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Topic # 108471 29-Aug-2012 21:15 Send private message

Hey,


Got a real weird one. For the last 3 weeks like clockwork 9pm weds tv1 and tv2 terrestrial quality goes down the toilet. At first I thought aerial issue etc, but tonight picture was perfect, bang 9 pm picture is Lego city.

Unhappy wife, no cougar town!

Anyone got any idea or struck something like this before. Before Ispend any coin would appreciate any help.

Oh we are up a hill in papakura, good LOS to transmitter.

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  Reply # 678982 29-Aug-2012 21:47 Send private message

What happens with the rest of the tvnz mix, tvone plus one, U and what ever else they run?

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  Reply # 679005 29-Aug-2012 22:12 Send private message

Are you running a Tivo?

I had a similar issue that between 6-6:30pm everyday it would start flickering and go all grainy, It ended up being something wrong with the box which they replaced but it took a hell of a fight as Murphy's law goes when I sent it back they couldn't replicate the issue. In the end they managed to and replaced it pretty quickly.




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Geek


  Reply # 681576 5-Sep-2012 00:11 Send private message

Hi Joe90,

Just seen your post; Are you still having problems? because I've got a few ideas.

Cheers, WildBill.



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Geek


  Reply # 691753 26-Sep-2012 15:55 Send private message

Sorry for the slow follwo to wild bills post.. well, where to start.

It is Not a signal probelm, in fact our signal is++ good.Tested with a TV with a built in tuner. And fixed a minor cable issue, but this turned out not to be the issue.

It's the sodding zinwell 640! Worked out why it was going all crap at certain times.

Watching TV - no prob. BUT when you are recording. The recording is crap, and the reception when you are watching another channel is also crap. Stop recording and like magic it is all good again.

SO I have a few options

reflash the firmware - not optimistic that will fix anything
I have formatted the hdd - no change
It looks like these hdds are easy to swap - the os is in the firmware, so long as I replace with a 320 GB or smaller disk(from other threads here). So I will change the hdd. Again not optimistic.

Reluctant to shell out $500+ for another twin tuner / recorder.


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  Reply # 691770 26-Sep-2012 16:16 Send private message

Just a thought, my parents had this issue with their box when Streetlights turn on (I would say it's because they're controlled by ripple control where they live so noise is shooting down the line) - but this would last approx 1min where the TV couldn't get any signal at all. Could this be a possibility in your case?




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Geek


  Reply # 691863 26-Sep-2012 19:17 Send private message

Not a bad idea, non street lights here. It defonly goes custard when recording.


Changed hard drive, HDMI cable and aerial fly lead to no effect.

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Geek


  Reply # 691932 26-Sep-2012 21:57 Send private message

Hi Joe90,

I can almost guarantee that your problem will be the output signal of your DVD clashing with one of the digital muxes, probably the TVNZ mux since it's TV1 and TV2 which you're having trouble with.

I've had a dozen or more customers with exactly the same problem in Hamilton here since the UHF digital frequencies were changed. The new channels they are using in the Waikato are 32, 34 and 36; and most VCRs, DVDs, etc, use 34 or 36 as their RF output channel!! - So your TV is happily receiving the digital mux on say channel 34, when suddenly the DVD or VCR turns on and starts transmitting on the same frequency!

Find out what channel the TVNZ mux transmits on in your area (it will be in early 30s or late 20s), then find out how to check the RF output signal of your DVD - I'm sure you will find they are both the same channel!!

Then you need to change the RF output signal to an unused channel - be aware that Igloo is transmitting on 30 or 31 in Auckland, so don't use one of them. - I suggest 24 or 26 maybe.

Because you're using an HDMI cable to your main TV, you wont have to retune anything there after changing the output signal, but if you are sending the DVD signal out to another TV in the bedroom, etc then you will have to retune that TV to the new output signal.

If, for some reason, you can't work out how to recalibrate the RF output signal, just fit a two-way splitter to the incoming cable from your UHF aerial, run one cable to the DVD "RF Input" and one cable into the TV. - that will solve your problem at your main TV, because you won't have a connection from the "RF Output" of the DVD to your TV, but that won't fix the problem at any "remote" TVs that you are sending the "feedback" signal to.

Let me know how you get on.

Cheers, Wild Bill.

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  Reply # 691949 26-Sep-2012 22:23 Send private message

Zinwell 640PVR doesn't output analog RF.




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  Reply # 691966 26-Sep-2012 23:59 Send private message

Not strictly true as the Zinwell has loop through RF connectors which should output any rf signal which is present on the aerial input.
Anyway what I read WildBill is suggesting is that J0e90 has a DVD or VHS machine with a modulated RF output that is interfering with the frequency that the TVNZ mux is on.



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Geek


  Reply # 692096 27-Sep-2012 10:38 Send private message

CHeers Wildbill, but I don't think thris is the case...

Only the one TV in the house
NO DVD or  VHS - the only rf is to and from the ZInwell

Do have abluray, but that is connected via HDMI only to the TV.

When I was in the loft I discnnected all other aerial leads form the splitter so that the only RG6 cable was to our TV; i.e. the other extension socekts are not connected.

uggh.



WildBill: Hi Joe90,

I can almost guarantee that your problem will be the output signal of your DVD clashing with one of the digital muxes, probably the TVNZ mux since it's TV1 and TV2 which you're having trouble with.

........edited out

Let me know how you get on.

Cheers, Wild Bill.



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