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All posts by MikeB

Below are all of MikeB's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.

M
Full technical details of Freeview
Thursday 13 June 2013 6:52PM
Peterborough

Gillian Crosswell & ros : It would be best if you supply a postcode, since its very difficult to give any answers about reception without one.

However, start with looking at your signal strength and quality (via the setup menu) - if the strength is too high, that might be an answer to your problem. Make sure that all cables are connected properly, and look to see where your aerial is actually pointing where you think it should be - are you actually tuning in to a different transmitter.

And do a proper retune - a full first time setup or something similar is whats needed, not just looking for any new channels.

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M
My Freeview reception cuts out for about 1 second at non regula
Thursday 13 June 2013 7:07PM
Peterborough

M gruber: 12ft from the ground isn't very high, and of course you've got a tree in front of it. I'd move the aerial higher and out of the way of the tree.

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M
Untitled
Thursday 13 June 2013 7:21PM
Peterborough

ralph: As Homer Simpson puts it 'if at first you don't suceed, give up'. If you have a 12 storey block at 90 degrees , and your aeral is at 96 degrees, it isn't going to happen.

I grew up in Bournemouth, so I know the area well, and your unlucky - your nice and high anyway, and 4 stories up would normally give you a perfect picture to Rowridge. Best suggestion? Move the aerial round to face Westbourne (308 dgrees and just a km away!) or Poole on 289, which is 4km. They are only relays, so PSB channels only, but better than nothing.

Freesat - might do it, but the dish will want to point SSE - will the other building still get in the way?

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Cheryl: I suspect the first question to ask is - does it still work? If it does, then some tape might be fine (use the good stuff though).

If it doesn't, then you can cut out that section, and join it together with a new section of coax, using something like this F plugs and TV leads connectors

Best thing is to drill a new hole further away, in a less awkward place - make your life easy. And you can cover everything up outside with a cable entry cover for just over a pound. (PE12QN)

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GB flag
M
Loft aerials | Installing
Friday 14 June 2013 1:22PM
Peterborough

Muz: 75% is what your really after for signal strength, 100% is normally too high, but if everything works, dont worry about it.

There seems to be lots of people in the same boat - an aerial more powerful that strictly needed, and a rubbish picture due to a overly strong signal.

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M
Movie Mix
Sunday 16 June 2013 1:42PM
Peterborough

Mike: The last two comments have to be Poe's - and not bad ones either. If their not...

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M
Movie Mix
Sunday 16 June 2013 4:15PM

Mike: Is there any actual peer reviewed evidence of either an effect on plankton or general health problems of 3/4G signals? A quick Google found a small number of 'Greatest Pandemic of all Time' type hysteria, but actual facts seem to be in short supply.

You could ask yourself two questions. Since 4G signals will be on the same RF as digital TV has been on for at least the last decade, wouldn't we have seen an effect by now?

Secondly - 3/4G signals are based and on land stations. Plankton lives in the sea. So how would plankton be affected?

Check out Ben Goldacre's Bad Science for discussions of actual data and the media's reaction to it electrosensitivity – Bad Science

As for the bizarre theory that US government is scretly spraying aluminium oxide as some sort of sun screen, I will just point out that the theory is repeated with approval on David Icke's website... (PE12QN)

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M
Full technical details of Freeview
Monday 17 June 2013 9:35PM
Peterborough

ms jones: Obviously check whether your aerial leads are connected properly, but I suspect the best thing to do is to simply retune.

BTW - I've noticed a couple of posts where people have included phone numbers. Although postcodes can be very useful for predicting reception, telephone numbers should not be included for a number of reasons.

Firstly - none of the questions are answered by people from any offical helpline. Nobody is ever going to ring you up and guide you through something, etc. If you want help like that, then contact a professional.

Secondly, telephone numbers dont really help in locating you for reception purposes, where you are at the best of times, and mobile numbers certainly dont.

Lastly, and most importantly - you've given out your phone number to potentially anyone on the internet, which could certainly put you at risk, and is of course unwise.

Hopefully, a retune will sort out your problem, but if not, come back with a postcode and a description of your setup.

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M
Full technical details of Freeview
Tuesday 18 June 2013 10:12PM
Peterborough

Bill Morrison: The six year old one would certainly only have a Freeview tuner. If you can tell us the make and model of the newer TV, then its easy to see if it has an HD tuner.

Although pretty much everything I've seen 37" plus for the past two years has an HD tuner as standard, there are some 32" and a fair number of 26" and below which still just have a Freeview tuner. And of course it could been an older model which you just happened to buy recently.

If you have a modern PVR, then that should have an HD turner in it, so you could get HD on that.

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