All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Ben Ward: If auto-setup is selected on a TV the channels always start scanning from Ch21 upwards, but though once channels are stored on the and you wish to carry out a signal check on the channel you are viewing, if you go into the DVB tuning menu / signal condition its only then that the mux channel number associated with the programme number your are viewing will instantly be seen.
But though, even if you do not have any channels stored you can still check the signal strength of a particular channel and its maybe best if you try things this way, so press: menu - set up - DVB tuning - manual tuning - and you will see a screen bar indicating a channel number on the right hand side, using the up / down facility via the large round button on the remote control inch the channels up or down "one at a time" until you get to either 54 or 61 when if your TV / aerial is OK the signal strength / quality indication of that particular mux channel should immediately appear and which are ITV1 & BBC1 from Mendip, and giving an update on what's seen.
Matter of fact, it would not do any harm if you went though all five multiplexes (HD n/a on that model) from Mendip one at a time using this procedure, (61 - 54 - 48 - 56 - 52) and likewise making a note of the "pseudo" percentages seen, pseudo as they aren't actually marked as percentages as such but just positions along the bar and so an element of judgment will be necessary, but much more importantly note what colour is seen on the quality bar as it should really be green, although touching on yellow now and again is permissible.
I would like to emphasise that everything I am asking you to check is based on you having reported a high level of signal on the Humax, and as aforementioned in a previous posting that if you use the same aerial lead in the Panasonic it should also produce a picture, but if you do not see anything indicated on either 54 or 61 using the manual test then leave the TV sitting on the manual test screen on either channel and pull out the aerial connection, then replace this with a short length of wire of about 18" minimum pushed into the aerial socket and note if this results in anything being indicated, because if not then that points to a fault on the TV.
By the way I haven't forgotten about your Sony box but this test has to be carried out first, as the only other way you can verify if the TV is OK or not is by trying it out on someone else's aerial system.
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Chris.SE: Well I didnt actually see / read your posting as I access the site via the twitter link which has been down since the 5th and likewise do not instantly see the lists of latest postings, and have asked Brian(tist) if he could check this out as the same thing had happened about a month ago.
With regards to Charles Stuarts HD signal strength I wasn't actually suggesting that it was too strong, but only acknowledging his report of a strong signal being indicated on his DVD device and informing him of the easy way for anyone to know if their HD problem was being caused by an excessive level of signal.
I do realise that you managed to work out the approximate post code via the coordinates obtained from the terrain predictor, but its a somewhat long winded process and so its much to explain the correct procedure to use when entering a post code into the site settings.
By the way, I likewise have entered Charles's post code into my details for a check.
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Bill W: Did you carry out the shipping condition procedure before you re-tuned the box? this being selectable from the settings menu. The other point to note being that channel 51 can be a bit iffy to pick up from just slightly North of your area up towards Stamford where I am located, and although you report that your other devices are picking the three commercials up they could have slightly more sensitive tuners.
I have one of these Panasonic boxes stored away with a multitude of other equipment, but I will dig it out tomorrow and try a test using my Southern facing aerial which is directed towards Sandy.
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Bill W: Unfortunately the box I had stored away (in a virtually as new condition) turns out to be a TU-CT30, and although having been perfectly operational pre-final switchover now has serious problems of the nature that it really qualifies for the electronic recycling bin, basically because of the software being out of date to the extent that it has become totally erratic in operation, and even although BBC (from Belmont) was seen when it was first switched on as soon as an auto-tune (no manual option on CT 20/30) was attempted for purposes of picking up Sandy (on Southern aerial) it froze after having picked up a few channels and had to be disconnected from the power supply to resolve the situation, with a second attempt bringing similar results.
Just to double check in case the box had developed a fault not associated with the new transmission modes I phoned a friend who I know used to use one and requested that he carry out the same test, the not entirely unexpected result coming back later on indicating a problem very similar to my own, insomuch that as soon as an attempt was made to rescan it failed and locked up.
