Aerial Connection Fault

[Bigbazh]

I have used Sky digital since launch using the original panasonic box.

The digibox was connected together with a Sony DVD player and a Grundig video recorder to a Hitachi TV. Since it was installed by a Sky Engineer I have had to leave the aerial input lead to the digibox unconnected but touching the aerial input socket to obtain a terrestrial tv picture. Sky and indeed a local installer were at a loss to explain why this occured

My original digibox died and so I bought a new Pace Sky+ digibox to replace it with the intention of upgrading to Sky+ at a later date.

The original problem regarding the aerial input lead is now far worse. To get a perfect picture on Sky it has to be unconnected to the digibox and not touching the body and to get a picture on terrestrial tv it has to rest on the aerial input socket on the digibox.

Connect the aerial direct to the tv and I have a perfect picture so ruling out an aerial fault. Does anyone have any idea as to what the fault could be. I have replaced all the aerial cables between the digibox and the video and tv. I have also changed the scart leads and now Im begining to suspect a fault within the video.

Any help will be grtefully received.

Regards Barry )(-red

 

[PaulR]

If the same fault is on a different box it's unlikely to be a video fault.

I'm a bit unsure about what you mean by "To get a perfect picture on Sky". Is this by connecting to the TV by scart? If it is I really don't know what it could be. If it's viewing Sky on your TV via the aerial lead then I think you have a clash of channels.

I would check the channel out frequency. From the digibox remote press services, 4, 0, 1 and enter to get into the Installer Set-up menu. In option 4, RF outlets, you can see what channel number it is set on. This may clash with one of your local channels (you don't say where you are) and changing to another, unused, channel might cure your problems. You will also then need to to retune your TV into this new channel (although you really should be using scarts throughout).

One other thing I would try is to change the co-ax plug on the end of the aerial lead. They can sometimes give different results in different aerial sockets. If you are using a patch lead from an outlet on the wall change the patch lead.

Hope this helps.

PaulR

 

[Bigbazh]

Thanks for replying Paul. The video is connected to the sky box via a scart lead and the sky box to tv is also via a scart lead all of which I have replaced with no improvement. The aerial input goes first to the sky box then to the video and then to the tv. I changed the co axial plug with no improvement and also replaced the intermediate lead . If I disconnect the aerial from the digibox the sky picture is perfect, connect it and I get dark horizontal lines. To get a perfect terrestial picture with no snow I have to rest the aerial plug onto the input socket on the digi box, plug it in and I get snow all over the picture big time. I checked the channel number and it is 68 and it does not appear to be causing any conflict as far as I can see from my tv set up program. I live in the Tyne Tees area.
Regards Barry

 

[rolfw]

You need to rty and isolate the piece of equipment which is causing the problem.

You've already tried the aerial lead direct to the TV and this is OK.

Disconnect all scart leads and try the RF on its own.

Try the Aerial lead to video, then video to TV.

Try aerial direct to Sky box, then to TV.

Try just connecting the RF out from the Sky box to the TV (no aerial input), can you tune into a good channel 68 picture from the Sky box.

Then Try the VCR to the Sky box (no aerial input), see if you can tune into the VCR and Sky channel.

PS. If you are not distributing the signal from the digibox, then there should be no need for an RF connection to it or from it.

 

[Bigbazh]

Many thanks for the rapid reply. Connecting the aerial in and out cables together so isolating the video recorder rectifies the problem. A new video is required I believe.

Best Wishes

Barry