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Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Sir Tigger KC on 16 March 2011, 11:12:23

Title: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 16 March 2011, 11:12:23
Hi All,

Since the big digital TV switchover a couple of years ago, my TV picture is nowhere near as good as it was on analogue. Recently it has become almost unwatchable, the picture breaks up and pixilates and now and then the sound goes with a 'pop'! :(  The setup is nothing fancy, just a Panasonic LCD with builtin freeview.

I've checked the signal meter through the setup menu and that indicates a maximum signal strength and maximum quality..... I'm abit lost now though what to try next and thought someone here may be able to help.. :)  Thanks for any advice :y
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: Debs. on 16 March 2011, 11:25:10
 :P You`ll need one of our "Digital Ready Aerials", Sir! ::)

The extra 'bits' on it, are designed to pull in more of the pixels lost when using cheap/old aerials! ;D

Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 16 March 2011, 11:31:05
............and you may need a booster! ;)

Electrical interference can also have an effect I have found :)
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: Jimbob on 16 March 2011, 11:38:25
given the in telly tuner reports full(ish) signal...

the thought occurs its the tuner itself may not be healthy.

I would try a full rescan on the tuner, make sure it really has the channels as it should.

If that makes no difference, can you 'borrow' a standalone freeview box from someone?  if thats perfect, youve narrowed it down to the telly.
If not, then its wiring, or aerial, are your neighbours pictures ok?  to rule out a locality issue.
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: Kevin Wood on 16 March 2011, 11:55:13
Quote
:P You`ll need one of our "Digital Ready Aerials", Sir! ::)

The extra 'bits' on it, are designed to pull in more of the pixels lost when using cheap/old aerials! ;D


Have you ever considered a job at Dixons? ;D

Digital signals are very susceptible to multipath, so it could be that you are getting a decent signal strength but have reflections from adjacent buildings, aircraft, etc. that are disturbing the signal. Could also be that a local source of interference is the problem.

It was easier to tell with an analogue signal what the nature of the problem was, but less so with digital.

Are you able to receive an analogue signal from the same transmitter? What's the picture like?

Does the problem always occur or is it related to weather, times of the day, etc?

Kevin
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 16 March 2011, 12:00:09
Not much better at times with my sky setup.

I record a lot of stuff these days and have noticed that there is a lot of stuff with the green blocky pixelation panels on them. Suprised that this is mostly ITV HD.

Would still prefer they keep the analougue yuned on though.  coz if the dish ever gets covered with snow or we have really heavy rain then we lose the signal intermitantly or all together anyway. :-/
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 16 March 2011, 12:02:53
Quote
Quote
:P You`ll need one of our "Digital Ready Aerials", Sir! ::)

The extra 'bits' on it, are designed to pull in more of the pixels lost when using cheap/old aerials! ;D


Have you ever considered a job at Dixons? ;D

Digital signals are very susceptible to multipath, so it could be that you are getting a decent signal strength but have reflections from adjacent buildings, aircraft, etc. that are disturbing the signal. Could also be that a local source of interference is the problem.

It was easier to tell with an analogue signal what the nature of the problem was, but less so with digital.

Are you able to receive an analogue signal from the same transmitter? What's the picture like?

Does the problem always occur or is it related to weather, times of the day, etc?

Kevin


I had all you describe Kevin, but as I was hinting in my earlier post, I found a booster / amplifier box did the trick, along with ensuring the internal cables were up to digital standard and were kept aware from any source of electro magnitism ;) ;) 
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: Kevin Wood on 16 March 2011, 12:07:04
Quote
Not much better at times with my sky setup.

I record a lot of stuff these days and have noticed that there is a lot of stuff with the green blocky pixelation panels on them. Suprised that this is mostly ITV HD.

Would still prefer they keep the analougue yuned on though.  coz if the dish ever gets covered with snow or we have really heavy rain then we lose the signal intermitantly or all together anyway. :-/

If you have problems on satellite TV, chances are your dish is poorly aligned or the LNB is on its' way out. As the gain of the LNB falls, it starts playing up in "challenging" weather conditions, then fails altogether.

You'll also probably find that they've been reducing the resilience of their signal to errors (on both HD and SD) in order to make enough bandwidth available for the HD channels, meaning the receive setup has to be tip top. No such thing as a free lunch. ;)

Kevin
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: tunnie on 16 March 2011, 12:20:19
want half price Sky?  :P
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: aaronjb on 16 March 2011, 12:42:46
Quote
want half price Sky?  :P

I'd like free Sky, can you arrange that? :P ;D
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: Dishevelled Den on 16 March 2011, 12:46:00
Too much signal strength will also result in similar annoyances.

I would try an in-line attenuator and see if that makes a difference - such as;

http://www.maplin.co.uk/aerial-attenuators-965?ordercode=BW59P

(Cheaper on eBay)
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: tunnie on 16 March 2011, 13:23:09
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Quote
want half price Sky?  :P

I'd like free Sky, can you arrange that? :P ;D

Wish I could!
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: aaronjb on 16 March 2011, 13:35:11
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Quote
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want half price Sky?  :P

I'd like free Sky, can you arrange that? :P ;D

Wish I could!

Aw damn..

I really should cancel mine, I never turn the thing on .. it just sits there with the hard drive clickety clacking.
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: tunnie on 16 March 2011, 13:43:56
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Quote
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want half price Sky?  :P

I'd like free Sky, can you arrange that? :P ;D

Wish I could!

Aw damn..

I really should cancel mine, I never turn the thing on .. it just sits there with the hard drive clickety clacking.

Ring up and say Mr Branson of Virgin offered you a stunning deal, they don't like that  ;)

Easily should be able to blag half price for 6 months  :y
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: Mysteryman on 16 March 2011, 13:58:47
I rang to cancel sky movies. Was offered half price, then a free Sky+ box...in the end, they'd have been paying me. ;D
The young lady just could not understand that I was cancelling because I wasn't using it, not because I was after a deal.
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: skyblue on 16 March 2011, 14:15:44
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Quote
want half price Sky?  :P

I'd like free Sky, can you arrange that? :P ;D


 its gash... thinking of  getting shot of it as it not worth 52quid a month for sure  >:(
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: aaronjb on 16 March 2011, 14:34:55
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
want half price Sky?  :P

I'd like free Sky, can you arrange that? :P ;D

Wish I could!

Aw damn..

I really should cancel mine, I never turn the thing on .. it just sits there with the hard drive clickety clacking.

Ring up and say Mr Branson of Virgin offered you a stunning deal, they don't like that  ;)

Easily should be able to blag half price for 6 months  :y

Funnily enough, I also have Virgin (the basic package) - it's just the cable comes into the house in a stupid location (an upstairs bedroom) so I've never actually used the TV part..  :-[ ;D
Title: Re: Digital TV picture breaking up...
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 16 March 2011, 15:14:40
Thanks for the replies.

Think I'll try the annenuator, as the signal is max strengh....

I already have a booster, ahhh maybe I don't need the booster now? :-/ I'll disconnect that and see what happens!  ::)

We also have some ash trees that have grown really tall in next doors garden, I've mentioned that they might be affecting my signal and their blocking the light into my garden, but he reckons their not his.... >:(

Thanks again and I'll keep you posted!  :y :y :y