Can you set up a Waikanae Headend?

[BenMorgan]

My friend has given me some channel numbers and frequencies for Waikanae for FTA. He doesn't get all the channels (no C4) and he has a Thomson with it's original PAL tuner.

TV1 Channel 10 217.25MHz
TV2 Channel 4 175.25MHz
TV3 Channel 31 551.25MHz
Prime Channel 62 799.25MHz
Maori Channel 27 519.25MHz

He gave me the channel numbers, I looked up the frequencies here:

http://www.lincrad.co.nz/pdf/nztelevisionchannels.pdf

so hopefully I have the correct frequencies.

Thanks a lot

One potential issue the lincrad transmitters site shows TV1 and TV2 being transmitted on channel 9 and 3 respectively(off the Ngarara Transmitter) not 10 and 4 but the other stations correspond with what I thought they should be. Perhaps the lincrad site isn't up to date? Looking at the transmitters and knowing where he's living too I would've expected him to pick up from the Reikorangi transmitter or Paraparaumu but it doesn't seem to be the case. I would've thought that these channels he read off would be more like what you'd get in Levin but hey.

[DJC]

Done. Postcode is 02127 for v2.5 thomson units, its also added to the combined FTA 02112 for v3 software. It will active in today's build.

[BenMorgan]

You absolute star! I'll report back on how well it works when I get the Thomson installed at my friends place up the coast! Thanks

[BenMorgan]

Update... my friend plugged in his Tivo last night and is receiving most of the channels fine but TV1 and TV2 aren't showing up on the channels we read off the TV. Originally we read off TV1 on Channel 10 and TV2 on Channel 4 but I was a bit skeptical of those numbers because the lincrad site suggests the Ngarara transmitter transmits on 9 and 3 respectively. I don't know whether it's pertinent or not but Ngarara seems to broadcast TV1 and TV2 with horizontal polarity, all the other channels he receives are broadcast on vertical polarity. Is that likely to cause problems? Might the TV tuner be able to receive both HPOL and VPOL but the Tivo's tuner only VPOL?

Having read the Mt Maunganui thread would it be a good idea to set up a headend that takes into account all the possible frequencies for these channels across the whole of the Kapiti/Horowhenua area based on the lincrad frequencies and just remove channels that have poor or no reception? Might suit more people then than just my mate in Waikanae! If you reckon that's a plan here's the frequencies for the entire area. There are 5 Transmitters in the area, Tunapo which is furthest south. Paraparaumu and Reikorangi in the center and Ngarara and Forest Hills to the North:

TV1: Chan 9 210.25Mhz HPol (Ngarara)
TV1: Chan 4 175.25MHz VPol (Reikorangi)
TV1: Chan 4 175.25MHz HPol (Paraparaumu)
TV1: Chan 6 189.25MHz VPol (Tunapo)
TV2: Chan 3 62.25MHz HPol (Ngarara)
TV2: Chan 7 196.25MHz VPol (Reikorangi)
TV2: Chan 7 196.25MHz HPol (Paraparaumu)
TV2: Chan 8 203.25MHz VPol (Tunapo)
TV3: Chan 31 551.25MHz VPol (Forest Heights)
TV3: Chan 11 224.25MHz HPol (Paraparaumu)
TV3: Chan 10 217.25MHz VPol (Tunapo)
Prime: Chan 62 799.25MHz VPol (Forest Heights)
Maori: Chan 27 519.25MHz VPol (Ngarara)
Track/Disc: Chan 51 711.25MHz VPol (Ngarara)

[Skolink]

I don't know whether it's pertinent or not but Ngarara seems to broadcast TV1 and TV2 with horizontal polarity, all the other channels he receives are broadcast on vertical polarity. Is that likely to cause problems?

Yes that will be a problem. Go outside and look at your antenna on the roof. If the metal elements (prongs / bars) are parallel to the ground that is horizontal, if the elements are pointing up and down then that is vertical polarisation. You will receive almost no signal from the other polarisation.

Might the TV tuner be able to receive both HPOL and VPOL but the Tivo's tuner only VPOL?

It's not like a satellite receiver where it can switch the polarity of the 'antenna' inside the LNB on the dish. If you want to receive both polarities you will need another antenna on your roof with the other polarity and diplex them together. The other antenna will probably need to point in a different direction too. If both signals are coming from the same direction, and are both very strong, you can tilt the antenna to 45° to receive both polarisations, but the signal from both will be degraded.

[BenMorgan]

It's probably not the polarity difference causing the problem then as the tuner in his TV receives TV1 and TV2 on those channels (well, 10 and 4) through the antenna with no difficulties. I think maybe it's just his TV that displays the incorrect channels at the lower end of the frequency spectrum?

[catdog]

Assuming you have now completed guided setup, you can "try" each channel number by simply typing the number on the tivo keypad on the remote. (i.e. type '1', wait for tivo to change to that channel and see if there is a tv station at that frequency, then type '2' etc up to 11, then from 27 to 62). This method lets you choose channel numbers that are not in the guide data. It's not exactly fast, but it is simple and should take no more than 10 min.

[DJC]

The headend has been updated with the new list of channels.

[BenMorgan]

thanks DJC... if that doesn't work I'm headed to my friends place one evening this week and I'll do the thing catdog suggested to track down exactly what the TiVo can pick up! It's a shame he doesn't live in town so I can't just sort it out at my place. Thanks for dealing with the hassle!

[BenMorgan]

hey DJC just to follow up, my friend can now pick up TV1 , TV2, TV3, Prime and the Maori channel. Thanks for settting that up. He's very happy!

Only thing is is his time is an hour out and we've definitely put in the new Auckland timezone file. I vaguely remember something about having to add a line to a file for a new postcode. We won't have done that yet. Could the lack of the line for the 02127 postcode be causing the time problem do you think?