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All posts by DSB

Below are all of DSB's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.

D
Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) Full Freeview trans
Thursday 19 December 2013 1:55PM
Cambridge

I can't receive channels on frequency 21 from sandy heath. CB1 9YE.

I have received it in the past from the same aerial (loft which I lack access to), but because I normally use cable TV, I can't pin down what has changed when.

All other channels have excellent reception - BBC/ITV/C4 in particular have 100% signal and quality.

Interestingly when I manually scan on 21, it picks up strength (around 90-100%), but quality is always 0 and no channels are found.

I bought a variable attenuator in case the signal is too strong, it it does reduce signal strength (including manual scan on 21), but what ever I set it at it never finds channels.

My parents less than half a mile away get the HD channels no problem. I even tried the same HD box to exclude equipment.

Before I hire an aerial expert to install an external wideband, any ideas?

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D
Full technical details of Freeview
Saturday 28 December 2013 4:32PM
Cambridge

I can't receive channels on frequency 21 from sandy heath. CB1 9YE.

I have received it in the past from the same aerial (loft which I lack access to), but because I normally use cable TV, I can't pin down what has changed when.

All other channels have excellent reception - BBC/ITV/C4 in particular have 100% signal and quality.

Interestingly when I manually scan on 21, it picks up strength (around 90-100%), but quality is always 0 and no channels are found.

I bought a variable attenuator in case the signal is too strong, it it does reduce signal strength (including manual scan on 21), but what ever I set it at it never finds channels.

My parents less than half a mile away get the HD channels no problem. I even tried the same HD box to exclude equipment.

Before I hire an aerial expert to install an external wideband, any ideas?

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D
Full technical details of Freeview
Monday 20 January 2014 11:17PM
Cambridge

JB38:

I posted about a month ago, with no reply - but Ted seems to have reported a similar problem to me.

I just attempted to reduce the signal as far as possible, using a signal attenuator and multiple cables and connectors. I got it to the point that BBC1 was just breaking up - but still a manual scan on channel 21 returned no channels. The signal strength was around 40% (no numbers - just a bar), but signal quality did not change from 0%, and nothing was found.
The TV tuner was less useful and just returns "0 channels". I can only get signal strength for tuned-in channels there.

Both the PVR and TV are capable of receiving Freeview HD, and have in the past. Is it possible the loft aerial is boosted so much it scrambles the HD channels with a recent increase in signal power?

There is an unconnected aerial on the side of the building, but it is small and only one storey up. It may be worth a shot?

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Full technical details of Freeview
Sunday 26 January 2014 7:53AM
Cambridge

Jb38:
The TV is a Samsung UE46D6100SKXXU, the PVR a Panasonic dmr-pwt635.

Unfortunately I don't have access to the communal aerial to check for boosting - it was a fair guess on my part, but rather likely given the signal strength and that it is likely 30+ years old.

What is odd for me is the hd channels were working fine in August - the TV was still tuned to them, but displayed "no signal" and disappeared when I retuned. The PVR was 2nd hand from Bedford and also had them still tuned, and half a mile down the road at my parents it also can find them.

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Full technical details of Freeview
Tuesday 28 January 2014 6:01PM
Cambridge

Jb38:
It appears to have completely inverted now.

Signal strength has dropped off to practically nothing. I can recieve 31 channels, all on 48 - and they are unwatchable.

Maybe hd disappearing was a symptom of a faulty booster and the it has packed in completely now?

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D
Full technical details of Freeview
Tuesday 28 January 2014 8:18PM
Cambridge

The communal and loft aerial I mentioned are one and the same. It is shared with at least one other property.
I have no access to the loft where it resides.

The TV signal had dropped before I carried out your test.

I tried both the TV on its own and the Panasonic on its own. I also tried my sisters TV (not hd). None had a reasonable signal. I even tried a different cable from the wall socket with no change.

I contacted the council months ago and their policy is for two storey flats, it is up to the occupants and not them.

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D
Full technical details of Freeview
Saturday 8 February 2014 7:04PM
Cambridge

Jb38:

Sorry for the slow reply. There was a small aerial on the side of the property, and I got permission from the tenants upstairs to use it.

I put the cable out the window and connected it up. When I did, I had a great signal and channel 21 worked fine.

Thanks for helping in diagnosing. I will be booking an aerial guy to take it through the wall using weather proof connections.

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