Sky and Freeview offer us dozens of Radio Stations

[denismartindale]

The Sky box tunes in automatically but Freeview often needs to get a retune using the automatic or the manual set-ups. The manual option lets us search from 21 to 69 to learn what’s on each frequency group number. The lower ones aren’t as good and may need a special aerial to get better reception. As the Government sells off frequency numbers we’re left with more channels on certain frequency numbers. The BBC compressed the data to help improve matters for their channels. We can find the HD channels from 101. Just like some other major TV companies can offer us regional TV and Radio channels. The latest receivers for Freeview services will get the HD channels but the older equipment may not be suitable, so we either upgrade or we don’t. If we upgrade, then the Netbox 4K Netgem set-top box will add an extra 100+ TV channels when we tune in. That’s why I bought some from eBay sellers. It’s also why I bought some Sandisk Triple Packs of the 32GB USB derives to record shows and films on. Same again for our 4K Smart TVs with their USB connections. In some cases, the Catch-up services assist us and sometimes we use the streaming apps instead. We can check Google Store and others for various MEDIA apps, just as we can our Smart TVs and their apps.

The EPG or TV Guide options will either offer a week or two of the content or just the now and next options. Even so, the i for info button or key action could reveal the screen format and the Audio Description and Subtitle details, too. So we look for these extra options or use Settings now and then. This extra info lets us see if there are different versions at different times of the day or the week. Maybe we don’t want a screen presenter with sign language details. So we explore the standard views instead. Or we may select both versions just in case our TV reception or set-top box reception doesn’t maintain picture and sound quality. If we record such shows or films then we can delete things if not needed later.

There are Freeview signal boosters, some work well and some don’t, some use a high amplification such as 20 Db or higher to boost the reception so that’s why we check the details when we buy on websites such as eBay. The eBay website offers us high quality image views.

The Sky Amplifier model that’s recommended is the /S or Slope model and again the high gain versions offer some improvements to the picture reception that the SETTINGS will confirm. That’s why I bought 2 for Sky+ HD recorder boxes so these connect to the 2 Sky dish cable inputs on the back panel of these boxes.

Otherwise, we may need to check YouTube for ways to switch the reception number from a default 68 to another number that doesn’t conflict with Freeview frequency group reception quality.

See YouTube for Sky or Freesat customisation advice and the Secret Menu options for different Sky boxes…

[Author]

Posts