Signal quality cutting out

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amigo

161 posts

Master Geek

#25990 8-Sep-2008 19:10

Hi,

I've had my HTPC working well with 100% signal quality with Freeview HD, for a couple of months now. recently I've started getting a lot of dropped frames every 1-10 seconds. The signal quality displayed in the tuning details of Media Portal shows it dropping down to 10%-30% then back up to 100% on all digital channels. Prime is perfect. The roof aerial looks OK, weather is fine.

The only difference might be a few more leaves starting to grow on trees which are in the line of sight to Sugarloaf, Christchurch. Though the majority of these were evergreen anyway and didn't seem to be a problem.

Haven't added any new eletronic devices that might be interferring.

I'm using an HVR2200, is this likely to be a hardware fault with the card?

charley

183 posts

Master Geek

#163156 8-Sep-2008 20:02

After 3 days my hvr-2200 started playing up. Signal dropping down then back up. I've sent it back and waiting for them to see what they think.

I also have a hvr-3000 and it never plays up so i know it's not my aerial or cable.

ASUS P5Q Mobo / Intel Core2Duo E8500 (3.8Ghz) CPU / CORSAIR DDR2-800 2GB RAM / Sapphire HD4850 (Dual Slot Cooler) Graphics Card / Hauppauge HVR-2200 / Hauppauge HVR-3000 / Corsair 520W HX PSU / Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB Hard Drive / Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro CPU Cooler / XP PRO w/SP3 / DVBViewer / GB-PVR

amigo

161 posts

Master Geek

#163204 9-Sep-2008 00:25

charley: After 3 days my hvr-2200 started playing up. Signal dropping down then back up. I've sent it back and waiting for them to see what they think.

Thanks for the info. Please add a follow-up to this post when you get a response. BTW, where did you buy the card from?

I thought it might have been an issue with the card and not my aerial since the signal up and down so dramatically rather then hovering at a lower level.

Thanks!

Quinny

926 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 208

Trusted

#163448 10-Sep-2008 09:24

Im in Ferrymead and had great signal right thru the games but since then have had the same issue as yourself. Signal then drops then back.

My setup was with a Draco box (horrible onscreen display but lovely looking unit with tiny formfactor). This has gone back as faulty (which was what we blamed) and since then I have been trying a Strong box (nice on screen, ugly big box). This has not been trouble free tho either with channel 3 and the HD channel fine and all the rest subject to noise and picture breakup making them pretty much unwatchable. Same issue pretty much signal side too - there, gone, back.

Tech is due back anyday and we are going to have another play with the aerial and booster (I am also using an powered internal signal amplifier (or something lol) due to being on a signal edge area).

To be honest tho I am convinced someone has changed some setting at a transmission side since the games and that is the reason the signal has dropped away. No way it was fine for the closing then the next day all the issues started - pure coninsidence maybe but seems a big one.

Spyware

3818 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1366

Lifetime subscriber

#163467 10-Sep-2008 11:11

I thought Sugarloaf wasn't even visible in Ferrymead, so good luck as you'll need it. My guess is that the signal is affected by the weather most likely the easterly and high level of water in the air. The power output of the digital transmitters (channels 47, 49 and 50) from Sugarloaf is 47 dBw (50 kW). Analog transmitters like Prime (channel 62) on 64 dBW are far more powerful but I imagine your analog reception is very poor. CTV (channel 44) is lower powered on 44 dBW (25 kW).

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.

Quinny

926 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 208

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#163468 10-Sep-2008 11:34

Think its a case by case thing. 2 neighbours also have freeview - one with problems and one with none. What I still dont understand is why during the games it was fine, never a hitch, then since the games this signal drop. Weather hmm. Not sure there - we are very exposed to the easterly

Anyway just letting the OP know there is someone else in Chch with the same issue. If we solve my end will post back any suggestions.

Spyware

3818 posts

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+1 received by user: 1366

Lifetime subscriber

#163476 10-Sep-2008 12:52

Quinny: Try a UHF phased array (multiple antennas) rather than a single yagi.

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amigo

161 posts

Master Geek

#163884 11-Sep-2008 23:06

I still think it is an issue with the card.

I've discovered that if I've had the HTPC off for a while then turn it on I get a flawless signal. After half an hour I start getting the occassionaly loss of data, by an hour later it's loosing data every 1-3 seconds.

My case is roomy and runs quite cool, so its not like its being put under any excessive heat. Plus it worked fine for a couple of months!

Will be interesting to see what they say about Charley's card. If its a known fault I'll definately be sending it back.

charley

183 posts

Master Geek

#163943 12-Sep-2008 08:54

I'm still waiting for a reply from computer lounge on what their thoughts are and what they are going to do. I'm using my hvr-3000 at the moment and it still runs flawless all the time.

charley

183 posts

Master Geek

#163974 12-Sep-2008 12:20

Well got a surprise in the mail today, hvr-2200 card arrived (looks like a replacment card).

I've plugged it in and watch channels 1, 2 and 3 for 10min each. No probs so far. Will report back after the weekend or when ever i have probs (fingers crossed that doesnt happen).

charley

183 posts

Master Geek

#164475 15-Sep-2008 11:30

Well i've tested my replacement hvr-2200 card through out the weekend and no problems so far. I'm still a bit wary though since my 1st hvr-2200 card didnt start playing up till the 3rd day. I'm hoping that i was just unlucky to get a dud card 1st time round and that there are infact no compatability issues between the hvr-2200 and my particular setup.

Quinny

926 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 208

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#164478 15-Sep-2008 11:33

Update - changed to fancy UHF only aerial and seems better. Jumped from 58% to 70%-85%. Testing that for the next week.

May have been a combo of box change and weather changes but I am still (ok still semi-) convinced that something was boosted for the games, lol.

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amigo

161 posts

Master Geek

#164672 16-Sep-2008 00:23

Thanks Charley, that's good news. :)

Although mine crapped out nearly 2 months after working flawlessly! So don't be too relieved after the 3rd day!

I've been busy lately to do any testing to see if I can resolve the issue, however there does seem to be a consistent trend.

Whenever I turn on the TV or a acheduled recording starts while the TV has been off, the picture is pretty much perfect gradually over time it gets worse and worse...at an hour I gets a dropped frame ever 1-3 secs, by 2 hours the I'm getting about 1 frame every 5 seconds! More like a slideshow!

I also bought mine though the Computer Lounge, so at least I should get a good response if they know of the problem already.

I do want to give it a more thorough test before I send it back though, like install some software other than MediaPortal as it'll be a bit of a hassle and expensive if it turns out that something has gone whack with my MP setup and their was nothing wrong with the card.

charley

183 posts

Master Geek

#164704 16-Sep-2008 07:51

Having my hvr-3000 helped out alot with deciding to send the card back. If i didnt have that i probably would have upgraded my aerial first. Then mayb install amplifier and upgrade cable to quad core. All draining the pocket unnessecerily.

I found the tool ScanChannelsBDA v2.4.4 usful in testing the tuners signal quality. That would eliminate the dvb-t viewer as being the problem. I found the results reflected the experiance i was getting when using dvbviewer.
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/board/showthread.php?t=12081

Ouch 2 months that's a long time to stay wary lol