All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
james: The only possibility that I can think of which could cause that is "if" you are receiving an excessively high level of signal from Sutton Coldfield that is blocking reception, as the action of plugging in the Freeview box will take the edge of the signal to the other devices.
You haven't mentioned what type of four way splitter you are using? and whether its of the powered variety or not? but if it is then try connecting one of the other TV's straight onto the aerial down lead and see what happens.
I would also be obliged if you could also mention the model of cheap Freeview box you are referring to that seemingly has magic properties, as I just want to ensure that it does not have aerial powering facilities.
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Fizz: Your mothers housing complex gives me the impression that a communal aerial system is possibly being used to feed each of the flats, if that should be the case then no-one can do anything as its the landlords (or agent of) responsibility to have the distribution system checked out.
However dependant on your mothers position within the complex you might be able to obtain reception from the local transmitter located approx 1 mile away by using a set top aerial, so I suggest that you should try and borrow one from somewhere and give the TV or box a test with that installed, and preferably with the aerial being positioned nearest to a West facing window, should that be possible!
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Fizz: Meant to add, that what's been said is based on no faults having been reported (as yet) with the Weymouth transmitter.
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Nick: Thanks for that update on equipment used, and on the basis of the models mentioned I suggest that you use the Icecrypt T5000 for your tests, as the Digilogic DSTB1000 is based on the Goodman's GDB3 (a switch over problem box) and the Tesco device uses an unknown model of early Vestel chassis.
The TVonics is a box made (allegedly!) in the UK but with it being a bit suss as far as exactly where the PCB originates from, as I "suspect" (maybe incorrectly) that it might be from Turkey where Vestel is based, as there is very little technical (service) info published about the box.
However I really do think that you would make things a little easier for yourself if you managed to pick up a Humax box, as all Humax devices are fitted with top class stable & sensitive versatile tuners which are absolutely ideal for carrying out experiments involving reception under difficult conditions such as applicable to your own situation, because if a person does not pick up a signal using a Humax box it can safely be assumed that its because that there isn't one there in the first place, something that cannot be said about every device.
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Sue: I realise that is what you been told, but your Uncle will be receiving from the Oxford transmitter at only 10 miles away and I haven't as yet seen anyone else having reported a problem of that nature, and so the next time you visit your Uncle check that the the scart cable installed between the Freeview box and the TV is fully seated.
Its a pity though that you cant arrange to be there around the time that this problem happens.
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Solent-Viewer: Its really quite impossible to give any advice of a constructive nature without knowledge of your locality, this in the form of a post code or at least one from somewhere nearby, as only with this knowledge can the signal levels expected in your area be assessed.
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D: In "some" devices you can delete the offending channels whilst in the EPG listings guide menu, sometimes called "edit channels".
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Eve: If there are two cables running into the lounge from the dish then the previous residents must have used either a Sky+ box or a Freesat twin tuner recorder(PVR).
I would be inclined to purchase a simple Freesat receiver box which uses only one of the two leads from the dish, the other being left unconnected to anything as they are totally independent from each other.
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AndyR: Yes, if you have tried that then it suggests that there could be a problem with the cable, "but" though on re-checking I see that I mistakenly gave you the bearing for Crystal Palace @ 20 miles rather than Sandy and which I apologise for doing, the correct bearing for Sandy being 9 degrees.
By the way, Crystal Palace even although CP is considerably closer than Sandy its not indicated as providing a signal of the same level as Sandy for reception of its commercial muxes.
If your aerial had been installed facing Hemel Hempstead then it would have been mounted vertically, whereas the other main stations are all horizontal.
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Thursday 26 July 2012 5:23PM
Nick: Having just came on a few minutes ago I noticed your latest posting where you mention that you are using three boxes which if connected (in turn) to the same aerial all work about the same, and its this statement that makes me curious as to what brand model numbers they are? the reason I ask is because about 15 different brand names all use the same chassis and likewise all of these brands although different will all perform about the same as each other, and so I just wanted to confirm that this isn't the case with what you are using, as if they were in the multi-brand range that uses a common chassis then obviously for a any reception tests to have any level of validity then the device being used for the reception test would have to be outside of that group.