FreeView tuner radio oddity.

Have a Sony VTX-D800U FreeView STB used only for radio (not connected to a TV) these days.

Works as normal on all the BBC stations I tried, but on Capital radio (and other Global owned channels), the audio mutes after about 30 seconds.

Thinking it might just need a re-tune, plugged it up to a TV, so I could see the menu. Did a retune. No difference.

Now I could see what it was doing on screen, on BBC channels when you first select one (say R4) it shows an internally generated picture, then changes to the channel information - just text on a black screen. On Global, I'd guess a different mux, it shows the same internal picture then the screen goes blank, and the audio mutes. If I call up the EPG, the audio returns. But the EPG switches itself off after a few minutes, so not a 'cure'.

Thinking it maybe just a fault, dug out another identical Sony tuner. Same problem.

So it would seem somewhere in the fairly recent past there is now a difference between muxes. All other FreeView devices in the house are OK. But the Sony obviously the oldest of all. The other oldest device I have is a Toppy - but haven't yet tried that.

Seems odd it performs normally on TV, but not radio?

Dodgy MHEG on the Global channel?

Other devices I have don't show a blank screen on Radio, though. And this is a new thing - it once worked perfectly on all.

One reason I chose the Sony - over others I had lying around - for this purpose is it has an analogue audio output jack - rather than finding a SCART adaptor.

It dates from before HDMI days.

Just had to retune (presumably Capital has moved?) But after a few seconds I get a white Capital swoosh on a blue background.

When I had a Toppy, I recall you could switch MHEG off, might be worth seeing if that affects anything on the Toppy ?

The fault you observe with your Sony receivers is over 10 years old...

They (Sony) stopped supporting the VTX-D800 yonks ago, so it probably requires a software update that doesn't exist !

Of course since all Global and some other channels are now on freeview only in mono, I'd not bother with them or the bbc local ones for the same reason. FM and DAB are the only games in town unless you use the Internet. Brian

I've just had a flick through all the radio stations on Freeview, all the ones that were playing music were in stereo

My Humax HD-FOX-T2 is over 10 years old and no longer even works with iPlayer but all the radio channels still work. The last update was back in 2012-ish.

The BBC radio channels seem to have changed the on-screen graphics recently though. After pressing channel UP from Radio 1, Radio 2 plays immediately then the screen goes blank for about 10 to 15 seconds then the text appears showing the presenter, time slot and music details, then after another 5 to 10 seconds "Radio 2" with the "2" in an orange circle appears.

I haven't retuned it for ages so 724/Capital just shows the message "Please retune your box".

We have an HDR FOX-T2. Yes, the graphics have changed and the apps are pretty well useless. It's still a nice box.

We also have a Roku Express, so that gives us iPlayer, All4, ITVX etc. as well as casting.

Where on earth did you get that from, Brian?

We're talking Global here, not GB News.

I've got quite a few older FreeView devices and only the Sony has this problem.

The Sony puts up its own wallpaper initially. Then on BBC as you say. But blanks on Global, after the wallpaper. Fairly new TV shows a logo on the Global channels, so different (in looks) from the BBC. I've found another STB in the cupboard which works OK on all the radio stations, but give a blank screen on all. It is obviously newer than the Sony as it has HDMI out and does HD TV too.