Picture flicker/pixelation and sound loss - AGC%

luckylucas · 21-07-2007, 17:13

Just a quick shout of HELP !!!

I have recently had some problems with loss of picture and sound and a total loss with a Ld:20 error message (Samsung smt-2001-c)....

since coming back on the problems seem to be worse, although for the most part everything looks fine, which is annoying for when the engineer comes out ;-) (THIS MONDAY)

Anyway my question is, I have checked in the Engineering pages and on the 'Downstream' page the 'AGC tuner %' is 88 but keeps flashing to 100 and RED.....and the overall 'Combined AGC %' 85 ORANGE.....I'm assuming this is bad ?? Is this the cause and what can an engineer do to correct it??
I have a 10db attenuator/filter on the line, was this an attempt to solve this problem which has got worse?? or the attenuator has gone bad!
Hope somebody can help and explain if this is a problem or not :-)
Thanks all

Mick Fisher · 21-07-2007, 23:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by luckylucas

Just a quick shout of HELP !!!

I have a 10db attenuator/filter on the line, was this an attempt to solve this problem which has got worse?? or the attenuator has gone bad!

Yes, it is quite probable that your signal levels have changed since that attenuator was fitted.
While you wait for an engineer it will do no harm to try removing the attenuator in the hope it will improve things, if not then just put it back.

luckylucas · 22-07-2007, 08:32

It doesn't seem to help, the ACG tuner % still shoots into red 100%.....does any technie know if this needs a bigger attenuator or if this is not really the problem ?? (although really it should be sorted on the line - my mother who lives round the corner has no attenuator on and hers is stable and AGC fine and steady)

I just want as much info as possible before the engineer comes, as I don't want him telling me its all ok when it isn't....the signal strength seems fine but the gain? doesn't. (Red must be bad right ?)
Thanks

Mick Fisher · 22-07-2007, 16:45

There may be a fault with the ?amplifier? in the cab, making your signal outside the range for which an attenuator can help. If so you will need the engineer to escalate the fault to network to fix.
Of course there is always the possibility that maybe your STB is broke?

luckylucas · 22-07-2007, 19:33

Thanks Mick
I actually think the signal is dropping off causing the RED on the AGC%...if you remove the feed in the engineering page this is what happens, so it looks like the signal is intermittent, although its stays as GOOD on the page 4, but all the AGC values are on the problems page!!!

The thing is the values are close to what they should be, but appear to flutter into the bad values then back to the good ???

luckylucas · 23-07-2007, 10:34

Well looks like you may have been right Mick, although I have my doubts as to whether its been fixed..........apparently there was nothing wrong with the signal, which seems strange as he then said the AGC% RED errors were the box overcompensating (for what?) (Unfortunately I wasn't home at the time)

....he then replaced the box and said it was now all fine!! (which is what I would expect ;-))....apparently, the engineering pages were then all green, my worry is, that they were when I played about with taking out the attenuator, but soon return to error after a few minutes :-(

I'll see whats happening when I get home.

luckylucas · 23-07-2007, 16:30

Well I am completely pished off........infact I feel like cancelling everything, another completely wasted day.
The engineer fed all this crap about the AGC ratings being a result of a faulty box and the signal being fine.......I get home to find brand spanking new box with loads more errors........Tuner AGC % now in permanent RED 100, all the over AGC ratings flickering about and orange sometimes RED.......lock status also going to RED and when that happens seemingly the signal goes ORANGE AND POOR (was all green when he showed the wife AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGG GGGGHHHHH!!)

Virgin trained chimp department, applications welcome, but you must be a complete idiot!!!

---------- Post added at 17:30 ---------- Previous post was at 17:28 ----------

Can anyone tell me what all this red AGC stuff means...............the SNR is about 30.9 which I think is fine, so what are all these errors ???? HELP ME, BEFORE I DO SOMETHING I WILL REGRET!!!!!!!!

Mick Fisher · 23-07-2007, 19:45

Hmmm, so if it isn't your signal and it's not your box then what's left. Some sort of problem in the cab? Some sort of cabling problem either to or within the home.
It might be quicker and easier just to get Sky installed.
I had a similar problem which turned out, in the end, to be the doohickey (amp?) in the cab giving too strong a signal. A box swap, 2 engineers visits and eventually it was fixed by Networks. Total time without watchable TV was 3 weeks. Not a very commendable result IMO.