vantika

I assume Virgin pick up BBC One off air DTT from Whitehalk at Portslade ?

No, all local channels are taken via digital satellite, only Dundee has a local opt out from DTT.

[seegulls11]

Looks like Virgin has switched over to 'BBC South East' - at least ours has and we are in Brighton. I raised a ticket a couple of years ago about the fact that 'BBC South' was not the correct region for Brighton; an Virgin engineer called but of course nothing came of it.

[nodrogd]

Originally Posted by seegulls11

Looks like Virgin has switched over to 'BBC South East' - at least ours has and we are in Brighton. I raised a ticket a couple of years ago about the fact that 'BBC South' was not the correct region for Brighton; an Virgin engineer called but of course nothing came of it.

A little history lesson. The TSA of a region has always been driven by terrestrial reception, which of course arrived long before satellite or cable. Origionaly there was no south east region at all. This was created in the 80's using the Transmitters at Bluebell Hill, Dover & Heathfield. At the time the feed to the Tunbridge Wells relay changed from London to SE and the intention was to do likewise at Brighton from the South region. This never materialised as there was no easy way of getting the signal across the downs from Heathfield to Whitehawk Hill. Indeed there were even problems with the feed from Rowridge since the switch to UHF. UHF TV signals and sea crossings don't mix, and an SHF link had to be set up via Findon.

With the introduction of DTT it became obvious that even the existing link would not be viable, as even Rowridge is having to be made dual polarised in order to combat this problem. So the decision was made that Whitehawk Hill would have to be line fed, and with it the decision to finally put Brighton in the correct region.

[Dav1d.]

Originally Posted by nodrogd

... and with it the decision to finally put Brighton in the correct region.

...and most of West Sussex in the wrong region

[nodrogd]

The area between Brighton and Littlehampton is now in an overlap area as far as DTT is concerned.

From what I have heard Virgin have also changed the ITV region to Meridian South East. No word as to whether this is changing on DTT from 21st, so this does surprise me.

All I can say is keep trying the 800 series channels I mention in the post above. Virgin may put in additonal regions after switchover.

Is this why the other day the local weather map on ITV 1 completely ignored the whole of Hampshire but insisted we had the local weather for Kent and Sussex?

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Is this why the other day the local weather map on ITV 1 completely ignored the whole of Hampshire but insisted we had the local weather for Kent and Sussex?

Yep.

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

Yep.

[nodrogd]

The other thing that is turning up on the VM community forums is that recordings made up to March 7th on the V+ or TiVO are unwatchable as the BBC1 channel ID has changed. Also anyone with series links set up on BBC1 (ch101 only) needs to delete and re-enter them.