All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Daniele Wiseman: Yes, make another test next time you experience a blank screen giving an update on your findings, although by what you have reported the signal strength as being when you can view the channel it certainly doesn't leave very much of a safety margin before you are hovering just above the threshold for reception, this indicating that either a single booster, or preferably a booster / splitter of about 10db (min) for purposes of feeding the same level of signal to different rooms would be applicable in your situation.
By the way this especially applying where BT vision boxes are concerned, as their tuners aren't noted for being the most sensitive of devices.
Thank you also for your kind comments regarding the forum, we all try to assist wherever we can.
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Chris - Somerset: No, as Sky will disable the recording / playback side of the box at the same time as cancelling your access to view Sky dedicated channels, in other words the box will just operate like any other standard non- subscription types do as Sky permanently retains control of the access code necessary to operate the recorder.
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Stuart: As you are located at only about 3 miles or so from the Crystal Palace transmitter you could well be suffering from an excessively high level of signal and this type of situation will always affect HD reception before SD, with the latter in many cases appearing as being perfectly OK.
If you have access to a set top aerial then for a test try that, or even a short piece of wire (about 18" or so min) connected into the aerial socket, if this corrects the situation then you will require to purchase an attenuator to place in line with the TV's aerial socket.
Further advice dependant on findings.
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Furnace: Yes HD is more critical by the fact of it being a more complex signal, but though what I suggest you try for a test if you know which of the SLX's output leads goes to where, is to temporarily connect the one that goes to your HD set top box direct into the full output socket on the splitter, as that's gives a considerably higher output than the others and it would be of interest to know the results of the additional boost.
As far as the aerial is concerned, you could if you wish replace your present aerial with a group B type, but a log periodic aerial generally gives superior results in difficult locations where problems such as trees are involved, and something like a DM log would be ideal for your set up used in conjunction with the SLX.
This is a link for the type of aerial I am referring to.
ATV`s Choice Of Aerials for digital TV
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Daniele Wiseman: Yes, I see that there is quite a difference in signal strength indications between day and night time and with a certain unbalance between the muxes in use, this of course not exactly being uncommon as signals from each of the six muxes used by Freeview very seldom ever reach a receiving aerial with the same intensity.
I am still not sure if your Toshiba's are using the outside aerial or not? but which ever one of you aerial leads is known to give the most consistent level of signal then this should be used as the master feed and likewise connected into the input a four way booster / splitter of the types shown in the link below, then each of its four outputs being fed to your various receiving devices, as this will then guarantee that each device is receiving exactly the same level of signal as well as them not affecting each other by pulling the signal down.
If by the way you only wanted your downstairs reception to be boosted then the single output booster shown on the Argos link is perfect for the job, as its by far the most powerfull of all "but" is also fitted with a variable gain just in case the signal goes over the top, this equally as bad as being weak and giving exactly the same symptoms as such.
4 way Amazon SLX 12db gain each port
SLx 27820R 4-Way Aerial Distribution Amplifier: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics
4 way Philex
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Video Cables, Aerial RF, RF Boosters from kenable
Argos 534 /4235
Buy Plug-In 1 Way TV Aerial Signal Booster at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Television aerials and boosters, TV aerials, boosters and accessories.
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Stuart: If your LG TV has a manual tuning facility then you can use this to carry out a signal test "without scanning", so select the tuning menu / manual tune and enter Ch30 this being the HD mux on Crystal Palace, and if your tuning system operates in a standard fashion then as soon as you enter the mux channel number the signal strength of that channel should immediately appear, so make a note of the strength / quality seen.
Once you have noted the strength etc change the channel number to Ch23 (BBC1) and make a note of its strength, finally using the same procedure enter Ch28 (Yesterday / Film 4 etc) likewise noting its strength / quality and giving an update on results.
Should you have any problems in carrying out this procedure then please give the model number of the TV in question so that it can be checked out, as I am aware that the tuning menu's on some LG's and Samsungs aren't too flexible when it comes to manual tuning with one model actually starting to scan as soon as a channel number is entered, this defeating the object of the exercise.
Just out of interest, what type of aerial arrangements do you have?
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Stuart: Further to that said, on checking I see that the engineering page for Crystal Palace is indicating problems with the HD transmissions insomuch of them suffering from a very weak signal, plus that there is liable to be interruptions to the service over this week, this being the case I feel that further tests would not really serve any purpose until this situation has been sorted out, as this could be the entire cause of your problem.
If though in a week or so you find that the problems with HD are still in existence, then make another posting and an updated report can be given.
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Tony Steed: Press "services" on your remote control then 4 - 6 and check what the signal strength / quality indications are showing as being as both should be about 70% or so, if less than that or the quality is considerably lower than the strength then the dish is slightly out of alignment, this usually being in the horizontal plane and likely caused by the mounting clamp not being tight enough and allowing the wind to move the dish.
However if both indications are roughly the same but the signal strength or quality is seen to be fluctuating up and down, then that can indicate the presence of water having crept into the LNB's "F" connector and requiring it to be unscrewed and checked out.
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R A YOUNG: No it shouldnt! and if the dish arm is of the round type then it suggests that the 40mm collar around the LNB has either slackened off or has even snapped, or if its a Sky elliptical dish with a rectangular arm, that where the LNB fixes to the short spigot mounting arm has come adrift.
No matter what type though, new LNB's inc fixing kits can be obtained for just over £10.00 or so from numerous e-bay sources.
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Wednesday 11 July 2012 11:55PM
H: Although you are predicted as being able to receive signals from Chatton I doubt very much if in reality that you would as far as reliability is concerned, although in situations such as yours anything is worth a try, Chatton being located at 36 miles away on a bearing of 350 degrees and with no HD being possible until September 26th.
I will also say that you are not really doing yourself any favours by using a high gain aerial facing towards some trees, as high gain aerials are designed to have a sharper pick up and that's the last thing you want when the signal received is being obstructed, and so a more normal aerial such as a log periodic type is liable to give better results and with this being boosted if necessary and with a link for the type of aerials referred to below, the DM version being ideal for your particular situation.
ATV`s Choice Of Aerials for digital TV