Freeview Question

Yes, but the VCR will still be adding its RF output on the aerial lead that runs from the VCR and into the TV and Freeview box (although that should really be upstream of the VCR).

As Fusionlad says you must change the RF output channel, as it is clashing with Mux 2 in your area. If it's a recent (<10 years old) VCR you may well be able to switch off the RF output from the set up menu.

Also a freeview question, im currently living in the Republic of Ireland. but I am 6 miles from the NI border, am I able to get freeview?

You might be able to, could be worth a try, have you tried googling the nearest NI post code into digitaluk?

also..I have a question as well.

I've been comparing notes over what resolution channels broadcast at, however I've noticed that on this website tells me for example ITV2, 3, 4 and E4+1* broadcast at 544x576, however on DVBViewer my TV Capture card software is saying different that their broadcasting at either 704x576 or 720x576.
Do broadcasters dynamically adjust their resolutions or is the website slightly wrong?

*I would have thought E4 would be at the res.

DigiTV has them at 1024x576... However, when you check the recorded mpeg2 streams, ITV2 and 3 do come out at 544x576, but E4+1 is 720x576. So some inconsistency all round!

This is the best resource for DTT in the UK

http://uk.geocities.com/talk2me2u/mux.html

704x576, 720x576 and 544x576 are all resolutions used on DVB-T (aka Freeview) in the UK.

PCs will convert 4:3 broadcasts to 768x576 square pixels and 16:9 broadcasts to 1024x576 or a scaled version thereof.

AIUI the BBC used to broadcast everything in 720x576 - but when they shifted BBC Parliament from 1/4 screen on the BBCi quad split feed (which also carries the BBCi News loops and the secondary BBCi News feed) they switched BBC Parliament and 301/302 BBCi video streams to 544x576 to save bandwith.

Ofcom require that ITV1, C4 and Five (and possibly BBC One and BBC Two) are broadcast at "full resolution" which is either 704x576 or 720x576 (*) - but allow other services to go out at lower resolutions, which C4 and ITV1 use to reduce their bandwith.

ITV1 and C4 on DSat are also 544x576 - which is why ITV1 and C4 look sharper on Freeview than satellite.

These changes are not done dynamically - they are permanent for each service. (Though can be changed occasionally of course)

(*) Why 704x576 and 720x576?

720x576 is the digital video studio standard for interconnecting and recording standard def video. However 720x576 is not 4:3 or 16:9 - it is slightly wider than 4:3 or 16:9 (no square pixels in either 4:3 or 16:9). The 4:3 or 16:9 portion (and the analogue SD video equivalent) is 702x576. There are thus 9 pixels/samples each side of the 702x576 4:3/16:9 analogue equivalent frame in the 720x576 digital frame which are used to ensure that no slight timing errors cause cropping of analogue sources, and to ensure that any overshoots or undershoots on edges are allowed to settle rather than being cropped which would cause ringing at the edge of frame otherwise.

Some broadcasters chose not to send these 9 extra pixels each side, and thus broadcast 704x576 rather than 720x576 (704 is the nearest 16 multiple to 702x576 - as MPEG2 likes nice round multiples of 16 for its blocks ISTR. Or is it 8?)

Ah I see pretty much explains everything now, Thanks.

ISTR that E4+1 isn't broadcast on the ITV/C4 Mux (Mux 2) but is broadcast on one of the "Freeview" muxes operated by Crown Castle (now National Grid Wireless?) (Mux C or Mux D?)

Whilst ITV/C4 broadcast their non-terrestrial (i.e. non-ITV1/C4) services 544x576, I don't think the CCI/NGW services are reduced resolution - and I think E4+1 falls into this category?

E4+1 is broadcast on Mux C, which is owned by National Grid Wireless. E4 airs on Mux 2 (which is one of the PSB multiplexes and home to the ITV and Channel 4 stations except E4+1, Film4 and ITV2+1, the former on Mux C and the latter two on Mux D).

thanks dbl