Pixelation of picture

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › Pixelation of picture

Spanner009

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#214192 1-May-2017 17:08

Hello All,

Maybe someone can help me with a small problem. I have 2 T2200 units in different locations on the house (one in the lounge and one in the bedroom).

The one that I have the issue with is in the bed room and is only a few months old and connected to a brand new LCD TV. The problem that I have is that I get random pixelation only when I watch a recorded AFL game from Duke TV. I do not get the issue in the lounge, or when I watch directly without recording. The units are connected to the same UHF aerial. We live in Auckland and have a good signal. Both units have the latest software. The problem unit has a filter installed in the signal input line, as I thought this may help.

I do not get the issue with any other channel or program.

Some years ago I was playing with overseas digital TV over my computer and had the same sort of issue but only with wide green sport field views. It appears to be the same type of view that triggers the pixelation.

Is there any tips or is there any setting in the unit that may help?

For any help thanks in advance.

Trevor

blakamin

4431 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1773674 1-May-2017 17:16

What is the filter meant to filter out?

I'd be removing it myself.

The only other issue is that the HDD might not be keeping up to the stream.

Rikkitic

Awrrr
18657 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#1773675 1-May-2017 17:19

Others will undoubtedly know more, but in my experience pixilation occurs when a signal is marginal. Digital tends to be all or nothing so sometimes the picture may be fine, sometimes not. I would look at the connection between the unit and the TV in the bedroom. It is possible that the Duke signal is somewhat attenuated, which doesn't normally cause a problem except when combined with an imperfect cable connection. Try swapping the cables just to see if that makes any difference. Also try jiggling the connections. This has worked for me.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

RustyViewer

296 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1773685 1-May-2017 17:46

And with my own recent experience with pixilation, it was my 2.4GHz Wi-Fi which was affecting a TV receiver with a built-in 2.4GHz processor. Fixed by switching to channel 13.

Spanner009

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1774372 2-May-2017 16:21

Thank you all for your replys.

Blakamin the filter is the Dish TV UHF Band pass filter. It was put in after reading that local 3G signal may cause the problem of picture break up. It doesnt appear to have changed anything so I will take your suggestion and remove it. If things go worse it simply plugs in so it can go back.

I'll check the connections. The T2200 unit to the TV is HMDI and I am using the supplied cable. I have another so I'll swap it out. It could be a marginal cable. It would certainly look like the T2200 unit is creating a weaker signal on the play back

Again thank you for your time for responding

Apsattv

2388 posts

Uber Geek

#1774715 3-May-2017 02:20

If its only on playback from recording on the hard drive. It has to be an error on the HD itself. Try a reformat?

Spanner009

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1775063 3-May-2017 16:58

Apsattv

Thank you.

Yes, the error is only on playback but the strange part is that it is only with one channel and then only with the AFL playback. I dont appear to get it any other time. I have just fitted a new HDMI cable so tonight I'll see how it goes.

I didnt know that the HD could be formated. I thought that you could only roll back to default settings.

I'll have to do some looking to find out how to do the format before I give it a try.

dickytim

2514 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1775272 4-May-2017 06:35

My experience has been that we had pixilation caused by the VHF aerial still being connected, this was picking up a strong FM frequency on Pukekohe hill and interfering.

Pulled the VHF aerial off the roof and perfect picture since.

BTW I had a guy come out and check the signal with his magic computer box!

Your issue doesn't sound like signal if you can watch it live without issue but the recording is at fault, this sound like a hard drive issue or similar, can you record SD and does it still happen? Can the HDD be replaced with a faster one?

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Apsattv

2388 posts

Uber Geek

#1775279 4-May-2017 07:05

You can always play it back and do a small video cap with your phone and upload it here?

Spanner009

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1775682 4-May-2017 16:24

Thanks dickyim,

The VHF is still connected and is just a liblity in the wind. I think I'll get up on the weekend if the weather is okay and remove it.

I was thinking that if it is a HD issue, possibly not keeping up with the decoding on the broard green for some reason, I can record it on my second unit and teh transfer onto my SD portable flash drive. It is USB 3 so should be fast enough vor the image play back. If the image doesnt pixlate then I will have isolated the issue to the HD.

I'll post what I find.

trig42

5809 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#1775692 4-May-2017 16:29

Can you swap the units over, then record on the replacement in the bedroom to see if that one does it too?

Sounds like a weird issue. Duke is not HD, so shouldn't be taxing the box. Have you watched an AFL game 'live' (ie., not recorded) in the bedroom and it is fine?

Does it do it on every AFL recording?

I'd still be thinking it was a signal issue.

Spyware

3761 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#1775743 4-May-2017 16:54

AFL games I've seen are some of the poorest quality TV transmissions you'll ever see. Sommet Sports attempt was so bad it was hardly watchable. I've not seen a Duke transmission of AFL for a long time but can't imagine its much better. Duke is entirely 576i, the AFL looks like D1-CIF.

I think you are just seeing macroblocking.

EDIT: I'm recording tomorrows replay and will give my verdict.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

Spyware

3761 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#1788587 26-May-2017 10:07

I watched some of one game. Tolerable SD watched at a distance but green grass is just a smudge if examined close up. Artefacts are either caused by the TV not liking the blurr or recording device not recording the transport stream and compressing further (I haven't read the manual so don't know what the options are).

illicit

553 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1788742 26-May-2017 13:43

Two units?

Swap them for a few days to isolate if wiring or receiver issue first.

Spanner009

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1789006 27-May-2017 07:45

Thank you for your follow up.

Since my last post I have had my aerial replaced (it needed to as it was starting to look bad). The tech confirmed that all of my cables were good(pays to use the good stuff to start with 25 years old now).

I have been trialing watching the same programs on both sets and have confirmed that the issue is on both units but is not linked to the time in the program. Its random. I have also noted that it sometimes happens onother programs. The problems dont appear to happen when it is watched liveFrom what I have done I have concluded that the issue is within the units and do to with the play back.

I dont know what the next move will be. If itis a compressin issue the I asume that it could only be changed by a software change.

RunningMan

8953 posts

Uber Geek

#1789012 27-May-2017 08:27

Have you pinged @joshhill96

https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=83&topicid=214413