Is the cable Broadband an TV signal linked (low signal strength)

[petethecat]

Hi,

Are the signals for broadband and cable TV similar or linked in any way? The reason I ask is that I have noticed that the broadband service stopped a few days ago and I have notice jittering and blocking in the TV pictures..

We have split the signal (in fact the signal is split via a 4-way then a 2-way splitter before it gets to the modem) but this setup has been in place an is work very well for over a year or two. I have certainly had no problems with a broadband connection. Then a couple of days ago I could not get a BB signal on the upstream. I eventually tried plugging in to the main feed direct and all worked. Even into the 4-way and it worked. I have now had to remove the 2-way from the equation but the signal levels are fairly week. (-8 dBmV DS, 34 db SNR and 58 dBmV US, ). We have always seemed to get a certain amount of jerking/loss of sound/blocking, but it now appears worse.

This all seemed to happen, maybe coincidentally, they a few days ago day when NTL said they doing essential maintenance on the BB side of things that could affect the entire country.

Anyone any ideas?

Yes, they are linked. In simple terms - tv uses some of the channels down the cable, bb some of the others. Sounds like you need to report it to faults.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by petethecat

We have split the signal (in fact the signal is split via a 4-way then a 2-way splitter before it gets to the modem) but this setup has been in place an is work very well for over a year or two.

Who's we? You or your cableco? Why do you need to split it 5 ways at the input, do you have 4 set top boxes and a modem? If so you should call your cable co. If not you probably need to call them anywas, but you should consider splitting the output signal from the set top box, not the input to the house.

[petethecat]

Yes, we - me. If we split from the STB, the modem definitely doesn't work. We use the different feeds for the standard analogue channels on other ordinary TV''s (as we do not have a outside aerial - this is common in this area as cable dates back to the early 90â₠¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s with Cable and Wireless), as well as for the modem of course. Originally, our STB did not allow analogue channels to pass through, but this was eventually rectified but, as already stated, the modem did not work if the feed was taken from the STB, so we reverted to splitting the main signal. This also cut down on the number of cables I needed to run.

All cable was high quality digital cable (PF-100, I think) and all splitters were quality f-type splitters. In fact, the one I had to remove (the 2-way) was the original one put in by an NTL engineer many, many moons ago. The actual F-type connectors are not the best, but I do not have access to the necessary dies to crimp for this cable.


Edit - addition.

We are also thinking of getting an extra STB for a new extension and I am looking to get a DVB-C card for the PC. Maybe some kind of in-line amplification is necessary.

Anyhow, most of this is irrelevant, as the original installation had worked faultlessly for a year or two. Now suddenly, without modification to the cable structure, it doesnââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t.

[sollp]

Originally Posted by petethecat

Yes, we - me. If we split from the STB, the modem definitely doesn't work. We use the different feeds for the standard analogue channels on other ordinary TV''s (as we do not have a outside aerial - this is common in this area as cable dates back to the early 90â₠¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s with Cable and Wireless), as well as for the modem of course. Originally, our STB did not allow analogue channels to pass through, but this was eventually rectified but, as already stated, the modem did not work if the feed was taken from the STB, so we reverted to splitting the main signal. This also cut down on the number of cables I needed to run.

All cable was high quality digital cable (PF-100, I think) and all splitters were quality f-type splitters. In fact, the one I had to remove (the 2-way) was the original one put in by an NTL engineer many, many moons ago. The actual F-type connectors are not the best, but I do not have access to the necessary dies to crimp for this cable.


Edit - addition.

We are also thinking of getting an extra STB for a new extension and I am looking to get a DVB-C card for the PC. Maybe some kind of in-line amplification is necessary.

Anyhow, most of this is irrelevant, as the original installation had worked faultlessly for a year or two. Now suddenly, without modification to the cable structure, it doesnââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t.

