After purchasing a TV, setting it up and installing it, the owner expects to enjoy watching television programs, which can be selected from a large number of channels. The number of available options is usually a hundred or more.
- Why channels disappeared on digital television - reasons
- If only part of the channels is shown
- How to return a channel on TV
- Setting up satellite signals
- Setting up cable TV
- Setting up channels on old TVs
- Setting up channels on Smart TV
- How does weather affect broadcasting?
- If all else fails
However, sometimes it may only use 10 or 20 channels. The rest, although they should be shown, remain inaccessible for now. To cope with the problem, it is important to understand why such a situation may arise and how it can be corrected.
Why channels disappeared on digital television - reasons
Maksim
Equipment repairman
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Problems and solutions
What to do if channels disappear?
You need to check all possible causes and find the real one, eliminate it and configure the channels.
What to do if the equipment you use does not have the necessary characteristics for high-quality viewing?
In this case, you need to purchase a newer model, which is designed to view all the necessary channels.
One of the common reasons for the unavailability of channels is the cessation of broadcasting on the second multiplex. Until 2021, only one multiplex operated in the Russian Federation. At this time, digital television was not widespread enough, and many people watched analogue channels. Decoders were produced with the expectation of using no more than 10 channels, and only the channels of the first multiplex remained.
If the user wanted to increase the number of them for viewing, he had to purchase a more modern digital set-top box. It is important that it is designed to work with the T2 format. If the user continued to use the old decoder, he could encounter that the channels on the digital set-top box disappeared:
- Sometimes, when trying to watch a new channel, the image was not available, and the message “DRE channel is encrypted” appeared on the screen. In this case, the display can be restored after a few hours, at the time when synchronization was established.
- If the viewer was a Tricolor TV subscriber, he could see a message stating that the tuner was not registered. If such a need arose, it was enough to enter the identification number, which is located on the tuner, and enter it in the user’s personal account on the official website.
- When receiving satellite programs, insufficiently precise antenna settings may cause you to receive a channel blocking message on your TV. This can also happen in situations where the antenna is located outdoors and viewing occurs during bad weather.
- The message about no signal may be due to a malfunction of the antenna used. In this case, you need to check its functionality and re-configure it.
- One of the most vulnerable points of a satellite dish is the plugs to which the cable is connected. Contact may be broken at this point, which will affect the quality of the display. Sometimes, due to mechanical damage, the braid can short-circuit the cable. In this case, it will have to be replaced.
- You need to check the cable that connects the TV to the receiver. If the contact is broken, this will negatively affect the display of television programs.
Another reason for the disappearance of paid channels may be the end of the subscription. The provider monitors the accuracy of payments and turns off the display after the end of the paid period. To renew it, it is enough to make the appropriate payment.
Sometimes 10 or more channels may disappear. In this case, the reason may be due to insufficient antenna efficiency.
The main types of possible reasons why channels disappeared are as follows:
- Software problems include problems that are associated with incomplete or insufficiently high-quality configuration. To correct them, it is enough to repeat the necessary steps, as a result of which the functionality will be fully restored.
- Hardware reasons relate to the health of the equipment used. If the contact is broken, the setting is lost, a part or a certain structural unit is broken, the display deteriorates, and in some cases the channels may disappear. To correct the situation, they perform a performance check, make settings if necessary, and then perform an automatic or manual search for channels.
- In rare situations, failures are associated with reasons that do not depend or indirectly depend on the user. In this case, you need to do what depends on you, and then wait for favorable changes in the situation. One possible example is technical work carried out by the provider.
If there are reasons preventing the display, they must be eliminated before setting up.
Why doesn't television work today?
The reasons for the lack of a digital television signal can be not only inoperable equipment, but also scheduled or unscheduled maintenance work at transmitting stations.
- The planned digital TV shutdown schedule is formed a year in advance. For 2021, the schedule of planned maintenance of all multiplexes can be viewed here: schedule of planned TV maintenance for 2021.
- Unscheduled digital TV shutdown schedules are generated for each region separately (approximately one to two weeks before the date of work) and published on the official RTRS website (see below).
⚠️ Attention! When carrying out preventive or other scheduled work that requires turning off transmitting equipment, it is possible to turn off all channels, or the work may affect some channels separately.
In some cases, scheduled work may be rescheduled due to poor weather conditions or additional time delays in repairs.
For the current schedule of unscheduled maintenance of TV channels for your region today, see the official RTRS website: https://rtrs.ru/tv/breaks/
Additional support for television viewers and information on the state of television broadcasting in your region can be obtained by calling the RTRS federal hotline number (calls within Russia are free): 8-800-220-20-02.
How to return a channel on TV
To solve the problem, you need to figure out why the settings went wrong. If possible, repairs or reconfiguration are required. After this, the available channels are installed. The automatic procedure requires less time and labor, but it does not always lead to success. In this case, to return the channels, they resort to manual installation.
