Can someone help please - interference on picture

R

Rob14

New Member
Good afternoon
I have a Humax HDR FOX T2.
For the last couple of months there has been interference on the picture. This is sometimes there when I start watching but, if it isn't it generally starts within c15 minutes and continues for maybe 15-20 minutes then the picture might be fine for a similar period then it starts again. It happens on all channels. My reception is running at just under 80% and the quality is 100% but the quality does drop momentarily at the time each interference happens.
I have tried connecting direct to the TV (ie not via the Humax) and the reception is perfect so I can conclude that there's no issue with my aerial, reception or aerial lead. The issue is with the Humax. Does anyone know if this is repairable please?
 
Rob14 said:
Does anyone know if this is repairable please?
Click to expand...
It sounds like your HDD needs errors flushing and/or file system inconsistencies dealing with. If you're willing to install our custom firmware, you will have the necessary tools at your disposal. Otherwise your only option is to reformat the HDD (and lose your recordings in the process).

Quick Guide to Disk Recovery (click)
 
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Q drop coinciding with picture breakup is - potentially - indicative of signal overload. Classic description of the issue.

Different tuners in different devices have different capability in presence of high signal levels... the -T2 may be more prone cf the TV's tuner?

Check out if you have been 'carded' by https://restoretv.uk/ as it might be a new mobile phone mast, as well.

Is there an aerial amplifier (aka booster) involved? Some have variable gain controls that can be used to reduce the signal overall.

A simple plassive 2-way splitter will reduce the signal by a bit over half and could help?

BUT Dodgy aerial connections are the most common cause of issues with reception. Go over any hand-made TV aerialplugs with a fine toothed comb. Remake any suspect ones. Try alternative moulded-plug aerial fly leads if you have them. Keep hdmi leads and aerial leads well apart (cross-interference between the two can occur). Again swap out the hdmi cables to help eliminate that as a cause.

I don't, personally, see how a HDD corruption issue will affect the live TV reception and signal metering? But then what do I know.

Custom Firmware is well worth having though.
 
Rodders53 said:
I don't, personally, see how a HDD corruption issue will affect the live TV reception
Click to expand...
It does, we've seen it. The hypothesis is that the extra workload on the CPU caused by file system retries interrupts the live data.

Rob14 said:
Thank you. How would I get hold of the custom firmware please?
Click to expand...
Everything you need to know is in the link I posted in my previous reply, and links within that. Just go through it step by step.
 
I don't see that would have a time component. Nonetheless, it's a quick and simple thing to check there is no opportunity for cross-contamination of signals.
 
This is what I meant by "time component":
Rob14 said:
This is sometimes there when I start watching but, if it isn't it generally starts within c15 minutes and continues for maybe 15-20 minutes then the picture might be fine for a similar period then it starts again. It happens on all channels.
Click to expand...
 
Black Hole said:
This is what I meant by "time component":
Click to expand...
That makes me wonder about a less than perfect PCB connection which varies with heat from OK to not OK through partially OK affecting voltage/current/resistance characteristics.
 
Rob14 said:
Good afternoon
I have a Humax HDR FOX T2.
For the last couple of months there has been interference on the picture. This is sometimes there when I start watching but, if it isn't it generally starts within c15 minutes and continues for maybe 15-20 minutes then the picture might be fine for a similar period then it starts again. It happens on all channels. My reception is running at just under 80% and the quality is 100% but the quality does drop momentarily at the time each interference happens.
I have tried connecting direct to the TV (ie not via the Humax) and the reception is perfect so I can conclude that there's no issue with my aerial, reception or aerial lead. The issue is with the Humax. Does anyone know if this is repairable please?
Click to expand...
I have this problem too. For a few weeks now I have been getting occasional picture and sound breakup for a few seconds (pixellation) and was wondering if my HDD is on the blink. The PVR is now 11 years old and I've been wondering whether to replace it with a new Aura machine, but I use the old Fox partly for audio recordings and need the RCA output to my stereo system; the Aura has an optical audio output only and I would need a DAC to interface with the stereo. And I definitely DO NOT want Google/Android TV! Should I install the custom firmware to flush the HDD?
 
slotph said:
I have this problem too. For a few weeks now I have been getting occasional picture and sound breakup for a few seconds (pixellation)
Click to expand...
Just be aware there have been transmitter engineering works recently/currently, depending on your transmitter. So unless tests reveal some definite issue with your machine I wouldn't embark on anything major until these works are finished and you are then still getting problems.
 
slotph said:
I have this problem too. For a few weeks now I have been getting occasional picture and sound breakup for a few seconds (pixellation) and was wondering if my HDD is on the blink. The PVR is now 11 years old and I've been wondering whether to replace it with a new Aura machine, but I use the old Fox partly for audio recordings and need the RCA output to my stereo system; the Aura has an optical audio output only and I would need a DAC to interface with the stereo. And I definitely DO NOT want Google/Android TV! Should I install the custom firmware to flush the HDD?
Click to expand...
Sounds to be a different problem to me as it's occasional rather than 'regular' timing.

No harm in installing the CF and using the disk diagnostics though.
READ the faq manuals and stuff first. There's quite a bit of (not difficult) learning about what the whole thing does and what you need to install to do things.

Check if you've been leafletted by https://restoretv.uk/ as the recordings may be made at a different time to live viewing. Also go over cables and leads to ensure cross-interference of hdmi to aerial leads isn't an issue (when recording but doing something else on the TV, perhaps)?
 
Thanks, Rodders53. I've installed the CF but haven't yet tried to access it via Telnet. Under Settings I see the same software version as before (1.03.12) and nothing to indicate the presence of any new software (last update in 2014). I see the original software has a "Check HDD" option and this finds no HDD defects. I did get a new Sony TV last March and the issue may have arisen since then, so I suppose crosstalk between HDMI and the aerial/antenna cable is a possibility – will check.
 
slotph said:
Under Settings I see the same software version as before (1.03.12) and nothing to indicate the presence of any new software (last update in 2014).
Click to expand...
The custom firmware works alongside the Humax software; it doesn't replace the Humax software. You should see a message on the front panel display when you boot the Humax which shows the custom firmware version.
 
slotph said:
Under Settings I see the same software version as before (1.03.12) and nothing to indicate the presence of any new software (last update in 2014). I see the original software has a "Check HDD" option and this finds no HDD defects.
Click to expand...
That is as a should be and is the same for everybody.
Have a read of the 3rd paragraph of the 1st Section (Background) of
wiki.hummy.tv

Custom Firmware Overview

wiki.hummy.tv wiki.hummy.tv

One method of seeing which version of custom firmware you have installed is to look at the front display when you boot up the HDR-FOX T2 from deep standby. I.e. use the remote or the front display to turn it off, and wait until the HDD stops spinning and then turn it on again.
 
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