All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Wendy Wasylciw: No signal on what? Freeview, Freesat or a Sky box?, if though its Freeview (via an aerial) then a location is required, this in the form of a post code or one from somewhere nearby such as a shop / Post office, this being required to enable checking of the transmitter that covers your area.
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Matt: As you already have a Sky dish installed then a Freesat PVR (recorder) is your best option, as the dish and two leads from are 100% compatible with Freesat equipment. Be aware though, that if you cancel Sky the recording and playback side of the Sky box will become inoperative, as sky will cancel your access to it via an over air download into your viewing card. As far as feeding signals into another room is concerned, you would have to purchase an RF modulator to do this, the input to the modulator being via a scart lead coupling it into the PVR's rear scart socket. If you wish to retain the capability of controlling the Freesat box from another room, then the Triax device seen on the link is about the only way that you can do it, because you cannot from most modulators such as the one sold (if still) by Maplin.
Programmable Universal Modulator | Maplin TRIAX TRI-LINK Kit Control Sky, Freesat, Freeview: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics
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Matt: Yes, as this unit enables a viewer with a Freesat box or PVR to enjoy virtually the same facilities as that offered by a Sky box, something that is not possible with either due to the fact of them not having RF modulators, one exception being an older Humax 9200 Freeview PVR which does have an RF modulator. The other plus point being, that the programmes on a Freesat box can be can be controlled from another location in the same way as achieved with Sky, i.e: via the same coax that carries the analogue RF signal from the Triax modulator, the only difference being at the Freesat box end, insomuch that the box is controlled by a command signal transmitted from an IR sender unit positioned close to the Freesat box and not from circuitry within the box itself as with Sky, the sender being connected into the Triax modulator. However, although I have mentioned Freesat as being the best option as a replacement for Sky, this was basically due to you already having a dish fitted with twin outputs, plus of course the fact that satellite reception is generally more reliable than Freeview, but though, "if" you reside in an area where your Freeview reception "is" reliable throughout the year (as in many areas it isn't!) then a twin tuner Freeview PVR used in conjunction with a simple RF modulator could well be a less costly option, as the analogue RF modulator would enable a recording to be viewed in a second location whilst someone located in another room might be viewing a programme on Freeview, similar to that achieved with Sky. Obviously with the Freeview system the remote changing of channels facility would not be required by the fact of each location choosing their own Freeview programme. Anyway, if you can view PDF files? I attach two links explaining the Triax system, one of the links being the user manual. Further advice as required. http://www.triax.co.uk/upload/ tri-link_aug_2010.pdf">http://www.triax.co.uk/up….pdf http://www.triax.co.uk/upload/
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Dave : In addition to that said by MikeB, although some people are understandably loathe about doing this, but when a number of complaints about reception from Sandy Heath seem to be originating from areas that are not exactly unknown for suffering from reception problems at around this time of the year, its always advisable to check with a neighbour or anyone else residing nearby to find out if the problem being referred to is solely confined to your own installation, or possibly not!
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Dave : Although possibly not being applicable to your area, but another reason for having advised checking with others is just in case any newly installed 4G transmitter located not that terribly far away is being tested out, as although a 4G signal can have a greater impact on channels from 60 downwards, its presence will "still" be detected and reacted to irrespective of channel range being received, due to the wideband nature of a Freeview tuner.
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Dave : Although its pleasing to know that your problem as apparently been solved by replacing the loft amplifier, however although aerial amplifiers can and do fail, usually caused by their internal power supply having overheated, they are "not" known to be intermittent in this respect, my reason for saying this being down to you having said that the signal returned to about normal at the weekend.
Therefore, if you still have the old amplifier and are able to access where its located? maybe at some point you could try reinstalling it just to verify that it is indeed defective.
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Matt: Not quite! as the simple RF modulator I was referring to is the Maplin device, this device "only" being capable of enabling the TV's located in different rooms to view, but "not" control, the programme (or recording) that happens to be selected on the Freesat PVR in "exactly" the same way as presently achieved via the Sky boxes RF output.
If though you are intending to use a Freeview PVR, then the aforementioned modulator is not really required for anything other than enabling TV's installed in the other rooms to view a recording made on the PVR, as other than that each room can make their own choice of which Freeview programme to view independently of each other.
However, if you wish to retain being able to control the PVR from any of the other rooms, then irrespective of whether its Freesat or Freeview the Triax modules feedback control system "has" to be involved, this device simulating the operating system used for this purpose on Sky boxes.
I would like to point out though that one or two snags, or more inconveniences, can crop up with using the Triax control system "as a replacement" for Sky's system, one of being that the Triax modulator module uses screw type "F" connectors rather than the traditional Coax connectors, this requiring you to purchase 2 x "F" type male to Coax female adaptors, the male "F" connectors being screwed into the modulators aerial input and the other into its RF output, this enabling the coax connector plug from the Sky boxes aerial input to be connected into same on the Triax, similar applying with the RF2 socket's.
The only other difficulty which may (or may not) possibly crop up is dependant on the method used to distribute the signal from Sky's RF2 output to the other rooms, as Triax recommends (or shows) their 4 output / input digital link amplifier module being used for this purpose, but as its assumed that the presently used magic eye system has been operating OK, then (in theory anyway) you should not experience any problems, the control system being technically similar on both devices.
Sorry for the explanation being a tad long winded, but certain technical aspects of the system are difficult to shorten, albeit that up to a point they have been.
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K Watterton: Its really a case of, if you view any of the programmes broadcast on Mux Ch31 for say an hour or so on your TV, (not via the Humax) do you witness any abnormalities with reception, picture glitching / audio screeching etc?
By the way, signal level indications seen on Humax boxes are more in line with the reality of the situation if a comparison is made with a proper dB signal meter, whereas the indications seen on most TV's are somewhat inflated, many of giving the impression of a signal being more powerful than it really is, some to the extent of it being on the point of overloading the tuner.
This type of thing is also being misleading by giving the impression of a TV or box having a super sensitive tuner over that of some other device, by the level appearing as being higher on some devices over others, when in reality its only the indicator as there are no standards where this is involved, indications seen only being for reference purposes on that particular device and not comparison purposes with devices manufactured by other companies.
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Matt: No problem, and hope that the info provided will make it somewhat easier to come to a decision with regards to which system suits best your requirements. However, should any further advice be required, then please do not hesitate to ask.
On the subject of RF outputs, I feel that the manufacturers of Freeview or Freesat boxes are inclined to adopt the attitude that analogue is a dying, if not already dead, mode of reception, and as such why spend money catering for it by incorporating analogue RF modules into their digital receiving equipment
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Tuesday 19 August 2014 11:40PM
Chrissy: You are located at exactly the same distance from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter to that from Waltham, although all aerials seen in your area are pointing towards the latter.
As no engineering work has been taking place at either station, your problem "might" have been connected with atmospheric conditions, but though, should it arise again at any time your best policy by far would be to make an enquiry with a neighbour or someone else nearby to find out if they are also being affected, as it would save you the hassle of checking your equipment.
Of course, that is provided that they "are" being affected, otherwise its a case of fault finding on yours.