FM Hook-up

[Okonski]

Customers in a number of areas along with their analogue cable service were provided with the ability to listen to a variety of FM stations (30!) rebroadcast on new frequencies (in my case, by NTL), Through the years this has worked exrtemely wel, and survived the change to digital and broadband.

One of the radio channels is now distorted and unlistenable, whilst the other - BBC Radio Scotland - has disappeared from its allotted frequency. My problem is in getting anyone in CS to even know the service exists! Because it is not billed, and the service predates most of the staff there, I cannot raise a fault report on it, and promised call-backs for 'a man that knows' never materialises.

Does anyone know how to repot this as an issue? Oh, and in answer to those that might suggest it is not a service ntl actively provides, this is true - as the FM isolators are as rare as hen's teeth, however, the service IS still provided and you can be sure it would be removed instantly if bandwidth recovery was required.

[Nemesis]

Try using the Responsetek tool ...

[Nemesis]

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/forumdisplay.php?f=81

If you get no joy using this PM me.

[Okonski]

OK will do! Thanks!

[spike7451]

As Digital is taking over & you get radio on that,the FM hook up is being wound down.I have'nt fitted one in over 5 years!

[mob227]

same here in newport wales the service needs sorting i can not use te digital radio on the samsung 2100 as it has no phono output lol,

so how can i get the fm service in neport wales original langly area sorted some of the channels need retuneing at the headend

Originally Posted by spike7451

As Digital is taking over & you get radio on that,the FM hook up is being wound down.I have'nt fitted one in over 5 years!

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by spike7451

As Digital is taking over & you get radio on that,the FM hook up is being wound down.I have'nt fitted one in over 5 years!

Any cable hookup point has a FM hook on it (well all my three do). I've always wondered about this one as you are connecting non NTL equipment into their cable, a nono according to T&C.

Re Digital - you would need an additional STB to feed the digital into the audio system, wheras at the moment you can listen to the FM on your stereo in room A and watch TV in room B while there are a lot of digital radio channels in the 800's? I can't listen to that on anything but my TV or without paying £15 a month for a second STB to plug into the HiFi.
I could also buy outright a DAB reciever, however i "may" recieve (variable coverage)
Capital
Virgin
Classic
Talk Sport etc, which would be a far poorer proposition than the current FM broadcast or cablecast service.

[patrickp]

Originally Posted by mob227

same here in newport wales the service needs sorting i can not use te digital radio on the samsung 2100 as it has no phono output lol,

so how can i get the fm service in neport wales original langly area sorted some of the channels need retuneing at the headend

Your Samsung box should have some kind of video output, mob227, and would need to be able output audio, too - these may be combined in one connector.

If it has a SCART or s-video output, for instance, then there will be audio out on some of the pins there.

Whoops, sorry! I don't use the FM analog service - for that, you need a splitter at the box where the cable comes into your house; this will separate the FM (it's RF, not audio) signal from the TV/Broadband one. Without this, you can't receive the FM signals separately.

What you may be thinking of are the radio channels that are included in the channel lineup - yes, you would use the audio outputs for these.

[altis]

For those that don't already know, there are full details about how to do this here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/altisuk/fm/index.htm

[Okonski]

Originally Posted by spike7451

As Digital is taking over & you get radio on that,the FM hook up is being wound down.I have'nt fitted one in over 5 years!

Ah - that must be a technical term! I think you mean it's not been actively promoted. Funnily enough, ntl used to relay EIGHT free Music Choice channels, but these are now silent, literally. The audio feed is gone, but the silent carrier is being modulated, and stereo encoded! For those areas that do not allow the use of rooftop aerials, ntl's FM hook-up was part of the deal, and I doubt they'll be able to remove it without adequate consultation.

Seriously though, NTL should either offer a service, or withdraw it. As it hasn't been withdrawn, then as a paying customer using the service, surely I have a right to expect they will continue to maintain it until the service is withdrawn? That said, the inability to report a channel drifting off-tune is most annoying,especially when ntl staff attempt to tell me I can only get radio via the STB!

[mob227]

im a tv & satellite engineer and know how to connect phono outputs up i can not split the scart outputs as im useing both scart outputs plus i would not like to wreck one of my £50 scart leads that is trade price as the ones im useing retail for £90 in seven oaks hi fi shops and more in others

as for the fm hook up connecting it up your wrong there to the correct way is you need a two ouput isolator (not splitet isolator) 1 output tv/data other output fm connected via coax i use wf150 coax with crimp on f connectors

Originally Posted by patrickp

Your Samsung box should have some kind of video output, mob227, and would need to be able output audio, too - these may be combined in one connector.

If it has a SCART or s-video output, for instance, then there will be audio out on some of the pins there.

Whoops, sorry! I don't use the FM analog service - for that, you need a splitter at the box where the cable comes into your house; this will separate the FM (it's RF, not audio) signal from the TV/Broadband one. Without this, you can't receive the FM signals separately.

What you may be thinking of are the radio channels that are included in the channel lineup - yes, you would use the audio outputs for these.

[spike7451]

NTL can provide a type of scart for the non audio out STB's.The reason they were removed is the same as the removal of the off air by pass= the STB's were cheaper!But because of so much complaints,they had to introduce a 'bolt on' by-pass.
The are 2 types of FM hook up connectors available; a male rf type & a forked 2 prong type.A lot of the isolators fitted now are either tv/tv or straight tv output.
Spike

[mob227]

hi what does this bolt on audio l&r bypass look like thanks if its one that going in to the scart socket they are c*ap as they dont provide as good audio qulity as proper phono outputs

Originally Posted by spike7451

NTL can provide a type of scart for the non audio out STB's.The reason they were removed is the same as the removal of the off air by pass= the STB's were cheaper!But because of so much complaints,they had to introduce a 'bolt on' by-pass.
The are 2 types of FM hook up connectors available; a male rf type & a forked 2 prong type.A lot of the isolators fitted now are either tv/tv or straight tv output.
Spike

[spike7451]

Originally Posted by mob227

hi what does this bolt on audio l&r bypass look like thanks if its one that going in to the scart socket they are c*ap as they dont provide as good audio qulity as proper phono outputs

The bolt on RF bypass is nothing to do with the SCART!!
It's a fitting that allows you to get BBC1 to C5 off air WITHOUT a external roof airial!

[Okonski]

Originally Posted by spike7451

The are 2 types of FM hook up connectors available; a male rf type & a forked 2 prong type.A lot of the isolators fitted now are either tv/tv or straight tv output.
Spike

Little wonder customers and staff have no idea FM is available without any requirement for a STB. But back on topic, anyone know how to report a fault on it? (Missing/distorted channels?).