tv problems...in cornwall?

[Robmatthews]

Right im getting fed up with the digital tv signal,is anybody else whos getting signal from the four lanes mast having problems?

The picture and sound keeps going (for like half a second)or spluttering for a better word anyone else down this way having the same problem or is it just me meaning i have problems with my arial or digi box? the arial and cables to the tv's are all new to.

[pirate-storm]

Right im getting fed up with the digital tv signal,is anybody else whos getting signal from the four lanes mast having problems?

The picture and sound keeps going (for like half a second)or spluttering for a better word anyone else down this way having the same problem or is it just me meaning i have problems with my arial or digi box? the arial and cables to the tv's are all new to.

hi m8 we have been having probs for a few days where pic was spluttering n going out of shape etc so called sky n they came today & found it was the set top box the receiver had gone so that might be your prob if your tv got it own digi & that works fine then your set top box has gone hope that helps

[meooo]

hi there,
dont know which transmitter we use @ Padstow, but I've got 3 boxes, all on their own aeriels and each one is different. I also get sound/picture breaking up for a second or two, but I've worked out that it happens with the operation of other electrical devices.....lights/fridge/freezer/kettle/boiler switching in/out, dunno why that should be. I must add that my aeriels are in the loft...they should be outside for digital apparantly.
Sky works fine, so maybe when digital goes to full strength (which it isn't yet apparantly) this problem will be sorted out.

[Predictable Bob]

Strange - we're nowhere near Cornwall but we've had a bit of breaking up and noise on the digital signal too BUT we narrowed it down to the flashing Christmas tree lights !

[MattF]

but I've worked out that it happens with the operation of other electrical devices.....lights/fridge/freezer/kettle/boiler switching in/out, dunno why that should be.

They spike the mains supply at startup, and some of those radiate with a vengeance.

[MattF]

What's the analogue television reception like?

[biosurf]

Yep, using my wireless laptop in the same room makes my reception worse than the awgul level it is normally

[meooo]

Yep, using my wireless laptop in the same room makes my reception worse than the awgul level it is normally

Now thats interesting, I did that t'other night and the digibox turned off!

Where I am normal reception was always poor (looking over a hill) so Sky was best option I didn't think we would ever get digital via an aeriel here, but it does work (kind of)

[scudmonkey]

Mobile phones have a severe effect on Digi boxes and such. When sending or receiving text messages they will cause the sound to die off and the picture to freeze or show as frame shots. Also when mobiles look for signals they have the same effect. So if your house is full of teenagers then you may have a problem!

[mark g8awo]

What you are experiencing is called blocking due to low signal levels.

It sounds like the classic symptoms of old equipment in the air. You might find that the coax is starting to breakdown and the antenna could be losing its oomph....

As of next year I think youll find that you will all be going to digital only so it might be time to get a new aerial system..The story is that once the analogue is switched off they will increase the power levels up on the digital network..

You do need lots of signal levels to maintain a good lock on the digital network so do in vest in a high gain antenna.

[meooo]

In my case the aeriels and coax are brand new and I had to get high gain ones to get almost all available channels.....but each box gets different amount of channels....wierd.
I hope when the signal strength goes up it'll improve

[MattF]

The story is that once the analogue is switched off they will increase the power levels up on the digital network..

You do need lots of signal levels to maintain a good lock on the digital network so do in vest in a high gain antenna.

Not always the best option. Quality of signal is just as important, if not more so, than high strength of signal. Also, too strong a signal can have exactly the same effect as a weak signal. Unless he says what his analogue reception is like, it's impossible to hazard a guess at what his actual problem is.

[mark g8awo]

hi there,
dont know which transmitter we use @ Padstow, but I've got 3 boxes, all on their own aeriels and each one is different. I also get sound/picture breaking up for a second or two, but I've worked out that it happens with the operation of other electrical devices.....lights/fridge/freezer/kettle/boiler switching in/out, dunno why that should be. I must add that my aeriels are in the loft...they should be outside for digital apparantly.
Sky works fine, so maybe when digital goes to full strength (which it isn't yet apparantly) this problem will be sorted out.

You are getting your signals from either Penaligon downs or port isaac. Aerials in the loft are not recomended but you can redeem yourself by having one aerial on the roof and use a distribution amp in the loft.

[Apache]

Oooh, classic signs of EMiC... (Electromagnetic incompatibility)

Sounds like you are all paying the price of having lots of electrical items around the home.

You have to consider that what you are trying to do is decode a signal which is maybe a couple of dBuV at best, against a background of huge noise spikes from your fridge / lights / car etc. (as Matt F was alluding to)

As some have said, best thing to do is get as high a gain / highly directional antenna as you can, and point it at your local transmitter, or at least point your own aerial accurately as you can at your local transmitter.

Other than that, wait for tyhe digital-fairies (fayries if you live in Cornwall) to sort it out for you...

[MattF]

You have to consider that what you are trying to do is decode a signal which is maybe a couple of dBuV at best, against a background of huge noise spikes from your fridge / lights / car etc. (as Matt F was alluding to)

Alluding? Alluding. I was speaking in customer speak. Honestly, you closeted workshop engineer types who've never had to deal with customers.......

As some have said, best thing to do is get as high a gain / highly directional antenna as you can, and point it at your local transmitter, or at least point your own aerial accurately as you can at your local transmitter.

Not that I'm harping on, but the high gain aerial can cause as many problems as it is supposed to cure if used within the wrong conditions. A good narrow beam aerial is preferable most times, whatever the aerial type, but a high gain aerial in a good reception area will do nothing more than swamp the tuner unless it is attenuated to buggery, defeating the point of the high gain aerial.
In all truth, in a lot of normal reception areas, a good contract aerial will work perfectly well. Main things are to have them outside rather than in the loft, distribute using an amp rather than merely splitting, (both of which Mark mentioned), and to make sure you have a W/B aerial.

Also, just on a final note, the local transmitter ain't always the best option. Geographical quirks can mean that an out of district transmitter is the preferable option.

Right, I'll bugger back off to my dark geek corner now.