TV Signal

[echokilo]

I have just moved hose and my TV is driving me crazy. It's brand new and has fereview built in but I am directing the signal through my existing digital recorder - but with or without the digital recorder connected my picture continually breaks up into squares and the sound breaks up too. No amount of rescanning the box or checking the wires makes any difference ..... do I need some kind of signal booster. I live in a purpose built flat (6 years old) where the aerials are shared, but I would have thought they were sufficient for the number of homes? HELP!!

[AlBags]

How many antennas?
Can you see if there is an amplifier .. and if it is powered up .. and if each output connects to each flat?
That is definitely a signal (gain) problem, which you will only address by improving signal strength/quality.

[echokilo]

16 flats under my roof so to speak .... have not seen a neighbour yet to check if they have issued ... if I need to amplify the signal, what do I need to buy to do this? Expensive?

[theshedman]

Has your area switched over fully to digital yet? If not the signal may be weak and this will cause the signal to break up. One way to find out is to see if you can still pick up Analogue TV channels if you can then you haven't changed over yet.

[echokilo]

No not changed over yet shedman ... do I need a booster?

[theshedman]

Before the changeover the signal is weaker so what you say is happening with the picture breaking up will continue to happen until your area is fully digital when they will increase the strength of the signal and it could even continue after that. I know mine still does on the sets I only have Freeview on. Not sure how you can increase the signal but I am sure someone will come on here soon who will be able to help with that.

[scotman]

You can get boosters from Maplin

http://www.maplin.co....iteria=signal+booster

[echokilo]

Thanks Scotman - lots of choice, which one should I get in your opinion?

[Buenchico]

High gain, with low noise. If any signal booster will do the job, this one should:
http://www.maplin.co....rial-amplifier-223504

[scotman]

Before you go off spending money you should check that that your aerial is pointing in the correct direction. The digital transmitter may not be the same one that is providing your analogue signal. Not sure how you find that out.

[echokilo]

Thanks - I will get an amplifier. Interestingly the new tv has an analogue only tuning option - so tuned it. And all 5 channels are fine. So will the amplifier allow meto use my digibox recorder to route the signal through?

[paintpowder1]

Yes,if it has an 'RF' output.....but you'll hardly need it now that you've tuned in your tv,and everything is OK! But if you still feel you need a booster,then get a variable one, as this will allow you to manually increase/decrease the gain.

[echokilo]

Everything not OK paintpower - have tuned the analigue channels (x5) but lost all the digital channels and so now can't use my digibox recorder!! It's driving me crazy!!

[paintpowder1]

A signal booster boosts the signal...it won't if there's no signal there! Digital signals are more difficult to boost than analogue. You have to look at why there's apparently no digital signal....like what connection method you're using, and more importantly....if you were getting a digital signal (albeit pixellated) before, why are you not getting one now....so check what you've done since and undo it, then maybe you will be able to boost that weak signal.

[Old Salt]

Much as I hate to admit it echokilo....................

You need to get a 'good professional' to come in and properly check the signal strength and tv / recorder setup. I had a similar problem when they first started to added digital. No one would admit the digital signal strengh was minimal and I too pulled out a lot of my hair (which I wish now I had again).

But, I eventually called a well known local TV and Electronics business. The man came out, checked all three tv's and found the signal was so weak that any little change in atmospherics dropped out my picture.

He did a few things and made a few adjustments to the TV and my recorder setup

It cost me £50.00, but in the end I have a much better picture, which should become as good and and as reliable as the current analogue signal, after the changeover in mid-April............

I feel your pain, the best of luck, let me know how you get on,

Old Salt

[echokilo]

Thanks Old Salt - I will contact someone.

[Old Salt]

It just doesn't seem fair echokilo,

that we have to pay to sort out problems created by otherrs (making money out of us), but the alternative is a lot of extra daily aggro in our lives

But, I say again, "Be sure the company is up-to-the-job" I spent quite a bit before calling in the expert, but they kept assuring me that 'this time we will fix it for sure'

OS