All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Bob: On the subject of time factors involved with planned engineering works, these are never mentioned simply because of the nature of the work, as things aren't always as cut and dried as it might seem when dealing with RF equipment, as unforeseen snags can, and do, crop up.
The time factor involved being even less certain if said work involves anything connected with the mast, as the progress of the work is totally dependant on weather conditions etc.
However, on the subject of no signal on C49, although the signal path terrain indicator shows that the signal from the Angus transmitter (@ 11 miles / 236 degrees) is not quite line-of-sight to your location by being obstructed from around 1.5 miles prior to it, obstructions to a signal always having a greater effect when they occur close to the receiver, and with this possibly being the reason why you are not receiving any signal on C49, especially as COM channels are transmitted on half the power of the PSB channels, i.e: PSB 20Kw / COM's 10Kw.
Purely for a test, if your TV or box offers "manual" tuning, enter the facility and enter C49 into the box, but do"not" press search or scan but wait to see if anything is indicated in the strength / quality bars, as this procedure results in the tuner acting in the form of signal meter free of lower threshold for reception restrictions, likewise if anything is being received, it will be indicated no matter how low it might be.
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Linda: Did you carry out a factory reset on your box? as its absolutely essential that you do this.
The other point to note based on that said in my previous reply, when you go into the programme guide you will see "This Morning" being mentioned twice, only press on the "first" one, as the second one is automatically selected, any attempts to set it for recording triggering these messages you are getting.
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Linda: Yes! as that is the correct procedure, but though, the fact still remains that a conflict message can only occur when something you are trying to record, such as "This Morning", is either already stored in the tuners memory system, or that some other programme is, and the timing of the programme you are attempting to record is clashing with that already stored, remembering of course, that the second part of a split programme (including its running time) is "not" listed in the schedule list even although its there, this caused by a deficiency in Humax's menu system.
A factory default (page 55 in the manual) deletes "everything" stored in the tuners memory thereby giving you a fresh start, and although you prefer to use manual tuning because of your box storing welsh news channels on auto, purely for speed / test purposes you could just carry out an auto tune, this then followed by having another attempt at storing "This Morning".
But though, before carrying this out, check to see if anything is listed in the schedule list by pressing guide then the yellow button, deleting anything seen listed, remembering what I had mentioned about the second part of a split programme.
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dave: If your neighbours TV is not of the large screen variety, thereby moveable, if possible, you should try tuning it on your own aerial system, as that's the easiest way of finding out if your neighbours aerial system is faulty, or alternatively that their TV is being overloaded by the signal from the local Redditch transmitter at around 0.5 miles away, although I doubt if it would be, as the transmitter in question is only 2watts.
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Helena Cairns : Should you be referring to a Sky box? and have tried everything mentioned in the heading of this page, then there really isn't left to try, as your problem is either being caused by (1) the dish having moved slightly out of alignment e.g: blown by high winds, (2) failure of the LNB which is mounted on the end of the dish arm, (3) damage to the "external" section of the coax, or finally (4) the actual box having failed, the cause of nearly always associated with its internal power supply.
Therefore, the only way of determining which of the aforementioned applies, is either by trying your box out on someone elses dish system, or alternatively have them try their box on yours, if their box works OK on your dish then your box is defective.
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John Smith: The only HD channels that can be viewed on a Sky+HD without a subscription are: BBC1 HD / BBC2 HD / ITV1 HD / Ch4 HD and a few others of the news variety, you cannot view Ch5 in HD.
You can of course find out for yourself which channels can still be viewed in HD, simply done by removing your viewing card and running through the HD channels normally viewed.
The aforementioned test is more accurate if the Sky box is switched off after having removed the viewing card, restarting the box minus the card.
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Bob: Thanks for the update, your detailed findings on the outcome of the test having confirmed my suspicion as to the most likely reason for your problem, but which as you have referred to, might improve somewhat once the engineering work is completed.
One little point though, as far as possibly mounting the aerial on a taller pole is concerned, the general rule of "the higher the better" does not necessarily apply in every case, (transmission aerials excepted) as in situations where reception is non line-of-sight with the transmitter, its frequently found that a much better signal can be achieved with the aerial being mounted lower down at around gutter level, and with the aerial being tried to the left and right of the lower mounting position.
I only mention this just in case you, yourself would be installing a larger pole, if you are? leave the TV on the manual tune signal test screen whilst you adjust the aerial.
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Bob: Fully appreciating the points mentioned in your reply, but though, I wasn't actually suggesting that you do this yourself anyway!, as I am fully aware of the range of logistical problems involved in carrying out tasks of this nature, especially on one's own, safety being the main concern.
The only reason for mentioning what I did, was just in case you had considered this task as being within your scope.
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John Beardsworth: This type of problem is, in most cases, associated with the dish, such as it being intermittently obstructed by vegetation like a branch of a tree / bush etc.
Should this not be applicable, then another possible reason is water having crept into the "F" connector(s) that couples the coax into the LNB mounted on the end of the dish arm.
You should also unscrew the "F" connector on the rear of the box, checking the coax entering said connector for soundness and that it has not slackened off.
Finally, carry out a signal check on the box, making sure that the strength is at least around 60%, and with the quality also being around that figure and never under, as if it is, then this is an indication that the dish requires slight realignment, and which is nearly always in the horizontal (L/R) plane.
Further advice can be given provided that the model number, or type (standard or Sky+) of the box being used is supplied, plus info of whether or not you are connected into your own dish? or possibly a communal dish system?
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Wednesday 1 July 2015 12:43AM
Keith Bullimore: The EPG channel numbers referred to are associated with COM 4 /5 and 6 multiplexes as transmitted by Mendip, Chalford Hill by being a Freeview Light station, not transmitting COM channels, thereby not coming into the equation.
As far as your reception problem is concerned, a quick check made on the signal path from the Mendip transmitter (@ 39miles /211degrees) to your location as having to pass over some rather dense woodland located at only a short distance away from your area, a situation that nearly always results in reception being prone to reacting to not only seasonal changes in weather conditions, but also to changes in any vegetation (trees) that the signal has to pass over.
Although you have mentioned signal strength, you should carry out a signal quality and strength check on the aforementioned COM channels, observing the quality for a couple of minutes or so for any signs of it diving up and down, or indeed dropping out all together, the COM channel numbers being as follows /
COM4 / C48 (690.0 Mhz) - COM5 / C56 (754.0 Mhz) / COM6 / C52 (722.0 Mhz)
By the way, if your TV or box has a manual tuning facility, go into the tuning menu and enter each of the "C" channels in turn, but do "not" press search or scan, because on most equipment this procedure results in the tuner acting like a signal meter indicating the strength and quality of the signal.