All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Piers: All digital TV receivers (both Freeview and Freesat types) have this facility built in and which is usually accessible from the set-up menu.
It should be emphasised that although this signal strength / quality facility is associated with the tuning menu you do NOT actually require to tune anything to view it so you wont upset any settings that might have been made, but once on the scale some TV's allow you to notch up the channels one at a time whilst observing the changes whereas on other sets you have to back out, change the channel, then go onto the tuning menu again, i.e:- different brands have different procedures.
I only really suggested you do this for "before and after" switchover reference purposes, as its almost guaranteed that the difference in reception will be quite significant for most people, although when you already receive 6 MUX's it rather indicates that are in a reasonably favourable area for Waltham so the difference you notice wont be just so dramatic as it will for others presently suffering from less fortunate levels of reception.
Have a look at your TV's user manuals as the procedure will (or should!) be mentioned there.
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Davie: Just to add to replies already given by Briantist, you should try changing the RF output channel you have used on the Sky box for feeding to the other rooms, as the diagonal lines problem you mention suggests that the output channel frequency chosen for RF2 is possibly clashing with another RF source, this usually a channel used for normal analogue reception.
Also I see you mention that each room has a digital co-ax running from the loft, it should be pointed out that what you are doing is an entirely analogue extension as RF1 & 2 outputs on a Sky box are analogue outputs, the digital aspect of reception stopping at your Sky box.
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Nikki: Its not really correct to assume that you should be getting a 100% reading as the booster must be working or it not show a difference when connected, boosters generally either working or not as in between situations dont generally happen.
Don't worry about the crack on its side, that is unless its of a magnitude that the internals are seen then it could possibly pose a danger, but the crack will not have affected its operation.
Regarding reception, this always varies as the seasons change and will no doubt increase again in the near future, but I wouldn't make any alterations to your system as it will prove to have been an unnecessary expense once the power is increased and these problems that you (and very many others!) are presently experiencing will to the greater extent vanish.
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Bernie: Just like to add a little to what's been said, even although its known that reception issues do exist around certain parts of North Cambridgeshire I feel that you possibly have problems within your own installation, this based on the fact the signal shouldn't actually vanish when you are only approx 14 miles away from the Anglia Mux transmitters at Sandy which although on reduced power are transmitting at the top end of reduced power.
I would have a check at your set up, although I wouldn't advise spending too much money if you require to purchase anything as come switchover you "might" possibly find that you are getting blasted from the second most powerful set of Mux transmitters in the UK.
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Bert: The inputs to any form of home cinema amplification you use (no matter what its age) can ONLY be fed from the line output facility actually on the TV or the effect you are getting is very likely to occur.
This is because there is always a very slight delay between the audio / video signal being received and it actually appearing on the screen (or heard through the speakers) and with this delay varying between different brands of equipment depending on complexity of the circuitry used for processing, your TV and Sky box having fractional differences between them.
The only way you will cure this is to break the connection between the Sky box and your home cinema system, and as aforementioned have it fed purely from the TV.
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(john macmillan): Your problem is symptomatic of you receiving a low signal level from whatever Multiplex station your aerial is pointing at, as it can be either Blackhill or Craigkelly.
It should be said though that Edinburgh West, and especially anywhere around Corstorphine districts (should this apply) have always had pockets of problem areas, something which unfortunately will not really be rectified until after switchover.
As nothing is known about your aerial system you should have a look around the local rooftops to see what's used in your locality then you can use this knowledge to gauge whether or not yours appears to be deficient, if by any chance it does then that rather indicates a possible cure for your problem.
If however you can tolerate the occasional problem for the time being then its maybe best to hold out until switchover when you can then re-assess the situation when the Mux transmitters are operating at full power.
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Denise: Humax PVR's have excellent receivers as far as sensitivity is concerned and before deciding on anything I would (if possible) first of all try side to side trimming of your loft aerial whilst observing the results on the Humax signal condition scale.
Try it first by selecting BBC1 (if listed on the EPG, if not carry out a re-scan) then press the MENU button, select SYSTEM then SIGNAL CONDITION and have a check at the signal strength and quality readings and make a note of, then back out of the menu and change the channel to ITV1 and repeat the process. (Menu, System, Signal condition)
If you give an update on your findings then further advice can be given as required.
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Vicky: This could possibly be caused by the possibility of maintenance or other work having been going on at the station you receive your signal from at the same time as you carried out the new TV's scan, the other boxes only working because they already have ITV, Ch4 etc in their EPG, so you have to carry out another scan as the missing stations will not be received until they are shown in the TV's EPG.
If by any chance a re-scan makes no difference carry out a test by trying your bedroom TV on the new Samsungs aerial lead.
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Can you view everything else except box office? and if by any chance you can then the obvious question would be whether or not you have just purchased the box along with the card? as considering the box office can be used for "pay per view" material one explanation could be that the previous owner could simply be low on stored credit.
I would refrain from entertaining the idea of an engineer calling, as the expense of doing this would far outweigh the cost of another box.
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Monday 17 January 2011 10:04PM
Shelley: Thanks for the update, content of somewhat confirming what I suspected.
I would suggest that you carry out a manual tune scan on MuxC to see what the signal strength / quality is, however I am unsure as to what station your aerial is facing as it can be either Caradon Hill or Redruth, but if you select BBC1 and on the signal strength / quality checking menu you see Ch28 being shown then you are on Caradon Hill, with this making MuxC on 24.
On the other hand if you see Ch44 (whilst on BBC1) you are facing Redruth with this making MuxC test be on Ch52.
You should carry out a rescan now and again anyway as the EPG channels obtainable are only those that were picked up at the time the scan took place, and if any reception glitches occurred whilst it was being done it could cause some stations to be missed, and which are not recoverable without a new scan.