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All posts by jb38

Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.


Robert: Sorry for the delay in replying, but I suggest you try the following.

Scart adaptor's single "common" connection into the Freeview boxes single scart socket.

Scart lead from the first socket on adaptor into TV's AV1

Scart lead from the second socket on adaptor to the DVD's AV2 (maybe marked EXT2)

Scart lead from DVD's AV1 into TV's AV2.

In operation the Freeview box should take priority on the TV (if in AV1 socket)

To record Freeview on the DVD make sure that AV2 (or EXT2) is selected as the recording input.

To play back a DVD select AV2 (or EXT 2) on the TV's input selector.

This will work "if" the adaptor you have is fully wired and likewise capable of two way operation, and does "not" have individual switches for each output.

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Patrick: Well the only reason I suggested trying that was because you are not experiencing a run of the mill problem, and in situations like that starting afresh sometimes eradicates glitches in the system.

However, now you have tried that the only logical thing to do is try swapping that particular box over with one used in another room, as if it works, which in theory should mean that the previously working one shouldn't!, then that indicates that the LNB outlet port being used has developed a fault, which as you will no doubt realise means the complete block being changed, although if you aren't under contract and can manage it yourself, these can be purchased from various e-bay sources for under £10.00.

Should the LNB outlet be the source of the problem, then in the off chance of it making a difference you could try resetting that particular section of the LNB, (method 2) although I have my doubts if it will make any difference, but there is nothing to lose by trying it!

Finally, if though on the other hand the Grundig box still doesn't work in the other position either, then its time for it to be replaced, as you will have exhausted the test procedures.

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Paul Schonbeck: Being only 18 miles away from Sudbury, and although I generally never advise this form of action to be taken as its a hit and miss thing to do, but you could try using an amplifier of about 15/20dB in line with your aerial, as the mux channels containing these programmes are exceptionally low powered when compared to the main ones, and albeit that its only a temporary measure until next year, its still an odd ball situation that has created problems for numerous people when trying to pick them up.

The reason I say "hit and miss" is because it depends entirely on how good your equipments tuner is at selecting and picking up weak channels when they are in a group containing high powered ones, plus using an amplifier can take the already high powered multiplexes "over the top" in strength, and is something which can cause some tuners to stop receiving all together by the swamping their input circuitry, something which causes general instability to occur.

That said, if you do decide to try an amplifier, then you should blank out everything stored first by carrying out a factory re-set before performing an auto-tune, although sometimes in this type of situation its best to "manually" tune in the elusive muxes first, then use the "add channels" facility to recover the remainder.

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J
How to install | Installing
Saturday 10 December 2011 12:24PM

Anne R: As well as Dave Lindsay's request for your post code for purposes of assessing your signal strength, you should also be aware that because its increasingly becoming possible to receive signals from more than one transmitter in the UK, that very fact can easily create problems with devices such as you have insomuch that its very easy to exceed the devices memory storage capacity. (of only 75)

If this happens it can either reject any further channels being picked up, or if it doesn't it will lose them when its switched off.

Manual tuning of the multiplexes required being the only way of getting over the problem.

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J
Feedback | Feedback
Saturday 10 December 2011 5:30PM

Andy: Well the trade view predictor indicates your location as having roughly the same level of reception possibilities from both Sudbury @ 17mls / 163 degrees and Tacolneston @ 27mls / 42 degrees, although only the latter indicates ArqA reception as being possible.

When you say you have tried Tacolneston, I assume its via the manually tuning in of the Multiplexes involved? these being (BBC) Ch55 - (ITV) Ch59, the reason for asking being that Linnet Valley (@ 1 mile / 297 degrees) also indicates as good, with its Mux channels being (BBC) Ch26 - (ITV) Ch23, which could easily result in it taking up EPG positions 1 & 2 during an auto-tune due to the TV / box locking onto its low channel numbers.

If though you have verified that you are receiving from Sudbury (BBC) Ch44 - (ITV) Ch41, then the BBC / ITV signal should in theory be crashing in, and as the symptoms of an over powerful signal is "exactly" the same as from a weak one (including signal levels seen) purely for a test to eliminate this possibility, you should try a complete retune using a set top aerial just to see if by any chance the pixilation problem referred to ceases.





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Phil: As far as I can see yes! as analogue transmissions are not due to be switched off until September 12th 2012.

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Robert: Thanks for the socket names clarification, and on having a study at what you have said everything as far as connections are concerned is as was described, insomuch AV2 on your device is called EXT2, likewise AV1 is EXT1.

And just to reiterate, this will work provided the adaptor you have is fully wired, as types that aren't can only be used one way, that being with the common socket being only an output, whereas in fully wired types it can be used for two way applications such as for the purpose you require.

To save a lot of unnecessary work its best to test the adaptor first to ensure that it is fully wired, so just connect its "common" connection into the Freeview box as described, then connect a lead from the TV's scart socket 1 to the any of the adaptors three sockets, if the TV can show a Freeview picture then its OK.

You could if you wish carry out the test again using another of the adaptors three sockets just to ensure its OK, although it most likely would be if the first one worked.

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J
How to install | Installing
Sunday 11 December 2011 7:28AM

Anne R: Yes, but your location query was only made because you "might" reside in an area where the BBC and ITV1 transmitters are on full high power operation whereas the others aren't, and if the signal being received via your rooftop aerial is too strong it could be blocking reception of these channels, hence the problem you are experiencing. (only mentioned as its just one possibility!)

This problem, should it be applicable in your case, is not unique to the device you are using as it can happen with any Freeview receiver.




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Briantist: Please ignore my query as obviously the card is just required for regional news purposes otherwise it defaults to London, with the reason it didn't work at all without it only being because of my haste in re-connecting the box again thereby not giving it long enough for the memory to drop out after having removed its mains connection, this basically as I knew it was being intermittently viewed at the time when I tested it.

I put it down to a case of the "Merrydown effect" kicking in!!

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jude: It appears as though your are limited to only being able to receive a signal from the Pendle Forrest Freeview "light" (PSB only) transmitter located at 4 miles away / 336 degrees, your aerial being vertically polarised, meaning that the elements should be seen mounted up and downwards.

Also, its assumed that you have tried auto-tuning the TV, and that its a digital set and not an older analogue one? which will not work as analogue transmissions are turned off in your area.

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