RECEPTION PROBLEMS - must apply to all?

Dear Group, I live in an area with poor aerial reception (believe it or
not in Surrey!). There is no freeview (Meridian not due to 2012) and
having just upgraded to a 42inch plasma the picture is appalling.

I returned the first TV to Comet believing something was wrong with it
but the 2nd is just as bad (Hitatchi plasma). I think this is a classic
case of poor reception suddenly really coming to life with a big telly.
Other smaller TV's plugged into the same aerial socket appear fine. DVD
and Video pics are good - DVD via HDMI is fantastic!

Interestingly, and I share this as others must have experience the same
- if one watches terrestial tv via the video, the picture is better -
presumably because the video receiver is being used and this uploads to
the TV at a lower pixal rate?

I am using high quality cables throughout but am coming to the
conclusion that I need an aerial upgrade or will have to give in to the
kids and get sky....

Anyone with similar experience? Keen to understand why tv via the video
channel is better and if my theory on the pixal upload is correct?

regards

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
999Rider wrote:

Dear Group, I live in an area with poor aerial reception (believe it
or not in Surrey!). There is no freeview (Meridian not due to 2012)
and having just upgraded to a 42inch plasma the picture is appalling.

I returned the first TV to Comet believing something was wrong with it
but the 2nd is just as bad (Hitatchi plasma). I think this is a
classic case of poor reception suddenly really coming to life with a
big telly. Other smaller TV's plugged into the same aerial socket
appear fine. DVD and Video pics are good - DVD via HDMI is fantastic!

Interestingly, and I share this as others must have experience the
same - if one watches terrestial tv via the video, the picture is
better - presumably because the video receiver is being used and this
uploads to the TV at a lower pixal rate?

I am using high quality cables throughout but am coming to the
conclusion that I need an aerial upgrade or will have to give in to
the kids and get sky....

Anyone with similar experience? Keen to understand why tv via the
video channel is better and if my theory on the pixal upload is
correct?

regards

The VCR isn't sending pixels - any more than the aerial is - it's simply
sending a re-modulated analogue signal to the aerial socket (or a composite
video signal if connected via SCART).

Chances are that the VCR is simply amplifying the original signal, or that
its analogue tuner is less susceptible to noise than the one in the telly. A
signal booster amplifier in the aerial lead would probably achieve the same
result.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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Thanks Roger - the aerial already has a booster on it which gives an
indication of how poor the general signal is. I don't know whether an
aerial upgrade will do the trick, still think that a dish is going to
be the way forward. Interestingly, I only have the VCR connected via
the aerial coax - do you think also connecting via scart will make any
difference?
thanks

Roger Mills wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
999Rider wrote:

Dear Group, I live in an area with poor aerial reception (believe it
or not in Surrey!). There is no freeview (Meridian not due to 2012)
and having just upgraded to a 42inch plasma the picture is appalling.

I returned the first TV to Comet believing something was wrong with it
but the 2nd is just as bad (Hitatchi plasma). I think this is a
classic case of poor reception suddenly really coming to life with a
big telly. Other smaller TV's plugged into the same aerial socket
appear fine. DVD and Video pics are good - DVD via HDMI is fantastic!

Interestingly, and I share this as others must have experience the
same - if one watches terrestial tv via the video, the picture is
better - presumably because the video receiver is being used and this
uploads to the TV at a lower pixal rate?

I am using high quality cables throughout but am coming to the
conclusion that I need an aerial upgrade or will have to give in to
the kids and get sky....

Anyone with similar experience? Keen to understand why tv via the
video channel is better and if my theory on the pixal upload is
correct?

regards

The VCR isn't sending pixels - any more than the aerial is - it's simply
sending a re-modulated analogue signal to the aerial socket (or a composite
video signal if connected via SCART).

