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Archive (2002-)
All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.Richard Miller: I am sorry and I dont doubt what you have said, but what you have been told is absolute nonsense as it just cannot happen with any satellite device no matter what brand it might be, Bush are just trying to pass the buck for what I suspect they know as being a defective product, or of course on the other hand this is maybe being said through sheer technical ignorance as most of these helpline people are not really technical types.
But though as a fully qualified RF engineer of long standing I may contact these people myself if this is the type of information that they are supplying to users of their devices.
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Joyce hardy: Being unaware as to your location I am unable to check this for myself, but you can only receive the Drama channel in areas where ITV3 (10) can be received.
If you can view ITV3 then go into your TV's set up menu and look for then click on "first time installation" this also being called : factory reset / default setting or shipping condition, after you have clicked on whatever applies your TV should automatically (on some Sony's) start to carry out an auto-tune, should a "start auto-tune" option come on then select it.
However on some TV's all you require to do is remove the aerial and carry out an auto-tune without it being connected, this for the purpose of deleting the channels already stored, then once completed reconnect the aerial and carry out a second auto-tune to load the channels in.
If you find this latter method somewhat easier then try it first, if though it fails then resort to the first procedure mentioned.
If you experience any problems then the model number of the Sony TV in question will be required.
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Rita Felipe: If you only wish to use these devices for playback purposes then an Alba 3 way scart switch box should be OK for your requirements, as this will enable you to select the device you require by simply pressing the button appropriate to the input socket used for that device.
Argos item number - 103/0017 @ £7.99.
Buy Alba 3 SCART to 1 SCART Selector at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Adaptors.
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Stickwo: The conditions relating to being able to access BT sport is that a person must have an "active" viewing card, and as cards arent generally transferable Sky might consider that you do not meet the criteria.
However you have nothing to lose by phoning them up and making an enquiry, as Sky "cannot under any circumstances" stop you viewing free channels simply because they have no way of doing it, its only channels associated with a package they can block by removing the access code from your card.
The other point being, that If you remove the viewing card from your box you will still be able to view the free channels, if though at any time you disconnect the box from the mains and then reconnect it again later on the only changes you would see is that your regional news programmes will have defaulted to London, as thats basically all that your viewing card is required for with the exception of an odd channel here and there that cannot (although free) be viewed without the card, Sony TV 157 being about the only one I can think of at this present time.
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Len: Yes, as its by far the best way of being able to completely eliminate your TV from the equation as far as it being connected in any way with the problems you are experiencing.
Just a thought! if by any chance you are on particularly good terms with any of your neighbours and who was known to use a second TV in maybe a kitchen or bedroom, then the perfect test would have been for the neighbours secondary TV to be temporarily tested out on your aerial connection, as their TV would already be tuned to the TV channels that are receivable in the apartment block whereby all you would require to do is just plug it in and select a channel, this giving an instant indication of where the problem is sourced.
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Rob: Sorry to hear about your misfortune and hope that you are on the mend!, me having put the gap in continuity down to you possibly trying some experiments prior to giving an update on the situation.
However on reading all you have said as far as your reception is concerned and from where, and when taking this into consideration along with the fact that the reception you do manage to achieve from these stations is only via diffraction (signal bending) plus an element of reflection, both of usually bringing the summer and winter effect into the equation, I now feel that rather than use any multi element high gain aerial (high gain only under correct conditions) I would be far more inclined to remove the triple element aerial and try either a reasonably flat response DM log, or if Crystal Palace is also being catered for then a Log 40 would be best.
The reason for the change being, that in my experience logs used in conjunction with a high gain amplifier generally give excellent results over any other type of aerial when used in difficult reception areas, this basically due to the fact of them not being quite so sensitive to slight variations in the reception angle of the signal being received and something that is always experienced in situations such as yours, and the reason why that if an aerial is installed in one season and then alignment checked in another its nearly always found that it requires slight trimming to the left or right to return it to perfect alignment, albeit that the perfect alignment is short lived!
Of course most are totally unaware that this effect exists!, but its something that can even be experienced in some areas when a transmitter switches to high powered operation and which can have a knock on effect as far as the reflective element of the signal being received is concerned, a few in my own area having found that their aerials had to be turned nearly 10 degrees to the right when Waltham had switched to high powered operation to regain peak reception.
The only problem I have ever found with logs being the a psychological one, insomuch that many equate large pieces of metalwork as somehow being superior for reception, that is until it gets down to viewing the result of what they consider as being a "dinky toy" aerial, or that they are over influenced by reading aerial gain specifications, all of obtained when the aerial is being tested under perfect short distance line-of-sight conditions, these never the same as in real life situations.
Terrain indications showing the signal path obstructions from both Oxford and Hannington.
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial 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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James Lewis: When you say that your older upstairs TV is fine, then although not specifically mentioned as such but are you meaning that the problem with ITV is only associated with the TV downstairs? if it is then this can simply be caused by the tuner used in the downstairs TV being less sensitive, this proven or otherwise by testing the outlet using the upstairs TV, if though the older TV also shows problems on ITV when using that outlet then the signal strength on it must be lower.
Is the socket fed via a two way powered splitter or not?
If on the other hand you are just referring to ITV1 reception in general then mux channels are not necessarily received at the same levels as each other and you could be running at a less than ideal level which would reveal this, test this by carrying out a signal strength test on BBC1 then try it on ITV1.
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Francis O'Donnell: If you are using an outdoor mounted aerial then there is always a possibility that the amplifier has been damaged by high levels of static rain, the way to determine whether it has or not is to connect the aerials downlead directly into the amplifiers outlet that supplies your main TV (or any other) with a signal, you may require a back to back coupling piece to try this.
Should though you not be using an outdoor mounted aerial, then its advisable to check with a neighbour for the purpose of determining if others are also experiencing similar problems to yourself before automatically assuming that your installation is at fault.
Please note, that with any queries involving reception its essential that a post code or one from somewhere nearby is provided, e.g: a shop / post office, this being to enable the reception predictor to be accessed and which also gives details of the transmitters in use.
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Laura: As your query is basically one involving reception then its not possible for anyone to offer advice without having prior knowledge of your location, this in the form of a post code or one from nearby, e.g: a shop/post office.
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Sunday 28 July 2013 9:15PM
Dave Lindsay: Hear, hear!!