di4001n STB problems

NeoSPF · 07-01-2006, 17:45

Hello all,

Some advice is much needed here because i'm not sure where to turn...

Until recently i've always ran NTL digital through a very small TV and i always noticed slight corruption in the picture now and then (a slight blocky effect to the picture) but never thought much of it. I've now bought a better TV (Philips 26" Widescreen HD Ready LCD) i thought this would be a step up in quality but the picture blocky effect is now a lot worse.

I've got it connected from the STB from the TV antenna port to the TV, I've tried Scart plug but notice no picture difference. I also tried different antenna leads just in case and numerous scart leads.

The TV auto scans the channels in for me and fine tuning them makes no difference, i notice that channels 1 - 5 on the TV seem better quality and also are in stereo sound where as channel 6 (STB) is only in Mono sound!

I'm pulling my hair out coz im wondering if the LCD TV, which wasn't cheap, is a waste of money or is there a fault on the STB that i've never reported, or am i using the wrong connectivity.. Some suggestions would be grately appreciated from all the extremely brainy people out there

Many Thanks.

**Rob** · 07-01-2006, 17:53

to Cable Forum

the blockiness is in fact pixellation whcih is due to the method of transmission of digital rather than analogue TV pictures. It's nothing to do wiht your TV. In fact that you now have a larger screen just means the blocaks are easier to see.

Realistically, you shuld not under normal circumstances see the blocks. Once in a blue moon I will get an occasional picture freeze where you do see the blocks, but if you have these regularly I'd suggest somethign is wrong with the ntl installation.

That could be the STB, or it could be the signal to your house. Either way, I'd call faults and ask them to get it checked out.

07-01-2006, 18:23

You should never see blocks when watching a digital picture, However it is well know that if you are watching a program that has the sea/ocean displayed then you tend to see them.

You may also get blocks due to poor signal levels!

However in general the picture quality should be perfect, in your case there is def a problem. poss a faulty STB but no doubt a signal issue. Give ntl a ring to check your levels and if it still continues request a replacment STB due to a fault!

NeoSPF · 07-01-2006, 20:15

Thanks guys, i'll speak to NTL and see what they can do for me. Will i be looking at a hefty engineer call out fee? does a replacement STB cost anything? i've been with NTL for over 6 years.

simpsonsFAN · 07-01-2006, 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeoSPF

I've got it connected from the STB from the TV antenna port to the TV, I've tried Scart plug but notice no picture difference. I also tried different antenna leads just in case and numerous scart leads.

The difference between RF and scart should be obvious, if you carnt see any noticeable improvement on a high end tv then something is definatly wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeoSPF

The TV auto scans the channels in for me and fine tuning them makes no difference, i notice that channels 1 - 5 on the TV seem better quality and also are in stereo sound where as channel 6 (STB) is only in Mono sound!

Thats normal on any household devices "RF output", for a better explination look here:
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...05&postcount=6

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeoSPF

I'm pulling my hair out coz im wondering if the LCD TV, which wasn't cheap, is a waste of money or is there a fault on the STB that i've never reported, or am i using the wrong connectivity.. Some suggestions would be grately appreciated from all the extremely brainy people out there

Switch back to scart, and then double check that you have your NTL box set to 16:9 and RGB in the settings menu, under "visual settings".

-Chris

mikey · 07-01-2006, 22:19

Sorry
But I disagree with all of you. I would say its the new TV causing the "effect".
Most flat panel TV's will exaggerate the pixellation you get with all MPEG2 broadcasts.
I would say its not a fault with the STB or signal because you have made no comment about the sound cutting out, and the problem is purely with the picture quality.
You may get a better picture by connecting via scart and changing the settings on TV to adjust contrast/brightness/sharpness.
You will also get stereo sound with the scart connected to the STB.
Good luck

NeoSPF · 07-01-2006, 22:53

Ok,

I took out the antenna lead and put in scart alone, changed the NTL video options to 16:9 widescreen and video to RGB and that immediately made a difference, now I dont have the wavering checker board effect which seemed to be surrounding any lettering on the screen. Looks better now, also the sound is now not in mono. I think I may still get NTL to check signal strength because the blocky pattern is still noticable and my expectation of "digital" picture isn't what im seeing (hey if its supposed to be like this in my area then fair doo i'll live with it ..... or turn to sky

lol)

Thank you for the help chaps.

