Pixelated image on BBC 1 HD and BBC 2 HD on Freesat

manysolo

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Hi,

I have recently purchased LG's UM7450PLA - it comes with both Freesat and Freeview tuners. I ran the autotune for Freesat and everything was found as expected. Problem is, when I view BBC 1 HD and BBC 2 HD (or their regional variants) the images are pixelated and unwatchable. The other HD channels are displayed perfectly and the non-HD BBC 1 / 2 are displayed normally. My previous set (a Bravia running through a Manhattan box) had no issues with the channels. I previously had Sky Q too, should that hint at the cause.

Does anyone know of a potential solution? The set will have to go back if this isn't resolved and only have a few days to return it under the distance selling reg.

Thanks
 
on your tv go to settings
programmes ( tv programme lists etc)
at the bottom is a signal test option
open this and it will tell you the strengh and quality of your tv signals
mine show about 6,
you can check each one.
your problem sounds like poor tv reception, could be ariel or tv coax connections.
test the signal, if all good then connections....then if still no good .....its a fault on the tv?
 
your problem sounds like poor tv reception, could be ariel or tv coax connections

The OP is complaining of poor Satellite reception only on certain channels.
It has nothing to do with his terrestrial aerial.
 
Morning.

I only managed to find the overall signal strength (98%) and quality (100%), not for individual channels. Good news is the retailer is bringing me a new set today, which they'll swap for the existing.

TBH I don't have much faith in the issue being resolved however prudent to check, to ensure I don't currently have a lemon.

I feel that the issue is likely to be caused by the LG's tuner, not being up to the job (I however know diddly about televisions, their performance and signals and hope to be proven wrong when the new device arrives).

When it's set up, I'll post the success / failure here, should anyone with the same issue benefit from the information.
 
Will add, the rationale behind "LG's tuner, not being up to the job" is that across the numerous forum posts I'd worked through here and elsewhere, with hope of finding a solution, it's implied that the BBC 1 HD and BBC 2 HD transmissions are somehow (can neither confirm nor explain) technologically different to others (hence no issues with performance on other HD channels or on non-HD BBC 1 / 2).

If anyone has any knowledge on the above (even to set me straight), would love to hear it.

Always possible that my dish, cabling, set config are something else are the cause.

Plus - if anyone has a 50UM7450PLA running on Freesat and you can view BBC 1 HD and BBC 2 HD with no issues, please let me know here.
 
@manysolo: How did you find the SS and SQ values please? According to LG, this isn't possible on my LG 49SM8500PLA TV, which has Freesat. I have an LG TV in my kitchen that has a generic tuner. If I start the process of adding Astra 28.2 again, I can get readings, but they look odd, SS wildly fluctuating between 67 and 100%, although SQ is steady at 100%. Other Freesat kit that I have (Humax) doesn't show those wild variations. Of course, these checks are nothing but a handy indicator, and are no substitute for proper test kit. When I asked LG technical about this (see thread: Question - LG TVs with Freesat: how to check satellite signal strength and quality?) I was told that these facilities weren't available, as my LG had a simple Freesat overlay on a generic DSAT tuner and the facility was therefore not possible! That's inexcusible, and my LG TV is the only piece of DSAT/Freesat kit that I've owed over the years where you can't check SS and SQ. However, from what I can make out, the core WebOS software is common to all LG TVs, so I'm hoping that you might be able to give me some pointers that might help. If you're just using the check that @basserphil suggested above, then my TV doesn't have that option, and frankly I can't understand why not if other LG TVs discussed here do.

Sigh, Clem
 
Morning,

In the sixty minutes following my previous message, my replacement tv has been delivered and tuned.

Result is ...

BBC One HD and BBC Two HD display as expected - no pixelation / display / sound issues. So it seems the LG tuner is fine (sorry for badmouthing LG) and all's well with the world. My first set WAS a lemon!

Pleased I returned it as had previously decided to keep the original set and not worry about the HD versions of those channels. Wonderful.

Clem - I followed the instructions in this video to navigate to the signal strength / quality status. Admittedly not easy to find and don't think I would have got there without the video.

Thanks to all that offered their time and guidance.
 
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@manysolo: Thanks for the heads-up. Funnily enough, I got all the way through those steps shown in the video (before you mentioned it) but bailed-out, selecting No, rather than Yes. What the video doesn’t show is what to do next. My guess is to use the X on the top right hand corner of the screen, but I wonder if I’ll then end-up with two entries for Astra. What did you do to cancel the set-up please?

