All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Dupree: By the way, my reason for requesting that you try by-passing the passive splitter is two fold, insomuch that if your reception gets worse strength / quality wise then that's a positive indication that you are receiving an excessively high level of signal, but on the other hand if reception improves then that indicates the reverse, and this is something that hasn't exactly been determined as yet.
If though reception does improve with the splitter by-passed, then for another test try connecting a short piece of wire of about 600mm (or longer) into the TV's or boxes inner core of the aerial socket and check if any form of reception is possible by doing that, try the test whilst on the BBC.
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Mark Hayman: The problem you might be having is that even although your TV is tuned to Tacolneston the tuner is still likely to be sensing the presence of a strong RF signal in the locality and being from Thetford's relay, as tuner inputs being wideband are not affected by channel selection, and a strong RF signal being sensed will cause the tuners auto-gain circuit to automatically reduce its sensitivity to avoid and overloading situation occurring, and with this unfortunately affecting all channels including the one you prefer to receive from, Tacolneston.
Its not terribly easy to overcome problems like that without experimenting with alternative aerial positions, and so the obvious question would be to ask where your aerial is installed? and secondly was your aerial originally installed for Tacolneston with it being mounted horizontally and facing approximately 64 degrees? whereas the Thetford relay is @ 1 mile / 278 degrees with the aerial being mounted vertically.
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Dupree: Correction to my last paragraph, "not" should have been inserted after does, i.e:- If though reception does NOT improve with etc.
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Dupree: I didn't pick up on the fact that you were transferring the TV "and" HD box together to the second location and with that being why I had only mentioned the box, however on looking at your posting on the 21st @ 1.34pm I get the impression that although the aerial goes straight into the passive splitter without having any form of amplification, the coax lead that comes from one of its outputs for purposes of feeding the signal to the living room is boosted at some point? should this be correct then why don't you place the booster in line with the aerial and connect the boosters output into the splitters input? as doing it that way will result in all outputs having the same signal strength.
Regarding your aerial, I suspected that something odd must be applying to your set up as you should (in theory anyway) be getting a strong signal from Heathfield, that said though was the post code given an approximate one? as the location I see, being Croft Road near to The Golden Thai / Hospice in the Weald does not really match up with the description you have given of your circumstances, and aerials around that area would appear to be pointing more in the direction of Crystal Palace or whatever, maybe you could clarify on this point, as me having indicated that Heathfield is located at 151 degrees is based purely on the code having been given.
Of course should the location described be correct, then I can fully understand why the signal strength is so low coupled to the quality being erratic, as although scaffolding can have a bad effect on reception, but the fact of your aerial being so far out of alignment will be compounding the problem, and so if you can easily access the aerial you should leave the box set on its signal strength check screen whilst its tuned to an HD channel, then loosen the aerial clamp and try swinging the aerial around to approximately the heading given irrespective of where its facing into observing the results whilst doing so, should this be possible.
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Daren Game: If the picture is a bit on the snowy side then that indicates a weak signal, and so you should choose another RF output channel on the Sky box and then carry out an auto-tune on the second TV (whilst on analogue) to pick the new setting up automatically.
Being unaware of the RF channel you have chosen but from about Ch55 upwards usually gives the best results, that is provided that you dont choose a channel that clashes with a Freeview one "if" you have a normal aerial connected into the Sky boxes aerial input for purposes of feeding the remote TV with a Freeview signal as well an analogue one from the Sky boxes RF2 output.
If you provide a post code or one from nearby, then advice can be given regarding the RF channels to avoid.
As far as the magic eye is concerned, I take it that you are using the Sky boxes remote control and not the TV's, which of course will not work.
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Dennis Gibbs: Before taking any action as far as your aerial is concerned, as soon as the ITV signal vanishes immediately go into your TV or boxes signal checking screen and have a look to see if the signal is still there or not, as in most cases it will be but is sitting at a level that's just under the reception threshold of you equipment and not strong enough to produce a picture, so make a note of the indication and compare this to when everything seems to be OK.
Further advice given depending on whatever the results are indicated as being, as a signal booster could possibly cure the problem.
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gary frobisher: In addition to what Mazbar has suggested that you check, try connecting the magic eye directly into the Sky boxes RF2 output socket just to make sure that the eye is actually OK, as if it still doesn't light by doing that and you have double checked that the RF2 power is switched on, then either the eye is defective or its the Sky boxes power supply to the RF2 socket.
By the way, on the direct connection test you don't really require to connect the eye's output to anything unless you want to verify that it can change channels, although you will need to cover the front of the Sky box using a towel or similar to make sure that it doesn't pick up the remote control IR signal directly thereby by-passing the eye.
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Furnace: You are indicated as being only 8 miles or so away from Tunbridge Wells transmitter and as such might be receiving an excessively high level of signal, so for a test try by-passing the splitter booster, as an over the top signal will always affect HD before SD, the latter in many cases appearing as being perfectly OK.
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Mick: Heathfield is presently on high power with the exception of Ch48 SDN (ITV3 etc) then on the 27th it will be joining the others on high powered operation but on its new channel number of Ch42.
Dover is indicated as being at 60 degrees from the code provided and 100 degrees does not match up with any of the transmitters listed as being possible to receive from, so if you are certain about your orientation with reference to North then the aerial has maybe been blown out of alignment.
However give a further update after 27th when the situation has stabilised as far as powers and channel numbers are concerned and the situation can be taken from there.
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Saturday 23 June 2012 12:15AM
Dupree: Thanks for the update. I will say though that the signal strength / quality indications given cannot by any means be classed as good considering the relatively short distance that the transmitter is away from you, however I did notice that others also seem to be suffering from reception problems in your particular area, and in your own case this not being helped any with that type of passive splitter you use, as it does have quite a high insertion loss to the extent that its like fitting a 6db attenuator in line with your aerial, so should this be easy to access try by-passing it so that the aerial is feeding directly into your TV, checking what the results are and giving an update.
Regarding the aerial referred to, where is it installed? and are you positive that is facing at the correct angle for the transmitter? that of 151 degrees.
Another thing I would like you to check is that the HD mux channel indicated on the signal strength check screen is actually Ch47, just in case by any chance that a signal has been picked up from another transmitter and not Heathfield.
Finally, as no two brands of equipment have the same sensitivity, I would like you to try the Freeview HD box in both locations using the same channel for the test, as this would also reveal if any fault existed in the connections to both locations, as if not then the results should be the same in both locations. (Ch47 ju)