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Thread ID: 60447	2005-08-02 04:04:00	Improving TV reception	Morgenmuffel (187)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
377490	2005-10-03 01:22:00	Well I had originally thought of something along the lines of thesky option, but well i don't really want to spend much money, as for tuning through the VCR, my VCR has a fault on the aerial in connection and is much worse than the tvs tuning (only good for playing vids, not recording) If my 20 years experience installing aerials overseas and in Queenstown I can say that your main problem is something you can not do much about. That is from the experience that you are receiving TV1 and TV2 on VHF Low Band which is prone to interference. Somebody in Queenstown had imported a cordless phone from US. Using those US imported phones is illegal in NZ as they interfere with Channel 1 frequency and in fact it was possible to listen the owners phone conversation by tuning the channel a bit off the TV1 frequency. Radio Frequency Service caught those people and problem went away until someone else started using similar phones. Saying that you can improve the signal by replacing your aerial and it looks like it is in bad shape. Prepare to pay 200-400 dollars for a whole installation by qualified installer who do a good job. You could also call in neigbours "electrician" who does a cheap job but does not know what is a balun or desibel. Good luck!	Gadgetman (8643)
377491	2005-10-03 02:48:00	Hi Nigel. Have you talked to anyone at the Radio Spectrum Management office of the Economic Development Ministry? Sound wierd I know, but a few years ago - about 5 - I contacted their office in Nelson and one of their engineers spent two evenings walking around our rural (50 km from Nelson) area in the dark with a small antennae and a torch for looking up at power poles. He eventually found the intereference on a power pole short. He was a nice guy and took the matter very seriously. He wrote to the council requiring them to fix the short too. Their initial response was to send me a multi-page booklet with a variety of faults illustrated, a sort of do-it-youself diagnosis, which I had to send back to them and which eventually produced the engineer's visits.	Scouse (83)
377492	2005-10-03 07:19:00	Nigel - the signal comes from the transmitter at Hedgehope - not Bluff. You can see the tower on the Hokonuis, (near Gore) if you stand on your roof. In fact you can see it from most of Southland. Aim the aerial at it. Tritec at 33 Dome Street is near you and have specialised in aerials for years. Give them a try. I haven't had a problem with reception since a new aerial 12 years ago. Prime is a bit grainy. And I have to agree with the others - a satellite dish is the way to go.	Winston001 (3612)
377493	2005-10-10 08:43:00	Reception on TV1 has always been a problem because of the low frequency it uses . I too have a similar problem, but not as bad as you, it seems . Two suggestions: view TV1 through your VCR, as the VCR amplifies the signal and may help . Change the coax . You are, no doubt, using the old black 75 ohm . Buy some white low loss 75 ohm coax- the same coax that they use with the Sky dishes . It is SOOOO much better . Also check all your masthead and other connections . If it is anything like mine, it will become rusty over time . Once contacts are clean it is an idea to smear them liberally with grease to stop corrosion . And while you are checking connections have a look at the two small boxes on the masthead for corrosion . One converts the 300 ohm aerial to 75 ohm for the coax and the other combines your VHF and UHF . It would not hurt to clean the connections there as well . If necessary, replace . Hope that helps . Sorry, but I can't do anything about the low frequency . Roscoe .	Roscoe (6288)
377494	2005-10-10 08:58:00	have you ever had good picture on TV1?? if so then what changed? as has also been said, clean all connections and put in new cable.	robsonde (120)
377495	2005-10-10 10:23:00	Two suggestions: view TV1 through your VCR, as the VCR amplifies the signal and may help. they don't amplify the signal. if anything they actual loose a small fraction of the signal. some tuners are simply more sensitive (or low noise). Change the coax. You are, no doubt, using the old black 75 ohm. Buy some white low loss 75 ohm coax- the same coax that they use with the Sky dishes. It is SOOOO much better. at the low frenquencies it makes no difference what so ever. also there is no difference between black or white cable (actually some of the old white cable was indoor use only as UV used degrade the outer plastic sheath). if the old cable has had water in it or is faulty then replace it.	tweak'e (69)
377496	2005-10-10 19:37:00	They don't amplify the signal . if anything they actual loose a small fraction of the signal . some tuners are simply more sensitive (or low noise) . I disagree, all early VCRs and many later models did include a stage of amplification in the antenna input/output stage . Some even included a hi/lo gain switch . I have no doubt that the later crop of bare-bones VCRs lack this feature, but all 5 of my current VCRs provided some signal amplification (4 x Panasonic & 1 Mitsubishi) . However, amplifying a crappy signal just gives you stronger crap . While I am at it, Roscoe's comment on TV1 signals is also incorrect . Low band signals suffer less loss over the transmission path, and in the coax, and is generally speaking the last signal to be lost in poor reception conditions . The problem for the originator of this thread was a terminally stuffed antenna, combiner, coax combination . Overhauling the antenna, replacing the combiner & balun and running new coax would work wonders . Simply shortening the coax would not cure the rest of the ills . Of course any antenna system is only as good as the weakest link, and in my (practical) experience, the mess made by most home-owners/amateurs when trying to wire a coax plug can destroy any hope of a good signal from the best of installations . Cheers Billy 8-{)	Billy T (70)
377497	2005-10-10 22:00:00	I disagree, all early VCRs and many later models did include a stage of amplification in the antenna input/output stage. Some even included a hi/lo gain switch. I have no doubt that the later crop of bare-bones VCRs lack this feature, but all 5 of my current VCRs provided some signal amplification (4 x Panasonic & 1 Mitsubishi). opps i forgot about those. i havn't seen one in a long long time. mind you the hi/low signal switch also looks like hi/low fequency switch. all thats gone these days with UHF modulators.	tweak'e (69)
377498	2005-10-10 23:38:00	Gee this old thread has taken on a life of it's own Channel 1 is watchable always (not a perfect picture all the time, but never to bad) Channel 2 is now the only one that ever becomes unwatchable, channel 3 is always fine channel 4 is always fine Prime is always a bit grainy (but that seems to be normal) Southland tv is normally quite good Maori Tv (about the same as prime although some times a bit worse) Of course any antenna system is only as good as the weakest link, and in my (practical) experience, the mess made by most home-owners/amateurs when trying to wire a coax plug can destroy any hope of a good signal from the best of installations . I have never really been shown how to wire these up, i have always copied one I had to fix years ago, but everything has always worked, so unless there was an error with the original years ago, i should be doing it fine . I am trying to do all this stuff on the cheap as our house is a bit of a doer upperer (ready money trap) and I would rather spend the money on something important Cheers and thanks for all the help	Morgenmuffel (187)
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