**Rob** · 07-01-2006, 23:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey

Sorry
But I disagree with all of you. I would say its the new TV causing the "effect".
Most flat panel TV's will exaggerate the pixellation you get with all MPEG2 broadcasts.
I would say its not a fault with the STB or signal because you have made no comment about the sound cutting out, and the problem is purely with the picture quality.
You may get a better picture by connecting via scart and changing the settings on TV to adjust contrast/brightness/sharpness.
You will also get stereo sound with the scart connected to the STB.
Good luck

Nope my picture can occasionally (by that I mean once in a blue moon) freeze yet the sound keeps going - it all depends on the signal that gets through as to what will fail, and how out of tolerance the signal is to what the STB will cope with.

On a 26" normal resolution screen I would not expect to see anything noticeable when viewed from a normal distance. Enlarge the picture to say the 42" screens then marginally but even then it should not be distracting. If it was common place why would anyone even contemplate going to digital whcih is supposed to be a better, clearer picutre.

mikey · 08-01-2006, 11:07

I still think its the TV causing the "blocky pattern".
This is a classic symptom caused by a TV with digital processing displaying
a digital broadcast.
I agree with you the occasional freeze or blip may be caused by other problems, but not in this case.

SLM · 08-01-2006, 11:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeoSPF

Thanks guys, i'll speak to NTL and see what they can do for me. Will i be looking at a hefty engineer call out fee? does a replacement STB cost anything? i've been with NTL for over 6 years.

There are no call out fee's, unless its your equipment that is at fault. All ntl equipment (cables, stb, connectors etc) are covered by them.

Your tv pictures should look like if not better than the terrestrial pics, if you are still getting the blocking and freezing call ntl.

PS1 · 09-01-2006, 22:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey

I still think its the TV causing the "blocky pattern".
This is a classic symptom caused by a TV with digital processing displaying
a digital broadcast.
I agree with you the occasional freeze or blip may be caused by other problems, but not in this case.

I d tend to agree with mikey! Most people tend to think,the bigger the tv,the better the picture?(nuh uh!).
Most peoples new set are 2,3,or even4 times the size of the old ones and there for to get the benifit of this new tv,they need to be buying a new house 2,3 or 4 times the size of the one they have in order to sit that extra distance away from the new tv!

there is an exact formula some where on how far away you should sit from a tv to get the best picture depending on the size of the set.

mob227 · 09-01-2006, 23:33

Im a television & eletronics engineer and if you really want to know why you are geting these problems is that the channels are broadcasting too low qulity the bittrates are TOO LOW it's a problem dtt freeview viewers and sky digital subscribers are haveing,

Here is a E.G i had a guy come in to my shop moaning about the pic qulity on his pioneer plasma which he brought from my shop was crap on most channels on sky digital so i have the same screen in my shop so i showed him bbc 1 wales on astra 28.2 east and like he said it was crap i explained to him about the low bit rates then i moved the dish (we a motorized dish on our shop as we are satellite engineers aswell) to a high bitrate german channel on astra 19.2 east, And the the guy said to me "fook me that's amazing qulity" and also i showed him HIGH DEF content on astra 19,2 east and THE GUYS FACE JUST FACE JUST FROOZE

and he said that looks so real it looks as if i can touch it

,

SO TAKE ANY NOTICE OF MOST OF THE PEOPLE HERE SAYING YOUR CABLE DECODER IS FAULTY OR YOUR SITING TO NEAR THE SCREEN THERE TALKING CR*P (no offence) IT'S THE BROADCASTERS FAULT,

I CAN SIT ABOUT 10CM FROM MY PIONEER 52" INCH SCREEN WITH HD-TV ON AND THE QULITY IS AMAZING,

NeoSPF · 10-01-2006, 16:30

Lol, can i come watch your 52" telly!

Ive hooked up my PS2 to my tv and even that picture is showing some pixelated image.. i seem to be ok when im over 2 metres or so away from the screen, any closer and it looks awful.

Oh well, HD tv hurry up, or maybe i'll move to Germany.