Channel 4 changes on Freesat
There have been some changes for Freesat HD set top box users who watch Channel 4 today (Tuesday 25th April 2023).
(Note that these changes were applied to Sky HD boxes a few months earlier.)
Prior to todays changes, Freesat channel 104 was Channel 4 (in Standard Definition), and Channel 4 HD (high definition) was on Freesat channel 126.
Today has seen the closure of the standard definition Channel 4 on Freesat channel 104,
where it has been replaced by Channel 4 HD. So now you can watch Channel 4 in HD, with better picture quality and digital audio.
Channel 4 HDs previous Freesat channel number 126, has been replaced by 4Extra, promoted from its previous Freesat channel number of 181.
The changes mean that Channel 4 is now HD-only on all compatible Freesat HD devices. Channel 4 SD is still being transmitted for Freesat SD users on Channel 104. But for how long will Channel 4 SD be made available now that HD is defaulted on both Freesat 104 and Sky HD 104.
The changes to your Freesat HD box and Channel 4 HD on 104 should be done automatically. But some Freesat users may have to reboot their Freesat box for the changes to take place. Some users may have to do a new Freesat channel scan.
Channel 4 HD For Freesat users in Spain:
In my service area, a satellite dish measuring 110x120cm is the bare minimum for Channel 4 HD (and other BBC and ITV HD) channels. A 125x135cm satellite dish is the recommended size of satellite dish. These satellite dishes, perfectly aligned should be able to receive BBC HD, ITV HD and C4HD channels perfectly fine in all but the heaviest of rains.
Obviously, getting all 6 C4HD regions can be tricky and some areas using a 125x135cm satellite dish will get a better signal than others.
Channel 4 HD reception Problems in Spain : “No signal” messages
If you are a Freesat HD box user, and receive a “no signal” message when you go to watch Channel 4 HD on Freesat channel 104, then in the first instance, reboot your Freesat box, as you may still be allocated the SD version on 104.
If you have C4HD on 104, and still get a “no signal” message, this means that either your satellite dish is too small for where you are located, your satellite dish is not aligned correctly, you are using a poor make of satellite dish, your LNB is not aligned correctly, or you are using a poor make of LNB.
If you do not want to upgrade to a larger satellite dish, then you have the option of watching Channel 4 +1, which is still transmitting in SD and available as it has been for several years.
On Sky HD boxes, C4SD is currently (April 2023), available on Sky Channel 804.
For Freesat HD users, you have to manually add C4 SD to your boxes – as below.
How to add Channel 4 SD back to your Freesat HD set top box in Non Freesat Mode
Or you can scan for Channel 4 SD using “non Freesat Mode”. C4 SD is still transmitting even though it is no longer on the Freesat channel list, by putting your Freesat HD set top box into “non Freesat mode” and scanning the Channel 4 SD frequency 10714 22000 H. This will place Channel 4 SD into your Non Freesat mode channel list. If you want to go back to Freesat mode, you have to do so via the Menu options.
This is the process how to add Channel 4 SD channels to your Humax Freesat set top box
How to Add Channel 4 SD channels to a Humax Freesat HD
How to Add Channel 4 SD channels to a Manhattan SX Freesat HD
How to Add Channel 4 SD channels to a Manhattan Plaza Freesat HD
Channel 4 HD frequencies (at April 2023).
These are the C4HD frequencies, that affect both Sky and Freesat boxes. C4HD London is the easiest to receive. The other 5 C4HD regions are tricky to receive, Areas north of Gandia to just north of Valencia should have no issues with any of these frequencies on a 125x135cm dish. Other areas may not get all 5 tricky C4HD frequencies.
11126 v 22000 5/6 Channel 4 HD London
(This has been the version used on 126 since C4HD joined Freesat, and should be available to all in my service area using a 110x120cm satellite dish or larger)
12168 V 27500 2/3 Channel 4 HD Midlands & Channel 4 HD North
(a tricky frequency to receive, but should be able to receive using a well aligned 125x135cm dish with a good LNB – depending on your exact location),
12226 H 27500 2/3 Channel 4 HD Northern Ireland
(a very tricky frequency to receive, but should be able to receive using a well aligned 125x135cm dish with a good LNB – depending on your exact location),
12363 V 27500 2/3 Channel 4 HD South and East & Channel 4 HD Scotland
(a tricky frequency to receive, but should be able to receive using a well aligned 125x135cm dish with a good LNB – depending on your exact location),
This is the process how to add Channel 4 HD channels to your Humax Freesat set top box
How to Add Channel 4 HD channels to a Humax Freesat HD
This is the process how to add Channel 4 HD channels to your Manhattan Plaza Freesat set top box
How to Add Channel 4 HD channels to a Manhattan Plaza Freesat HD
This is the process how to add Channel 4 HD channels to your Manhattan SX Freesat set top box
How to Add Channel 4 HD channels to a Manhattan Plaza Freesat HD
Really, thank you for the info
Since the change my Samsung TV won’t show Channel 4 on 104. Even after a channel scan. However using Satellite mode it shows Channel 4 (not HD) without problems (5 versions). Any thoughts?
Yes, your dish is too small for wherever you are to receive the version of C4HD you have been allocated on 104..
C4SD is a lot stronger signal than HDs, hence why you are still picking them up.
Is there another channel that would be having problems? All the other channels seem to be fine for me.
