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Viewers enraged over Freeview retune debacle

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freeviewViewers have swamped the Freeview website after yesterday’s nationwide retune left thousands without any television channels.

On Tuesday, the website crashed as users of the free digital TV service tried to find out how to get their channels back following messages broadcast on various channels urging viewers to retune yesterday lunchtime.

Following the retune, users of some older boxes found that their devices no longer worked. Such models include the Daewoo models DS608P and SV900, Labgear DTT100, Triax DVB2000T and Bush IDVCR01.

The retune was meant to bring Channel Five to 500,000 households that were previously unable to receive the station. However, the change meant that 460,000 homes would no longer be able to get ITV3 and ITV4. The change was also to prepare the way for Freeview HD and the 2010 World Cup in high definition.

Readers of Absolute Gadget had experienced a number of problems following the retune with many unable to get the four main channels.

“Cannot get channel 4 – it keeps freezing,” wrote Claire Atkinson.

Another reader managed to lose all BBC channels on his Sagem PVR7280T. “Not impressed,” said Ryan Pain.

Reader Dave wrote that he had retuned customers and his own equipment and experience problems with TopUp TV boxes. “Thomson top-up box on same aerial previously working fine, now picture freezes on most channels.” However, he did manage to get a Philips device working after several retunes and one positive aspect of the retune was that his Sony TV had now manage to get BBC1 and BBC2 perfectly whereas before they had been “blocky”.

Another reader had also retuned their TopUp Tv box to find that it had several channels with no listings. “ITV2 is called ITV (as well as ITV which is also called ITV) and I have a channel with no apparent name but full listings. Isn’t progress wonderful!!”

We will be putting our comments forward to Freeview for a response.

If you have had any problems with the Freeview retune, let us know by leaving a comment at the bottom of this article.