Help with Signal loss on freeview.

devonmark

Hi Everyone.

I am considering buying a new tv system (32" LCD TV with freeview and DVD recorder with HDD) I have £1000 to spend and have found a few options online.

I have one reservation though. I got a freeview box about 12months ago and as soon as i plugged it all in and scanned for channels my analouge signal was very poor on ITV. it had vertical lines on the screen and was unwatchable, if i turned the freeview box off this happened on all channels.
I upgraded the arieal to a digital compatable arieal and had a man in to site it for me. I think the problem may be the coax cable running from the loft to the lounge. It runs inside the wall but has 4 off shoots coming off and going to different areial sockets (that arent used) do you think this is the reason for the signal loss?

Thank you

Mark

espresso

It depends if a distribution amplifier has been used to feed the signal to the other rooms. For digital reception a good quality double screened co-ax like CT100 should be used from the aerial.

devonmark

There is no amplifier attched and it is just plain white coax that is the same age as the house (20 years).

Stompa

If you're going to be using Freeview, why do you care about the analogue signal? Presumably you'll be using digital all the time, or am I missing something?

Joe_Bloggs

Some Freeview boxes have a UHF modulator feature that enables them to re-broadcast the selected freeview channel down the aerial cable as a UHF analogue TV signal. This is very useful if you have run out of scart sockets. It is also very destructive when this UHF channel clashes with another analogue TV channel or a freeview multiplex channel.

Fortunately you can often turn this feature off in the settop box setup menus or select a different channel that does not clash with anything else. Some VCRs and DVD players have these signals too.

Good cable is also a must as freeview signals are weak when compared to analogue signals. Poor cable loses signal and picks up interference.

J_B.

devonmark

Stompa wrote:

If you're going to be using Freeview, why do you care about the analogue signal? Presumably you'll be using digital all the time, or am I missing something?

I will be watching Digital all the time, but if you record anything you have to watch Analouge while recording Digital or Vice versa. "Dont you" ?????

Stompa

devonmark wrote:

I will be watching Digital all the time, but if you record anything you have to watch Analouge while recording Digital or Vice versa. "Dont you" ?????

I suppose you could, but I'd be tempted to go for a recorder that has integrated freeview to avoid having to do that.

devonmark

Stompa wrote:

I suppose you could, but I'd be tempted to go for a recorder that has integrated freeview to avoid having to do that.

What do you consider is better/easier to use. A DVD recorder with freeview or a Freeview box with HDD in to record from there. Empire direct have a great offer that i am very tempted with.

TV and DVD recorder. £ 899
http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/content/products/packages/index~modelcode~PKG-PHI-32PF7520D.htm
Freeview recorder. £99
http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/content/products/details/index~modelcode~GOO-GHDD1782DVBT~dt~Televisions~st~Freeview+Digital+Box~make~Goodmans.htm

Stompa

devonmark wrote:

What do you consider is better/easier to use. A DVD recorder with freeview or a Freeview box with HDD in to record from there. Empire direct have a great offer that i am very tempted with.

Since I have neither I'm not really qualified to answer that. Personally, I'm waiting for combined DVD/HDD boxes with built-in Freeview to become more reasonably priced. There are a few about right now but they're pretty expensive for what they are.

devonmark

Have been to my local Hardware store today and purchased 20metres of Coax cable and have done a direct cable conection from arieal to set top box and set top box to TV and picture is perfect, so looks like i am going to busy this weekend laying the cable properly. Thankyou to everyone who has posted. :beer: :T

Mark....

P.S.....Time to buy my new Teley!!!!!! :j :j :j :j :j

espresso

devonmark wrote:

Have been to my local Hardware store today and purchased 20metres of Coax cable and have done a direct cable conection from arieal to set top box and set top box to TV and picture is perfect, so looks like i am going to busy this weekend laying the cable properly. Thankyou to everyone who has posted.

Glad to hear you are sorted.:T

If possible don't use a wall plate and patch lead. i.e. run the downlead (with no sharp bends) directly into your set top box, as these wall plates often have very bad screening and allow interference in.

HTH