LIGHTMOOR VILLAGE INTEGRATED RECEPTION SYSTEM. Telford A RESIDENTS GUIDE

Transcription

1 LIGHTMOOR VILLAGE Telford INTEGRATED RECEPTION SYSTEM A RESIDENTS GUIDE

2 What is the Integrated Reception System? This booklet sets out some information for the Integrated Reception System (or IRS) for Lightmoor Village. This is a user guide rather than a technical manual In addition to describing the overall system, there is information on how to use the system and what to do if things aren t working satisfactorily. The system should be working properly at all times but if you experience a problem with operation, or are unsure about how to get the best from the system for the TV and radio services that you require please ask for assistance. 2

3 Contents Page Introduction 4 Using the Lightmoor Village Integrated Reception System 6 Analogue and Freeview TV 7 Sky TV and other satellite services 7 Radio 7 Trouble shooting and fault reporting when you first move in 8 Additional sockets extending the system in your property 9 Fault finding general 9 When contacting Bournville Village Trust 10 Contact numbers 11 Call-out response times 11 Important notes 12 3

4 4 Introduction The Joint Venture between Bournville Village Trust and English Partnerships is working with the Telford & Wrekin Council and many others to achieve the highest design standards for the development and management of Lightmoor Village. Part of this commitment is the wish to avoid the visual and amenity issues caused by TV and radio aerials and satellite dishes attached to houses. There is also poor TV reception in some parts of the Village. The Joint Venture has therefore agreed to have an Integrated Reception System for the Village as a whole. All TV and radio signals are received at a single mast and taken round the Village in a network of fibres and cables to bring all signals to each outlet. Using this communal system, residents will be able to receive all signals for TV, radio Freeview and Sky. This system guarantees excellent reception wherever you are in the Village. You don t need to worry about aerials and satellite dishes. Such items are prohibited under the design guidance. The single receiving mast is sited in the meadow near to Round House Park. The mast has ordinary TV and radio aerials and a satellite dish. This is equipped only to receive signals it does not transmit signals. There are none of the possible health risks that are sometimes associated with transmitter masts such as mobile phone masts. At the base of the mast there is a master cabinet. This allows signals to be taken from the mast on a network of optic fibres. One fibre runs to each main cabinet in development areas. The signals are then split and regulated. A co-axial cable runs from the cabinet to each dwelling. Typically, each cabinet might then serve between 30 and 50 dwellings.

5 Main Cabinet The system is installed by a specialist contractor working with the residential developer. There is a procedure for checking the signals strength and system compliance during the works and at the end of each phase of development. After installation, the system passes to Bournville Village Trust for long term management. The costs of this maintenance, the provision of the main IRS, will be met by Bournville Village Trust and recovered from residents in the normal way via the maintenance charge. In all cases where residents have a TV or radio, an appropriate licence will be required in the normal way. Residents are responsible for getting this licence. The services provided by the IRS are Analogue TV BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 Digital Freeview (all digital channels) FM and DAB (digital) radio Sky, Sky+ and Sky HD satellite subscription TV, Freesat etc Analogue and digital TV is free to air, so services such as BBC1 and ITV are available immediately the system is used. This is also the case for radio services. Residents may need a TV with a digital tuner or some other arrangement such as a Freeview or Freesat box to get access to some free services. For services that require a subscription service, such as Sky residents need to make their own arrangements directly with the company. The costs to residents for using the system are therefore: - A TV or radio licence Your TV and radios sets and all necessary connecting cabling within your property The maintenance cost for the system which will be included within the Maintenance Charge payable to Bournville Village Trust The cost of any subscription services that you wish to have Please note that analogue transmission is due to cease in the Midlands region in After that you won t be able to receive TV unless you have digital equipment. You may wish to consider this move to digital if you are thinking about buying a new TV. 5

