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All posts by jb38

Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.


Neil Morgan: Try swapping the two rear "F" connectors over to see if you can still receive BBC OK by doing that.

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Sarah: I would like to back up what Dave Lindsay has said, insomuch that its almost guaranteed that come next April 18th when Crystal Palace switches to high power (from 20Kw up to 200Kw) that when you presently manage to get what you do with the station on low power, then come April you are most likely to receive all channels with the minimum of effort even allowing for the fact that set top type aerials are not really recommended for Freeview reception.

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Sarah: Yes! best policy, at just under 6 miles from a 200Kw transmitter you might even suffer from the effects of an over powerful signal if you elaborate to much with your aerial system, this based on what you are getting at present, as many people located at that type of distance from a powerful transmitter find that they can even get reception with a short piece of wire pushed into the TV's or boxes aerial socket, not of course that I am advocating that being done!

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A. Robertson: Well although you have posted your query under the very low powered Garelochhead transmitter heading, because you haven't indicated your location (post code) with regard to its location makes it impossible to assess your reception possibilities as far as the signal level expected from it is concerned, but in general terms your problem can be looked at in various ways.

If as you say using an indoor aerial (dependant on what, and where sited though!) and the situation was worse with nothing being received suggests you are in a very low signal area, this meaning if the signal path from the station is anywhere near (or over) trees etc you are liable to get fluctuations in signal strength, these being worse in rainy conditions.

Another factor has to be considered is that of the transmitter stations power supply being either reduced or cut to the because of weather conditions, more remote stations always being more vulnerable to this sort of thing with this obviously affecting transmission, but whatever the reason if your outdoor mounted aerial is stable and has not been knocked out of alignment then the situation is really out with your control.

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J
Feedback | Feedback
Thursday 5 January 2012 7:58AM

Pointy: Unfortunately I cannot check the signal strength expected at your location because there seems to be an error in what you have entered, but what make of box are you using? I only ask as some of these so called "eco" boxes (if using one) are liable to cut the loop through facility, but it could also be that your signal is just running at above the reception threshold level for your TV and so any reduction in strength, no matter how little, will drop some of the channels.

Try selecting one of the dropped channels and then go into the TV's tuning menu / signal check screen and have a look at the strength being indicated, then whilst still doing this switch on the Freeview box and see what it changes to, you will likely have to use the TV's A/V button to return to the TV when the Freeview box automatically switches the TV to it, or just take out the scart plug before trying the test.

If this is the cause then the only way around the problem is to purchase a two way powered splitter and use that, as this will supply each device with exactly the same signal level.

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J
Indoor aerials | Installing
Thursday 5 January 2012 8:10AM

Barbara: Well as far as the set top box and DVD / VCR combi device is concerned they each have their own scart inputs on your TV, but when you mention hard drive what exactly is it? (model number) as they are not so straightforward to connect into a TV and are done so via a USB socket facility, so maybe you could also mention the model of TV involved.

Another point is that "if" its possible to connect a hard drive into your TV, it (the hard drive) has to be formatted in a particular way, this different to that of when purchased.

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viv jones: Is the second TV that does not show the same problem connected to the Sky box via its RF1/2 analogue output link facility? and is the Sky box referred to a normal + box and not an HD version coupled via an HDMI lead into the main Sony TV?

It would also help to know the model number of the Sony plasma TV, its just that SAT1 being seen would suggest that an HDMI lead is involved as the TV wouldn't know what's connected to it if done via a scart lead, which would then suggest the box being at fault as only it knows satellite is involved.

Of course that is unless you have re-named the scart input socket on the TV from standard AV1, as on some you can do this.

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J
BBC Four
Thursday 5 January 2012 1:32PM

Chris: If it wont respond to the remote control its most likely that the box has locked up, try disconnecting it from the mains for at least 30 minutes to allow it to cool down before powering it up again and having another try.



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viv jones: Thanks for the update / explanation. The reason I enquired about how the second TV was connected is because that some installations have a second Sky box positioned in another room which is connected back to another outlet point on the dish, and in this type of situation any problems seen will obviously only show up on one box / TV "if" its due a box fault, and so I wanted to ensure that you were not using that system, because if you were then it would point to a intermittent defect in the Sky box. (near to Sony)

Of course, if you do not have a second Sky box in the house then the No2 TV has to be receiving Sky via a co-ax from the Sky box sited near to your Sony, and likewise should show exactly the same fault condition as seen on the Sony "if" its the box that's causing it.

I had a look at the manual for your set and cannot see anything that could trigger SAT1 being displayed, but what I would like you to try is changing the scart lead from the Sky box over to No2 scart input on your TV, as 1 & 2 have exactly the same status in operation, if anything is used in No2 position then change it to 1, likewise if the Sky box is already in No2 position change it to No1.

You "might" have to press the AV button on the TV's remote control if Sky doesn't come on automatically when taken out of standby, which of course you should do when swapping the scarts over.

Maybe you could give an update once tested.

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viv jones: Meant to also say, that if you still see the fault showing when the box is in another scart socket then it points to the box, as the SAT1 seen on the TV could be the box referring to a fault on its No1 dish input, because if you look at the rear of the box you will observe that it has two inputs from the dish and one could be defective, either on the box or the dishes LNB.

The way of verifying which being to unscrew the "F" connector plugs on the rear of the box and swap them over, and if its the box then it will still state SAT1, whereas SAT2 if its the dishes LNB.

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