Weak HD signal with Humax Fox T2

[GlasgowJohn]

I live in the G13 area and have a communal aerial. My Humax Fox T2 PVR gives excellent reception on all channels all of the time EXCEPT on the HD channels which are either weak or no signal at all. I already use a plug-in aerial signal booster.

Would I benefit from a stronger aerial signal booster, do I need to think of purchasing my own personal aerial or is there some other (tuning?) remedy to sort this issue?

I would be grateful for your input.
Thanks
John

 

[Boostrail]

OK Hi

As you are one of the few on here who know how to spell aerial and grateful you deserve some help!

Firstly is your communal aerial horizontal (bars horizontal) and pointing (long axis) towards the Black Hill transmitter? (ie toward Edinburgh - its about half way between). If the bars are vertical and or the aerial is pointing elsewhere please report back with info.

Have you tried removing your signal booster and connecting the HFT2 direct to the aerial? Since DSO there have been many instances of the signal level being too high.

When you say the HD channels are weak - what do you observe?

Please advise.

 

[grahamlthompson]

Talk to your neighbours. The communal aerial may need the filter settings changing to pass the HD mux, if your neighbours have the same problem contact the management company.

 

[GlasgowJohn]

Thanks for your replies.
There is no communal aerial to see...non of my neighbours know where it is or who maintains it. I have spent a while trying to find out about it. For this reason i cannot speak to anyone about it nor answer your question re horizontal/vertical bars Boostrail. Many of my neibours either have Sky or do not have HD so there are no comparisons to make there either.

I have tried removing the signal booster and connecting the HFT2 direct to the aerial and the result is absolutely no signal to the HD cahannels whatsover. When the signal booster is being used the HD channels may all be working fine OR they may work well for a while followed by pixel breakup OR there may be nothing with the error message "The signal is ether scrambled or too weak". I hope this helps.

 

[grahamlthompson]

Thanks for your replies.
There is no communal aerial to see...non of my neighbours know where it is or who maintains it. I have spent a while trying to find out about it. For this reason i cannot speak to anyone about it nor answer your question re horizontal/vertical bars Boostrail. Many of my neibours either have Sky or do not have HD so there are no comparisons to make there either.

I have tried removing the signal booster and connecting the HFT2 direct to the aerial and the result is absolutely no signal to the HD cahannels whatsover. When the signal booster is being used the HD channels may all be working fine OR they may work well for a while followed by pixel breakup OR there may be nothing with the error message "The signal is ether scrambled or too weak". I hope this helps.

Without finding out where the coax goes to it's going to be near impossible to help. Have you a loft space ?

 

[GlasgowJohn]

Hi Graham
Yes, I have loft space. I am also going to try and find neighbours who have lived here a while and may know more about the communal arerial.

 

[grahamlthompson]

Hi Graham
Yes, I have loft space. I am also going to try and find neighbours who have lived here a while and may know more about the communal arerial.

Is there an aerial in there or any kit with coaxial connections ?

 

[GlasgowJohn]

No Graham nothing like that at all in the loft.
You asked about the signal booster (as i call it)
It is a "Maxview PSB 2c specification. Gain control range 20db. Gain typical 9.5 per unit".

 

[grahamlthompson]

No Graham nothing like that at all in the loft.
You asked about the signal booster (as i call it)
It is a "Maxview PSB 2c specification. Gain control range 20db. Gain typical 9.5 per unit".

That's an amplifier which resolves the question that it might have been a power supply for an amplifier somewhere else. Looks like you need to find the communal aerial and identify who is responsible for it.

 

[Tight Git]

I am also going to try and find neighbours who have lived here a while and may know more about the communal arerial.

(Oh dear, you've just spoiled Boostrail's day! )

Communal aerials are usually the responsibility of your Landlord, although he'll most likely sub-contract to a local firm.

Is there anything in your lease T&C's?

 

[GlasgowJohn]

Hi Graham SORRY FOR THE TYPO...."aerial" ...seee, I can still do it. WHERE IS Boostrail these days?!

Im afraid I dont know the difference between a "signal booster" and "amplifier" and what they do

 

[grahamlthompson]

Hi Graham SORRY FOR THE TYPO...."aerial" ...seee, I can still do it. WHERE IS Boostrail these days?!

Im afraid I dont know the difference between a "signal booster" and "amplifier" and what they do

TG commented on the typo - just a bit of fun.

There isn't any difference. They increase the strength of the signal (boost it).
They also amplify and introduce noise as well. Because they need power they can be directly plugged in to a power source or the power can be provided by a seperate box located by a power point and use the coax to send the power. Amplifiers should be mounted as close to the aerial as possible so unwanted signals picked up on the coax connections aren't amplified as well. It's not too convenient to run an extention lead to the top of a 20ft mast

 

[GlasgowJohn]

Thank you Graham
The irony is that all four HD channels have/are giving a good recetion for the past 3 days! Maybe you work by remote control

 

[grahamlthompson]

Thank you Graham
The irony is that all four HD channels have/are giving a good recetion for the past 3 days! Maybe you work by remote control

Maybe your landlord is a AV Forum reader and he/she has made the required filter change

Communal aerial systems generally have filters that only pass the uhf channels from the appropriate transmitter. Prevents all sorts of problems from multi-transmitter reception using autotuning that those of us with our own aerials have to solve by manually tuning our Freeview kit Good idea but of course if it's not kept up to date then you get missing multiplexes when the transmitter channel allocation changes.

 

[GlasgowJohn]

I have discovered that the communal aerial is maintained by Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) who provide an engineer to visit to resolve issues for the tennants. Even though i am not in a GHA property i can apparently use this service. Next time the HD signals disappears i will do that.

 

[GlasgowJohn]

Just to bring this thread to a close ( hopefully, i think!) the HD channels have consistantly been fine for more than a week now. I have no explanation for this (unless Graham is correct and GHA is a member of this forum! Thank you for your help and comments

 

[Gavtech]

Just to bring this thread to a close ( hopefully, i think!) the HD channels have consistantly been fine for more than a week now. I have no explanation for this (unless Graham is correct and GHA is a member of this forum! Thank you for your help and comments

Thanks for reporting back.