All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Dean Morris: Well with what you report on the comprehensive tests carried out I would think its reasonably safe to assume the Samsung is doomed, and I suspect something that you may well be thinking yourself, insomuch that come the end of the 17th the final nail is most likely to have been put in the Samsungs coffin, so to speak! that is if the ITV channels also vanish, which in theory they will do!
I intend to make further checks on your Samsung though, although if any sources are found that offers free firmware updates for older boxes, the usual snag encountered there is that these have to be installed via a RS232 lead from a PC, something not really convenient for the majority people.
By the way your signal strength report on the Goodman's is as you say OK!
PS: This could really be taken as a good time to think along the lines of a Freeview PVR, something like a Humax or similar!
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Pam Wilkins: The problem as I see it with what you are wanting to do would be caused by the length of time you are away, as you would really require to be carrying quite a number of DVD's to cover that sort of time.
If you are driving to wherever you go then I would have suggested a Freesat twin tuner PVR such as a Humax FoxSat or similar, as that could easily hold enough video to cover the period mentioned, and all you would require to do is to take the unit with you, plugging it into your TV at your destination, Satellite inputs being left unconnected of course. (I actually do this when I go away rather than rely on TV programmes)
If however you are travelling by air etc then you really have no choice but to use DVD's, and you should look along the lines of devices like Panasonics DMR-XS380EBK, this being a Freesat HD twin tuner DVD recorder with a hard drive, this records programmes directly onto its hard drive like a PVR, then you can transfer them onto the built in DVD, although this only in normal definition, not in HD.
That said though, and as you will probably gather, you can do exactly the same thing if you have a Freesat PVR, as all you then require to do is transfer whatever you require onto a separate DVD recorder coupled via scart leads from the PVR.
I actually recommend this way, as these combined units such as the Panasonic mentioned are not without their problems, as individual units although taking up slightly more space are generally more reliable.
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Mazbar: A careful methodical person can set a Sky dish up every bit as good using a simple meter as an Sky engineer or whoever with a £300.00 plus meter, the key word being "methodical", although I would generally always advise them to carry out a signal strength / quality check as a final test, as on average they should see the indications about the same @ 75% minimum, with preferably the quality leading slightly on this, although this not always being achievable depending on the LNB being used, some Sky Zinwell issue sevices having the tendancy of going downhill quality wise on vertical polarisation checks at frequencies above 11Ghz.
Being a long standing RF engineer myself I am well aware of the pitfalls of not aligning things up correctly, irrespective of whether it be a Sky dish or any other type of reception (or transmission) device, but I have to say that over a period of time I have noticed that anyone who asks advice on how to do something (or even just a pointer!) is always being advised by you "not to" and call a rigger or whoever, which, and without by any means wishing to appear offensive, gives me the impression that you are possibly more interested in plugging business rather than genuinely assisting.
I do appreciate the point you are trying to make though, as I am fully aware that there are always a number people about who are inclined to over estimate their abilities, and likewise should really leave certain tasks alone, even for their own safety! but these type of people can very quickly be sussed out as being totally non technically inclined, as and such I would never advise anyone who I would consider comes into that category to try anything other than something relatively simple.
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Nigel Ogborne: Around about channel 65 would appear as being a reasonable choice based on looking at your reception possibilities.
As far as the RF out channel is concerned, (services 4-0-1-select with no waiting between) you just punch the number in using the Sky remotes channel buttons, sometimes if it appears to stick and not respond press the back up button then try it again.
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Mark: This will likely be because you have not plugged the Freeview aerial into the Sky boxes aerial input socket, as this will pass through the Sky box picking up the Sky boxes modulators analogue signal in the process, then feeding both analogue and digital signals to your various TV's.
Of course I take it you have ensured that the Sky boxes RF output signal isn't going to clash with any of the digital channels you are receiving? unable to advise on this as you haven't given your post code.
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KB Aerials Sheffield: Regarding yuor query, I would try at all costs to avoid using an in-line amplifier in an attempt to compensate for a deficiency in a section of cabling, the deficiency being in the name of the inferior WF63, that is when used in applications involving the higher end of UHF frequencies such as from an LNB output.
I fully understand what you mean about the property owners objections to any new external cabling, but have you thoroughly investigated whether its possible (or not) to use this WF63 as a pull through wire for a new length of CT100 ? although if the WF63 was already there before the renovations took place it might well be clipped in quite a few places making it difficult, if not impossible, to be used for this purpose.
The other point about all this being, that if the test you made using the CT100 was with a length of cable roughly similar to that of the offending WF63, then you have the confidence of knowing that by simply doing this you would be solving the problem without any other measures being necessary, something I would be rather assertive (but nicely!) about when explaining this fact to the property owner.
However, if cable replacement is just out of the question then you obviously have no option but to use the in-line amp, this being installed at the dish end, as you wouldn't really be using it for the same purpose that its intended for, that is to help compensate for an excessively long cable run, as then they are usually installed about half way along the cable.
Regarding the dish / LNB, if you hadn't already installed the dish I would have recommended fitting a Zone 2 (60cm) type as used in Scottish installations, as when used in the South they give that little bit extra signal strength which gives protection against signal break up in heavy downpours, matter of fact I use one myself!
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Pam: Its quite impossible for anyone to offer advice of this nature when you haven't given any clues as to your whereabouts, this in the interests of accuracy preferably in the form of a post code!
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Glenn Staveley: Does what you have mentioned still apply after having disconnected the device from its power source for about 30 seconds or so before plugging it in again?
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KB Aerials Sheffield: Without hesitation, I would advise you to re-cable from the loft using CT100 to replace the totally inferior WF63, as this is likely to give much more of an improvement over changing to a Zone 2 dish.
Regarding the CT100 cable, although you will no doubt be already aware of this, but exercise caution if fitting CT100 through a back box to terminate on a wall plate, as if its bent too sharply it can collapse the air spacing only leaving the thinnest of spacing between the inner core and the braiding, this being why WF100 is probably used more often than CT100 by many, as it doesn't suffer quite so badly on excessively sharp bends, the performance characteristics of both types being very similar to each other. (That is good!)
And further to your reference regarding the dish, if you wanted to give that little extra finishing touch to the job then by all means change the dish as well, as if it was me involved I certainly would! as to use the catch phrase associated with a supermarket advert, "every little helps!"
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Sunday 7 August 2011 1:37PM
lesley: Going by what you it would suggest you are receiving Freeview from Waltham, and the trade predictor indicates you should have good reception.
I have to say that nothing is presently indicated as far as any problems existing with Walthams ITV1 etc, but just for a test carry out a manual scan on Ch31 as thats the Mux transmitter for ITV1 / Channel 4 etc.