Long saga and a rip-off?

I was in Surbiton over the weekend at the in-laws. At a birthday get
together I got chatting to their elderly neighbour who several months ago
had a shiny new Triax Unix 52A on a 10' mast fitted to his chimney. The mast
has a Fringe box which I has assumed was a splitter or filter as signal
strength is high there, being barely 10 miles from Crystal Palace.

My in-laws are still using an Aerialite 10A on their chimney with the
original 40 year old co-ax. Sometimes there's an odd blip but 99% of the
time DTTV reception is rock solid.

Ghosting is an issue here on analogue, and the neighbour had an Aerialite
Supreme group A directed at CP and a large Wolsey B (the one with the bow
tie shaped elements) directed at Guildford. When those were removed, the
neighbour told the rigger that the chimney they were on had offered much
better reception in the past, and the chimney above the lounge had provided
poor reception. Mr Rigger (who was recommended by the local Panasonic
dealer) assured neighbour that he can get him perfect digital pictures for
his new Panasonic TV with decoder on the lounge chimney. This chimney offers
much easier access (although he had to remove the scrap from the other one)
and a much easier cable run to the TV.

Two hours later Mr Rigger is struggling with ghosty analogue, and severe
pixilation on DTTV. He blames it on traffic, as from this chimney the aerial
looks along the A3 (from almost the same height) straight at CP. Mr Rigger
still claims this is the best chimney to use, although as far as neighbour
could see no readings were taken anywhere else on the house. Mr Rigger then
fits a Fringe masthead amplifier and shows neighbour some solid DTTV. He
claims £550 (yes, five hundred and fifty pounds) from neighbour and scoots.

Neighbour then spends some time setting up his new TV and discovers dreadful
analogue with severe patterning and unwatchable DTTV on four muxes. I got
dragged away from chatting at this stage of the sorry saga and paused only
to offer assistance when we are next visiting to have a look at what can be
done. Amazingly, AFAIK Mr Rigger has not been asked to return and neighbour
is back to watching the free channels provided by his old cable (Telewest,
now Virgin) socket.

When I do get to look at it, I suspect that the patterning will be
overloading due to the masthead amplifier, and I wonder if the DTTV problem
is also due to high signal levels? I did advise trying the TV at 3am when
traffic on the A3 will be negligible, and to try a plug in attenuator which
he had left from years ago although I presume this will not be a valid test
after all that amplification?

"Doctor D" wrote in message
et...
Mr Rigger then fits a Fringe masthead amplifier and shows neighbour some
solid DTTV. He claims £550 (yes, five hundred and fifty pounds) from
neighbour and scoots.

This is a case for Consumer Protection, surely?

Bill

"Doctor D" wrote in message
et...
When I do get to look at it, I suspect that the patterning will be
overloading due to the masthead amplifier, and I wonder if the DTTV
problem is also due to high signal levels? I did advise trying the TV at
3am when traffic on the A3 will be negligible, and to try a plug in
attenuator which he had left from years ago although I presume this will
not be a valid test after all that amplification?

I wouldn't get involved as you will be the person they blame and phone every
time something goes wrong or they can't play a DVD, or the doorbell goes
funny. Tell them to call the person who installed the aerial and also tell
them
to complain to the CAI (they are rubbish anyway) and Trading standards.
Never get involved with other peoples problems!

"Bill Wright" wrote in message
...

"Doctor D" wrote in message
et...
Mr Rigger then fits a Fringe masthead amplifier and shows neighbour some
solid DTTV. He claims £550 (yes, five hundred and fifty pounds) from
neighbour and scoots.

This is a case for Consumer Protection, surely?

Bill

Quite. But they have to be notified before they can offer any assistance.
This is an intelligent, coherent chap and I didn't get to the stage of
finding out why they hadn't sought redress or rectification from the
perpetrator. However, he asked some very basic questions, and now he knows
close neighbours are getting perfect DTTV, I'm pretty sure he'll pursue
this.

As for Ian's comment about not getting involved; I always help people where
I can, and they deserve it. I've never yet been "the person they blame and
phone every
time something goes wrong or they can't play a DVD, or the doorbell goes
funny."
If you never get involved when people have problems, I'm glad you're not my
neighbour :-)

I also know as this is just up the road that high buildings like Tolworth
tower contribute to the ghosting in that part of the world.
I think trading standards, or what they now call consumer direct, might be
interested in the details of this rigger. Not called bodgit and run are
they?

