Loose Tuner Connection

[Jasonmuk]

Hello all.
Purchased a HD Quad + at the end of march from WOS with 2 additional HD Quad extra Hybrid Tuners: 2x Hybrid DVB-C/T/T2,everything has been fine but all of a sudden i am getting a lot of Tune Failed and pixelation on some HD channels, i first thought it might be the cables so i have changed them but its still the same, i can get the picture back if i wiggle the connectors at the back but its pixelated, because of this i am thinking that there is a fault with the tuner, has anyone else experienced this or has any other ideas to try..?

[Sicilian]

Are any of your tuners plug and play?

Check your F connectors on your cable ends.

[adm]

Hello all.
Purchased a HD Quad + at the end of march from WOS with 2 additional HD Quad extra Hybrid Tuners: 2x Hybrid DVB-C/T/T2,everything has been fine but all of a sudden i am getting a lot of Tune Failed and pixelation on some HD channels, i first thought it might be the cables so i have changed them but its still the same, i can get the picture back if i wiggle the connectors at the back but its pixelated, because of this i am thinking that there is a fault with the tuner, has anyone else experienced this or has any other ideas to try..?

Are you using cable or an aerial. And how are you distributing your signals to your box? Via a splitter? A splitter for each of the tuners or a loop cable from one tuner to the next?

If (UK) cable some people have had problems using a 3 way splitter as a 3 way gives more signal loss than a 2 way splitter. In this case use a 2 way splitter with one of the leads to your box and then loop a cable from tuner 1 output to tuner 2 input.

If (UK) terrestrial TV by way of an aerial then the HD broadcasts will be on a different MUX to the rest of your channels. In the UK your will be able to receive from 4 to 6 different MUXs and all transmit on a different broadcast frequency and depending on your location, aerial and aerial distribution all could have very different signal levels. There is even the possibility that you are getting one of the MUX from a more distant transmitter rather than your local transmitter. Pixelated pictures are a sign of poor quality reception (and maybe only on one MUX) rather than a loose connection or a faulty tuner. A marginal signal by way of an aerial can also change due to weather conditions (high pressure/low pressure) or time of day. Aerials pointing through trees suffer from degrading signals when the leaves come out.
In this case its usually a matter of elimination of all possible cases.
Assuming the UK ...
From which transmitter are you receiving your signals? If you don't know type your postcode into the box in the following link.

http://www.wolfbane.net/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?

Did you use AutoBouquetMaker to set up your box and if so what settings did you use?
Again, how are you routing the aerial signals to your box - via splitter/amp/by some other means - or a straight connection to your box?
Have you a TV with HD tuners and if so does the TV show the same problem with tuning in HD channels?

[Jasonmuk]

I'm using cable, the signal is via a single 4 way splitter with 2 leads out to box and one lead to modem, i have had all HD channels running fine til last week, the next step was to try a new splitter is there a recommended brand/frequency for splitters...? when you say loop the cables from tuner 1 to 2 , how would i do this..? would it be from the female output of 1 into the male of 2.?

[adm]

I'm using cable, the signal is via a single 4 way splitter with 2 leads out to box and one lead to modem, i have had all HD channels running fine til last week, the next step was to try a new splitter is there a recommended brand/frequency for splitters...?

Didn't your cable company supply you with a 2 way splitter?

Another possibility is that you are getting local electrical interference into the cables. It is not unknown for power supplies built into mains plugs to generate a lot of RF when starting fail. As a test try moving or turning off nearby electrical equipment when the pixelation occurs to see if this is the cause.


At cable frequencies
A good quality two way passive splitter has a typical insertion loss of 4.7dB (each output = approx 0.58 of the input voltage)
A good quality three way passive splitter has a typical insertion loss of 7.0dB (each output = approx 0.45 of the input voltage)
A good quality four way passive splitter has a typical insertion loss of 8.5dB (each output = approx 0.38 of the input voltage)

Get a fully screened inductive splitter. They don't need to cost a lot.

Examples
2 way

http://www.beststuff.co.uk/store/konig-fc-2splt-st-kn-satellite-f-splitter.htm

3 way

http://www.beststuff.co.uk/store/konig-3-way-f-splitter-2250mhz.htm

4 way

http://www.beststuff.co.uk/store/konig-fc-4splt-st-kn-universal-f-splitter.htm

All the above splitters are suitable for satellite or cable frequencies. They come with F (satellite type) connectors and you can F to coax adaptors. Use F to F leads and screw the adaptors into the F plug at the ends of the leads rather than using leads with coax (belling lee) type connectors.

Random Ebay seller of male and female adaptors

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/F-Socket-Adaptor-to-Male-Female-Coax-Adaptors-F-plug-/351052073150?hash=item51bc5588be:g:~hQAAMXQ4YtSL1Wt

In my opinion using a multi-way splitter with unused outputs is not a good idea unless you terminate the unused outputs with a 75ohm load. The splitter is designed to work correctly with all outputs with a 75 ohm load. The tuner inputs will be 75 ohms - the cable will have a characteristic impedance of 75 ohms etc.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-X-F-TYPE-PLUG-TERMINATOR-END-75-OHM-CONNECTORS-FOR-F-TYPE-SOCKET-/271847375643?hash=item3f4b5dc31b:g:L8MAAOSwNSxVOMzN

when you say loop the cables from tuner 1 to 2 , how would i do this..? would it be from the female output of 1 into the male of 2.?

Yes

Most terrestrial tuners a have an aerial input and aerial output. Take one output from the 2 way splitter and feed it into the tuner input. Make or buy a short cable of approx 100mm and connect the aerial output from the first tuner to the input of the second tuner. (The cable only needs to be a 100mm for cosmetic/tidy reasons - you could use a cable of a couple of metres if you want).

http://www.admac.myzen.co.uk/Splitter/