6 6 Using the Lightmoor Village integrated reception system When you move into the Village, the outlets for TV and radio within your home will already be active. There will be a box within each house where the signals enter the property, which is usually, but not always located in a storage cupboard on the ground floor. This has a power supply and will boost the signal within the property. Please do not make any changes to the box or the power supply. Please leave the power switched on. The co-axial cable runs into your dwelling at a fixed point often visible by external ducting. If this is in your garden, please work carefully in the area of the cables. Within each dwelling there is a master outlet panel, and possibly a number of additional points. The master panel will be in the main living room. The main outlet has a number of connections. The additional points have only one or possibly two TV coaxial connection sockets they look like ordinary TV sockets. The cables between the main box and the outlets panels are laid in the same way that the electricity system is set out. The wiring is in the structure of the dwellings under the floors or in small conduits in the walls. You do not need to do anything to the outlet points and should not touch the wiring in the dwelling. As is the case for electricity, please take care when working in the area of the outlet points. Distributing signal within your home In order to utilise any additional IRS sockets in your home (for example those that might be found in your bedroom or kitchen) the RETURN socket on the master outlet panel is the socket that needs to be used. The equipment which receives the IRS signal needs to send the signal to the return socket. For example if the Sky+ or Sky HD service is being used, a cable needs to be run from the return feed (usualy labeled RF2) found on the back of the Sky box into the RETURN socket on the master panel. Please note that there are many different ways in which your equipment can be setup depending on the service provided, therefore the example given above will not be suitable for all setups.

7 Analogue and Freeview TV All terrestrial channels (BBC1, BBC2, ITV, C4 and C5) are broadcast as analogue TV. Many older TVs will be analogue only. To connect an analogue TV, connect the TVs aerial lead to the TV socket on the master outlet panel. You may need to re-tune your TV when you move in. The main signals for Lightmoor Village come from the transmission aerial on the Wrekin. You ll probably need to re-tune if you have moved from an area with a different TV transmission. Please see your TV guidance or other equipment manual for instructions on how to re-tune your TV equipment. The main TV channels (BBC1, BBC2, ITV, C4 and C5) plus the newer TV channels (BBC3, BBC4, ITV2 etc) are broadcast as Digital TV or Freeview. Please see the Freeview website ( for a complete list of channels. To receive Freeview you will need a digital tuner. Many modern TVs have such a tuner built in. If you have a TV with a digital tuner then you can connect it directly to the TV socket on the master outlet panel. Older analogue TVs without in built digital tuners can be connected to receive digital services by using a standalone Freeview box. These are widely available at major retailers. Many digital TV recorders and similar devices have built in digital tuners. If this applies then connect the aerial lead from your Freeview box or digital tuner equipment directly to the TV socket on the master outlet panel. The Freeview website ( has useful guidance on connecting and setting up equipment. Sky TV and other satellite services The Lightmoor Village IRS supplies Sky, Sky+, SkyHD and Freesat signals to your property, please note that you may need to subscribe to view these services. On the master outlet for IRS, Sky+ or Sky HD box will be connected to outlets labelled SAT 1 and SAT 2. The return feed from your Sky box (usually labelled RF 2) can be connected to the RETURN socket on the master outlet panel to allow viewing of Sky services in other Parts of the property. When dealing with Sky, please let your supplier know that you are connected to a Sky+ compatible IRS. Normally, your Sky supplier will make these connections for you. PLEASE NOTE The Lightmoor IRS is not compatible with the Multi-Room service offered by Sky. If you need any general advice about a Sky package, then the number to ring is the Customer Service Team. Radio The Lightmoor Village IRS provides FM and DAB (digital) radio signals. Your radio reception may be greatly improved by connection to the IRS. Many Hi-Fi systems and quality portable radios and other systems have a connection for external antennae. Please note that both Freeview and Sky carry the major radio stations, which means that you can also listen to radio on your TV (via your receiver) or connect to a suitable audio device. 7

