HAVE GOT A SWISSTEC 15 INCH TV BUILT IN FREEVIEW, BUT CA NOT GET ITV 1 OR CHANNEL 4 ON IT. HAVE TRIED RETUNNING BUT NO GOOD

The model number would usually be on the back of the TV but in this case it's immaterial as Swisstec appear to have had a very brief existence. Their website no longer works (skymediamanufacturing.com, no connection to Sky satellite tv) and the few products which have their brand name on all seem to be at outlets like ALDI and Makro which often specialise in clearance lines and bankrupt stock.

First, check that your missing channels haven't been shifted to 801, 802 etc. This is happening with some equipment and it's just how some slightly incompatible equipment handles the retune.

What you have said about your aerial system does not eliminate the possibility of an aerial fault; as you're running multiple items off one aerial I'd fully expect it to be a high gain aerial, but this does not necessarily mean that it's a wide band aerial. In addition, each time the signal from a single aerial is split there is typically up to a 10dB loss (around 60% each time). Regular analogue reception equipment can cope with this far better than Freeview receivers as the analogue signals are vastly more powerful than the digital ones. One of the most important UK transmitters puts out a 100kW (i.e. 100 000W) analogue signal along with an 800W Freeview one making the analogue signal 125x stronger at the transmitter and far weaker further away.

Realistically, you have limited options. Most Freeview receivers have an onscreen menu in the digital tuner which has a signal strength and quality meter for each channel. If most of the channels have a middling signal with good quality then your reception is most likely ok so look at the aerial cable at the back of the set to see how long the plug into the back of the tv is. If it's longer than about 2cm then it probably has an in-line suppressor fitted onto the end of the plug. Usually there's a marking of either 6dB or 10dB on the suppressor. Remove any suppressor and try retuning.

If that didn't work then check as much of your aerial system as possible paying special attention to the plugs and splitters. No plug should be showing any bare wire, and the external screening braids must not be touching the internal signal wire. You'll probably have to undo each plug to check for this and remake any shoddy work. If you have aerial splitters which are the push together variety then check the connections are tight. Also consider replacing them with the screw threaded F-terminal splitters which all professional installers use. These cost very little more than the useless things sold in most DIY stores and general retail outlets but hugely reduce signal losses. I've posted an online address of a supplier at the end of my post, but you can also get them from your local Maplin store usually at extra cost.

If you have an amplified aerial then try disconnecting the amplifier. These are often inappropriately fitted and cause digital signal meters to show the confusing message of a strong signal with poor quality. A good quality weak signal can be successfully amplified but a poor quality signal requires a better aerial installation.

If you have eliminated all doubt regarding your aerial then the fault is most likely with the receiver itself. The official advice is to try retuning but you've almost certainly done that. There is a list of equipment known to have problems with the retune (see second web address) but it's not comprehensive and misses out minor brands like Swisstec. Clearly you cannot contact Swisstec and they are in no position to rectify the problem themselves any more. Under these circumstances your only remaining option is to buy a new external receiver from around £20 and connect it to your tv as if it never had an internal receiver.

Note that the UK Sale of Goods Act was recently amended to allow purchasers up to six years protection against goods which are not of "satisfactory quality" (replacing the earlier term "merchantable quality"). You've had your tv for eighteen months and the tv itself still works, but as a super-budget unknown brand it's doubtful that you could press your rights regarding the failed Freeview receiver.

Sorry this is not the easy fix you were hoping for but I hope that it's been of some assistance.

1st web address. Supplies and excellent general aerial advice.
http://www.aerialsandtv.com/ampsandsplitters.html

2nd address. List of known incompatible equipment. Not really of use to you but at least shows you're not alone...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/01_10_09_freeview2.pdf

Hi,

2 reasons - The tuner board is faulty or your aerial needs upgrading or suppressing.

Thanks