Chances are that the VCR is simply amplifying the original signal, or that
its analogue tuner is less susceptible to noise than the one in the telly. A
signal booster amplifier in the aerial lead would probably achieve the same
result.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
999Rider wrote:

Thanks Roger - the aerial already has a booster on it which gives an
indication of how poor the general signal is. I don't know whether an
aerial upgrade will do the trick, still think that a dish is going to
be the way forward. Interestingly, I only have the VCR connected via
the aerial coax - do you think also connecting via scart will make any
difference?
thanks

It might make a bit - because it removes one layer of modulation and
de-modulation - but probably not very much. Try it both ways with a
pre-recorded tape, and see whether you can detect any difference.

Does the cable currently come from the aerial, in and out of an amplifier,
in and out of the VCR, and into the TV? Where is the amplifier - next to the
aerial, or near the TV? If the latter, a mast-head amplifier may improve
things because it will amplify the signal *before* it has been attenuated by
the download, and probably had noise added to it.

Is your current aerial external, and as high as possible? How many elements
does it have? How does it - and the picture quality - compare with that of
your neighbours?
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

Roger Mills wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
999Rider wrote:

Thanks Roger - the aerial already has a booster on it which gives an
indication of how poor the general signal is. I don't know whether an
aerial upgrade will do the trick, still think that a dish is going to
be the way forward. Interestingly, I only have the VCR connected via
the aerial coax - do you think also connecting via scart will make any
difference?
thanks

It might make a bit - because it removes one layer of modulation and
de-modulation - but probably not very much. Try it both ways with a
pre-recorded tape, and see whether you can detect any difference.

Does the cable currently come from the aerial, in and out of an amplifier,
in and out of the VCR, and into the TV? Where is the amplifier - next to the
aerial, or near the TV? If the latter, a mast-head amplifier may improve
things because it will amplify the signal *before* it has been attenuated by
the download, and probably had noise added to it.

Is your current aerial external, and as high as possible? How many elements
does it have? How does it - and the picture quality - compare with that of
your neighbours?
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

The picture will be terrible. TV is transmitted with 625 lines (fewer
are visable) and look good on a 21-28" set. Magnify it up to 42" and
don't expect anything watchable.

Alternatively sit further away!

Currently, apart from HD transmissions, you can't beat a 28" CRT for
picture quality.

Why did you buy it without finding out what the picture would be like?

Roger Mills wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
999Rider wrote:

Thanks Roger - the aerial already has a booster on it which gives an
indication of how poor the general signal is. I don't know whether an
aerial upgrade will do the trick, still think that a dish is going to
be the way forward. Interestingly, I only have the VCR connected via
the aerial coax - do you think also connecting via scart will make any
difference?
thanks

It might make a bit - because it removes one layer of modulation and
de-modulation - but probably not very much. Try it both ways with a
pre-recorded tape, and see whether you can detect any difference.

Does the cable currently come from the aerial, in and out of an amplifier,
in and out of the VCR, and into the TV? Where is the amplifier - next to the
aerial, or near the TV? If the latter, a mast-head amplifier may improve
things because it will amplify the signal *before* it has been attenuated by
the download, and probably had noise added to it.

Is your current aerial external, and as high as possible? How many elements
does it have? How does it - and the picture quality - compare with that of
your neighbours?
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply. Not sure about the actual
aerial - its dark now ! The lead comes from the chimney aerial to a
booster box in the loft. It then feeds 4 rooms. The room with the
42inch TV in it comes from the wall socket to the VCR (1m cable length)
then to the TV (5m cable length). No amp in situ although I have one on
order. I might try the scart and get the aerial checked out... worth a
look before resorting to a dish....

Re another post - someone asked my why I bought it - DVD's are
brilliant on it - with some upscaling on the player I have, even normal
DVD's looks fabulous.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

On 18 Nov 2006 05:32:41 -0800, "999Rider"
wrote:

Interestingly, and I share this as others must have experience the same
- if one watches terrestial tv via the video, the picture is better -
presumably because the video receiver is being used and this uploads to
the TV at a lower pixal rate?

No, that's often because the lo/hi switch on the VCRsRF passthrough
is in the wrong position.

Nick.