635 replies to this topic

[k00k]

Maybe you could try a full rescan? My dads STB was having reception issues, and that sorted them.

[Luis Syphur]

k00k, on May 4 2007, 06:04 AM, said:

Maybe you could try a full rescan? My dads STB was having reception issues, and that sorted them.

Yeah, did that again last night.  Might just get the antenna guy out to have a look, or climb up on the roof and hose it down to see if it's a "needs a clean" type of problem.

[andy59]

It can be a simple as one of the crimps in the F connectors in the cable behind your set. I was having trouble too but after giving them a good workout I've had no further problems with either damp night air or the recent rain.

[alanh]

All,
The reason that the ABC programs break up on old antennas is that they are not designed to receive channels 11 & 12 which are used by TEN digital and the ABC Digital.
Read Get the Best Reception, Perth and read the links, particularly antenna basics and the WA link.

AlanH

[tekchallenged]

I bit the bullet and bought a Sansui combined DVD/box from KMart on catalogue special.  I figured I could see if it worked at all, and if it didn't, I could just use it as a DVD player.  Well, it works , but only on the main TV in the lounge - on the small TVs in the bedroom or the computer room, I could get SBS (2 stations), nine and seven (after fiddling around).  The TV point in the lounge is the original TV point and the aerial is on the roof above (I gather the cable just goes straight up to the aerial.)  The TV point in the computer room was installed later and the cable runs across the house.  Does the long cable run degrade the signal?  Is it likely that I could get digital working in the computer room or bedroom with an indoor antenna or is it just a lost cause?  Thanks.

[wahroonga farm]

You need to understand how the additional points are installed and how good the reception is at the main point.

Splitters must introduce loss and poor cable may introduce loss/noise in the signal, ..... so this is the possible cause, but check if it is professionally (correctly) executed, as there are much worse ways of extending coax to additional points.

[k00k]

My mum had similar problems at her house. I got Northside antennas out there, and they ran new cabling, put an amplifier in, and all works sweet as now. They even get Access 31 which they never saw at any points in the house before.

[tekchallenged]

Recabling is not an option at the moment, I was just wondering about the efficacy of indoor antennas, particularly in the circumstances. Thanks.

[mtv]

If you have an interference issue, an indoor antenna is likely to provide even worse reception.

There is no substitute for a correctly selected external antenna for the digital channels in your area, installed in the best possible location on your roof.

It would be best to have a pro installer inspect your antenna, cabling etc and advise you further.

[tekchallenged]

mtv, on May 31 2007, 02:37 PM, said:

If you have an interference issue, an indoor antenna is likely to provide even worse reception.

Thanks.  I think there is definitely an interference issue on analogue, because reception varies.  The last 2 Friday nights, channel 2 has been completely unwatchable, but at other times it's ok (somebody doesn't want me watching "Spooks", obviously ) and it varies on the different tvs.  Anyway, I'm happy that I've now got SBS and decent channel 2 (and a couple of new channels as well - bonus!), so I'm happy with the digital box.  I'll just have to get off the computer and move to the lounge on Friday nights.  

[tekchallenged]

Just an update on my previous post, in case it is of any interest to anyone, or one of the "techies" can explain this.  After hooking up the digital box, I needed a new short cable so that I could hook up the tv to still watch analogue.  I had a scout around, and one of the tvs had a longish cable, when it only needed a short one.  I had connected the big tv with what I could find at the time, which was 2 1-metre cables joined up.  So I had the idea to swap the 2 short cables for the long one, and then I'd have enough cables for everything, without buying a new one.  In short, the digital would not work with the long cable, it got no signal on most channels.  I tried another 2-metre cable - didn't work.   I swapped it back to the 2 short cables joined up, and, hey presto, it works.  Is there a rational explanation for this, or does one of these short cables have magical properties? I got digital going through pure chance:  if I'd had a correct length cable at the start, it wouldn't have worked.

[Veefy]

Hi All,

I have an unit/townhouse, two storeyed but with one common wall to the adjoining unit.  I have one antenna coaxial connection in the lounge which presumably connects to an antenna of some sort on the roof through cabling in the walls- though I've never been up to check specifically what its attached to - I dont' know if there is a MATV system- obviously I need to find out what I actually have up there.

Anyway, my normal analogue signal connected by a short piece of coaxial cable - (no idea about the quality of this cable, I don't think its anything special) when connected to a 10 year old analogue triniton gave me good reception on all analogue channels except Channel 31 (community).

Now I've just bought one of the latest 46" Samsung widescreen LCD tvs with inbuilt high def tuner  (1920 x 1080) with bells and whistles. Woot! DVD quality is really great. Will probably do down the Blue Ray route very soon.  

However I ran the auto channel scan on it when I plugged it in just on the old coaxial and picked up 2,7,SBS, 9 and 10 and Ch31(community).

9, 10 and SBS all seem to be at the quality I expected for Free 2 air given the limitations of what they are broadcast at. However channel 2 in particular and channel 7 (not as bad) seem to have interference, herringbone white lines. Channel 31 is very poor quality but I was sort of suspecting that and lack of that channel is not an issue).

So a couple of questions for the knowledgeable:
1 - The first time I do a scan if the digital TV receiver is working fine should I pick up the digital ABC channel automatically?