Automatic setup
When not all the desired channels are available, you can perform an automatic search procedure. To do this, just do the following:
- You need to turn on the TV and use the remote control to enter the settings menu.
- Among the available sections, go to the one that relates to the receiver settings.
- Open a page dedicated to automatic channel selection and start automatic scanning.
- You need to wait a few minutes until the procedure is completed.
- After the automatic scanning is completed, you need to save the results.
The user can, if it is convenient for him, arrange the channels at his discretion. After completing this procedure, all available channels should become available. In the event that it was not possible to achieve the desired result, you should proceed to manual tuning.
Manual search
Carrying out manual channel tuning requires first obtaining the necessary information. You need to find out the frequency at which multiplexes are broadcast, modulation, as well as the broadcast speed. When the necessary information has been received, you can directly proceed to the manual channel search procedure. To do this you need to take the following steps:
- Using the remote control you need to open the main menu.
- It opens the section for parameters for using the receiver.
- Go to the manual channel settings subsection.
- When switching to manual configuration, you need to enter the appropriate parameters and confirm them.
- Next, start the search. Once located, the screen will show the strength of the received signal. If it is sufficient, the data must be remembered and proceed to setting the next signal.
Manual setup takes more time, but in this case you can count on higher reception quality.
If careful adjustments do not restore the display of all necessary channels, you need to make sure that the quality of the received signals is sufficiently high and check the functionality of the antenna used.
Features of setting up television receivers of some brands
The TV setup process may vary depending on the manufacturer. Although these differences are not very significant. In addition, as a rule, all devices have hints that make it easy to guess how to search for channels. However, older models can only be configured manually. Below we will talk about the intricacies of this process on different TVs.
Samsung
If you have a Samsung TV, go to the menu and select cable in the “Channel” item. In the “Country” section, enter four zeros and set the country. In the “Cable parameters” section, set: “Start frequency” - 298,000 KHz, “End frequency” - 362,000 KHz. Don't touch the rest. In auto settings, select digital or analogue. In search mode, click network and wait until the picture appears. They can be removed from the list. To do this, in the “Channels” item, you need to go to the “Manager” and select which ones to delete.
LG
If you are the owner of an LG TV, go to the menu or press the “Home” button (for smart TV). In the options, select your country, then in the settings, click “Auto search”. In the window that opens, select the signal type. And then set the initial frequency data to 274,000 KHz, the final frequency to 770,000 KHz. Then run a search. In the cable settings, you can set auto-updates, which will be carried out regularly without your participation.
Sony Bravia
Owners of these devices need to go to “Settings” or “System Settings” in “Options”. In the “Channel settings” item, select a number. Next, enter the values in the parameters, which are best clarified with the operator.
Toshiba
Toshiba is configured in the same way as previous models. In Country Settings, select Germany and input as Cable. Next, scroll down to Automatic Settings and click OK. In the pop-up window, select the “DTV” mode, and then set the parameters: for the initial frequency - 274,000 KHz, for the final frequency - 770,000 KHz. Confirm your selection and setup will begin.
Philips
In older models, setup occurs like this: press “Home” and select “Configuration”. Then go to “Settings” and select channel settings. In the window that appears, select “Automatic installations”. In order for everything found to be saved, you need to click “Reinstall”. Choose a country.
It is better to install in European countries, otherwise you will have to contact specialists to install new software.
Then go to “Digital Mode” and select the cable as the signal source. In the new window, click “Automatic search”. Then click “Start” and wait. Sometimes during the process the device may ask for a password. Try entering four zeros, four ones, or 1234.
In modern models, the setup process is slightly different. In the “Install” item, select “Search for channels”, then “Reinstall”. Select your country and select “DVB-C Cable” in digital mode. Next, the device will ask you to enter the network frequency or transmission speed. Enter 6,750. And after that, select “Quick” or “Full” search. In the first case, you will have to wait no more than 10 minutes, and in the second - about 30 minutes, but it will find more channels. When searching quickly, you will need to enter the value of the frequency difference - 8 MHz. At full set QAM to 256 and frequency to 298.00.
Setting up satellite signals
Even after careful setup, digital channels sometimes disappear for viewing. This may apply to one, two or all of them. If this happens, it is necessary to find the cause of what happened and take the necessary measures. The following reasons are possible:
- Antenna tuning not done well enough. For a high-quality display, it is necessary that it accurately looks at the desired satellite. If the deviation is one or two degrees, display will be difficult or stop.
- As a result of heavy rain or wind, the antenna may change its position.
- In some cases, the received signal strength may not be sufficient. If this happens, you need to contact your provider and clarify the reasons. Sometimes problems are related to weather conditions or because there are obstacles in the signal path. In the latter case, it makes sense to consider using a different location for installing the antenna.
If satellite channels disappear, you need to check that the antenna is installed correctly. This must be done in exact accordance with the satellite coordinates so that the signal does not disappear. You need to pay attention to whether houses or tall trees are blocking access. It is necessary to check the reliability of the fasteners with which the position of the device is fixed.