The other thing of course is there’s no indication exactly what’s checking, but I suppose something is better than nothing. I suppose that altering the transponder might be an option.

Clem
 
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Oh dear, I spoke to soon.

Pixelated pictures have returned for BBC One HD and BBC Two HD.

Wondering if it was non-HD content that was fine and HD content caused issues.

Will contact LG again (received a "We will contact you within 24 hours" email about three days ago, after submitting a support ticket).

Balls.

Clem - It's possible not to proceed with the set-up - when you've arrived at the screen that displays the signal's strength and quality, use either the 'x' in the upper-right or the back button to exit the screens.
 
@manysolo: it may well be worth getting your satellite setup checked. It sounds like that you might have a dish alignment issue, cable problem or iffy LNB. I had something similar recently. My Humax Freesat PVR started reporting failed recordings, but when I checked everything seemed OK. However, the LNB was gradually failing, and I like you was having issues on the HD channels, which are generally the only ones that I tend to record. Once the LNB was replaced, the problem went away. One failed TV is a possibility, but for two that would suggest something else.

Clem
 
Clem - the dish was installed one year ago (by Sky, which I've just canned, hence Freesat). The signal's strength and quality are as near to perfect as can be. Will chase LG and get someone out.
 
@manysolo: Do you have another Freesat device that you could try? It just seems odd to me that two new TVs would fail in exactly the same way. It’s possible of course that there’s a batch/manufacturing fault, but I think that there would have been more reports about it.

I still think it worthwhile to get your dish checked, but use an independent installer. Just because the dish is only a year or so old doesn’t guarantee that it’s fault-free. It could be a very minor alignment issue, water ingress into the cable, etc. An LG guy coming round will probably suggest something similar, unless of course you do have a fault. It’s a process of elimination. A satellite guy can check/fix/rule out the dish side of things and check things all the way to the back of the TV. If all is good it can only be the TV, or maybe some sort of external interference, which is unlikely.

Clem
 
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I had, still get a similar problem with an LG Tv signal break up. Found out that a nowtv box was interferring, as soon as I unplug picture came back. Now I wonder whether theres an issue with EM sheilding on the Lg Tv (older 6 yrs 3d) tuner or possibly the coax cables are failing to prevent EM from the nowtv box. Moved the box a metre or two away still get issues and have to unplug it to watch terresterial tv, but it's still near aerial coax, so could be something simliar. Get a soundbar or similar next to tv's?
 
I had, still get a similar problem with an LG Tv signal break up. Found out that a nowtv box was interferring, as soon as I unplug picture came back. Now I wonder whether theres an issue with EM sheilding on the Lg Tv (older 6 yrs 3d) tuner or possibly the coax cables are failing to prevent EM from the nowtv box

More likely to have been the HDMI cable.
These are known to radiate spurious RF and can cause pixelation and pic & sound breakup.
There have been plenty of reports of this in our Freeview forum and price paid for the cable isn't a factor as expensive cables have also been guilty.
To test for this just unplug the HDMI cable at both ends from any equipment connected to the TV and see if the symptoms disappear.
 
I'll have a go at this. Thanks
Picture of your LNB could help.
2 cable connections only = Q lnb. 6 connections= hybrid (supports both Q and standard sat). 4 or 8 = standard lnb.

NB ITV HD transmit with the exact same parameters as BBC HD transponders. http://www.digitalbitrate.com/dtv.php?live=69&mux=11954&liste=2&lang=en

I'd be tempted to try an attenuator with power pass to reduce the signal in to see if that makes any difference (signal overloading the tuner?). e.g. https://cpc.farnell.com/sac/ae5206dc/f-type-attenuator-6db-dc-pass/dp/AP02301 (NB always connect such devices with a cable to any socket to minimise any strain on the connection to the TV tuner direct connection could impose).
 
I think the above quote from manysolo says it well enough @Rodders53
And what have I done to offend you @SeeMoreDigital ?
I never watch You Tube video links so have no idea what was said in it.

EDIT in any case AIUI a $ky Q lnb into a standard receiver would likely result in NO reception at all (or at best only some transponders) rather than interference on a few BBC HD ones?
 
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Hi, manysolo, did you crack the problem?

I have EXACTLY the same issue.

Peace
Davo
 

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