Crap reception - is it my aerial or my TV?

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allio

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#127407 9-Aug-2013 09:08

Symptom: initially perfect Freeview reception that eventually (usually after 5-10 minutes) degrades into a stuttery, blocky mess.

Case for TV (a 2011-ish LG):

- I've had similar problems at the last three places I've lived (all rented within the same suburb, Mt Eden, within the past year or so). Freeview website reports 'very likely' coverage.
- The TV reports that signal strength and signal quality are both 100% while the picture is good, but quality dives to 50% or below intermittently (while the picture is breaking up)
- Reception on the analogue channels is decent (not perfect) and never varies
- TV recently developed some other worrying symptoms (turning itself off after being on for around ten minutes), though this has now stopped.
- I changed the Freeview transmitter frequency the TV was tuned to with absolutely no change in symptoms (100/100 dropping to 100/50 after a while)

Case for aerial

- The aerial cable is a bit of a mess, and I gather that previous tenants have used Sky
- Neighbour at my last house reported that his reception was also crap, meaning I haven't suspected the TV up til now
- Analogue reception isn't perfect (it's noisy on TV3 especially)
- I've never really heard of a TV developing this problem, and Google didn't suggest that it's a common issue. TV is only about 2.5 years old.

Any thoughts? I'm pretty close to finally ordering a DVB-T card for my HTPC to turn it into a DVR and stop using the TV's tuner, but it'll be mighty frustrating if it turns out the signal was the culprit all along.

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

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#874363 9-Aug-2013 09:15

Your symptoms sound indicative of a faulty TV Tuner. Sounds like its signal is degrading as components get hot.
It's unlikely to be the antenna if it has happened in several locations in good signal areas.
Can you borrow another TV or STB to compare signals?
If it's out of warrantee period you could make a claim under the CGA. Talk to the retailer where you purchased it.

allio

895 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 529

#874375 9-Aug-2013 09:37

B1GGLZ: Your symptoms sound indicative of a faulty TV Tuner. Sounds like its signal is degrading as components get hot.
It's unlikely to be the antenna if it has happened in several locations in good signal areas.
Can you borrow another TV or STB to compare signals?
If it's out of warrantee period you could make a claim under the CGA. Talk to the retailer where you purchased it.

Yeah, setting it all down in a list like that made me suspect the same.

I don't know anyone with a STB or an easily borrowable TV unfortunately. Think I'll just take the plunge and buy the card - I was going to get one anyway.

Returning a TV, what a pain! :( I can live with this if it's just the tuner, but I suppose if one thing's going south then others problems are likely to pop up in the future. I don't think I kept the box it came in - anyone know if you need it to return a TV? I'm also pretty sure the warranty was two years, meaning I would need to argue my CGA case to Harvey Norman. Ugh!

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

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+1 received by user: 136

#874560 9-Aug-2013 13:45

allio:

Returning a TV, what a pain! :( I can live with this if it's just the tuner, but I suppose if one thing's going south then others problems are likely to pop up in the future. I don't think I kept the box it came in - anyone know if you need it to return a TV? I'm also pretty sure the warranty was two years, meaning I would need to argue my CGA case to Harvey Norman. Ugh!

Well if you get the Tuner card for the PC you'll soon figure out if its the antenna system or not. I presume you do have a UHF antenna? If you live in a "very likely" area it should work fine.
As for CGA claim, all you need is your receipt or if you used credit card and can remember the date the shop can print off a copy of the receipt. I've done this a couple of times now with different stores. HN are usuall good to deal with.

mattwnz

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#874582 9-Aug-2013 14:07

allio:
B1GGLZ: Your symptoms sound indicative of a faulty TV Tuner. Sounds like its signal is degrading as components get hot.
It's unlikely to be the antenna if it has happened in several locations in good signal areas.
Can you borrow another TV or STB to compare signals?
If it's out of warrantee period you could make a claim under the CGA. Talk to the retailer where you purchased it.

Yeah, setting it all down in a list like that made me suspect the same.

I don't know anyone with a STB or an easily borrowable TV unfortunately. Think I'll just take the plunge and buy the card - I was going to get one anyway.

Returning a TV, what a pain! :( I can live with this if it's just the tuner, but I suppose if one thing's going south then others problems are likely to pop up in the future. I don't think I kept the box it came in - anyone know if you need it to return a TV? I'm also pretty sure the warranty was two years, meaning I would need to argue my CGA case to Harvey Norman. Ugh!

You don't need to argue the CGA, you simply put the facts into a letter or email, it's very simple. You don't need to have kept the box, there is no requirement to, and a normal person wouldn't keep the boxes of all their appliances, otherwise you would need a room just for boxes!

allio

895 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 529

#874654 9-Aug-2013 16:16

B1GGLZ:
allio:

Returning a TV, what a pain! :( I can live with this if it's just the tuner, but I suppose if one thing's going south then others problems are likely to pop up in the future. I don't think I kept the box it came in - anyone know if you need it to return a TV? I'm also pretty sure the warranty was two years, meaning I would need to argue my CGA case to Harvey Norman. Ugh!

Well if you get the Tuner card for the PC you'll soon figure out if its the antenna system or not. I presume you do have a UHF antenna? If you live in a "very likely" area it should work fine.
As for CGA claim, all you need is your receipt or if you used credit card and can remember the date the shop can print off a copy of the receipt. I've done this a couple of times now with different stores. HN are usuall good to deal with.

Yep, UHF. Not sure what kind of antenna it is - in fact I don't even know where it is - but the analog signals for Prime and Maori TV etc are strong.

Thanks to you both for the advice about returning the TV. I've ordered the tuner card so will set that up to rule out the aerial, and then see if Harvey Norman come to the party.