Digital Reception (2 Viewers)

[smeghead]

Hi there,

A quick question regarding reception... I have a Dvico dual and using the Fusion HDTV software that came with the card I get really good reception... all channels above 80% signal...

With MP though, I can only get a couple of channels, all the other channels come up with a 'No signal' dialog...

Is there anything I can do to fix this?

Cheers...

smeghead

 

[Taipan]

Is there anything I can do to fix this?

It sounds like you have encountered this bug...

Check the frequencies of the channels you are not able to view against their correct value. You may have to modify the dvb-t file as I have and then re-run Autotune.....let's know how you go.

 

[smeghead]

Thanks for the quick response Taipan...

Could you tell me where I can find the correct frequencies for Canberra? Also where are the frequencies stored after autotune?

Thanks...

 

[Taipan]

Could you tell me where I can find the correct frequencies for Canberra?

You should be able to get these from the Fusion HDTV application, or you can run ScanChannelsBDA and use that data to check the channel frequencies.

Also where are the frequencies stored after autotune?

In Configuration / TV Channels / Edit / DVB-T - check the Carrier Frequency value against the correct value. You can manually change it here if you wish, or modify the dvbt.xml file and re-run Autotune.

 

[smeghead]

Thanks, I will try that tonight...

 

[smeghead]

Hi again...

I ran ScanChannelBDA. Below are some exerts from the log...

# locked 177500, 7 signal locked = Y present = Y stength = -2200 quality = 89

Network_1("Southern Cross Television     ", 177500, 7, 1)
  Program_ 1("SC10 Canberra"       , 2055,  353,   354,  352)    # LCN=5 Teletext=355
  Program_ 2("SC10 HD"             , 2087, 1711, A1712, 1710)    # LCN=50 Teletext=355


# locked 205500, 7 signal locked = Y present = Y stength = 80000 quality = 0

Network_2("ABC Southern NSW", 226500, 7, 1)
  Program_ 1("ABC HDTV"            ,  528, 2314, A2315,  258)    # LCN=20 Teletext=2316
  Program_ 2("ABC TV Canberra"     ,  529,  512,   650,  256)    # LCN=2 Teletext=576
  Program_ 3("ABC TV Canberra AC3" ,  529,  512,  A660,  256)    #
  Program_ 4("ABC2"                ,  530, 2308,  2310,  257)    # LCN=21 Teletext=2312
  Program_ 5("ABC TV"              ,  531,  512,   650,  259)    # LCN=22 Teletext=576
  Program_ 6("ABC DiG Radio"       ,  534,    0,  2317,  260)    # LCN=200
  Program_ 7("ABC DiG Jazz"        ,  535,    0,  2318,  261)    # LCN=201


# locked 219500, 7 signal locked = Y present = Y stength = -1940 quality = 88

Network_3("WIN Digital", 219500, 7, 1)
  Program_ 1("WIN TV Canberra"     ,    1,   33,    36,   32)    # LCN=8 Teletext=47
  Program_ 2("WIN TV HD"           ,   10,  129, A8001,  176)    # LCN=80


# locked 226500, 7 signal locked = Y present = Y stength = -1960 quality = 88

Network_4("PRIME", 226500, 7, 1)
  Program_ 1("PRIME Canberra"      , 2374, 2740,  2741,  274)    # LCN=6 Teletext=2745
  Program_ 2("PRIME HD"            , 2400, 2740,  2741,  460)    # LCN=60
  Program_ 3("PRIME View 1"        , 2401, 2740,  2741,  461)    # LCN=61
  Program_ 4("PRIME View 2"        , 2402, 2740,  2741,  462)    # LCN=62
  Program_ 5("PRIME View 3"        , 2403, 2740,  2741,  463)    # LCN=63


# locked 543500, 7 signal locked = Y present = Y stength = 970 quality = 76

Network_5("SBS NETWORK", 543500, 7, 1)
  Program_ 1("SBS HD"              ,  848,  102,   103, 1024)    # LCN=30
  Program_ 2("SBS DIGITAL 1"       ,  849,  161,    81, 1025)    # LCN=3 Teletext=41
  Program_ 3("SBS DIGITAL 2"       ,  850,  162,    83, 1026)    # LCN=33 Teletext=42
  Program_ 4("SBS EPG"             ,  851,  163,    85, 1032)    # LCN=31 Teletext=43
  Program_ 5("SBS RADIO 1"         ,  862,    0,   201, 1027)    # LCN=38
  Program_ 6("SBS RADIO 2"         ,  863,    0,   202, 1028)    # LCN=39

I checked all the channel frequencies withing MP and they all match... I set the offset to 0 in the dvbt.xml file to be sure... reran the auto tune... still no good...

SBS is the only channel I get consistantly (fortunate during the world cup)

I am not sure what a negative strength measurement means... maybe my signal is not so good...

But... that doesn't explain to me why I am getting every channel at ~80% ~20dB through the Fusion HDTV software but not MP... its really frustrating because I really like MP...

Any further suggestions??

 

[Taipan]

SBS is the only channel I get consistantly (fortunate during the world cup)

Does this mean that you do get all the other channels intermittently?

I am not sure what a negative strength measurement means... maybe my signal is not so good...??

Don't take too much notice of that figure from ScanChannelsBDA - it has trouble getting a correct reading with the Dvico drivers.

But... that doesn't explain to me why I am getting every channel at ~80% ~20dB through the Fusion HDTV software but not MP... its really frustrating because I really like MP...

You are correct - if you get a good solid picture on all channels with the FusionHDTV app, then you should get the same with MP... :?

Is it possible that you have a marginal TV signal, and MP is being more fussy? What are you using as an antenna, and what is the analogue TV reception like?

 

[smeghead]

Does this mean that you do get all the other channels intermittently?

Either intermittent or not at all... mostly not at all

What are you using as an antenna, and what is the analogue TV reception like?

At the moment I have an external antenna set up inside... I haven't got around to putting it up properly yet. I was using rabbit ears with a booster but that was no good at all...

I am guessing that it is low signal that is the problem but I am unsure as to why MP would be more "fussy", as you put it...

I am reluctant to put up the external antenna properly only to have the same issues... Analogue signal is very strong, the UHF anyway, we get perfect picture on most channels with just rabbit ears.

I have access to a field strength meter but that is for analogue signals, I am not sure if it can be applied to the digital transmission.

Is there an indoor antenna solution that you can recommend?

 

[Taipan]

I can't explain why you are getting a different result with the FusionHDTV app and with MediaPortal, but I am 99% confident that if you installed a good antenna externally, your reception problems would be solved...

I am in metropolitan Melbourne, and I had to install a high-gain antenna, raise it 2m above my roof, fit a mast-head amp and use top-quality quad-shielded coax to get a "glitch-free" signal. But it has been worth it...

Another thing you might try is apply a recent SVN (I am using the June 12 one) and see if that is more tolerant of a marginal signal?

 

[smeghead]

Thought I would give you all an update:

On the weekend I installed an external antenna with quad shielded RG6.

Now within the FusionHDTV application I am getting 85-90% and +20dB on all channels, but alas I am still getting the same issues in MP... I updated to SVN 13 June but still no luck.

I have triple checked the frequencies against ScanChannelBDA and they are all good...

I am pulling my hair out with this one!!

Any other ideas???