All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Floyd: Much as I really hate to say this, but I feel that the 4 Seasons installation service has rectified the fault on their equipment just in time for your reception to start suffering from the same problem that many others across the Midlands have been experiencing over the last couple of days, insomuch that their reception is being severely affected (or even wiped out) by the current wave of atmospheric conditions allowing distant transmitters (sometimes not even in UK) to be picked up and clashing with the channels used by local transmitters.
I do realise that during your original problem that on more than one occasion you had to check with others in your block for the purpose of determining if the fault was purely confined to yourself or not, and at least the installation team person who visited you did seem to grudgingly admit that it was their amplifier system at fault, as indeed I thought all along! but on this occasion even although nothing can be ruled out as far as their equipment having failed again is concerned, but though I strongly suspect that if you make a quick check with others in your block when your signal goes down that you could possibly discover that they might also be experiencing intermittent problems, the severity of dependant on their receiving equipment as some devices perform better than others under adverse conditions.
By the way all of these channels you listed are from the Sandy transmitter with the exception of two, as channels 50 & 59 are from your local Luton transmitter.
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Aman: As you are using a communal aerial system then your hands are somewhat tied as far as to what you can actually do is concerned, as these BT YouView boxes are in reality Humax DTR1000's and as such top of the range devices.
If you are on friendly terms with any of the other residents in the block is it not possible for you to try your box out on their aerial connection? and carrying out a retune whilst connected, as you do not require the phone line to be connected into the box as it should work perfectly OK without it, as other than that I cant see much that you can do except to try another Freeview TV out on your aerial connection, this for the purpose of eliminating the possibility that your box might be faulty plus at the same time verifying (or not!) that the signal being received is sub standard.
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Mark Pyke: You should also be aware that engineering work is being carried out at Rowridge during the whole of this week and so the service is liable to suffer periods of interruption at any time, your retune having possibly coincided with the HD transmitters down time.
If HD is still missing you should carry out another retune.
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Dave Curle: If you click on "Digital UK tradeview" on the right hand side of your posting this will indicate your reception possibilities for the P/code supplied, which from the Aviemore station is only BBC / ITV / HD services.
However you might manage to pick up the commercial channels from the full service Knockmore transmitter (@ 35 miles / 49 degrees) albeit that two of its commercial channels (Arq A /Arq B) are not shown as being possible to receive, and with the SDN mux (ITV3 etc) being indicated as poor.
Its really a case of pot luck as to whether or not you would be able to receive these commercial channels as variables always exist with any prediction due to the nature of RF signal propagation, i.e: nothing is exact once the signal leaves the mast.
By the way the signal path from the Knockmore transmitter is obstructed in three separate places as indicated on the link, starting at 35mls / 16-17mls / finally at 12mls prior to your location.
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
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Elaine Campbell: Irrespective of what mode of reception you might be referring to i.e: Freesat, Sky or Freeview (via a normal aerial) then for test purposes you should try connecting your secondary box into the feed used by your living rooms equipment.
Also, should you be referring to a Freeview box then a post code or one from nearby (e.g: a shop / Post Office) is required for the purpose of assessing the signal levels expected on the Island you reside on, as without same its impossible to access data connected with the transmitter being used.
If though you are referring to satellite reception then this info is not required.
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John: To clarify the info given on MikeB's link, you are basically correct in what you have said insomuch that a Freesat receiver (non recording) only requires one feed cable whereas "any" satellite device capable of recording requires two, that is one for each of its twin tuners.
The other point being that the output ports on a dishes LNB are independent from each other and so can be used for any satellite device.
You should have look up at where the cables enter the LNB because dependant on age its possible that Sky may have fitted a quad block as standard and witnessed by two spare ports being seen, because if this did apply then you could have a satellite PVR (recorder) using two feeds and then all you would require to do is run another couple of coax feeds from each of the LNB's spare ports.
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david: Provided that the problem is not being caused by rapid fluctuations in quality which in many cases are being caused by factors outwith the household, then boosters will generally improve reception where the problem is being caused by the signal being received on the weak side.
Of course should the situation be the reverse then a booster can cause problems due to the signal overloading the tuner, the "misleading" results of this type of situation being that the symptoms displayed are almost identical to that of a weak signal.
You should try by passing the booster by feeding the aerial directly into the TV and then checking the results on HD, should the situation not have improved then carry out a signal check on the HD channel for the purpose of observing if the quality is seen to dive downwards now and again even although the strength may appear to be reasonably constant.
Further advice given dependant on outcome of test.
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Chris: What you have described would suggest that the problem is really being caused by you suffering from erratic reception, and so before deciding upon any actions being taken it would be advisable to make one or two local enquiries with neighbours etc for the purpose of finding out if they are also experiencing problems, because many people have been recently due to the current atmospheric conditions allowing signals from distant stations to be received at a level that wipes out local transmissions.
By the way, a post code or one from nearby (shop / Post Office) should always be given in cases where problems involving reception are involved, albeit I do appreciate that you were not aware this could be applicable with your complaint.
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Chris: Dependant on the model of TV you are referring to it might be the case that its tuners memory capacity has been exceeded whereby its unable to retain the channel when the set is powered off, therefore I would advise you to first of all carry out a "factory reset" then follow this by carrying out another auto tune.
By the way a factory reset is also known as "default setting" or "first time installation".
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Thursday 11 July 2013 8:37AM
Adrian Preston: Plus in addition to that already said by Ian from notts, and being, that provided you have not already done so then do NOT carry out a retune as the programmes will most likely return of their own accord, as certain Southern areas of the UK are presently suffering from severe levels of interference due to the atmospheric conditions prevailing at this time.
If of course you have already carried out a retune then unfortunately this action will require to be repeated until you recover the missing programmes, but the info requested by Ian from notts is really essential in order to properly assess your situation.