Signal Levels?
 

Hi there having had my broadband and tv installed a few months back and reporting my signal levels on Cable Forum i was informed that my levels were far to low which was contributing to my slower than normal speeds and intermittent dropouts. Having called technical support they told me my signal levels are fine and was advised that inorder to obtain the 20mb speeds to which i subscribe i must delete my browsing history and delete temporary files and cookies.....? My signal stats are below....Anyone know if these are acceptable or not? Any help greatly appreciated. Kind regards.

Downstream
Power Level -7.9 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio 39.4 dB

Upstream
Power Level 44.0 dBmV

Re: Signal Levels?
 

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12...al-levels.html

According to that your downstream level may be low but as your SNR looks plenty high enough it doesn't seem to be causing you any problem.

The clear your temp files and cookies sounds like script following BS to me as the effect will virtually certainly be minimal.

Re: Signal Levels?
 

Your Downstream is a little low so call tomorrow after 0800 on 151 from a Virginmedia phone line or 0845 454 1111 from any other phone line and an agent will run some diagnostics with you.

Re: Signal Levels?
 

Hi thanks for the replies, i have called tech for some diagnostics and said the signal is perfectly fine for my package even though the internet intermittently drops out on occasion, especially when downloading at high speed. High speed for me would be around 600kb/s on my 20MB connection :( Digital TV also experiences pixelation maybe once or twice every few minutes which also leads me to believe its a signal issue. Since my DS is within 12 and -12dBmV she said it should not be affecting my service and my speed and dropouts are likely caused by conflicting or interfering software on my computer, which i know not to be the case. Also told the nice (offshore callcentre) lady that when i moved into the property the exsisting cables were in quite bad nick, for example, the metal coax connectors on the end of the shabby exsisting cabling is held on with electrical tape rather than actually "crimped" on. She intimated that since the signal seems fine form her end there is no need to replace them.....Any suggestions?

Re: Signal Levels?
 

-12 is way outside recommended levels hence Masque saying your downstream power was on the low side.

What is your upstream modulation 16QAM or QPSK?

Re: Signal Levels?
 

I did say call tomorrow morning and you should get a UK agent with more of an idea of what is going on, also mention the cabling.

Re: Signal Levels?
 

Its QPSK. Is that good or bad?

---------- Post added at 23:35 ---------- Previous post was at 23:31 ----------

You never mentioned a UK agent in your first post? Im worried they're gunna think im messing them around :( I already told the lady today about the cabling and the signal and she said theyre ok. Will a different agent not see it the same way the first one did? I would just feel stupid if they say yeah you rang yesterday and we told you its fine lol...Cheers

Re: Signal Levels?
 

It's dead simple. If your TV is pixellating and your modem is dropping out, you've got signal attenuation and you've clearly identified the likely reason. -7 dBmv is too low.

Take Masque's advice or call 150 and take the leaving us option and tell them the rubbish you've been told and you're not standing for this. Unless your problem is taken seriously, you'll leave VM (even if you won't).

HTH.

Re: Signal Levels?
 

I shall definatly be giving them a call....im slightly worried if i say "im not standing for this, i want to leave virgin please" and they says "ok, no problem" lol....

Re: Signal Levels?
 

QPSK as the modulation points to a line fault. Don't worry about threatening to leave they don't want that.

Re: Signal Levels?
 

Fair point. But get names of people you're talking to so that even if your bluff is called, you can go to complaints and put the problem to them.

Another course of action is post your story, modem stats and event log onto the VM forum where tech support will pick up on the problem for you.

Re: Signal Levels?
 

After a minimum of 48hrs if no one else posts in his thread.

Re: Signal Levels?
 

I said in the morning after 0800 not now for the simple reason we do not work during the night and only start at 0800, we also do not work Sunday's.

Re: Signal Levels?
 

Yes we do

Re: Signal Levels?
 

Sorry of course you guys work Sunday it is just us guys in Liverpool and Swansea that don't.;)