All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Peter: I wouldn't give up just yet! as I was only repeating the info I found out about some of these models thats in circulation, but a signal level of only 26% on mux Ch28 from a 200Kw transmitter at under 14 miles away could indicate a problem with your aerial system "if" a signal overload situation is not applying, and so maybe you make a note of the signal level on ITV3 (mux Ch25) and ITV1 (mux Ch26) and give an update on the levels found.
Maybe you could also give some details as to what type of aerial you are using. (loft / roof).
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agnes: Yes, as any satellite device that can record (e.g: Freesat or Sky+) requires twin feeds, the other point being that if you only have one feed from the dish then it might only have an original single output LNB fitted and so this would require changing, preferably to a quad type as the price difference is minimal quad block kits being obtainable from numerous e-bay outlets for around £10.00 or so.
You can of course still use the Humax for normal Freesat reception or limited recording if you choose single feed operation when first setting it up, then once the extra cable is installed reset the box and carrying out a second installation.
By the way you will not lose anything you have recorded by doing this.
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Paul S: To operate TV's in another location using the Sky boxes RF1 analogue output socket you simply run a cable from this socket to your distribution amplifiers input and that takes care of that side of it.
If the TV's in the second / third location are Freeview capable sets as well as analogue (used for the Sky box) then your normal aerial thats used for Freeview reception is connected into the Sky boxes aerial "input" socket and the Freeview signal as well as the Sky's RF modulator output is fed to your other TV's, you selecting which one you require by selecting either DVB or analogue on the TV's.
Once all is connected up then both your bedroom TV's will require to be auto tuned whilst set on analogue to pick up the RF modulator channel that the Sky box is set to.
You havent actually mentioned anything about a magic eye being used for channel changing purposes, but if you are then it would be the Sky boxes RF2 that would be used and the power for same turned on in the Sky boxes set up menu.
Maybe you could mention if you are intending to use a magic eye as your distribution amp may not be suitable.
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Lynn Steenson: I suspected that this might be the case and as such the comments I made regarding angle of reflections etc is very likely to be the reason for your difficulty, this type of problem not being quite so uncommon as some may think because in many cases it just reduces the level of the signal but with the minimum of variation in its quality, albeit that its lower than it previously was, however in severe cases it results in what you are experiencing and with this being a very difficult type of situation to resolve except in some cases by experimenting with alternative aerial positions, but though with this NOT necessarily meaning higher but a few feet either way in the horizontal plane.
That said, it does have to be admitted and without wishing to appear as a prophet of doom, but in some cases its never really satisfactorily resolved because if a better position is found for the aerial giving the impression that the problem has gone it very seldom ever lasts due to seasonal changes killing it again, as these changes always have an effect on reception levels albeit but with this not really causing any problems to most who reside closer to the transmitting station, but DTT signals coupled to being received at long distances always invites a variety of problems to spring up.
I also experienced exactly the same difficulty as yourself when one of the transmitters that I receive from switched over to high powered operation, as one of its COM channels that I could previously receive dropped out of the box and with no amount of aerial repositioning resolving the problem, and as an engineer I have everything at my proverbial finger tips for carrying out tests and so set about touring the area to find exactly where the signal could be received, it wasn't! however nature itself has assisted as when the weather changed for the worst this improved the situation to a certain extent by providing a terrain that the signal could skip along thereby lifting the level of the signal to just above the reception cut off threshold, something which once again enabled viewing of the channel albeit with the expected number of glitches.
By the way, these green areas seen on the maps are only approximate as indeed are the forecasts made for the expected signal strengths at certain locations in the official trade reception predictor, as no one can accurately predict how an RF signal will behave once its left the mast.
I really regret not being able to be more positive about your problem but its the near to zero quality issue that's the killer, because amplification no matter how powerful never makes any difference in these cases.
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Elisabeth G: If your husband can get the signal back on again by lightly touching the dish then it means that the clamp bolt used to retain its horizontal plane (left / right) adjustment could do with getting tightened.
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Lynn Steenson: Also meant to add to my already somewhat lengthy posting, that to give an idea of the chances of success by experimenting with moving the aerial it would be prudent at this time to make an enquiry at a neighbours or some other property located close by to find out if the occupiers of same can receive the commercial channels from Divis, secondly, and although a long shot, but it would also be beneficial if you could eliminate the possibility (albeit remote) of a fault having developed on your Fringe mini distribution unit, this done by first of all by removing both coax leads from the Fringe 1290 power supply and connecting them both together (in other words by-passing the unit) then on your Fringe mini distribution unit removing the input from the aerial and also the coax cable from the unit that would go to the 1290 and linking both of these together, this action resulting in the aerial going directly into the TV without passing through anything else, then once done carry out a rescan on the TV.
My only reason for suggesting that you try this is not because I suspect that you are receiving an excessive signal level but just in case Divis's PSB's are triggering some form of instability within the mini distribution amp that's affecting anything of a lesser level than the PSB's passing through it, a tall order but not impossible!
What's been said is on the assumption that your Fringe 1290 is located near to the TV.
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Paul S: Sorry for the confusion but I misunderstood what you actually meaning, but as far as the bedrooms are concerned what type of wall plate has been fitted in these rooms, because the method you used to connect the Sky box into the wall plate in the main room would appear to be OK.
And as far as the main room is concerned can you actually receive Sky and are you using only a single feed into the box? the point I am getting at is that there might not be a connection between the main room and the bedrooms as far as sending a signal to there is concerned.
It would be of assistance if you opened the wall plate in the main room and gave an update on any markings seen printed on the rear label, as although they are all called Quadplexers there different brands of these plates.
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Tony Hill: Yes, but I suppose that as soon as a heating element comes into the equation that automatically involves power of a somewhat higher magnitude that the low current maximum of 18 volts or so DC thats used in an LNB and that could be an issue for the non technical.
Although this type of thing is not outwith the realms of an enthusiast who could weave some low voltage heating wire of the type used in some 24 volt heating pads around the rear of the dish and also a loop of same around the outer rim of the LNB, the supply transformer being inside the property.
Of course for satisfactory results the transformer would require to left powered up all of the time, and so possibly a 12 / 15 volts type would be best for this purpose as by the element being underpowered it would provide only background level heat.
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ydoyle: If the landlord has said that your daughters accommodation has a Sky connection facility in her room but that she doesnt actually have a Sky box then a Freesat box is the answer, as Sky and Freesat are 100% compatible with each other as far as dish connections are concerned.
The other point being, that only a Freesat TV would work in situations where the only socket provided was a satellite connection as Freeview requires a normal aerial, this being either loft or roof mounted the former dependant on location.
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Sunday 27 January 2013 10:19AM
Peter: Although what Michael has said is quite correct when referring to that particular Samsung web page as the TV is fitted with a Freesat (DVB-S2) HD tuner, but judging by what I have gleaned from various sources there are quite a few models around that were not dedicated UK models and its these models that cannot receive Freeview HD, the clue to which type one has being that the Red button facility does not work on these models either.
Samsung are, and always have been, one of the most difficult brands to obtain information about as even their service manuals leave a lot to be desired.