Basically what you are doing is piping the analogue channels around the house and not subscribing for the extra STB's to do this. What you are doing just highlights the problem of people doing DIY installations in the home network, also highlights that you've don't want to pay for the extra STB's, so are quite happy to break your Terms and conditions by doing all of this. When the STB and modem are installed the signal level should be properly set to correspond with the cable lenghth from the cabinet in the street to the furthest STB or modem within your house, also when the signal is split in the house to include more than one device this will also mean the signal needs to be adjusted due to the loss that the splitters will introduce.

Again you will have used a sub standard cable also the splitters will be of a poor quality, the connectors will not be made properly on the cable, and this basically will spell disaster for your cable experience and also for the hundreds of subscribers the noise you have introduced onto the network will affect.
Just because you wouldn't pay the extra to get this installed correctly or to pay for the service that at the moment you are also obtaining for free around your house,(apart from the STB and modem).

To use a DVB-C card will not work,(unless you know something we don't). Inline amplification will only compound the problem, what you need to do is phone get installed properly, or buy a WI-FI solution.

You will find me banging on about this problem as it does annoy. Maybe i should start a thread on what the problems are caused by this so people will begin to understand why!

[petethecat]

As for the cable and splitters pleas READ the post, as said these ARE of good quality †“ in fact recommended by a cable engineer. At one point there was even a noise blocker in line to stop any potential noise ingress into the rest of the system, but the cable engineer said this was unnecessary after taking meter readings.

I do not receive any channel on analogue other than the FTA channel that ARE included in our subscription. As stated, we live in an area where Cable and Wireless were years ago before NTL took over. MANY houses in this area have done away with other methods of TV reception and NTL still broadcast the standard FTA channels down the cable. One day this will stop, but it isn't today. If these channels weren't meant to be watched, why broadcast them?? The extra bandwidth I sure could be put to much better use!

I also believe that TV companies have a certain legal right to make sure that certain channels are available what ever the subscription, but that fact that we DO subscribe mean that I am doing nothing wrong.

In addition, for your information, a DVB=C card will work; it will simply pick up the FTA channels.

[quadplay]

A DVB-C card won't work on the Bromley network - all channels are encrypted, including the BBC channels. You can see this by removing the smart card from your STB - you'll get the unsubscribed channel message on the encrypted channels.

[petethecat]

Ok ignore the DVB-C card thing, it's not important to the thread.

[sollp]

Originally Posted by petethecat

As for the cable and splitters pleas READ the post, as said these ARE of good quality †“ in fact recommended by a cable engineer. At one point there was even a noise blocker in line to stop any potential noise ingress into the rest of the system, but the cable engineer said this was unnecessary after taking meter readings.

I do not receive any channel on analogue other than the FTA channel that ARE included in our subscription. As stated, we live in an area where Cable and Wireless were years ago before NTL took over. MANY houses in this area have done away with other methods of TV reception and NTL still broadcast the standard FTA channels down the cable. One day this will stop, but it isn't today. If these channels weren't meant to be watched, why broadcast them?? The extra bandwidth I sure could be put to much better use!

I also believe that TV companies have a certain legal right to make sure that certain channels are available what ever the subscription, but that fact that we DO subscribe mean that I am doing nothing wrong.

In addition, for your information, a DVB=C card will work; it will simply pick up the FTA channels.

NTL Do NOT do FTA, you are assuming because it has been the norm. Not if your card is digital only it won't, as you state its a Digital Video Broadcast C standard card it won't.

As you say YOU BELIEVE, they don't, as we are talking cable at the moment. Basically if you take it you pay for it.

You will find certain areas around the country have been provided with channels 1-5 in agreement with the local council who pay for the service for the residents in these areas. Unfortunately other people outside and near these areas have assumed that they can also get the channels for free as well. This isn't the case. What ever you may think at the moment NTL or other cable companies only provide via a subcription to the Analogue or Digital service or in the unique situation i have already said. You and many others are taking a service that the network was not designed to provide so consequently are causing noise and interference on the cable network.