All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Suzy: Thanks for that update on your findings, and with what you have reported being roughly in line to what was expected on that type of test, the Humax being particularly good for this unlike many other devices that give "way out" indications. If though you have actually managed to store that channel and which as I suspect will likely disappear again, do NOT try to get it back as it will still be stored in the boxes memory, this being proven by if you carry out a signal strength whilst on the blank screen you will see the level showing but indicating somewhat less than it did when you had a picture on the screen.
Needless to say that these variations seen in the quality is something that you wont really be able to do anything about, as its basically caused by something totally out with your control such as a distant range of trees, although I do have to say that as your indications are superior to anything obtained up in my area of Stamford, and although I have said that trying experiments with an aerial in slightly different positions has no effect in my area it might actually make a difference if tried where you are, but as can be imagined its a hit and miss affair which cannot be guaranteed to succeed.
I would appreciate though if (just for the record) you could maybe find time next weekend to carry out another signal level check and give another update on findings, as checks made a few days apart give a better picture of what's going on signal wise.
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Joe: You can get this by clicking on "terrain" seen at the top of the list seen to the right hand side of your posting, but!! this will not show properly with certain types of browsers like IE8 etc albeit it will do perfectly OK on Firefox to name but one.
The link below is to the Megalithia terrain indicator, although its far more trouble entering the info required in this compared to the comparative ease when using the link next to your posting, but though always remember with these terrain indicators that they only take account of natural landscapes and totally exclude forests or anything man made no matter how large.
As far as the aerial is concerned you have nothing really to worry about as far as the colour is concerned, as "if" an aerial is one group out its always better if its lower rather than the higher one required as it has less of an effect in that direction than if the other way, although you might not have a dedicated group anyway.
Just in case you cannot manage to view it, the predictor on this page only indicates a clear path between Darwen and your location, although the reception predictor does indicate that Winter Hill is possible but not quite at the level of Darwen.
Click on "Digital UK tradeview" on the same list as terrain and you can see what DUK predicts as being possible, of course taking the indications with the usual pinch of salt!
Terrain - shows radio profile between two UK sites to optimise you DTT, Freeview, DAB or analogue TV reception
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Ian Fletcher: What model of TV or box are you seeing this indication on, and if you take the aerial out and use a short piece of wire (about 12") in the socket do you still see this indication, or do you maybe even receive a picture without the aerial?
This odd indication of an obviously false nature "might" be due to signal data corruption in your tuner due to it receiving an excessively high level of signal because of your relatively close proximity to the transmitter.
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Chantelle: Quite a lot achieved in such a short space of time! but pleased to hear you now have everything sorted out to your satisfaction, especially the saving of £75.00 through cancelling the three Sky cards.
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Kaur: As you question involves a reception problem then no one can really advise without knowledge of your location, as you could be absolutely anywhere in the UK.
A post code or one from nearby would suffice, as that enables access to the reception predictor that would cover your location.
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Suzy: Why dont you opt for Freesat? as once the cost of the box has been paid for plus the fitting of the dish, then you will have ultra reliable reception for ever completely free of charge.
Dish kits (complete) can be obtained for as little as just over £30.00 or so from numerous e-bay outlets, and all you would then require is someone to install it for you.
By the way as far as your reception is concerned, rain clouds can on occasions assist Freeview reception dependant on their height, and caused by them reflecting terrestrial signals into areas that would normally be bypassed by the signals heading skywards.
Of course on the other hand, the very same rain clouds if of a really heavy thundery nature can block satellite reception for a minute or so, because microwave signals cannot pass through an intensely watery cloud any more than they can be received under water.
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Ian Fletcher: Just to add that what's been said is based on the peculiar effect that you witnessed happening having occurred on more than one occasion, otherwise disregard as it could be purely a glitch caused by work going on at the station.
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Michael: Even although you have reported the digital TV (also Freeview?) as being fine this could simply be because of it having a more sensitive tuner coupled to it also having slightly better circuitry, (e.g: Panasonic TV's / Humax if a box) or alternatively that its aerial feed might be supplying it with a slightly higher level of signal, this totally dependant on whatever method you use feed the aerial into both devices and that both devices are definitely tuned to the same transmitter.
As far as Digital TV is concerned, its inevitable that if a TV system is changed from one like analogue than can produce a picture of sorts right down to an almost zero signal with one than "has" to have a certain level of signal before anything can be heard or seen, that the latter is bound not to cope with serious fluctuations in signal levels caused by seasonal atmospheric changes and such likes which can allow signals to be received from far off places that can clash with local transmissions, this being something that has always happened albeit that analogue can cope with this in a much better way.
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Sarah C: The only way to can avoid this happening on that model is by never at any time placing it in standby via the remote control, as this action will trigger it into automatically searching for channels as soon as you do that and there is no way of stopping it via the menu.
Needless to say at the end of an evenings viewing you have to switch it off completely from the mains and NOT by pressing "stb" on the remote control.
By the way you should also go into the configuration menu - "auto standby settings" and make sure this is also set to off.
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Sunday 29 July 2012 11:17AM
Anne: Thanks for confirming that, but though as far as the problem is concerned there is work always going on at the station in preparation for high powered switchover in just over a couple of months and your difficulties could possibly be caused by this, the last notice to this effect made in July 9th and this certainly will not be the last.
Apart from that the other possible reasons for problems of your nature can be caused by seasonal atmospheric changes allowing distant stations on the same frequency to interfere with a local station, but I still feel that the aforementioned is more likely to be the cause.