8 8 Trouble shooting and fault reporting when you first move in This section provides guidance on how to avoid problems with the IRS and what to do if you experience any problems setting up the system to your satisfaction. Follow the guidance given above and use the right connections at the outlet points. Make sure that equipment is plugged in and power indicators are on. Ensure that all connection leads are securely plugged in and in the correct sockets. Make sure that all other equipment (set top boxes, video recorders and so on) are connected and working properly. If you have a new TV, please tune it to the appropriate channels. The equipment guidance or manuals will advise on this. If you are moving in to the Lightmoor area you will probably also need to re-tune the channels. If you are using the IRS then you will not need a set top aerial or aerial booster system. Please do not connect any such ancillary equipment. For the main TV channels, such aerials will receive a picture from the TV transmitter and send it to your TV. This is in addition to the IRS signal, but will be slightly out of phase. You will then see double pictures or fuzzy pictures known as ghosting. Please use good quality leads and try to keep leads as short as possible. If you wish to use a long lead, so as to position the TV some distance from the socket, then buy the best quality that you can. A long lead of poor quality will also act as a type of short aerial and will receive normal Terrestrial TV signals then transmit these to your TV. This too will result in ghosting, with the ghost image to the left of the main TV image. If you are still having problems, then please refer to the sections later in this guide and if the system does not operate satisfactorily, please call the help lines found on page 11.

9 ADDITIONAL SOCKETS EXTENDING THE SYSTEM IN YOUR PROPERTY If you want to have more outlet sockets then please contact Bournville Village Trust for advice first. Additional sockets can be fitted but have to be compatible with the IRS. Some TV companies are not qualified to work on systems such as the IRS. We would recommend that any work carried out on the system is a professional IRS contractor authorised by Bournville Village Trust, as any faults / damages caused to the existing internal IRS network by any other contractor will not be covered under the normal IRS maintenance provided by the Trust. Changes within the house or flat are matters for you to decide upon. In changing or extending the integral wiring for the IRS, care will be required in the normal way with all such electrical work. If you want additional outlets some distance from the main box then you may need boosters inside the house to ensure that the signal strength is maintained at all outlets. If your proposals need changes outside the house for example, external wiring, then you will need permission from Bournville Village Trust. You will not be granted permission for externally mounted TV aerials or satellite dishes. Please note that if faults are found with the IRS in your home which were caused by changes in the system carried out by a contractor not authorized by BVT, they will not be covered under the IRS maintenance provided by BVT. If you are a Bournville Village Trust tenant and wish to make any changes to your system please contact the Lightmoor Office before you take any action. FAULT FINDING GENERAL The advice in the following sections is separated into general advice, and then notes relating to firstly terrestrial TV and then to subscription services. Finally there is a section on who to call and advice about what might happen then. Please be aware that an apparent fault may be due to temporary transmission failure when a channel or provider goes off air due to problems sending out the main signal to a bigger area. This might happen, for example if a main aerial fails or is taken out of use for repairs and maintenance. TERRESTRIAL TV If you have no Terrestrial TV: - 1. Check that the power is on to the property & the TV is turned on. 2. Check that the IRS booster box is plugged in and has power. 3. Check that the remote control is working, has enough battery power and that the TV/AV button is switched to TV. 4. If needed test the socket by plugging in another electrical appliance. 5. Check that all aerial leads are connected in the outlet plate (the wall plate) and into the TV or other equipment. 6. Check that all leads are connected to the wall plate, Sky and Freeview boxes, and any digital recorders and DVDs. 7. If in doubt, please plug the aerial directly into the into the TV socket (on the wall plate) and try again. If you cannot get a picture, please call the help lines found on page 11. SATELLITE TV If you have no Satellite TV: - 1. Check that the power is on to the property & the TV is turned on 2. Check that the IRS booster box is plugged in and has power 3. Check that the satellite box is plugged in and turned on (that the green LED on the front of the box is on). 4. Check that the satellite box is connected to the socket marked SAT or Satellite (on the wall plate). 5. Check that the lead from the RF1 out on the satellite box is connected to the aerial input socket on the TV 6. Check that the correct programme number is tuned to the TV for example, button If a SCART socket is in use then check that AV is selected on your TV and that the SCART lead is connected both to the TV and to the satellite box 8. Check if any messages are on the screen. There may be a message saying for example no satellite signals being received. If a message is displayed then please refer to the equipment handbook or guidance notes. Please ensure that you are using high quality cables and leads. If after following these instructions the problem is not resolved, then you may need to phone Sky s technical department or other satellite provider. The telephone number for Sky is If you do this, please ensure that you tell Sky s technical department that the satellite box is connected to a communal system called IRS. If you are reassured that there is no problem with the provider and installation, then please call for assistance as described on page 11. 9

