Digital Drop - Out

[WokingWedger]

Whilst the above title could describe my relationship with Technology in general, I am in fact refering to poor picture reception on Free View digital channels.

I have had a new aerial,and down lead (no air gap)professionally installed, and bought a new digital 6 way splitter/booster and a new digital telly.

Still I get freezing of the frames and picelelating (spelling).

It is worse in the evenings

The aerial installer tells me my reception is really good strength, he even checked one of the down stairs sockets (down stream of the splitter/booster)

I keep leaving messages for him, but he hasnt returned them yet.

Do you have to solder the inner copper wire in the co-ax to the inner part of the plug. (all mine are just pushed in to make contact)

What else can I check ?

It appears on all tele and free view boxes in the house.

Its driving me round the bend.

Other people in the area have no problem including my next door neigbour (semi)

Edited by WokingWedger on Tuesday 9th December 13:17

[PhantomHumper]

Get sky

[mybrainhurts]

The weather affects mine. It's crap at the moment, but not all the time.

My recorder wants to retune itself, but this tends to lose some channels until its back on its original settings.

[john_p]

No solder should be required.
What happens if you remove the booster? With digital this may make things worse.

[sjg]

Is it when a scooter rider goes past? Or when your fridge or freezer clicks on or off? Or when your washing machine/dryer is running?

If yes to any of those, get the cable run changed for decent shielded stuff - the CT100 type as used for satellite cable runs will be fine.

[Plotloss]

Where is the splitter/booster?

Is it behind the television, in the loft or on the masthead?

[FlossyThePig]

WokingWedger said:

I have had a new aerial,and down lead (no air gap)professionally installed, and bought a new digital 6 way splitter/booster and a new digital telly.

Can you plug s TV directly into the downlead where it plugs into the splitter? If so what is the picture like there?

Have you checked digitaluk for predicted reception. If you check the "I am in the aerial installation trade" you will get more information than you could possibly need.

[GKP]

And soon, once they turn all the analogue signals off, you'll no option but just put up with this new improved technology, because it's better.

[.:ian:.]

I had a similar problem, tried all sorts of things, nothing really helped,, until one day I moved the dect phone further away from the digibox,,,

Is there a menu option on a digibox/telly that shows signal strength and quality? if both are high and its still breaking up, its likely to be interference from something.. if one or both are low, then theres something wrong with the aerial/splitter/etc

Edited by .:ian:. on Tuesday 9th December 13:47

[WokingWedger]

Splitter/ Booster is up stairs in a hall way, not near any television and about 15 ft cable run from the base of the aerial mast.

I can not find any corrolation to any other devices turning on or off and we dont get any passing vehicles. One telly can be doing it and another is fine.

I will try by-passing the booster using just one telly

[barney123]

Strange thing happened to me last night - Sony HXD860 Freeview HD thing.

If I UNPLUGGED the HDMI plug from the back, then got it to detect the channels it was fine.

As soon as the HDMI was plugged in the reception went ????

Turned out to be a dodgy coax connection that must have been some sort of 'bad earth' issue.

[WokingWedger]

Stength and quality both show as good. 10 points in fact

Edited by WokingWedger on Tuesday 9th December 13:51

[69 coupe]

Just thinking aloud!
Can you have to strong a signal, overloading the freeview box?

[john_p]

69 coupe said:

Just thinking aloud!
Can you have to strong a signal, overloading the freeview box?

I'm pretty sure you can, yes, if an amplifier is involved.

Especially if the box is reporting 10/10, I would be inclined to bypass the amp completely and see if that cures it..

Edited by john_p on Tuesday 9th December 13:57

[WokingWedger]

OK thanks guys, I will try by-passing the booster.

If it cures it, I dont know what my next step will be, as I need to split the signal somehow.

But lets see if it makes a difference first.

can you all check back tomorrow (cheeky I know)

[WokingWedger]

Ok then.

The brand new Digital telly was suffering bad drop out on BBC2 last night, so I by-passed the booster/ splitter. Result - absolutely no signal (picture) at all.
Plugged it back in again and signal returned but with bad drop out.

On an older telly with a digital set top box (newish panasonic HDD - PVR thingy)when by passing the booster/splitter it made no difference. No better and no worse.

There is a central heating pump approximately 3 feet away from the booster which is on in the evenings when drop out seems worst, but that is on almost all the while and the drop out comes and goes.

Any thoughts anyone please !

[sjg]

Switch off the pump for a while - if you don't get drop-outs, then you've found the problem.

[cjs]

If you have bypassed the distro amp and you have no signal there is definitely a problem with the aerial or down lead. If your neighbours are getting a good signal then you should. Get your man back or get someone else in.

[Neil_H]

WokingWedger said:

Ok then.

The brand new Digital telly was suffering bad drop out on BBC2 last night, so I by-passed the booster/ splitter. Result - absolutely no signal (picture) at all.
Plugged it back in again and signal returned but with bad drop out.

On an older telly with a digital set top box (newish panasonic HDD - PVR thingy)when by passing the booster/splitter it made no difference. No better and no worse.

There is a central heating pump approximately 3 feet away from the booster which is on in the evenings when drop out seems worst, but that is on almost all the while and the drop out comes and goes.

Any thoughts anyone please !

Pumps are notorious for interference due to the motors - I'd say this is a likely cause.

[Plotloss]

Genius siting of the splitter by the engineer that.

I'd get another company in to test all the wires, test the signal and propose a solution all things considered.

You appear to have engaged one that wears spurs.