Watching television is a pastime enjoyed by millions upon millions of people, all across the nation. And when your box is working as it should, with a good picture and crystal-clear sound life is good. But when things start to go awry and your TV starts cutting out and making all kinds of strange noises, and all you’re getting is every other word at best, it can be rather frustrating.
Thankfully, when it comes to solving problems with Freeview, it’s usually a pretty easy fix as there aren’t a whole lot of things that could be. If you are experiencing any problems with your Freeview box, then keep reading. Hopefully by the end of this article, you will have the answer you were looking for and a TV that works.
Possible Problems + Suggested Solutions
1. Poor Signal
The most common problem people experience when it comes to Freeview is a poor signal. That’s not to say it happens all the time, just when there is a problem, it tends to be this. Unfortunately, if the weather is particularly wet and windy outside, there’s a good chance it will affect the TV’s signal.
Solution
While you can’t stop the weather, there are still a few things that can be done to try and rule out other issues. First, try turning the TV off and back on again. Sometimes this is enough to reset the signal. If this does not work, or you’ve always had signal problems it may be that the aerial is pointing in the wrong place and therefore may need adjusting.
If your setup is new, it could be that there are some installation problems, in which case check all your wiring. Make sure all cables are plugged in securely and that nothing is damaged. And just double check to see that there are batteries in the remote. You’ll also want to ensure your box is connected to the internet.
2. Green Screen
Another issue you may come across is the sol-called ‘Green Screen of Death’. This is when the picture on the TV keeps turning a nice shade of green. The sound may/may not be dropping out also. This issue is normally caused by the SCART lead not being inserted properly.
Solution
To remedy this problem, first switch off the Freeview box at the wall and check the connection. Even if it looks secure, take it out and re-insert it to see if that works. If not, it may be that you need a new SCART lead.
3. Broken Box
Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever. If you’ve had your Freeview box for a while now, it could be that it simply needs replacing. When no amount of troubleshooting seems to work and it looks like it’s seen better days, it’s time to get a new one.
Solution
If this is the case, you have 2 options. You can either get a replacement Freeview box and carry on with the same great service you’ve come to know and love over the years. Or, if you want to try something different, or fancy a bit of an upgrade, you could always give one of the other digital TV service packages a try – i.e. YouView or Freesat.
5. Not Working After Update
As with most software these days, updates are common. They’re usually free and are designed with to fix a bug that was already there or to enhance the service. When this happens, in order for the changes to take effect, the device first needs to be re-tuned.
Solution
Quite often the re-tuning of the device is done automatically for you by the simple push of a button. For other systems, you will need to do this manually. In which case, you should follow the user’s manual for your particular box.
6. 4G Interference
Another area that could be causing you signal problems is 4G. Sometimes these services can interfere with TV signals, causing your signal to weaken and your picture to become less than perfect.
Solution
There is a company out there, called DMSL, that was set up to deal specifically with these reception problems. It’s was established by a group of mobile phone operators and is very good at what it does. You can check to see if 4G is interfering in the signal in your area by going to their website and using their free online 5G checker. If you are in a problem area, the company will happily send you out a 4G filter to place between your TV and aerial which should solve the problem.