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Signal strength with all the usual checks done, eg splitters

Discussion in 'Digital TV - UK & Europe' started by AbsDigi, Jan 8, 2012.

  1. AbsDigi

    AbsDigi Regular member

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    If signal strength varies from 88 (eg ITV1) to 56 (eg Sky 1) and I am not using splitters, is that definitely a problem that means I should ask the VM engineer to improve the signal? And if so, what reason can I give? :) Is there a way of knowing your signal strength on a conventional Samsung VM box and thus being able to explain to them why you think it is too low?
     
  2. cactikid

    cactikid Active member

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    i think your vm box is freezing and glitching is it not,and no kv box remote and anything in sight.yes.
     
  3. AbsDigi

    AbsDigi Regular member

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    No-It is not glitching. I am just concerned that the signal strength is 56-88 and Quality is 43-65.Would a signal booster help?
     
  4. darn24p

    darn24p Regular member

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    yes it would help i used to have a problem like this when i was trying to watch discovery it would glitch and freeze so i go a booster that goes both ways so internet would still be ok and it sorted everything i had 2 modems and 4 boxes on at 1 point in my house everything ran spot on.i bought it from flebay ( Cable TV Booster Signal Amplifier Konig Broadband NTL )
     
  5. AbsDigi

    AbsDigi Regular member

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    Thanks, darn24p. Is there a problem though with boosters? They add to the noise as well, so it can make things distorted?
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2012
  6. MICKAH

    MICKAH Active member

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    Why buy a booster? as I said before, ring VM and tell them the pic is breaking up etc, even if its not as those levels are to low and will cause issues with a Krypt tuner, even if its not causing probs on your VM box, they will need to increase the signal and perhaps replace cabling, if your paying for your service get them to do then leg work and spend the money.

    Dont know why folks are in a hurry to run out and spend money on stuff when all the need to do is ring the provider and get them to sort it out
     
  7. AbsDigi

    AbsDigi Regular member

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    Thanks, MICKAH. But it also means letting an engineer into the house and having to disconnect all my equipment-That can cause problems :(
    And not everyone agrees with your view that 56 is too low-These boxes are made for the European market where signals are much higher apparently and often there is very little they can do here to boost signal-It depends on how far one is from the local VM supply and one's broadband connection for example
     
  8. MICKAH

    MICKAH Active member

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    they are made for the UK mate, not europe, they have never worked in Europe apart from Ireland which is the same if not similar platform as the UK, not europe, sorry to say but 56 is to low, regardless of what ya been told or who is telling you this, not sure what or where you are getting the info from, but yes they can increase the signal or lower it, as if your a BbAnd customer only, they lower the signal of the TV as many customers have found out, we have been tellign folks this for years.

    Lastly your neighbour who could have hacked into the cable up the road from ya illegally will have a knock on effect on your signal and others if done incorrectly, bad cabling will do this or a degraded cable will cause issues, but if your cable in the house to your box is of sound order, then problem lies with your provider, so if you want to go out a buy a booster then by all means, thats really up to yourself, as what your saying above aint correct and not sure who is telling you that, if that were the case those in a rural area would be, lets say no TV and more issues than most, this aint the case
     
  9. AbsDigi

    AbsDigi Regular member

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    That's the problem with all these experts-So many well established names on these boards give different opinions! That comment about Europe and signals came from a response to a question about this issue and from a reliable person :)
     
  10. MICKAH

    MICKAH Active member

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    Been round the block a while now mate and anytime I see signals that low, I can tell ya what issues ya will have, its the same with a signal thats to high, the pic breaks up as the tuner can't handle it, really up to yerself what ya wanna do, just giving ya mey honest opinion and experience.

    Anyone who knows boxs know these boxs are not made for the europe market, they are made for the UK platform and used in conjunction with firmware that is made for it, they have never been used anywhere elese in europe, so that info aint correct, lastly the info about being miles away from the supply is just cobblers, this is cable TV, not ham radio.

    Your signal is low and unless its boosted to approx 75% you will get issues, simple as that. Either pay for a booster or contact the provider. Thats the long and short of it
     
  11. AbsDigi

    AbsDigi Regular member

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    To MICKAH- You have always been the person I respect more than others on these various message boards (For the record, cactikid is second :) ) And therefore I take your views very seriously. I have sent you a PM with a link to the message which I mentioned in a previous message
    Can a poor signal be improved by a booster or does it need to start at more than 56? I am really anxious to avoid inviting any Vermin (!) into the house and knowing my luck, they'll ask to use the loo and then start wandering around the house :)
    Are all the yellow signal boosters one sees on the net for about £25-30 good enough for the job?
    Thanks again
     
  12. MICKAH

    MICKAH Active member

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    the Konig ones are one of the best, try fleabay or skywonder etc, those cheap ones can cause more hassle and noise than anything else
     
  13. AbsDigi

    AbsDigi Regular member

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    I have seen a Konig which was mentioned on another message board recently. Will it definitely fit into the back of my Kryptview?
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2012
  14. MICKAH

    MICKAH Active member

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    [​IMG]

    Yip, a simple cable from the booster to the back of the box as per above
     
  15. AbsDigi

    AbsDigi Regular member

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    And it is definitely the correct match? I got a shock when I noticed last year that the back of a Starview is completely different from the back of a Kryptview and I had to remove something from the end of my cable wire :)
     
  16. MICKAH

    MICKAH Active member

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    yeah SV is push in and KV is the screw in type, but the connections above are screw in,
     
  17. AbsDigi

    AbsDigi Regular member

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    Yes and it took me over an hour to work that out last year :) I should have put a message on here instead :) What I can't remember is how I got the Starview push in bit to add to my cable in the first place :) It certainly didn't come from a Vermin engineer :)
     
  18. cactikid

    cactikid Active member

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    boxes used to come with an adapter years ago maybe not now,always in the bag that got thrown out with the instructions,i agree with mick signal to low,needs to be around 75% for quality viewing,and less chance of missing channels on a scan.
     
  19. AbsDigi

    AbsDigi Regular member

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    I discovered earlier today that I have been using a Two Way splitter since 2001 and didn't even realise it :) It is in the room next door and I never noticed any signal problems when I had a D Box or Starview but I didn't have the % in those days :) Should I replace it with an F Connector Coupler?
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2012
  20. cactikid

    cactikid Active member

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    if its a cheap one yes,or remove it altogether just to check with the kv connected to the main line and then check the signal and quality readings then.you want to see what difference between with and without splitter.
     

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