2 - From doing some reading about digital tv issues I'm tending towards there being nothing wrong with the tv unit or its tuner? but the interference has to do from my antenna installation/wiring/power not being able to provide a good digital signal. I know that if the washing machine in the laundry is on I will get mild interference in the signal but not a constant sort which is what I have on Channel 2 and 7.

3 - Before I call up some antenna specialists (the fact that we have a body corporate will complicate things a little re: getting approval to change things visible to other people) can anyone suggest some simple things to trial (was wondering about the coaxial cable?). I'm plugged into a Belkin Surge protector thingy and made sure nothing else was plugged in.

4 - Also is there anything I can look at on the menu of the tv to check if its actually displaying High Def when connected to the  antenna rather than just analogue? This is probably a really dumb question.

My tv is this model:
http://www.samsung.c...v/la46m81bd.asp
Thanks in advance.

[alanh]

Veefy,
You have only scanned analog channels only.
Access 31 is only available in analog.
You need to go to digital scanning. You should get wide screen, ABC2 on "channel 21". If you have a true MATV system you probably will not get channel 7, 9 and the ABC programs. You definately will not get Access 31.

You need to do the tasks on pages 10 & 32+ in your manual. On page 10 tell it to store digital channels.

If you are successful, you should be able to see ABC, ABC HD and ABC2 along with SBS and SBS News channel.

Also read the post at the start of this strand along with the links.

AlanH

[Veefy]

Thanks for the help Alan H.

All sorted out now.

[TristonB]

alanh, on Feb 25 2007, 11:31 AM, said:

tekchallenged,
Look at a street directory. Television Rd Bickely is south of both Kalamunda and Lesmurdie.
This is where the TV comes from. Your interference is from the radio transmitters in Wanneroo Rd Hamersley.

AlanH

I am in Carine, so I am also quite near the radio transmitters in Wanneroo Rd Hamersley, I am getting digital TV interference that does look like the AM interference examples shown on some websites.

When I use the STB in-built signal strength meter it shows all channels at pretty much full strength.
The worst interference is on CH7 at night,but can be on all channels now and again.

Mycurrent antenna, is connected to a small matching unit which then connects to a cable approx 1m in length which goes down into the attic and connects to an amplfier/splitter which is cabled to 2 outlets in the house.
When looking at the terminals that connect the matching unit to the antenna I noticed that they were very rusty.

Is it worth trying a filter like a Kingray FL3BPMH or buying a new antenna to solve the interference?
The reason I ask is that my current antenna is in good nick and looks pretty expensive. I don't know what sort it is, in regards to bands though

TristonB.

[alanh]

TristonB,
The answer to the filter is definately yes. It should be installed near the amplifier splitter between the antenna and the amplifier input.
When you have made ten posts I will send you more details using messaging.

Alan H

[TristonB]

alanh, on Jun 22 2007, 04:42 PM, said:

TristonB,
The answer to the filter is definately yes. It should be installed near the amplifier splitter between the antenna and the amplifier input.
When you have made ten posts I will send you more details using messaging.

Alan H

AlanH
Thanks for that.
Who stocks that kind of filter in Perth? Or do I have to order it from the web?

[alanh]

TristonB,
Yes you can get them in Perth,
I will message you the details when you have 10 posts on this site or an email address.

AlanH

[TristonB]

alanh, on Jun 23 2007, 12:41 PM, said:

TristonB,
Yes you can get them in Perth,
I will message you the details when you have 10 posts on this site or an email address.

AlanH

OK 7 posts to go

[TristonB]

alanh, on Jun 23 2007, 12:41 PM, said:

TristonB,
Yes you can get them in Perth,
I will message you the details when you have 10 posts on this site or an email address.

AlanH

OK 6 posts to go

[TristonB]

alanh, on Jun 23 2007, 12:41 PM, said:

TristonB,
Yes you can get them in Perth,
I will message you the details when you have 10 posts on this site or an email address.

AlanH

OK 5 posts to go

[TristonB]

TristonB, on Jun 23 2007, 02:51 PM, said:

OK 5 posts to go

OK 4 posts to go

[TristonB]

alanh, on Jun 23 2007, 12:41 PM, said:

TristonB,
Yes you can get them in Perth,
I will message you the details when you have 10 posts on this site or an email address.

AlanH

AlanH
My Messenger is now operational.
TristonB

[Luis Syphur]

Luis Syphur, on May 4 2007, 08:31 AM, said:

Might just get the antenna guy out to have a look, or climb up on the roof and hose it down to see if it's a "needs a clean" type of problem.

The problem didn't magically fix itself so I called the antenna guy out and he said the signal through the socket was very strong and should have been ok, he then asked where the leads were going to.  The lead was running into my Monster surge protector/powerboard, so he said that this can cause issues, so we unplugged it and fed it straight into the PVR and twas fixed.

BUT, that night it all went haywire again, so I called him back the next weekend.  After a bit of messing around I ok'd rewiring the antenna leads from the roof and a bit of adjustment on the antenna itself and now all is back to being fine.  He even said that even though my antenna is pre-digital it still gets all channels very strongly.

The antenna is around 10 years old and the leads 12 years from when the house was built.  So to anyone having issues I'd recommend getting someone out and taking the first step to modernising your antenna gear, even if, like me, do don't think that it's that old.  It's worth it.

[alanh]

Luis Syphur,
If the signals are too strong the digital receivers will give the same effects as too little signal. I would go to an electronics shop and buy an attenuator and put it in the antenna input to the digital receiver.
Upgrading the system may make your signals even stronger!

AlanH