Any other channel that is on the same frequencies as these other 5 C4HD regions may be a struggle for some.. eg BBC One South HD…
Interesting that this list doesn’t match my Freesat list: https://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/help-guides/freesat-sky/freesat-channel-numbers-england but anyway all the BBC ONE channels listed on my TV work EXCEPT BBC ONE SthHD which is 961 on my TV. Lyngsat says this is an unencrypted Sky Transponder 12168V – on Satellite mode none of the channels on that transponder appear in my listing. Another transponder 11671H – all those channels work fine on my system (Satellite mode). Now I have found the technical menu I see CNN International HD at 81 BER, ITV HD at 54 BER. C4HD says 63/95BER but signal quality 82%, yet the frequency info says 12363 and 27500 DVB-S2 service ID 1452 Multiplex 2454 Network Freesat. Lyngsat says that transponder *is* channel 4 but *is* encrypted for Sky??
Because the list you link to was “Last updated: 21 March 2023″… they shuffled the numbers this past week for the regions in the 950s…so it now reflects the same numbers as on Sky. See my post this week : https://www.satandpcguy.com/2023/05/03/bbc-hd-channel-number-changes-on-freesat-today/
The 12168V is a Sky operated / rented frequency. It carries both Sky Pay channels (Boomerang, Cartoon NEtwork, STV HD, Sky Witness Ireland), and a few free channels too one of which is a free BBC One South, an ITV1HD, and two C4HD regions.
If you cannot get that (12168) frequency then you have an issue with your dish / system somewhere. Where I am based in Spain that particular frequency is just about receivable on a 125x135cm dish, other areas it is not available. But , going by your IP address, since you are in the UK, non reception of that frequency will be an issue with your communal system somewhere. If you are using a VPN and are actually in Spain and not getting that signal, then it will be down to dish size, alignment, or the components used for the communal system.
No point comparing 12168 with 11671, as they are in different parts of the spectrum, and that 12168 is on a UK beam, and 11671 is on the european beam. So obviously one will be better reception than the other!
It seems that my TV looks for channel 4 on 11126 and when it can’t find that for some reason it falls back to 12363 but there’s no point in 12363 for Freesat as those channels are encrypted… Nobody else in my community seems to have a problem (either they use Sky or Terrestrial) so I’ll wait until it’s a common issue. I am in the Ipswich area of Eastern England.
The C4 HD on 111126 is C4HD London. 4seven is also on that frequency.
If you are using any other postcode apart from London you will be allocated C4HD on one of the other 4 frequencies.
One of those is 12363…which carries 2 free to air C4HD regions (South and East and Scotland), and an ITV1 HD region (London).
This is the same if you use Sky or Freesat. Makes no difference.
No Freesat channels are encrypted…Freesat is free to air (ie non encrypted) channels. No C4HD region are encrypted.
If others on your communal system are fine, and are using the same postcode as you, but you cannot get the C4HD, then it is some issue with your end of the system.
P.S. it’s a bit bizzare that Freesat won’t list Channel 4 SD even though that channel is on the satellite!
Its not a Freesat issue.
It is Channel 4 not wanting to pay for a placement on the Freesat EPG on some obscure number for an SD channel, when they have the prime 104 number for their HD channel.
Same applies to BBC, which no longer has SD channels listed on the Freesat HD epg now they have all their channels in HD. Whats the point and benefit to them and viewiers? None.
It’s a fair point but for those of us with community systems that don’t quite meet the technical requirements there is definitely a benefit. Of course I can watch Channel 4 HD on Satellite Mode/TV Mode and through the app but it’s a fiddle I could do without. Or I could pay for Sky TV…
Going by your IP address, you are in the UK, and so you have had access to UK HD channels for over 15 years, so plenty of time to get the system updated – especially as it would also affect BBC ITV Five and all other HD channels…
Paying for Sky will not help, C4HD is a free channel and nothing to do with Sky! But get a Sky HD box and you will get C4SD on 804. But you would still be allocated the same C4HD region. And who is to say that the C4 SD on 804 will be there for much longer…
The plot thickens… I changed the DiSEqC Mode to 1/4 instead of off. And the upper LNB Oscillator to 10000MHz on Satellite mode… lo and behold Channel 4 HD 0 BER Sig Q 96% very nice picture 11126/22000 MUX 72 Network ID FFFF, no problem. But on Freesat mode it insists on going to 12363. I’ve asked Freesat support who put me on to Samsung support. Changing my postcode to London makes Channel 4 HD work but then I lose ITV HD because it gets sent to ITV1 London on an encrypted transponder. There’s no manual edit feature so it seems I am locked out… sadly…
ITV1 HD London is on a frequency use for some Sky encrypted channels, and some Free to air channels, like ITV1 HD London.
As Freesat uses free to air channels, and if you use an London postcode, you will be allocated the free to air ITV1 HD London version on 12363, and the C4HD London version on 11126.
Use a different “non London” postcode, then you will be allocated an ITV1 HD region on one of the other 5 or 6 frequencies used by ITV1 HD, and one of the other 4 frequencies used by C4HD, one of which is 12363.
Sounds like you have a crap communal system.
And this should have been noticed ages ago, when ITV1 HD became default on 103 on Freesat and Sky boxes, and when C4HD was regionalised on Sky HHD boxes late 2022 (Sky got regional C4HD months before it did on Freesat)
Success! Thanks so much for the discussion! After believing the Sky transponders were encrypted, actually they are not and the problem was that my TV was not configured correctly for the upper half of the band. I fiddled with the settings until they worked. Now everything works! Working settings: DiSEqC Mode 1/4 (previously OFF); Lower LNB 9750; Upper LNB 10600; Tone 22kHz ON (previously AUTO).