Freeview on the Sony KDL32D3000

[admin_exported]

Just bought the above TV for £849 from John Lewis (as it came with a five year guarantee) and I'm mightily impressed. However....

The Freeview Tuner only appears to have picked up half of the normal channels (which the set top box in the other room picks up fine) - I'm missing all the ITVs for example.

I've re-run the Quick Scan and the Full Scan a few times but it still misses them. So it looks like I'll have to add them in manually (a minor pain but nothing too daunting) The option in the set to do this however wants me to add in the two digit code for each of the "additional" channels; and its these that I don't have a scooby doo about!

So if anyone can point me in the right direction; or maybe even speculate that the internal freeview tuner is wonky; then please feel free....

 

[Andrew Everard]

Sounds like a weak signal in the room where you're using the TV, Captain...

 

[Anonymous]

Strange. As a Sony set-top box in that room had no problems.

Am I doomed to have no Freeview Coronation Street then? No great shakes personally, but the wife may well just kill me.

 

[Anonymous]

I was gonna say, that sounds like a problem I would like to subscribe to. Who invented the soap opera? Soaps are the bane of my life, and then you get the omnibus aswell. Honestly, I could slip into a coma on sundays and my fiancee wouldnt notice.

 

[Anonymous]

I have the same Tv bubby and mine working perfectly, the only thing i can think off, is possibly invest in a tv signal booster, i.e. the one for all. its give good signal to all digital broadcasts...

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="CptVonTrapp"]

Strange. As a Sony set-top box in that room had no problems.

Am I doomed to have no Freeview Coronation Street then? No great shakes personally, but the wife may well just kill me.

[/quote]

Could be the Freeview tuner in the TV is a smidge less sensitive than that in the set-top box, and the ITV stations are borderline for reception. The booster suggested might do the trick, though it's by no means a dead cert - have a look at the signal strength indicator on the Sony. This is in the Technical Set-up menu - see page 35 of your instruction manual.

If the level is low, it might be worth getting a reputable local aerial installer to come and measure the signal on your aerial downlead, and perhaps advise whether a better aerial is needed, or whether the current one needs realigning. Confederation of Aerial Industries members are usually pretty good - it might be worth phoning a local one and having a chat - there's a member-finder on the CAI website.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm considering investing in a booster (although I think there already is one in the loft - but I may be wrong) I'm also thinking about some nice QED Aerial cables as well - but the thing that concerns me is that the Sony Set Top Box we had in there for a while, could see all the Freeview Channels - using the exact same signal strength and cables. So why can't the 32D3000?

I am confused!

 

[Andrew Everard]

It must be down to different tuner sensitivity, Maybe the fact that the TV has a combined digital/analogue tuner has a bearing on it. It's not a problem encountered here at the WHFSV test suite, so I think my earlier comments about marginal signal strength may be relevant

 

[Anonymous]

Just add in reality TV with the soaps Richard and it really builds a strong case for disconnection

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Andrew I'll follow this up - and if it works, there's a virtual pint in it for you....

 

[Anonymous]

Just to confirm. T'was the signal into the house rather than the tuner; and all is now rectified. In order to boost the dB on the signal to an acceptable level, we had to have a high gain digital aerial and a masthead amplifier fitted (which then routes through the existing booster.) It took the guy ages to sort but he played a blinder and we now have arguably the strongest signal in the area. I might even give Jodrell Bank a quick call and see if they want to borrow it...