Strange digital TV signal problem

olias

I have, what I consider to be a fairly standard TV set up. Digital aerial with a booster (we are in what is described as a low or poor signal area), Sony Bravia TV (new) fed through a Humax digital recorder freeview thingy (you can tell I am not very techy with these things!

Anyway, all these things are new and were fitted approx 18 months ago and I have had no problems since, with the exception of the odd flickering signal where the picture jumps and freezes for a fraction of a second. These instances, however were few and far between.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and this freezing/jumping of the signal started occurring more often and for longer periods with a check on the signal strength showing it was jumping around all over from nothing to 100% and everything in between. Then yesterday we lost the signal alltogether With no picture available on any channel and the signal strength varying between 0 and 15%.

I have checked all connections etc etc and everything seems fine, and then last night about 9pm the signal suddenly came back 100% and stayed that way for a few hours. Today - no signal again, then 9pm again it comes back 100%!

What on earth can be happening, it appears(?) that it's not the Humax digibox or TV as when we have no signal, I have tried them both independently and they both have no signal. I have also checked all the connections and they are all fine so it can't be that.
Could it be that the transmitter has altered it's signal somehow and what was a poor signal in this area is now no existant? But then why does it suddenly appear to come back at 9pm?

Any guesses?

Olias

getthemax

There is ongoing work on a lot of transmitters due to the forthcoming digital switchover. I live in the midlands and get my signal from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter and at times some of the multiplexers (groups of channels) are on lower power causing 'blocking' on some channels for me.

This website gives useful information about ongoing engineering work and there are forums on there as well http://www.ukfree.tv/

I assume you've also checked out your aerial and are happy that's ok?

barak

Also worth checking
http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/transmitters/today.shtml

debitcardmayhem

Is your analogue signal still OK on your TV ? , Weather tonight/Pants Transmitter causing my Kitchen Tv to lose a lot of channels on digital.

olias

Hi and thanks for you comments. According to websites, no problems with my transmitter. Signal is still OK (better than last night when it was gone again by about 11pm). I'll see what it's like again tommorrow. In the meantime if anyone else has any suggestions I'd be grateful.

Oh, and my house is 3 storey, so difficult to access the aerial, but I have looked out of the skylight and it's still pointing the right way, the cable that links the aerial to the box that links to the booster looks Ok, as does the cable that comes down and actually connects eventually to the TV, so can't see any problems there.

Olias

Enterprise_1701C

May sound like a strange question - are there any large trees (possibly fir trees) nearby that have been slowly growing (OK, I know they would have to be very large, but it happens)? Just that the signal can get interrupted by large amounts of foliage, especially when wet.

penrhyn

Aerial amplifiers will amplify all the noise on your aerial along with the signal that you actually want.
You would be advised to have a better aerial fitted, or use a mast head amplifier.

Have you tried disconnecting your amplifier and checked whether their is an improvement as the amp itself may be faulty or there is a corroded /intermittent connection somewhere.

olias

Hi, no, we are in a dip near the river and the houses opposite are large 3 storey town houses, hense the fact that there has always been a slight problem with signal quality - picture freezing intermitantly etc. The current problem has just started in the last week or two however, and as I say, results lately in no signal whatsoever, then it comes back at about 9pm. I have just checked now and we have a 100% signal, no probs - wonder how long it will last this time?

Olias

welshbookworm

Looks like someone close to you is using something that interferes with your signal.
I know when my daughter uses her hairdryer (in a different room) my freeview signal freezes and drops. As soon as she stops using the hair dyer , my signal goes back to normal.
I also used to pick up 'static noise' on my signal when some cars or lorries went down the main road.

olias

penrhyn wrote: »

Aerial amplifiers will amplify all the noise on your aerial along with the signal that you actually want.
You would be advised to have a better aerial fitted, or use a mast head amplifier.

Have you tried disconnecting your amplifier and checked whether their is an improvement as the amp itself may be faulty or there is a corroded /intermittent connection somewhere.

Hi, sorry, the booster is a mast head amplifier. I have tried connecting/disconnecting when we have no signal and it makes no difference. The aerial is a top of the range jobbie, newly fitted (well 18 months ago). Thanks for the advice though.

Olias

olias

welshbookworm wrote: »

Looks like someone close to you is using something that interferes with your signal.
I know when my daughter uses her hairdryer (in a different room) my freeview signal freezes and drops. As soon as she stops using the hair dyer , my signal goes back to normal.
I also used to pick up 'static noise' on my signal when some cars or lorries went down the main road.

I did wonder that, but not sure how you could find that out? We are in a terraced street (tall townhouses) so quite high density of housing.

Olias