All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Adrian Bance: I had also meant to include, that because of your relatively close proximity to Bluebell Hill your signal could be excessively high and that will cause your TV or box to give false indications, so if you have access to a set top aerial then try a test using that, remembering that its only the BBC thats presently on high power, but if this does improve the situation then you will require an attenuator to be placed in line with your aerial socket, as the situation will get worse come the 27th.
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Ben Ward: I realise that this has been brought up before, but the test that you carried out on the Humax whereby it was indicating 100% on strength & quality "still" indicates that you are receiving a slightly over the top signal, but though! I would like you to check something by going into the Humax's installation menu / antenna power and confirm that the antenna power selector is set to off.
The reason for me wanting this confirmed is, that if you witness that reading and yet when you transfer the aerial over to the Panasonic TV-L19C20B and there is virtually no signal, then it can only be caused by either (1) the signal being too strong for the sets tuner resulting in RF blocking or (2) that the sets tuner is not compatible with technical aspects of the signal, or and the reason for the check requested, (3) that your aerial system has a preamp that's being powered by the Humax, and if an aerial amp is unpowered whilst its still in circuit it acts like an attenuator, something which would obviously be the case if the aerial lead was plugged into anything except the Humax.
This probably wont be the case but I would just like it confirmed.
Regarding the Panasonic, as I am not exactly acquaint with that particular model I decided to check out Panasonic's "non-compatible" lists but didn't find it mentioned anywhere.
Regarding that attenuator, these are basically slightly crude devices that work OK unless in a really strong signal area, as in these areas the only variation that's likely to be noticed is a minute segment at one end of the scale, fixed attenuators being far more accurate albeit its hit and miss for a person to get it right first time, as you generally require to have about three of them trying various permutations with different values by placing some in series with each other to increase the level of attenuation.
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Lordgeous: That perfectly OK! as I realised it was me you were referring to. I also noted what you had mentioned to Ben Ward regarding your location insomuch that it wasn't quite what the post code would suggest, and indeed I feel that very few ever are when allocated in built up areas and why I had initially qualified my comment by "if its truly representative" etc.
The curse with digital reception is that its success is based on receiving a signal that stays between two levels, that of always being above a level of low but not at any time exceed a certain point of high, as should at any time these two points be violated then the signal will start to break up or cut off altogether, whereas analogue was far more tolerant and with a person having instant visual feedback if their signal was varying, as indeed all signals do in most non line of sight situations, with grain / speckles starting to show on the picture if the signal level was dropping, the density level of these increasing the more the signal level was decreasing, whereas if the signal strength was verging on the excessively high then this resulted in masses of fine herring bone patterns being superimposed on the screen as well as in many cases thick wavy lines also being seen, these usually accompanied with a ripple or rasping noise being heard on the audio.
The only form of digital reception with a virtually guaranteed glitch free performance is via satellite, as nothing affects that with the exception of a really heavy thundery downpour, and even then its only few a few minutes at the very most with under a minute being more the norm.
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Lesley: Yes, that would assist if whilst you are viewing ITV3 on the Sony you carry out a signal check on it for purposes of noting the mux channel that ITV3 is associated with, Ch41 if its from Hannington whereas Ch25 if from Crystal Palace, which I may say does indicate as providing a slightly better signal, and should this same signal be fed into your TV then I cant see why it shouldn't operate in a similar fashion to the Sony.
On that point though could you indicate what model number of TV you are using? as "if" you have already mentioned it in a previous posting I am unfortunately unable to check this at present.
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Melody: Its quite impossible for anyone to assist unless you provide your location, this in the form of a post code or one from nearby (a shop / pub etc) as the signal levels expected in your area cannot be assessed without this info, plus you may even reside in a Freeview "light" area where only PSB services are broadcast. (PSB being BBC / ITV1 / HD)
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kitty: Your area should be able to receive a good signal from Waltham as well as from Belmont and possibly Sutton Coldfield, so I would look towards your aerial system being the cause of your problem.
That said though, "if" you are located in one of these properties where your aerial is facing into a large tree located close by then this could well be the reason for your difficulty as nothing blocks a signal more than tree leaves, and especially so if wet.
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leiann king: What you have said suggests that your dish has possibly been moved a fraction out of alignment or that the coax into the "F" connector plug at the rear of the box is defective, but to verify if you are receiving any signal or not press "services" - then 4 - 6 and check if anything is showing in the strength / quality bars.
Sky might charge you "if" you are out of the 12 months original installation contract period if they installed the dish, but they would tell you this when you phone them up.
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KennyT: You have to look at it from the point of view insomuch that to you its a satellite dish, but to the Freeview receiver its purely a length of cable, and likewise if you took a length of thin lighting flex, bared one end and connected it into the inner part of the aerial socket, then threw the other end out of the window you would most likely find that you can receive Freeview with that as well, because a piece of wire (albeit normally only about 18" or so) is a standard non-technical test to reveal if a person resides in a strong signal area.
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Lesley: Thanks for your latest test, unfortunately though Ch21 does not come into the equation as far as it being a channel associated with anything receivable in your area and so I am afraid is an error.
On the subject of the Sony DVD recorder though and you having said it has perfect ITV3 reception, are you sure that this isn't because its via its satellite box input and not the normal aerial? because "if" it was from its aerial input and you take that same aerial lead and connect it "directly" into the TV, then there is no reason whatsoever that it should not likewise give a good picture on ITV3, that is "if" the TV is tuned (manually if necessary) to the same mux channel as the recorder.
With regards to getting someone out, I really do think that someone on-site to see your installation first hand is the only way forward, as a strict methodical procedure is necessary to check exactly what is connected to what as well as the station that your aerial is actually pointing towards, because as was previously mentioned aerials in your area are seen to point to Crystal Palace as well as Hannington, this usually always being an indication of an iffy reception area where signals can vary over short distances.
I would be interested in knowing the result of any on-site visit, so maybe you could give an update as far as this is concerned.
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Thursday 14 June 2012 8:11AM
Adrian Bance: Although your BBC reception might have dropped down to 20% strength have checked to make sure that your TV or box hasn't carried out an automatic channel update and that this lower strength indication isn't from Crystal Palace? as BBC from Crystal Palace is on Ch23 whereas its Ch46 from Bluebell Hill.
Signal strength / quality indicators usually always show the mux channel number that's associated with the indication so have a check using the above for reference, and should this have happened then you will require to manually tune in Bluebell Hill to overcome the problem.
Bluebell Hill presently using: 46 - 24 - 27 - 42 - 39 - 45
From 27th June: 46 - 43 - 40(HD) - 45 - 39 - 54
If by the way this has happened, then go into your TV or boxes set up menu and turn off automatic channel updates.