All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Phoenix: Its really the case of whether or not the volume level on the TV can still be adjusted using the TV's "own" remote control?, although if it can, then try changing the batteries in the Sky boxes remote control, as although the remote might still be able to change channels on the box, it doesn't always necessarily follow that it must also be able to the volume on the TV.
By the way, do not leave the batteries out of the Sky boxes remote control for any more than five minutes or so, because if you do, you might have to re-enter the TV's volume control code in to the remote.
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Richard : I think Anthony has mistakenly checked the info for Winter Hill's COM7 rather than the Sutton Coldfield transmitter, COM7 on the latter radiating at 89.22Kw on Mux C33.
However, even although 89.22Kw cannot really be classed as being low powered, it is when compared to the 200Kw radiated by other multiplexes, likewise the reception of COM7 is entirely dependant on your location, checking on this only possible with the aid of a post code or alternatively one from nearby, e.g: a shop / Post Office.
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Fran Shuttlewood : Good news then! that of course being apart from the financial cost of replacing the defective booster / power supply / plus labour for fitting same etc.
I do feel though, that the main aspect of your problem responsible for misleading symptoms was due to the strong signal from the local Woodford Halse relay transmitter being received by breaking through the defective booster, whereas anything of a lower level such as from Oxford, not doing.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to give an update on the situation, and pleased that everything is now back to normal.
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Leroy Pinder: A Sky box does not require anything other than a dish to enable the viewing of normal free-to-view programme channels, e.g: BBC / ITV and a host of others, the card (if not a subscriber) only being required for the purpose of enabling you to view news services appropriate to the area you reside in.
If the Sky box was left in the room by the previous occupier, then it can possibly be assumed that a socket exists for it to be connected into, the socket easily identified as being for satellite purposes by having a protruding threaded outer rather than a normal female receptacle.
The Dion Freeview box is a very low cost device which operates via a normal aerial, although if when you switch this device on its stuck on the Al Jazeera channel, then its not so much a case of trying to change the channel on the TV, but the one on the Dion box "if" its coupled into the TV via a scart lead?
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richard: Yes, but as to my knowledge there arent any plans to make further increases in power, then in order to check if its possible to receive COM7 in your area go into the tuning menu on your TV or box, selecting "manual tune" and entering Mux C33, but "NOT" followed by pressing scan or search but waiting to see if anything is indicated, as this action makes the tuner act like a form of signal meter which will reveal if any signal exists in the first place to be improved on, be it by an aerial upgrade or the use of a booster.
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richard: Well, the DY4 area can be as little as 10 miles away from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter, and as such the area should in theory anyway, be capable of receiving a good signal from same, however, judging by what you have reported as far as the signal breaking up and disappearing on some days, then this gives rise to suspicion that although the transmitter is located at only 10 miles away you might not actually have a clear a line-of-sight to it, something which can cause problems not only related to atmospheric conditions, but also the surface condition of the terrain, meaning wet or dry.
This being another reason for requesting a reasonably accurate location, i.e: to enable the terrain checker site to be used as well as the signal level predictor, info obtained from both sites being based on a post code.
By the way, just to reiterate, according to DUK, all six multiplexes at Sutton Coldfield are radiating on 200Kw, COM7 being 89.22KW, and the local L-BRM Mux being on 10Kw.
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David Stone: Unfortunately, there is no technical way of being able to check whether it will or not, the order of the day being to "wait and see". However, Redruth is indicated as being the station that covers your area on a bearing of 238 degrees from you, and so you should check if the proposed structure is sited in a direct line-of-sight between the station and you, if it is, then it might possibly have an affect on your reception, the severity of being dependant on the rotational speed of the blades coupled to the weather conditions at the time, i.e: more so during wet weather due to reflections from the blades.
But though, nothing is cut and dried as far as interference from turbine blades is concerned, as so many variables apply.
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Barrie Perkins: If the test that you carried out in the attic with a TV being coupled directly into the aerial downlead did not produce any results, that is when using the manual tune check procedure?, then the situation can only be looked at along the lines of (1) : the actual aerial is defective, something which I somewhat doubt if its reasonably new?, or (2) : that the data content of the signal being received is corrupted to the extent that it cannot be decoded, hence zero quality.
I do have to say though, that many areas in Northamptonshire are prone to suffering from erratic reception problems at various times of the year, basically due the areas in question being screened from the transmitter by the layout of the terrain, and indeed a terrain indicator check revealing (link for below) your location to be particularly bad in this respect, with the signal path from the transmitter being severely blocked from just under 11 miles right down to approximately 1 mile prior to your particular spot.
Another potential problem I noticed being that aerials in your area would appear to be facing into a bank of trees, something with can cause no end of problems with DTT reception dependant on whether the foliage is wet or dry, plus being coupled to the density of same.
I do have to say, that in my opinion you are really fighting a losing battle, as locations suffering from signal blockages of a magnitude such as seen on the indicator are, and always will, be prone to totally erratic reception due to any signal that is received being purely by diffraction (signal bending), atmospheric as well as weather conditions nearly always playing a role in whether a signal is received or not.
Apart from the actual aerial, have you verified that the booster is still operative? best way to check being to take note of the signal level and observe if this drops back when the power supply to the booster is switched off, which of course it should.
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
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Paul Blackburn : Should this problem happen again at around the time mentioned, then as soon as the signal vanishes go into the tuning menu on the TV and select "manual" tune, entering C52 (Heathfield's BBC) into the box but "NOT" followed by pressing search or scan, because if any signal is being received, no matter how low it might be, the level and quality of will appear in the indicator bars.
You could of course try out this procedure prior to the signal vanishing, this being purely to acclimatise yourself with the procedure and also verifying that your TV operates in this way, as most do. You could also try entering Heathfield's ITV on C49, this giving you two check points.
By the way, should by any chance your aerial be feeding into a booster / powered splitter? then needless to say that once / if the signal vanishes make sure that the power supply to the booster / splitter has not been interrupted, e.g: a time switch in line with the power supply used by the booster.
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Wednesday 27 August 2014 7:10PM
dibble````: As your neighbours are apparently able to view EPG 61 without problem, you should ask them to carry out a signal strength check whilst viewing that programme, this not being so much for signal strength checking purposes, but more to note the Mux channel number associated with the level indications.
Should it turn out to be Wenvoe's SDN transmitter on Ch42, then rather than just retuning your TV, carry out a manufacturers reset on it first then being followed by carrying out a normal auto-tune. Manufacturers reset also being known as "first time installation", "default setting" or some similar sounding name.
By the way, the reason for requesting the signal check on your neighbours TV, is due to the fact that Wenvoe's SDN Mux on Ch42 is not indicated as having True Entertainment EPG61on its programme listings.