freeview help wanted.

jamesfeatherstone

Howdy
we have LCD tv with freeview built in.
we also have a dvd recorder/vhs recorder/freeview combi, and a wii.
untill about 3 months ago we had no probs accessing freeview channels, but the signal is getting poorer and poorer.

i have never used HDMI cables, and am wondering if this will improve the signal, or just the communication between machines ?

Alternatively is it just a common reception problem from freeview rather than my technology (or lack of) that causes us to have few channels.

any advice gratefully recieved

regards
james

jamesfeatherstone

do you mean the aeriel on the roof ?

also the pictures pixellate then disapear. the analogue has never altered.
when we retune freeview it sometimes restores/improves but usually deteriorates again.

would HDMI cables change/improve anything ?
jim

Kurtis_Blue

No HDMI cables will make no difference.
Will means the aerial feed from the aerial to the STB, if it is slowly getting worse probably a break in the cable sheath, aerial connection or tree growth as suggested.

Is the issue the same when watching freeview on the TV as when watching via the STB?

jamesfeatherstone

ok thanks so i dont need hdmi cables, thats good no need to buy them then.

yes, the picture is variable/poor through both, and inconsistent, bad reception for 95% of the time via both sources, not associated with change in weather or temperature.
we retune almost every day, and get different channels each time.

will it be worth trying a new aeriel cable ?
or getting up on the roof and moving the external aerial ( with caution of course, remeber the late Rod Hull in 1999).

thanks
jim

DaveF327

Check the signal strength / quality with the setup menu option on your receiver.

If it's strong, it could be that the box is knackered. It could also be overheating, so check the air circulation / clearance around the box and give it a good vacuum to get rid of nearby dust.

Kurtis_Blue

The cable from the socket to the box should be short as possible (no extension reel types) and good quality.

Moving the aerial will more than likely achieve nothing, I would STRONGLY suggest you donot go on your roof without training, a roof ladder, ropes and harness. But once someone is actually at the installation it is pointless playing with it just rip everything down and replace the lot cables and all.

jamesfeatherstone

thanks kurtis blue.
i am not going on the roof (the wife can do that bit)

i will try replacing scarts etc, but that comes back to hdmi. if i am going to replace some wires should i replace for hdmi instead ? is there any advantage ?
jim

Kurtis_Blue

The only cables affecting this are the Coax cables:

aerial ---> wall points ---> boxes.

jamesfeatherstone

ok
i replaced the aeriel that is waal point to tv. i disconected everything else.
the situation is still the same.

somebody said it was caused by that icelandic ash cloud from april ??????
i am really not sure now what is next course of action.
should i return the tv, its about 1 year old
jim

Inactive

jamesfeatherstone wrote: »

ok
i replaced the aeriel that is waal point to tv. i disconected everything else.
the situation is still the same.

somebody said it was caused by that icelandic ash cloud from april ??????
i am really not sure now what is next course of action.
should i return the tv, its about 1 year old
jim

Absolute rubbish, your TV is not getting an adequate signal, that is what needs to rectified.