10 When contacting Bournville Village Trust When you call for assistance because the IRS system is not working properly, the person who you speak with will ask you questions relating to the problem you are experiencing. These are important to help us to understand the nature of the problem, and to remedy any fault as soon as possible. Please give your name and address, and a contact telephone number. For new developments it may help if you give the name of the developer or the site marketing name, and the plot number. This may be more immediately recognised by the contractor who installed the system than a postal address. If at all possible, it is useful to know if the reception fault is only for your property or if it affects neighbouring or other properties as well. If several properties are affected the fault or problem may be in the external wiring, in the cabinet serving your local area or at the mast and the master cabinet next to the mast. It is easier to diagnose a fault or operational issue if we can identify if it relates to a single customer, to a group of properties, or the whole system 10

11 CONTACT NUMBERS If you have a problem with Sky or other satellite provider, please follow the advice on page 9 and ring the provider. If the problem is not with Sky, or if Sky confirms that their signal is working acceptably, then during office hours (8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, apart from Bank Holidays) please call Bournville Village Trust on these numbers: The office at 7 Stocking Park Road (plot 27 in the George Wimpey development of Oakham Manor). Or you may try The office at Courtside House in the centre of Telford Outside office hours (after 5pm), please call This is the number for Central Control at Bournville Village Trust, based in Birmingham. The operator at Bournville Village Trust will ask for details of the problem and your contact details (name, address and telephone number). If they cannot help to resolve the problem, they will refer it to the contractor. Action will be taken as soon as possible please see the response times opposite. Please do NOT contact the IRS Contractor directly. The IRS contractor may refuse to accept any direct calls, which are not passed on to them via Bournville Village Trust. If the contractor acts on any calls received directly, they may be obliged to charge you for a visit or for any work carried out. CALL OUT RESPONSE TIMES In respect of good estate management of the IRS, certain provisions for call outs and for responses to rectify faults have been provided. Your IRS problem will fall into one of the below priorities. Priority HIGH Description of problem Total Breakdown affecting, and confirmed, more than one property Expected Response time Before 4pm, four hour response. After 4pm, response before 10am the following working day. Priority MEDIUM Description of problem Partial loss of signal affecting and confirmed more than one property Expected Response time Within one working day from time reported. Priority LOW Description of problem Single user Breakdown with total or partial loss of signal Expected Response time Within three working days from time reported. 11

12 IMPORTANT NOTES Bournville Village Trust holds a limited stock of set top aerials so may be able to offer some temporary arrangements for viewing the main terrestrial channels in some circumstances. Bournville Village Trust will use all reasonable endeavours to maintain the system at all times, but cannot accept liability for system failure or compensation for lost viewing whilst the system is not working for any reason. Whilst normal maintenance and management costs are covered in the Maintenance Charge that you pay as a resident of the Village. Please note that you may be charged by the contractor for any call outs where the problem is found to be with your equipment or setup and NOT a problem with the system itself (also known as false calls ). The pictures and diagrams provided in this guide book are for illustration purposes only and may differ from those provided in your home. Please let Bournville Village Trust know if you have any questions about this guide or the IRS generally. LIGHTMOOR VILLAGE Courtside House, Telford Square, Telford TF3 4EQ. [email protected] Telephone: Bournville Village Trust, Estate Office, Oak Tree Lane, Bournville, Birmingham B30 1UB.