All posts by Billy
Below are all of Billy's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Who knows guys, assuming signal is going out in every direction and certain channels not higher on transmitter than others, have to remember, if you have wideband or groups aerial, lower channels though being lower frequency and so should be more robust, the aerials have their highest gain further up the frequency.
For me in the loft, awful dip, hill in way, 39 is the one I have most issue and lower signal on, having said that, just about to check others, cause gets confusing what is on what.
My cousin informs me of something like extras channels as well, lives in Nuneaton on Sutton trans, so clear that lot of cross overs and goodness only knows what, a lot of trial and error.
I'm using a 22 Element Log Periodic with variable mast head amp, came with it, at max 25 db.
Being so close, the box despite I'm convinced, with aerial out at back at time, has assumed presidency with the Allesley Park Transmitter putting in the BBC channels and so on.
42 and 46 from Sutton seem the best, in fact figures obtained from tests in loft are as follows:
Ch 39 Sig Strength 80% best, varies, can be 65% Quality 100 max, has tendency to dart around at times.
Ch 42 SS 80% and Quality 100
Ch 43 SS 95% max and Quality 100
Ch 45 SS 80% and Quality 100
Ch 46 SS 95% and Quality 100.
I could be that because of this and Allesley Park at 100 over 100, the amp is a little too high, hence sometimes often picture break up, glitch etc on channel 39.
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Confirmed top up box with a mind of it's own, ARE OTHERS the same, WARNING:
It is the T215 one you can get from argos.
AS those who read my posts know, I'm now on Sutton, may try Lark Stoke tomorrow.
Anyway, in the loft on log periodic and lowered the gain slightly now, so might be around 15 db on amp, but here is the massive problem.
I did a factory reset again, few times since had the box in last few weeks now, and with aerial connection pulled out, skipped through the lower channels.
Now knowing it will not work, unless I least get one mux in, I put back in and collected channel, think it was 46, Sutton.
All was well that night as I manually put in the rest.
But signals vary sometimes, up and down like mad, though often not affecting the picture, surprisingly, sometimes it does.
But next day, put on, and swear still had it on, then bang, later noticed, or next day, but was later on, watching BB on channel 5, that I'm back on Allesley Park again.
I am seriously wondering if mine and many other makes of set top boxes are auto tuning themselves to stronger transmitters if they can get them.
Who knows, most puzzling and annoying in some ways, 100 over 100%, and perfect, works, no glitching, but mad, okay both in same direction, but Allesley Vertical and Sutton Horizontal, likely the Amp.
This may explain why so many claim, I had the channels, next time switched on, or next day, they gone, seems the boxes ability to retain, even manually puts in muxes is dire, if it senses, picks up another in same direction.
Given the crossovers now, power boosts on transmitters and fact many still have hi gain aerials and amps on, might be what is happening.
:(.
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Angie I know the feeling, in my experiments in the loft, Lark Stoke, or Sutton Coldfield, new cable today, copper screening and changed amplifier from one that came with the log Periodic aerial, boosting it better, but still every now and then pixels, etc.
I was thinking at first, overload, but you say fine since switchover and only on this recorder.
I'd heard, rather read something about loss through them, or interference, cause of that, along those lines, and with it direct from box to TV it is fine.
Compared to say 12 years or so ago, when I was prepared to put up with it every few seconds, it's out of this world.
On the other hand, having been spoiled by awesome satellite the last 8 years or so, this is crap, so to speak.
Using amps, and other appliances it seems still encourages interference, :(.
Alternative, massive pole over 10 feet with aerial on, costs the earth, and still get problems with winds and given I've read, cable only lasts about 5 years, makes you question is it all worth it.
Unless on a main transmitter, not relay and want top up tv, cheapest way for Sky sports etc, I'd recommend always go satellite, freesat any day over freeview.
But depends, where you are, if lucky, unlike me and have line of sight and close, say within 15 miles, and have a good aerial, no need to use any amplifier, or booster, than cool, go for freeview.
But from what I keep reading on here, seems a lot of people are getting peed off at it, and can not say I blame them.
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Thanks Jim, all seems fine now on Lark Stoke, though usual pixel break up, pity channel I want, whether Sutton or Lark Stoke, always on the weakest Mux, go figure.
Keith let me check my last signal takings in the loft on this transmitter:
YUP, how interesting that best channels were 43 and 46, with 95% Signal strength over 100 Quality.
39, one I wanted most, was 80% SS over 100 as are the rest.
Who knows why.
Now on Lark Stoke and even changing to a different amplifier, 23 db gain, still as on sutton get the odd glitch, more a pixel break up and then okay again, but not too often looks like something going to have to live with, cause not buying yet another aerial, got more cable today, throwing more money away and not getting any better really.
Who knows why, unless, and without a recent picture of it, Sutton has them at different heights, meaning channels 43 and 46 are higher at the top, while others are lower down, or the radiating pattern, though one would suspect, it will be all around.
My sympathies as I know all to well, though I enjoy tinkering at times, the annoyance of this darn medium, satellite beats it hands down.
Satellite, (freesat) oh gosh, maybe one glitch in a few hours, rain and I mean VERY heavy rain, lose some channels perhaps.
Freeview, oh gosh, glitch, sound going, playing up, pixel break up, every few minutes if not much less.
