Picture Quality/Breakup

[Nontech]

I have a HDR-FoxT2 Recorder & I'm getting picture breakup on HD channels.
I know I live in a area of perhaps marginal reception.
Going into the box menu on BBC1/2 HD I'm getting 60% signal strength & 100% quality, & on BBC3 HD I'm getting 50% signal strength.
Are these figures typical, think I'm on the Tacolneston Transmitter?

 

[MartinLiddle]

Going into the box menu on BBC1/2 HD I'm getting 60% signal strength & 100% quality, & on BBC3 HD I'm getting 50% signal strength.

What is the signal quality on BBC3 HD?

Are these figures typical, think I'm on the Tacolneston Transmitter?

50% signal strength should be plenty good enough for satisfactory reception.

 

[Nontech]

Martin, Thanks for reply.
The BBC3 HD quality is 100%

Any ideas for the break up, with 50/60% strength?
PS I'm now off to bed!

 

[Black Hole]

Is that running the Menu >> Settings >> System >> Signal Detection process rather than just looking at the bars at the bottom right of the info panel? If so, keep an eye on the quality figure for a couple of minutes and see if there are any drop-outs.

Presuming not, breakups on HiDef are indicative of disk problems. Are you a CF user? If so, check the disk diagnostics on the diagnostics page of the WebIF.

 

[Nontech]

Thanks for replies.
I'm using Menu/Settings/System/Signal detection to get the figures.
Just done another trial over 2 minutes on each station & noted
1 BBC1HD Strength 48/50%, stable. Quality 100% but 3 quick drops to 5/30%
2 BBC2HD, Strength 46/50% stable, but Quality 100% but quick drops to 5%
3 ITVHD (Chan.103)Strength 48/50% stable, Quality 100% but 2 quick drops to 5%
4 Chan 4 HD Quality many drops to 5%
5 BBC3HD, strength 48% stable, Quality quite a few drops from 100 to 5%


Can I also add:- That the TV is 10 years old, Sony KDL-V40A12U, but generally a good picture.
In the past, have not noted this picture break up except in poor weather conditions
Would a new/better HDMI cable help?
If not any other ideas/advice.

Also I do not understand comment are you a CF user/webIF (I assume I'm not a user as if I was I would understand the coding, but would be pleased to know what it means)

 

[MartinLiddle]

I'm using Menu/Settings/System/Signal detection to get the figures.
Just done another trial over 2 minutes on each station & noted
1 BBC1HD Strength 48/50%, stable. Quality 100% but 3 quick drops to 5/30%
2 BBC2HD, Strength 46/50% stable, but Quality 100% but quick drops to 5%
3 ITVHD (Chan.103)Strength 48/50% stable, Quality 100% but 2 quick drops to 5%
4 Chan 4 HD Quality many drops to 5%

Th quick drops will be the cause of the picture break up. Feels like interference to me but not certain. First thing to do is make sure the aerial leads are well away from the HDMI cable and any other potential source of interference. Hopefully someone else has better ideas.

 

[Black Hole]

4G interference maybe?

By the way, all those listed services are on the same multiplex, so the reception figures will all be the same (any variations are just differences that would be recorded over a period of time, regardless of which actual service you were viewing when going to Signal Detection). If you noticed, the Signal Detection screen showed the same channel number each time.

 

[Black Hole]

Also I do not understand comment are you a CF user/webIF (I assume I'm not a user as if I was I would understand the coding, but would be pleased to know what it means)

See link in my signature panel below every post: Custom Firmware (CF)

WebIF means Web Interface, which is the browser control panel for the CF (allowing the user to tweak and control the HDR-FOX via the home network).

See also Glossary

 

[Trev]

Also I do not understand comment are you a CF user/webIF (I assume I'm not a user as if I was I would understand the coding, but would be pleased to know what it means)

It means are you using the custom firmware(CF) developed by subscribers here and giving the ability to do all kinds of interesting stuff on the T2 including a Web Interface (WebIF) that allows your T2 to be accessed by a PC on your network?
EDIT. Cross post with BH

 

[Black Hole]

Can I also add:- That the TV is 10 years old, Sony KDL-V40A12U, but generally a good picture. In the past, have not noted this picture break up except in poor weather conditions

It's nothing to do with the TV. The TV is just acting as a display device for the HDR-FOX, and it is the HDR-FOX that is reporting the quality drop-offs. I would expect the TV (when using its own tuner) to show similar problems, but it would not be terribly surprising if it didn't because it has a different tuner with different characteristics.

Would a new/better HDMI cable help?

How? The HDR-FOX shows quality drop-offs at the receiver, so the picture it sends down the HDMI lead (which is no different from your computer sending a picture to the monitor over some kind of lead, be that outside or inside the case) is faulty at source - the faults are not being introduced by the HDMI lead.

In any case, HDMI (up to a couple of metres in length) either works or it doesn't. It is far more likely to affect other (analogue) signal cables around it (eg the TV aerial lead) than be affected by them. This is not the type of effect we would expect to see if the HDMI lead was affecting your TV aerial lead - you get total signal loss in those cases.