Around here you actually get a less multipath ridden signal on a lowish
aerial screened by buildings except in the desired direction.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________


"Doctor D" wrote in message
et...
I was in Surbiton over the weekend at the in-laws. At a birthday get
together I got chatting to their elderly neighbour who several months ago
had a shiny new Triax Unix 52A on a 10' mast fitted to his chimney. The
mast has a Fringe box which I has assumed was a splitter or filter as
signal strength is high there, being barely 10 miles from Crystal Palace.

My in-laws are still using an Aerialite 10A on their chimney with the
original 40 year old co-ax. Sometimes there's an odd blip but 99% of the
time DTTV reception is rock solid.

Ghosting is an issue here on analogue, and the neighbour had an Aerialite
Supreme group A directed at CP and a large Wolsey B (the one with the bow
tie shaped elements) directed at Guildford. When those were removed, the
neighbour told the rigger that the chimney they were on had offered much
better reception in the past, and the chimney above the lounge had
provided poor reception. Mr Rigger (who was recommended by the local
Panasonic dealer) assured neighbour that he can get him perfect digital
pictures for his new Panasonic TV with decoder on the lounge chimney. This
chimney offers much easier access (although he had to remove the scrap
from the other one) and a much easier cable run to the TV.

Two hours later Mr Rigger is struggling with ghosty analogue, and severe
pixilation on DTTV. He blames it on traffic, as from this chimney the
aerial looks along the A3 (from almost the same height) straight at CP. Mr
Rigger still claims this is the best chimney to use, although as far as
neighbour could see no readings were taken anywhere else on the house. Mr
Rigger then fits a Fringe masthead amplifier and shows neighbour some
solid DTTV. He claims £550 (yes, five hundred and fifty pounds) from
neighbour and scoots.

Neighbour then spends some time setting up his new TV and discovers
dreadful analogue with severe patterning and unwatchable DTTV on four
muxes. I got dragged away from chatting at this stage of the sorry saga
and paused only to offer assistance when we are next visiting to have a
look at what can be done. Amazingly, AFAIK Mr Rigger has not been asked to
return and neighbour is back to watching the free channels provided by his
old cable (Telewest, now Virgin) socket.

When I do get to look at it, I suspect that the patterning will be
overloading due to the masthead amplifier, and I wonder if the DTTV
problem is also due to high signal levels? I did advise trying the TV at
3am when traffic on the A3 will be negligible, and to try a plug in
attenuator which he had left from years ago although I presume this will
not be a valid test after all that amplification?

Yup get onto Ted Forsyth at Kingston Council. I certainly would.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________


"Bill Wright" wrote in message
...

"Doctor D" wrote in message
et...
Mr Rigger then fits a Fringe masthead amplifier and shows neighbour some
solid DTTV. He claims £550 (yes, five hundred and fifty pounds) from
neighbour and scoots.

This is a case for Consumer Protection, surely?

Bill

Blimey, and I thought bah humbug was my reputation at Christmas!

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________


"Ian" wrote in message
...

"Doctor D" wrote in message
et...
When I do get to look at it, I suspect that the patterning will be
overloading due to the masthead amplifier, and I wonder if the DTTV
problem is also due to high signal levels? I did advise trying the TV at
3am when traffic on the A3 will be negligible, and to try a plug in
attenuator which he had left from years ago although I presume this will
not be a valid test after all that amplification?

I wouldn't get involved as you will be the person they blame and phone
every
time something goes wrong or they can't play a DVD, or the doorbell goes
funny. Tell them to call the person who installed the aerial and also
tell them
to complain to the CAI (they are rubbish anyway) and Trading standards.
Never get involved with other peoples problems!

....snip...

"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
. ..
I also know as this is just up the road that high buildings like Tolworth
tower contribute to the ghosting in that part of the world.
I think trading standards, or what they now call consumer direct, might be
interested in the details of this rigger. Not called bodgit and run are
they?

Around here you actually get a less multipath ridden signal on a lowish
aerial screened by buildings except in the desired direction.


Or there's Bill's "2 aerials, carefully aligned to cancel ghosting"
article - would that help where you are?

Paul DS

"Doctor D" wrote in message
...
If you never get involved when people have problems, I'm glad you're not
my neighbour :-)

I agree with this, but unfortunately people can sometimes get the wrong
idea. I did a favour for a housebound person, went to the shops and got her
DVD player and set it up for her. Now it seems to be under guarantee to me!
I suppose I'll have to explain the facts, gently of course.

Bill

"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
. ..
Around here you actually get a less multipath ridden signal on a lowish
aerial screened by buildings except in the desired direction.

I had to do this at my second house. It looked very odd. See
http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/albertsattic/056.html
For Brian's benefit this shows me looking like Che Guevara in glasses
messing about with a home made aerial on my back wall. God, it makes me
cringe! The past should be abolished!

Bill