Problem with TV signal for getting Freeview, Sky TV and analogue TV

[barryk]

Hello PressF1 forum,

During the recent bouts of heavy rain on the North Shore, the heavy rain appears to have really mucked up the Freeview TV reception . What happens is that either the entire signal is lost resulting in the "No signal" message appearing on the TV screen or some of the signal gets lost resulting in extremely messy Freeview images on the TV screen (it's like an artist splashes all sorts of different colours everywhere on a canvas ).

I have just checked outside the house (located in west Glenfield, North Shore City) for what is up on the roof and I saw a sat dish and an aerial. The sat dish is about 35cm in diameter and it points a little west of north (bearing of 350 degrees) and at about 25 degrees to the horizon. The aerial has about two V shaped elements (for picking up the signal), the aerial points northeast about parallel with the horizon. I saw that the aerial does not have many "ears" (=elements) for picking up the TV radiowave signal.

For more information about how aerials & TV reception work, see http://www.jaycar.com.au/images_uploaded/tvrecept.pdf This info was useful to some degree but is maybe out of date as we now have digital TV stuff like Freeview and digital Sky TV. I'm not knowledgeable about how digital TV reception and decoding work.

I do not know what is exactly causing the problem. The problem may be with the aerial not having enough "ears" and not being the right type of directionality (narrow or wide for picking up the signal)? Or is the problem caused by old cords running from the sat dish & TV aerial down to the room with the TV in it (there are two TV reception cords - one that comes out of a socket in the wall and the other that comes down through a window)? Or is it the heavy rain that is causing the loss of the Freeview TV signal?

I have a Dick Smith Freeview TV decoder.

What are my options here for fixing the TV reception problem?

Appreciate your help .

[barryk]

Also, are there recommendations of a good technician for sorting out the aerial, sat dish and the reception cords? That's if I want to call one for coming out to look at, diagnose and fix the TV reception problem. Thanks.

[CliveM]

Is the freeview signal coming via the dish. It would seem so. Heavy rain can result in loss of signal and produce the symptoms you describe.

[CYaBro]

It sounds like you are getting Freeview via satellite, however a correctly aligned sat dish shouldn't get rain fade / signal loss due to rain unless it is really really heavy.
We've had Freeview here since it started broadcasting, about 3 years now I think, and only ever had a rain fade issue twice that I can remember.

You may need to get someone to realign the dish.

[Safari]

If you are getting rain fade, no signal problems when there is no rain in sight it is most probably a faulty LNB, the bit that is out in front of the dish.
Had the same problem with my sky signal was getting rain fade everyday at times and the LNB was replaced and only lasted a day and got rain fade again. Another LNB was fitted and it has been ok since. Is seems some types of LNB are very unreliable,

[pctek]

It sounds like you are getting Freeview via satellite, however a correctly aligned sat dish shouldn't get rain fade / signal loss due to rain unless it is really really heavy.

We have. NOt when it's not raining, but it doesn't have to be real heavy either, I think Sky use that regardless of what the actual problem is. Generic fail message.

I also had it the other day for a really brief period while waterblasting....

[coldot]

Can we determine how you are receiving Freeview?
Do you have a Freeview set-top box if so what type is it - "Satellite" or "Terrestrial"?
Is that aerial lead coming in through the window connected to anything - set-top box or TV set aerial socket?
Terrestrial:
I recently replaced an old UHF aerial with a new more compact one and that improved terrestrial Freeview reception tremendously.
The connections on old aerials are often corroded - a cause of poor reception on terrestrial Freeview.
Satellite:
If the symptoms are very similar on both Sky and Freeview via Satellite then there may be a problem with your dish or cable.

[Richard]

Get a reputable serviceman in. It will save you a lot of hassle. Your cabling could be stuffed and need replacement.

[linw]

Yep, get a man in. Some things are best left to experts on the ground (or on the roof!!).

[barryk]

Thanks for your replies.

The decoder I have is a terrestrial receiver. I have just checked this device and saw these words & names printed on the front of the device: "DSE HD Digital Terrestrial receiver". I do not know if the receiver is receiving the signal from the aerial or from the sat dish. I will check in the morning where the cord (that is carrying the signal at present) is coming down from - the aerial or the sat dish, and then let you know. I know the cord is coming through the window - but not where it comes from.

I had used the terrestrial receiver at my old apartment. I know the signal there was coming down from an aerial. The aerial was picking up analogue TV signals for my Sony TV (and the analogue TV reception was terrible then!! Which was why I bought the Freeview receiver to banish the reception problems). Once I got Freeview TV going properly (after two days' of trial and error type efforts), the TV picture and Teletext was flawless

Can we be certain that the terrestrial receiver definitely does not take signal from a sat dish? i.e. it can only take signal from a terrestrial aerial?

The cords and metal bits (connectors?) look old to me.

There is currently no Sky TV on in here. i.e. no subscription to Sky TV.

The reception problem only occurs when there is heavy rain.

What makes some of you think I'm getting the TV signal from the sat dish.

There is also an old TV in another room that I think is getting a TV signal too - via a wall socket? Do not know if that cable comes through from the sat dish or the aerial too. Will check that one too.