 

[Trev]

Don't think the KDL-V40A12U has an HD tuner. The spec says HD Ready.

the faults are not being introduced by the HDMI lead.

Unless it's really badly screened and generating a load of RF mush. This sounds unlikely though, as the OP has implied that the problem has only recently been evident.

 

[Black Hole]

I grant you that; I was making a general statement.

 

[Nontech]

Have ensured that the HDMI lead is well away from the Aerial lead, gone into BBC1HD with the same/similar results, drops in Quality to 30% & pixilating on picture.

I can't understand the comment made by Trev that the TV does not have a HD tuner, comments on this please.
Also any other ideas on problem solution.?

 

[Black Hole]

I can't understand the comment made by Trev that the TV does not have a HD tuner, comments on this please.

You really are "non-tech", aren't you.

The HiDef services are transmitted by a method which is not compatible with early (or budget) TV tuners, and a TV with a screen able to display at least 1280x720 pixels but only a StDef tuner is described in the marketing blurb as "HD Ready" - ie it can display a HiDef picture if fed from and external source by HDMI (eg a blu-ray player), but it is not able to receive and decode HiDef broadcasts itself.

I'll add that to the Glossary.

 

[Nontech]

Black Hole,
Perhaps my wording was inaccurate re the HD Tuner.
I was trying to say that in the past I have had HD quality pictures & hence feel that the Spec. of the TV was acceptable for HD
Also if the manufacture, Sony, said it was HD ready I assume that I would get HD quality pictures.
When I select the "I" for information button on the Humax remote I get the information the it's 1080i/HD
My only problem now is picture break up which has not occurred in the past.
Any ideas of a solution?

 

[Black Hole]

Also if the manufacture, Sony, said it was HD ready I assume that I would get HD quality pictures.

Like I said, "HD Ready" means it can display HiDef if provided from an external source via HDMI, but is not capable of receiving HiDef broadcasts directly.

When I select the "I" for information button on the Humax remote I get the information the it's 1080i/HD

That means the Humax is sending 1920x1080 interlaced video over the HDMI, it has no control over what the TV actually does with that. Depending on the TV's settings, if the TV has a 1920x1080 screen it will probably display as-is, and a TV with a 1280x720 screen will scale it accordingly.

My only problem now is picture break up which has not occurred in the past.
Any ideas of a solution?

You are getting intermittent signal interference which is affecting your reception. It may be only affecting the HiDef mux because of the transmission channel (what transmitter are you on?), or it may be affecting all the services but the DVB-T encoding is overcoming it.

I have speculated it may be due to 4G mobile services starting up in your area. Also it could be due to something in your immediate proximity, such as a dimmer switch starting to fail or a microwave oven being used. Even a freezer could do it if the thermostat has started arcing.

 

[Nontech]

As said in initial post, I'm on Tacolneston Transmitter.
We have no dimmer switches/& the microwave was not being used during the problem times, as to the freezer it seems OK.
As to 4G I'm not sure if this has started in the area, Post Code IP19.
So it looks as if there is not a solution?

 

[jack616]

Buy a plug in amplifier (about £10) and boost the signal on that mux to at least 70% (The magic figure I have found for drop-out muxes where everything else is normal)
Then check you are not overdriving the other channels (I'd suggest not to go over 80% on them when you do this if possible)
Buy an amp with built in 4G filter AND adjustment. Never buy one you can't turn up and down.

I have used an SLX2P filter that plugs directly into a power socket with some success with a similar problem.
Also identify the direction of the transmitter from your aerial and look for any trees or similar moving objects
that could cause drop-outs. (I had a problem with a crane once) I think B&Q used to sell those filters - or maplin or amazon maybe.

If you are near an airport see if the approach is between you and the transmitter (I've had this issue twice)
People will tell you aeroplanes dont make a difference - they are wrong. Whether it's the plane itself
or radar/radio comms interfering I have no idea but something can. Many airfields have different approaches
in summer and winter so look for that in the long term.

Also (something of a suprise) the aviation authority is experimenting with WiFi as a replacement
for radar on approaches and take-offs - this could be an issue but I can't really see it being yours.
My guess is trees.

Also heavy duty electrical noise on the mains can be a problem - central heating boilers, arc welders etc.

PS - "HD ready" is not the same as "HD compatible" in my experience.

hope that helps.

 

[Black Hole]

All good advice, although I'm not sure about the need for an amp. A mains filter in line with the Humax sounds a good idea, and it should prolong the life of the PSU.

From Tacolneston your HiDef mux is channel 50, and your highest channel is 59, so 4G interference is reasonably unlikely.

My advice, if you can't find a solution, is to get in a reputable aerial man.

 

[Nontech]

We already have, in the attic/loft, a Labgear Muliway Distribution Amplifier type 262.
So does this rule out the "Mains filter"?
If not is there a suggested type, or is the SLX2P filter mentioned the type to get?
We do not live near an airport/ there are no trees near by.
Also remember this problem has only just started