Digital Signal Strength and Pixelation...

[GNASH]

Hi all,

I am wondering what the "typical" threshold for signal strength is before pixelation begins to become a problem.

We have an indoor antenna. Over the past week, we have had pixelation occurring on our OTA Digital Channels. For a while (prior to the past few weeks) would do this when the signal strength (according to our Dish 722 tuner) was below 60. Over the past week, I have noticed it doing it for anything under about 75. I am just wondering what signal strength should give a decent picture (with as little pixelating as possible)???

Thanks,
Geoff

 

[Voyager6]

Hi all,

I am wondering what the "typical" threshold for signal strength is before pixelation begins to become a problem.

We have an indoor antenna. Over the past week, we have had pixelation occurring on our OTA Digital Channels. For a while (prior to the past few weeks) would do this when the signal strength (according to our Dish 722 tuner) was below 60. Over the past week, I have noticed it doing it for anything under about 75. I am just wondering what signal strength should give a decent picture (with as little pixelating as possible)???

Thanks,
Geoff

Is your antenna amplified and are you using any new electrical devices? Baseboard Heat, portable heater, etc. The interference from these devices can cause the pixelation. I am having a problem with the picture on one channel. The baseboard heater is causing interference with my preamp. I need to move the preamp to another circuit.

 

[Tower Guy]

I am wondering what the "typical" threshold for signal strength is before pixelation begins to become a problem.

We have an indoor antenna.

With an indoor antenna rearranging the furniture can cause reception problems.

The signal strength meter on some TV sets is pure signal level, on others it's really bit error rate. You can't conclude anything specific unless you know how your set works internally.

In any event, you'd be better off with an outdoor antenna.

 

[Jim5506]

Your furniture, appliances and especially you reflect and distort radio waves as they pass through the house, an indoor antenna has to deal with this (usually doesn't ) - GO TO THE ROOF.

 

[GNASH]

Your furniture, appliances and especially you reflect and distort radio waves as they pass through the house, an indoor antenna has to deal with this (usually doesn't ) - GO TO THE ROOF.

Speaking of reflecting, we put aluminum foil on the dipoles (I believe that is what the long antennas are called) and that seems to have reduced the amount of distortion and also allowed signals to come in on all but 1 OTA station without any adjustment over the past 2 days. Was just curious as to how the 722 signal strength meter compared with the distortion.

However, as mentioned, using foil (which I read can reduce the amount of reflected signal picked by the antenna) has helped.

Thanks for everyone's input,
Geoff

 

[GNASH]

Is your antenna amplified and are you using any new electrical devices? Baseboard Heat, portable heater, etc. The interference from these devices can cause the pixelation. I am having a problem with the picture on one channel. The baseboard heater is causing interference with my preamp. I need to move the preamp to another circuit.

The antenna is amplified. We do not have any new appliances running. Furnace was turned on approximately 2 weeks ago, but it is 90 degrees away from where the antennas are pointed and approximately 20 or 30 feet away (with walls and counters in between). I don't think that is affecting it (had Central Air running throughout summer and it didn't seem to affect it), but I am not sure.

Thanks,
Geoff