Problems With Tv Reception

Jim/rsvl/AR

Active Member
I have a RCA HD flat screen TV. I get a very good picture but the picture goes blank and after about 10 seconds the picture returns and may last a few seconds or a few minutes and just continues to be off and on. I have checked the antenna connections and all the TV adjustments I know and nothing helps. Does anyone know what the solution might be? (I do not have this problem when using the satellite)
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Jim, first off I think it is safe to say the problem is not with your tv if it works ok from the satelite.... I think. If the signal is intermitent then I would ask if you checked all the coax connections. On the tv, inside the docking station, at the signal amplifier and rooftop under the boot at the antenna. Also check the 12 volt connection at the amplifier. If you run your coax through a vcr or similar device try bypassing that. Just a few thoughts. Good luck.
Peace
Dave
 

HappyKayakers

Well-known member
I'm going to piggyback on what Dave and Mary said. Skip all the interim checks. Take the TV outside and connect directly to the cable at the utility post. If it works fine there, then you can start eliminating the middle pieces by bypassing them one at a time.
That process worked great while I was troubleshooting my cable internet. It just took me awhile, spinning my wheels trying stuff at random.
 

SmokeyBare

Well-known member
This could be a problem with over the air TV Signal.

If that's what Jim is dealing with... I am afraid it's going to be happening more often... as we rapidly reach February 2009... when the over the air stations will switch to the HD signal.

Sitting here just off I-85.. north east of Atlanta Georgia... our over the air signals are very spoty... the signal for HD TV.. is there... then it goes blank.. and back and forth.

I have read... that tree leaf movement can cause a lost signal... that pine needles are even a problem... wet... yes that also increased the signal loss.

Marv
 

goldenbetty

goldenbetty
Wireless

I am having the same problem at the park we go to. They just installed Wifi, and I do believe that it is interfering with the signal on outside antenna. I have a new flatscreen HD with the tuner that will accept Digital signals without having to use the receiver, so I shouldn't be having a problem, but I do. What do ya'll think about the "interference" possibilities from the Wifi?
 

leftyf

SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
This could be a problem with over the air TV Signal.

Sitting here just off I-85.. north east of Atlanta Georgia... our over the air signals are very spoty... the signal for HD TV.. is there... then it goes blank.. and back and forth.

I have read... that tree leaf movement can cause a lost signal... that pine needles are even a problem... wet... yes that also increased the signal loss.

Marv

Marv with a digital signal...it's either there or it's not. I think that a lot of people are gonna eat this transition.
 

SmokeyBare

Well-known member
Sorry Lefty, maybe I'm don't exactly understand what your saying...

I sit here this morning... watching Channel 2-WSBTV... when I select their digital channel (2.1) the signal will lock on and the picture is good... the sound at times gets broken... it becomes choppy... the picture may at the same time freeze... like a still frame mode... other times it will just drop both the sound and the picture.

If I leave it on that channel... the signal comes back... picture and sound is ok... then off once again... Their Analog channel (2) works always... but of course the quality isn't nearly as good as it would be with Digital... if I could keep the signal.

There could be a chance that the cable feeding from the amplifier to the TV in the living room has some bad connections... which may reduce the signal strength... but I've tested that by running a cable from the bedroom connection... through the RV... to the back of the living room TV.... with no change or improvement to the signal strength.

Could be lots of reasons... Both TV's are Olevia brand... but even so one may not have as good a receiver than the other... I'm not smart enough to know the why's...

Marv
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
I think the digital TV signal is very much like a cell phone digital signal. When we had an analog cell phone the signal never really "dropped off" it would fade and you would get noisy reception unlike digital which just drops off. I have experienced the same exact thing as Marv when watching DTV. THe picture will either freeze or get black horizontal lines or just go all black. On the plus side, it's an awsome picture but if we're in a fringe area we're SOL. Time to break out the dish.
 

Jim/rsvl/AR

Active Member
Thanks for the replys --

Don't have to be in the fringe area -- we are now camped 20 miles from downtown Dallas and just as much off & on! Have been in sight of the stations tower and still a problem.
 

Jimmyt5

Well-known member
Try this, go to analog station and turn your antenna to get the best signal, then switch to digital.
Some TV's have a signal meter in there menu and you can see the signal strength. With analog you can see the signal get better by watching the picture and turning the antenna. Like it was said with digital it's either there or gone, if it is just on the fringe you will get cracking sounds and stuff and little squares. An other thing to try is change channels..
 

SmokeyBare

Well-known member
Yes Jim... done that... and gone one step more... I've even shut off the antenna ampfiler... moved the antenna back and forth... up and down some... getting the very best signal I could...

As Ray said... when it's working, the picture quality is wonderful... it's a very good picture using the Dish-Network system.... but when it's acting up... Oh well...

I can see one day breaking down... paying for the National channels off Dish-Network and leaving the bat-wing antenna down. Oh Did I forget? Thank You Congress for this up coming gift !

Marv
 

Terry H

Past Texas North Chapter Leader/Moderator
Staff member
If you have a Satellite Receiver, make sure it is turned off while attempting to receive a digital off the air signal.
 
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