It is necessary to inspect the cable connections with the plugs. It is important that it be reliable. After the user has ensured that the system is installed correctly, he must proceed to re-tuning the TV channels.
How to fix the problem
Initially, make sure that the equipment is connected correctly and that the cables and inputs are intact. And also check the parameters:
- In the settings, in the “Channel” tab, select the “Cable” type.
- In the country section, select yours or select “Other”.
- Set the frequency range to 298,000-362,000 KHz.
- In the search parameters, put “Digital or analogue TV”.
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Don't forget that the lack of television broadcasts is not always due to faulty equipment or system failure. Providers often carry out maintenance work, but they are usually carried out at night. If the equipment is in order and the settings are correct, then contact the television company and inquire about the problems.
Setting up cable TV
When watching digital cable television, the signal is transmitted through the cable, which provides higher reliability compared to using an antenna. However, even in such a situation, sometimes signals disappear.
The most common reasons are the following:
- During prolonged use, the contact between the cable and the receiving plug may become loose. Sometimes this is due to loosening of the fastening, in other cases it is due to oxidation of the metal.
- You need to check whether the channels are paid for. If there is a debt, payment must be made in the appropriate amount.
- When setting up your TV, you need to correctly specify the signal source. Sometimes several different cable connections are allowed. In this case, you need to choose exactly the one that is used. The last case can be illustrated by an example when a television receiver has two HDMI connectors. The settings must indicate exactly the one that is used.
After the reason for the channels being lost has been determined, you need to correct the situation and re-search the channels.
The principle of receiving digital TV channels
The operation of digital TV consists of several stages:
- first, the dvb-t2 signal is transmitted by the broadcaster (via a radio tower, from a satellite, via cable);
- it is then picked up by an antenna, which converts it into current;
- the current enters the receiver, where decoding occurs;
- and as a result, TV viewers see the image.
That is, the main difference from analogue broadcasting is the increased availability, quality of broadcasting and the appearance of additional equipment - set-top boxes.
Setting up channels on old TVs
Reception of analog TV signals depends on the strength of the signal received from the television tower. If it is insufficient, more powerful equipment will be required. Often for older TVs an indoor antenna is used, but at a distance of more than 5-7 km it is better to use an outdoor antenna. Sometimes it is used together with a powerful amplifier.
When using an outdoor antenna for a long time, the contacts at the cable connection may oxidize. Sometimes the signal can be affected by the operation of mobile phone towers. If you have to deal with this, you can use a filter that protects against the influence of LTS and GSM signals. It is connected to the cable immediately after the antenna.
Sometimes problems when watching TV are due to the fact that the antenna is too low. In this case, in order to correct the situation, it needs to be installed on the roof of the house. If the problems are related to bad weather, in this case it will be enough to wait it out. As a result, television signal reception is usually restored.
Once the user has verified that the antenna and its connection are working reliably, they can proceed to the automatic or manual channel installation procedure.
How to restore deleted TV channels
To return deleted programs, the owner of a Samsung TV will need to run the “Auto-Tuning” playlist:
- Open system settings and select “TB” as the signal source
There are several ways to get rid of advertising on the Tricolor info channel and turn on your favorite channel when starting up the equipment. You just need to carry out simple manipulations with the remote control.
Users often encounter the problem of unnecessary TV channels appearing. These could be the following channels:
- Duplicated as a result of software updates;
- Changing the channel's broadcast frequency, which led to the absence of broadcasting;
- Family members are not interested in watching programs;
- Channels reproduced in poor quality due to equipment changes.
To enjoy watching your favorite channels and not encounter advertising information channels, you need to delete or encode them.
Setting up channels on Smart TV
When connected, the television receiver must know where the signal is coming from. This must be determined in the settings. If you specify the source incorrectly, it will worsen the performance of Smart TV.
When operating the set-top box, it is important that it uses high-quality software. Developers are constantly working to improve it and release new firmware. A user who has not installed the latest version runs the risk of poor-quality video display. It is possible to configure automatic updating. If the user wants to do it manually, he can get the necessary files on the manufacturer's website.
When all channels disappear, the reason may be external, independent of the user. For example, we may be talking about technical work being performed at the provider or about a technical failure of its equipment. To clarify the situation, you need to call its technical support service.
If the owner is sure that his equipment is working properly and provides signal reception, then he needs to configure the channels that have disappeared again.
How does weather affect broadcasting?
When receiving signals through an antenna, the signal level plays an important role. It is determined by various factors, one of which is the weather. During rain or strong wind, the level of the signal arriving at the antenna decreases. This may cause some channels to stop showing.
If the antenna is located outdoors (this applies to satellite and terrestrial, which provide reception of weaker signals), then bad weather can lead to moisture, movement of elements, or loss of contact.
When installing and configuring television receivers, the user must take into account the weather conditions in his area. If it often rains or snows here, strong winds blow or there is hail, then more reliable protection must be provided for the antenna and its components.
