Only some channels on new Freeview TV?

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Geekzone3207

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#128888 27-Aug-2013 13:27

I have just bought a Samsung 40" Smart TV with builtin freeview. I plugged it in an expected it to pick up all the freeview channels automatic search but it only picked up the normal channels 1,2,3,4 but did pick up the Maori Channel and Prime. Not sure what the issue is. The interesting thing is we have an existing Sony TV with freeview which current works (picks up all the channels including TV1+1 and TV3+1 Trackside and the shopping channel) so we are using the same cables in the same place so not sure why Samsung is not picking up the rest of the channels. We have tried both TVs in both rooms and the Sony works fine but the Samsung does not pick up the additional channels in either location.

knoydart

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#885238 27-Aug-2013 13:31

Sounds to me like you are only watching the analogue channels. Can you see a DTV button on the remote and select it? Or select a factory install in the menu settings for it to search for all the digital channels

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

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#885255 27-Aug-2013 13:45

knoydart: Sounds to me like you are only watching the analogue channels. Can you see a DTV button on the remote and select it? Or select a factory install in the menu settings for it to search for all the digital channels

+1
The channels you are missing are on Digital but not Analogue.
Make sure it is tuning digital.

xpd

Geek @ Coastguard NZ
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#885266 27-Aug-2013 14:01

I did the same with my parents new LG TV.... was scratching my head why only the standard channels... then figured out I wasnt using the digital tuner - hit the button and away it went :)

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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Geekzone3207

2 posts

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#885435 27-Aug-2013 17:58

Thanks everyone for responses. I agree with you all

Unfortunately the remote does not have an obvious DTV button. I have used the auto tune as its the only selection on the "broadcast" menu and there is nothing obvious in the emanual. Does anyone have a samsung an might have had this exact problem and might be able to help slightly further about where I might find the DTV access

knoydart

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#885438 27-Aug-2013 18:02

Try one of the handy guide we wrote for restacking and see if the 1 pager is helpful?

mattwnz

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#885439 27-Aug-2013 18:04

It will be probably be your cable, or the tvs tuner may not be as strong or as good, or your aerial may not be good enough or pointing in quite the wrong direction.. I had this exact same problem, prime and maori and other lessor channels were missing when running an automatic digital scan. They were fine on a sony tv, but another lessor brand would only pick up the main channels, and not the lessor ones. Replaced the aerial with a more powerful one, and that fixed it.

andrewNZ

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#885457 27-Aug-2013 18:41

Have you actually scanned for any digital channels, and did it find any?

If you asked it to scan for digital channels and it didn't find any, then you need to have your aerial looked at. If it didn't even get prime on analogue, then I think you might need a new UHF aerial...

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B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#885479 27-Aug-2013 19:01

The OP said the autoscan picked up 1,2,3,4,Maori and Prime so it appears to be scanning only analogue or at least only detecting the analogue channels. If it was scanning digital it must pick up all the other channels if it gets 1,2,3,4,Prime, as they are on the 3 different multiplexes. If you get one channel on a multiplex you must get all the others on the same multiplex. Either it's not scanning digital or you are in a weak signal area and the tuner is not as sensitive as the other TV.
I've got a Sony and it allows auto/manual scan of either digital or analogue in the setup menu. I would have thought other brands would be similar.
What model is it?

andrewNZ

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#885486 27-Aug-2013 19:11

Hmmm, I originally thought it read "didn't pickup Maori and Prime", now I've reread it, I'm actually confused, were they or weren't they received?

My Samsung allows me to scan for analogue, digital, or both. It then scans and you can watch how many analogue and digital channels it gets. This alone should clear up a lot of confusion.

I can't tell you how to switch between analogue and digital. I'm in a digital only aera now.

andrewNZ

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#885489 27-Aug-2013 19:28

Sorry. Now I've had a real read, I can see that the aerial can't be the issue.

If you do a digital only scan how many channels does it say it finds, should be near 20 or more.

IIRC, pushing the TV button (at the top under the power button on my remote) might switch between analogue and digital. Otherwise, you may have success using the source button

sbiddle

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#885496 27-Aug-2013 19:35

I guess the simple question is whether these are the digital channels or analogue? It's instantly obvious what the difference is.

lapimate

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#885574 27-Aug-2013 21:53

B1GGLZ: ... I've got a Sony and it allows auto/manual scan of either digital or analogue in the setup menu...

Our small Samsungs have Menu > System > Setup > pin > English > New Zealand | Aerial > Air | [Channel Type] > Scan
where for [Channel Type] one may select "Digital & Analogue" or "Digital" or "Analogue"

haywardb

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#885628 27-Aug-2013 23:32

I have a friend with a Samsung tv and to switch between Analog and Digital you press the channel button for the channel you are on a second time. IE Press 1 to go to TV1, wait for it to appear and then press the 1 button again. On there one it displays ATV or DTV. Once on DTV it doesn't change back unless they do this again. Hope this helps.

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#887591 31-Aug-2013 21:58

Aside from checking you're using the digital tuner like many others have suggested, I had a possibly related (or maybe not) problem when Freeview changed their frequency in the Waikato last year

One of my three Samsung TV's was unaffected, the other two had trouble picking up certain channels. Tried swapping TV locations, cables etc...

Solution was to install a signal booster ($40 off trademe) - my aerial must have been just marginal enough to work fine before the change in frequency but not after.