But I refuse to give Sky my money and so have no alternative, cheapest option but to have freeview for top up tv nonsense.
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I have to stress again mine is in the loft, pointing up, 22 element Log Periodic with 23 db gain mast head amp on.
Now, what is weird, but could be the massive hill in way, is at times on certain muxes we see Signal Strength at 80 to 95% and quality nearly always 100%.
Then suddenly bang, Signal Strength goes as low as 45%, not for long, can yo yo about a bit.
When, as today, not sure if weather, get the glitches, well mostly pixelization, it seems it is not the signal quality, and likely not the strength.
Yesterday I carried out tests watching Sky Sports 1 on channel 39.
In the 2 hours period had about 7 to 8 max interference, mostly pixel thing, might have been one sound, which I think I find more annoying than the picture breaking into pixel blocks for an odd second.
Today was much worse.
Reason again for mentioning all this, is that so many of you, are having trouble.
At the moment, got some unusual weather, more like July, very warm to Hot, might cause trouble.
Since power boosts and seems to have cured mine, need to do a complete factory reset, then automatically search with aerial connection pulled out of the TV or set top box.
Then put it back in and search again.
If allows, which mine does not until I get least one mux in, annoying, do it manually now, if know how, to avoid it picking up any other transmitters.
Try an attenuator as may be signal too strong now as well.
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Surely I'm right when I say those transmitters, likely for interference with others are operating different signal powers have completely messed up, for those who live some distances away.
Guess depends on distance, but lets say few years back, Mr X and family have Aerial installer put in some X high gain aerial with masthead amplifier on.
Lets also say they live maybe 20 plus miles from transmitter, and lets say they got about, oh I don't know 80% signal Strength or more and 80% plus quality.
Now, Bang, switchover comes and power gets boosted, good for the fringe people like me, fringe cause of the dip and hill in way etc.
But Mr X is now told, online on some site like this, too much signal.
So he buys an attenuator.
Ar ha, here we have a problem.
Before switchover we have all Muxes on say 8,000 and now public ones are on say 50,000, like Waltham, but hang on, we have SDN and Aqiv on less than that, oops.
So by reducing, and getting back the BBC and ITV, he now starts to lose, or get break up sometimes on commercial ones.
I could be wrong, but that's my thinking.
This is why Sutton Coldfield, despite initial problems some seem to be having should work out better, as all are on and at 200,000 kws.
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Yes, in German, last I know of, 13 East I think, Sky is on 28 East etc.
Hope that helps.
So why do I not bother with it.
No offense to Germans, strong toned language for me, well to me, so I did not take to it, okay if desperate, meaning you must watch Andy Murray play at all costs etc, or so into the women on the, on the, what's it called now, forget, lp, no, pta, no, wta, I think, lol, anyway, also other menthods.
If have big enough dish, sometimes can get free feeds and also often if it involves Murray, BBC interactive channels will have it on.
Sky sports 1 and 2 through Top UP TV on freeview and so on.
Oh hang on then, things I do, lol, I'll check the satellite one now:
Drat, sure it was 13 East, likely it may have gone now.
Personally, to me bit like ESPN, unless into Tennis big time and football and often I can take it or leave it, more a Golf man these days, they do not interest me.
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Scarp the above, yes on 19 East, lol, duh, no wonder not find it then, cause encrypted on 13 East.
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Sean, this helped me, as I have said before, decide, find out which you should be on, it Sutton, note the channels on this page.
Now, assuming and you might, who knows, have too strong a signal, you need to do this:
Unplug the connection at the back and then factory reset tv or box, or and, do a complete rescan, should get nothing.
Now plug in the aerial connector again.
Now if it lets you, do it manually, not auto.
Trouble I had with the T215 Top up box, is won't let you do this, comes up with this screen and when you press menu, nothing, have to press ok, then it scans, so I pull it out and wait until gets close to channel 39, lowest one on Sutton and then plug in aerial connector, so it on say 37, as goes quicker with nothing in.
Once it logs 39, pull it back out quick, store those 10 channels and radio and then once scanned the lot, plug it back in yet again and do it manually.
Hopefully, not like mine and your Box/TV can be done manually from the start.
Since doing this, I do not pick up the Allesley Park ones yet again, box seems to retain the Sutton Coldfield ones.
Remember though using a 23 db gain amp, with hill in the way, 17.4 miles may as well be over 30 to 40 plus miles away and I get sometimes, often 95 SS 100% Quality. That is in the loft as well.
Using Log Periodic, 22 element, quoted as only 7.5 db gain on box.
So my point is, someone with a roof aerial living less than 20 miles from Sutton should not longer what so ever, unless a crap old thing, need an amplifier any more.
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Saturday 24 September 2011 2:38PM
My sympathies P Cairns....
It depends, what side you on, might look ugly, but can have aerial, like I do satellite dish, inside, be surprised sometimes how well it can work and how robust the signals are.
I have trouble with channel 39 most, figures, one with Sky Sports 1 and 2 on of course....
Stuck if you do not roughly face the transmitter way, on other side etc.
But if you do, worth experimenting with perhaps.
Maplins offers on at moment, log periodic one, mine was different from advertised and better still, but with an amplifier that it comes with, it might help, but again, all dependent on you being on the right facing side to the transmitter.
Hope that helps, :).