However as far as your CT20 and its problems are concerned this is most likely caused by similar software problems, and even "if" the software is of a later date it still might have been corrupted during a download, but have a look at the version number (select software update) and if its lower than 0.19 then its a bin job, as neither of these models can be updated except by over air downloads (which wont happen) as they are not equipped with RS232 sockets.
Minimum software numbers for both boxes being: CT20-0.19 / CT30-0.46 (mine being 0.38 likewise the second box tried) and of course both models are listed as potentially problem devices in DUK's Nov 2011 newsletter.
Hope the info may be of assistance.
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Marvin: Remove LNB No2 input to the box and select BBC 101, if you can view it OK leave it on the BBC and swap the "F" connector / coax over with the No2 input you had previously removed and make sure that BBC has returned, if not then there is a faulty connection to the "F" plug or somewhere along the line as what you have mentioned suggests that one of the two inputs are faulty.
Needless to say though that if by removing No2 input nothing is seen then its No1's input thats faulty, as the No2 input on a Sky+ box goes to the tuner used for recording.
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alan thompson: Many thanks for your update and its good to hear that all is now OK.
Pleased to have been of assistance.
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Tristan: In addition to the very valid point that Mark Fletcher has made are you positive that your aerial is facing West Runton? as although post codes cannot be relied upon for accuracy most of the aerials I see in the area are mounted horizontally and appear to be facing Tacolneston, whereas they would be mounted vertically for West Runton.
You should try a test by deleting everything stored in the programme memory by carrying out a rescan without the aerial being connected, then go into the manual tune menu and enter Ch55 (BBC from TAC) into the box, if an indication of signal strength is immediately seen carry out a scan and giving a report on your findings.
I will say though that good reception is not predicted as being possible in your area from anywhere, as West Runton's ITV1 etc has the permanent status of variable and Tacolneston has similar on its ITV1 / HD / ArqB (Yesterday / Film 4 etc)
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Christine: This can happen with some equipment that is routinely re-scanned in an attempt to pick up lost programmes, which in most cases aren't but have just dropped under the reception threshold, as what happens is that the box will pick up more channels than its memory is capable of holding hence losses them when the device is switched off.
The way to get over it is to blank out everything stored by carrying out a factory reset, this called "default setting" on some equipment or "first time scan" on others, then afterwards carry out a normal auto-tune
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Gloria Vincent: When you press "services - 4 - 6 what do you see indicated on the signal strength / quality bars? as both should be indicating about 3/4 of the way along the bar, if not then the dish is liable to be slightly out of alignment and has possibly been moved by either the wind or something having bumped against it.
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Saturday 7 July 2012 2:41PM
Charles Stuart: As far as your HD signal being too strong is concerned and which "will" always affect HD before SD with the latter in many cases appearing as perfectly OK, but in practically all situations where an excessively high signal genuinely exists this can easily be verified by trying a set top aerial, or alternately if not readily to hand then a short piece of wire (about 18" or so) connected into the aerial socket will suffice, as in both cases a picture of sorts will always be seen.
All of Mendip's multiplexes transmit on the same power and the levels you see indicated on your DVD device does indeed indicate a strong signal, which of course is possible as although your exact location is not known I did see on the terrain predictor that you are indicated at roughly 16 miles or so from the transmitter.
The only thing that I suggest you do is to verify what one of you two aerials gives the best reception by trying a test using the same device on both aerials, but remember though that the signal levels seen are dedicated to the sensitivity of the device being used for the test, and so the results obtained aren't really valid unless the same device is used on both aerials.
However as you were originally only querying why the signal would not pass through your box which was rectified by switching off the power saving on standby setting, then I will agree that you have nothing really to worry about.
By the way as far as post codes are concerned I fully understand why people are reluctant to give this info, but I generally always qualify this type of request by adding "or at least one from nearby such as a shop" as that is quite suffice, but in any query being made where it involves reception then for obvious reasons the persons location has to be known.