All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Keith Thacker: Thanks for the update Keith and pleased to hear that you have sorted your problem out, of course basically caused by the shortcomings in the user instructions making problems such as you experienced difficult to figure out, although having two of these "excellent" boxes myself does help! - Regards jb38.
Les Nicol: Apologies for jumping in on the thread as I do I realise you were advising Keith, and your advice re; trying the box out elsewhere is something I would possibly have advised myself, but its just that I know people get caught out by certain peculiarities on these boxes and likewise felt obliged to pass my knowledge on regarding possible reasons of the problem, plus a little bit of additional info regarding postcodes which may be of assistance to anyone else experiencing difficulties with incorrect "local" news on their freesat devices, this irrespective of brand or whether or not its a PVR.
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jayd46: When you say you changed the channel number are you referring to the sky boxes RF1/2 output channel number? the default usually being Ch68, and that "if" you did alter this in the engineers secret menu you followed this action by carrying out a retune on the "analogue" TV you are using to pick up the RF2 output's channel change.
If you have done all the aforementioned and it still doesn't work try it without the eye in line but using the Sky boxes RF1 output, an update on results being appreciated.
By the way "analogue" was highlighted because many people have the misconception that as they are using a Sky digital box the RF signals sent to other TV's are also digital, which of course they aren't as they are analogue! this mistake usually made by people who use small dual standard LCD TV's in a bedroom and forget to select analogue on them before scanning, as if they don't nothing will be picked up even although the magic eye will work.
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Lucy: Although some brands of equipment can be more sensitive than others what you have reported could suggest that the signal downstairs is inferior in strength to upstairs, so for test purposes you should try the upstairs set top box downstairs using a scart lead to couple it into your Sony TV and check what channels you receive, especially ones like ITV3 and such likes.
You don't mention what co-ax cabling method is used to supply the two sets? however it shouldn't (should it apply!) include any non-powered two way splitters as these are menaces at reducing signal strength, always use booster / splitters of the powered types.
Before you do anything though carry out another scan on the Sony, as there may have been a problem at the transmitter when you carried out the scan, something which cannot be checked on as you haven't mentioned your locality.
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Braintist: Sorry but didnt notice you had replied as it was above the border on my screen.
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Briantist: Good clear illustration! and something I am sure will be of great assistance, as to use the old adage "a picture is worth a thousand words".
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DG: I realise you have directed the question at Brian, and whom I am sure will appreciate your comments, but if I could intrude into your posting to say that indications I have seen suggest that you might well be better pointing your aerial at the Nottingham multiplex transmitter as you are only 3 miles away from it.
The point about using Nottingham though is that as well as your aerial having to be turned around to face that direction (308 degrees from you) it also has to be turned to its vertical mounting position from its present state of being horizontal.
I really feel though that you would be best just replacing the aerial, especially when you have access to a ladder, I would recommend changing it to a log periodic type as these are capable of giving deceptively good performance in practically every type of location I have used them in, plus another bonus being that they have a low wind resistance and are not so likely to get moved by high winds. (Logs by the way are wideband)
As far as signal distribution is concerned, only use a powered splitter / booster to feed another room and "never" the "Y" shaped type which can kill the signal strength to both places.
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Briantist: Yes! quite agree, as the increase in power to 400watts on all multiplexes after switchover should in theory blast in at the location mentioned.
I really meant to add to my reply (but forgot) that the aerial replacement should only be considered after a test has been carried on completion of repositioning the present one, but as DG was unaware as to the age etc of the present one thought it prudent to advise replacing it whilst having the chance of a ladder.
And of course without wishing to insult any one's intelligence, I likewise also meant to mention to DG not to forget and carry out a re-tune of his new freeview TV immediately after repositioning the aerial or Nottingham wont be picked up, as when one is involved in swinging aerials about its sometimes easy to forget this vital task.
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DG: Well I do admit to being somewhat biased in favour of using logs at every opportunity, this basically because I have very seldom ever found that replacing one with a yagi etc type brought any significant gain over the previous log, and indeed over the many years (very!) of being involved with RF equipments (both Tx & Rx coupled to Dx TV having been a hobby) took great pleasure in demonstrating this fact to the many classic doubting Thomas types who live their lives besotted with manufacturers Db gain specs, and likewise feel that a massive piece of metalwork on their roofs just has to be better because a manufacturers spec says so. (Rant over!)
Anyway, ATV (Sheffield) on the link provided are a very good practical company and the DM log on their advert (@ £25.00) is an extremely good aerial and which I feel could not be improved on in the majority of locations it might used in if tested side by side with a much larger Yagi, but its really your choice "if" you decide to update after having tested your present aerial once its been repositioned.
(Of course aerial tests always having to be conducted with the same hour)
Briantist: I have to say that knowing the Nottinghamshire area there are as DG states some hilly areas hence why Waltham is bad in many places, and even although I did agree that after switch over DG's present set up would possibly be OK I did qualify this by saying "in theory", as even the few miles from the transmitter might well have some dastardly terrain obstruction.
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DG: Well it would certainly appear as though Nottingham is the favourite choice for reception where you are located, I also noticed that all the aerials around you are seen to be mounted on normal poles and not extensions with this rather suggesting that there aren't any particular problems with reception from the Nottingham multiplexes, as indeed as Briantists check has revealed, so if you simply alter your aerial to being vertically mounted I feel that you may well not require to do anything else other than that.
As far as picking up all of the multiplex channels is concerned, its never really a case of not picking something up but more one of how efficient its done, and in your particular case "if" your aerial was originally installed for analogue TV from Waltham then it wont quite cover all the channels you will be requiring as the aerial will likely have been a C/D type, albeit of course it will "still" work with Nottingham but not quite so efficiently as it requires a wideband aerial for satisfactory reception as is stated by Brian in the last posting.
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Sunday 30 January 2011 7:55PM
Terry H: As a digital TV is part of your set up you only require the freeview box if you want to record anything from it onto your DVD recorder otherwise its not necessary.
Regarding not being able to record the Greek channel from your (brand unknown) sat receiver, can you actually view it but just not record it? it would be of assistance if the channel in question was known.
As far as connections are concerned, the commonly used scart in / scart out procedure known as daisy chaining might not be very versatile for what you wish to achieve and so I would be inclined to use a 2 input scart selector box with a cable from each of its two input sockets running respectively to each of the two receiver boxes, (sat and freeview) with the third common lead coupled to the DVD recorder input.
That said though its difficult to advise without actually knowing what device (exc TV) is most commonly used, and if this is aspect is clarified more precise info could be supplied which may, or may not, involve the aforementioned procedure.