All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.J
Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) Full Freeview transmitteWednesday 6 July 2016 8:51AM
Norwich
Bob D: In addition to that said in my original reply. I had also meant to mention, that before going to the trouble of bypassing your booster (particularly so if located in the loft) make sure that the HDMI cable connected into your TV does "not" run parallel (or even close) to the aerial lead, as the radiation from HDMI leads can cause frequency selective problems with reception.
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Phillip Ellis : Yes, if you are indeed meaning to use them individually. Although I suppose that you are aware of the limitations imposed on recording when using a single supply cable? insomuch that you cannot view a different channel to the one being recorded unless they are both on the same transponder frequency, although if you tried this whilst recording a message warning of "not possible" or similar would appear on the screen.
Leave the LNB power on, as channel changing in a Satellite box (Sky or Freesat) involves sending instructions to the LNB port being used in the form of a voltage (Hi/Low) for polarity switching, and a tone (On/Off) for band changing, needless to say, each of the boxes sending a different combination of both voltage and tone to the LNB port being used dependant on the programme channel being viewed, as although the LNB has two ports, they operate individually.
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J metcalfe: If your Freeview reception is via the Bilsdale transmitter? then this station has been listed on the engineering page since Monday 4th under *Possible service interruptions*.
Needless to say, please refrain from being tempted to carry out a retune, as all this would achieve is to lose all channels stored in the tuner, frequent retunes then being required in order to recover same.
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martin: The problem referred to is most likely related to the engineering work being carried out at Winter Hill, *Possible weak signal* having been listed on the engineering board for some time now.
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Phillip Ellis : Re query on splitting Sky+ box cables. Although you had actually mentioned "split", which as MikeP has correctly said cannot be done, my reply was purely based on the assumption that you intended to "separate" the Sky+box cables from each other, using each as an individual Sky+box feed, this being why you had mentioned setting the Sky boxes for single input use.
However, on having re read your posting, I now feel that my assumption on your intentions were incorrect, and as such nullifies the content of my reply, therefore please disregard that said.
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ray willis: According to information seen, Motors TV has ceased broadcasting in the UK and Ireland, the reason for rumoured to be financially related.
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Alan Goss: These signal strength readings are far too low for reliable reception, and even although boosters are used in many areas of the UK in order to lift the strength of the signal received to a level well above the receivers lower cut off threshold, in virtually all instances the signal can "still" be received without said booster in line with the aerial, therefore as MikeB has said, information on your location relative to that of the transmitter is essential in order to assess the level of signal expected in your specific area, as numerous dead spots for reception exist within the published coverage area of the Heathfield transmitter.
By the way, could you also confirm (or otherwise) that your aerial is *not* fitted with a mast head amplifier?
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Alan Goss : Regarding your SLX6 aerial amplifier, although you have already tried connecting your TV's directly into the aerial, I just wondered what the result would be if you have tried connecting one of them into the full output socket on your amplifier? as this output provides 18dB gain over the 8dB from each of the 6 individual sockets.
On the subject of mast head amplifier, what I am meaning is that its "not" one with a built in booster, such as the log periodic aerial manufactured by Philex.
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Alan Goss: Thanks for the update re location, this having now enabled a terrain check to be made of same covering the signal path from the transmitter mast, something which has proved to be quite revealing as far as a likely reason for the low signal strength and subsequent difficulties with reception, insomuch that the line of sight to the Heathfield transmitter mast is seen to suffer from three separate obstructions starting from approximately only 3 miles out from your area, and with the signal path prior to these obstructions seen to skim close to the elevated ground at approximately 5 miles out.
Line of sight obstructions have a much greater effect on reception when they are located close to the receiving end of the equation, such as applies in your particular case, and the fact of the signal skimming close to the ground prior to said obstructions doesn't help either as it all depends on what's on the surface of the terrain, because if vegetation in the form of trees, then this can add a variable element to the signal received depending on weather conditions (wet or dry).
You can view the terrain indications referred to by opening the undermentioned link.
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
On the subject of your SLX6, the socket referred to does not mention 18dB, its only called full output, although yours must indeed be a really old model if it doesn't have this output socket, as my SLX spec sheet must be about 7 years old.
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Wednesday 6 July 2016 8:21AM
Norwich
Lesley Allen : If your viewing (in one single room) comprises entirely of programmes via Freeview (terrestrial) and also via your Sky+ HD box, then the only cables required to be connected into your TV are (1): The coax connector lead from your normal aerial for Freeview reception, (2): The HDMI connector cable from the Sky box.
Obviously the Sky+ box will have two coax leads from the dish and also the HDMI lead connected into the TV.