All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
John: Its really a case of what type of aerial are you are presently using to test the box out with? as the Felling PSB only relay is located at only 1 mile away (@ 140 degrees) and with the Fenham full service transmitter being only 3 miles away (@ 292 degrees) and so you should be receiving something.
Any aerial used requires to be mounted vertically (elements facing up and down) and with nothing sophisticated being necessary, something like a small log type being perfect.
Maybe along with the answer to the aerial being used query you could mention what type (model number) of box you are using.
Also, would the aerial be outdoors or in the loft?
Link to the aerial type mentioned.
Online TV FM DAB Aerial sales
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margaret walton: More info on what you using to record on is required, the model number of the recorder in question being suffice to enable checking to be made, the other thing thats required is your location, this in the form of a post code or one from nearby such as a shop or post office, as only then can your reception possibilities be assessed.
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d: This may well be annoying and appear as though someone is deliberately doing something, but its purely coincidental.
If you had mentioned your location (post code or one from nearby) as well as the TV or box you are using this would assist anyone who cares to offer advice something to go on when trying to assess your situation, as its impossible to do without it.
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John: I very much doubt if it would, as I don't feel that its so much the aerial at fault but more where its positioned, as on having a study at your area I feel that your problem might be related to the roof insulation used on these modern build properties, because in recent times many have insulation of a type containing metallic elements which has a blocking effect on RF signals, this also applying in some cases to wall insulation, and so it would be interesting to know if anything was picked up if the aerial was tested out in an upstairs room near to a window, transmitter direction permitting, the window being specified for the aforementioned insulation reasons.
Although very few aerials are actually seen in your area (Google not being bang up to date) the one I did notice in the Close was directed towards the Fenham full service transmitter, but even with the aerial in its present position just to get an idea if anything is there signal wise you should try a "manual tune" on Fenhams BBC Ch27, (ITV Ch24) the reason for manual tune being stated is because that on most equipment as soon as the channel number is entered into the box but "before" search or scan is pressed (which would kill it) the signal strength will be indicated, this being a handy facility for trimming an indoor aerial.
You could also try the same test on Fellings BBC Ch40, ITV being Ch46 giving an update on your findings.
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john stiff: A "no signal" message on a satellite installation whether it be Sky or Freesat is in most cases always connected to the dish or cables from, this being either that the dish has been moved slightly out of alignment by a gust of strong wind, or that water has managed to enter the "F" connector on the dishes LNB.
If water is the problem then the "F" connector on the LNB has to be unscrewed and then further unscrewed from the coax so that it can if necessary be dried out with a tissue, then smeared internally with some Vaseline before reassembly, although Silicone grease should really be used.
You haven't actually mentioned though if you carried out a signal check? if its a standard Sky box press "Services" then 4 - 6 and check if anything is being indicated, as even although you may well get a no signal message the strength / quality can still be indicated.
If they are, but at a level either on or under approx 50% of the scale then the dish has been moved "slightly", but if nothing is seen indicated it could have been moved well out as the difference between these two states is fractional to the extent that visually they would not be noticed.
Should though you be referring to a Sky+ box then swap over the two coax feeds on the rear, because if water is responsible then the chances are that only one connector would be affected and swapping them over could possibly bring the signal back, albeit of course that a fault would exist on the LNB2 input which is mainly used for recording.
Maybe you could give an update regarding the points mentioned, and clarify whether or not you do have a standard box or a Sky+ version (or Sky+ HD) as knowing what you are using saves inappropriate advice being given.
Apart from that mentioned the box itself could indeed be faulty, but the aforementioned has to be checked out as these are the most common reasons for the problem.
Further advice can be given dependant on reply.
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David Anderson: Hear, hear! and I would have thought the obvious reason of why no answers are ever given to these questions / comments, something that doesn't seem to be noticed by those who make postings of the nature referred to.
Happy New Year! to you also - when it arrives!
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linsey: Although the picture may well be fine the levels mentioned are far to low for reliable reception and are liable be hovering just above the threshold for reception, ITV3 etc dipping under it now and again hence your problem.
A post code (or one from nearby) is really necessary to determine the signal levels expected in your area, but if you are close to the transmitter it can indeed cause problems of the nature described and also result in false signal strength indications being given, and so if you have access to a set top aerial try that and see if anything is received, if it us then the signal is strong, or at least reasonable so! and possibly requiring the addition of an attenuator in line with your TV or boxes aerial socket.
Best give an update though on results of the test mentioned.
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John: If you tried a test with the aerial outside and that was the result, then its either a case of you residing in a complete dead spot for reception or that a short circuit exists on the cable from the aerial, and so I would like you to double check each end of the cable to make sure that every single strand of the braiding has been pulled back over the coax outer cover when the plug was being fitted, this also applying to when the connection was being made on the aerial, as with some types of cable its very easy for a single strand of the braiding to be accidentally caught around the middle core, as although you might well be surrounded by tall buildings a reading some sort should have been obtained even from signal bounce from the side of a building, as that type of test you carried out uses the TV's tuner as a sensitive signal sniffer.
One thing though that I can assure of is, that a larger aerial would not make any difference whatsoever in your type of situation, although if any aerial did then it would automatically indicate that the one it replaced had an electrical defect, which in the general run of things comes into the category of "once in a blue moon" type of situation.
If after double checking the the connections and a further test is made but again with negative results, then you should really make enquiries in your immediate locality to find out what the situation is with others, and I would be interested in what you find out.
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Nathan: If you are meaning that the TV is 100% normal with the aerial looping through the Freeview recorder, but if you view Freeview from the actual recorders tuner its erratic? then this isn't exactly uncommon as some PVR boxes dont have the best of tuners compared to the TV's they are coupled into, and likewise require a higher level of signal for stability.
I would like if on your TV, you could try a signal strength / quality test on a couple of the channels that break when viewed via the recorder giving an update on the result, as you are located at approximately 28 miles from Belmont and so not exactly next door, and it would be of assistance to know what level of signal you are operating on.
Could you please also give an update on the model numbers of the TV and the box.
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Saturday 29 December 2012 8:07PM
Bob Loader: Yes, as it all depends on the equipment being used, because as far as anything connected to retuning procedures are concerned there isn't any set standard that applies across different brands of equipment, as the designers of the equipment whether it be a TV's or box have their own ideas about operating systems, and with this being the reason why that no matter what brand of equipment is being used and irrespective of its cost, as some high priced equipment is no better in this respect! should it be suffering from some oddball problem where a element of the "iffy" is involved in determining the exact reason for the problem, (not exactly uncommon where digital is involved) the chances of success are always far better if everything already stored in the equipments memory system is scrubbed by defaulting the equipment back to its "out of the box" state, as indeed you have done with apparently complete success.