100M : Signal Levels

[RB2004]

Hi, ive been getting eratic speeds

and was told on the Virgin Media Community forum that my signal levels need sorting out, can anybody confirm?

Thanks

Connection

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Startup Procedure
Procedure Status Comment
Acquire Downstream Channel 299000000 Hz Locked
Connectivity State OK Operational
Boot State OK Operational
Configuration File OK
Security Enabled BPI+


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Downstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power SNR Docsis/EuroDocsis locked
Locked QAM256 194 55616000 Kbits/sec 299000000 Hz -6.4 dBmV 38.8 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 193 55616000 Kbits/sec 291000000 Hz -6.1 dBmV 38.3 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 195 55616000 Kbits/sec 307000000 Hz -6.1 dBmV 39.0 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 196 55616000 Kbits/sec 315000000 Hz -6.5 dBmV 38.5 dB Hybrid
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Upstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power
Locked ATDMA 1 20480 Kbits/sec 35800000 Hz 49.2 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Primary Downstream Service Flow
Downstream(0)
SFID 2224
Max Traffic Rate 102400000 bps
Max Traffic Burst 10000 bytes
Mix Traffic Rate 0 bps


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Primary Upstream Service Flow
Upstream(0)
SFID 2223
Max Traffic Rate 10250000 bps
Max Traffic Burst 16320 bytes
Mix Traffic Rate 0 bps
Max Concatenated Burst 16320 bytes
Scheduling Type Best Effort


Also got these errors,

Event Log

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time Priority Description
Sat Aug 27 23:18:09 2011 Critical (3) No UCDs Received - Timeout;;CM-MAC=a0:21:b7:22:3b:a8;CMTS-MAC=00:00:00:00:00:00;CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;

Sat Aug 27 23:17:50 2011 Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing;;CM-MAC=a0:21:b7:22:3b:a8;CMTS-MAC=00:00:00:00:00:00;CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;

Sat Aug 27 23:16:38 2011 Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing;CM-MAC=a0:21:b7:22:3b:a8;CMTS-MAC=00:00:00:00:00:00;CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;

Sat Aug 27 23:15:51 2011 Critical (3) No UCDs Received - Timeout;;CM-MAC=a0:21:b7:22:3b:a8;CMTS-MAC=00:0d:66:22:f8:01;CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;

Sat Aug 27 23:14:33 2011 Critical (3) Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=a0:21:b7:22:3b:a8;CMTS-MAC=00:23:5e:6f:d1:74;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

Sat Aug 27 23:14:01 2011 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=a0:21:b7:22:3b:a8;CMTS-MAC=00:23:5e:6f:d1:74;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

Wed Aug 24 11:21:52 2011 Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to receive MAC SYNC frame within time-out period;CM-MAC=a0:21:b7:22:3b:a8;CMTS-MAC=00:23:5e:6f:d1:74;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;


just want confirmation, as ive got an engineer coming tomorrow, as over the years ive had repeated signal problems that keep being corrected by engineers by moving my cable up on the line tap in the cabinet.. but i suspect an engineer is moving it down again at a later date to fix somebody elses fault.

So after I was told ive got signal problems again for what must be able the 4th time now, I wanted to try and get a thicker cable put in, as that was recomended when i first had the services installed 6 years ago, but the engineer who came down to fit the cable didnt have the cable with him and just moved my cable up the line tap in the cabinet instead fixing the problem.. but since then its been a reoccuring problem, that keeps coming back to haunt me.

Ive got 2 V+ boxes, and 1 V box, so outside in the brown box there is a 3 way splitter, then inside the house on 1 outlet there is a 2 way splitter to split broadband and TV to one of the V+ boxes.

want to also get Tivo, and 1 V+ box moved so then I will have 4 boxes.. which is also why id like to get these signal problems sorted now.

on one of my V+ boxes, my signal levels are,

SNR: 35.0 dB, 33,0dB, 34.0dB
AGC Signal Level: -6dBmV, -5dBmV, -9dBmV
Return Power: 46dBmV

have no idea if any of these levels are normal.

Thanks in advance.

[General Maximus]

i tink techincally your downstream levels are ok but border line, they could defo do with being ramped up, they need to be a bit closer to 0

[RB2004]

Originally Posted by General Maximus

i tink techincally your downstream levels are ok but border line, they could defo do with being ramped up, they need to be a bit closer to 0

Hi, thats what I was also told, that they need increasing a bit.

is there any way anybody knows of, of getting the drop cable changed to a thicker cable?

because, i know its only borderline, and moving it up on the line tap will probably fix it.

BUT every time this has been done in the past the problem has come back again. 4/5 times now with this same problem is not really acceptable any more, and a cable pull would probably sort it out properly.

[RB2004]

Engineer has just been

These are the new signal levels, all he did again was move it up on the line tap, but to me they seem like barely no improvement?

just told me the tap has some corrosion and he will get networks onto it, and refused to do any more than that... so i guess now its wait and see what happens when networks change the tap.

if its still like it, will i need to get another engineer down again? this is getting rediculas now.

Connection
Startup Procedure
Procedure Status Comment
Acquire Downstream Channel 299000000 Hz Locked
Connectivity State OK Operational
Boot State OK Operational
Configuration File OK
Security Enabled BPI+
Downstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power SNR Docsis/EuroDocsis locked
Locked QAM256 194 55616000 Kbits/sec 299000000 Hz -6.1 dBmV 39.0 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 193 55616000 Kbits/sec 291000000 Hz -5.8 dBmV 38.5 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 195 55616000 Kbits/sec 307000000 Hz -5.9 dBmV 39.0 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 196 55616000 Kbits/sec 315000000 Hz -6.3 dBmV 38.8 dB Hybrid
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Upstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power
Locked ATDMA 1 20480 Kbits/sec 35800000 Hz 49.2 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Primary Downstream Service Flow
Downstream(0)
SFID 2224
Max Traffic Rate 102400000 bps
Max Traffic Burst 10000 bytes
Mix Traffic Rate 0 bps
Primary Upstream Service Flow
Upstream(0)
SFID 2223
Max Traffic Rate 10250000 bps
Max Traffic Burst 16320 bytes
Mix Traffic Rate 0 bps
Max Concatenated Burst 16320 bytes
Scheduling Type Best Effort


I don't mean to complain, but I pay virgin media over £1000 a year for my services, ive been with them for over 6 years and this problem just wont go away.

All I want is a permanent fix to it.. not get told every time i change my services ive got signal problems. Its frustrating.

[jb66]

That excuse is BullSh*t. I dont buy it at all. Time to call back up and get some RG11 cable, if your on the highest tap you obviously need it

---------- Post added at 14:37 ---------- Previous post was at 14:27 ----------

if freq 299mhz -6 its amazing you can even watch tv channels at 609mhz as they'll be -10 or worse

[RB2004]

Originally Posted by jb66

That excuse is BullSh*t. I dont buy it at all. Time to call back up and get some RG11 cable, if your on the highest tap you obviously need it

---------- Post added at 14:37 ---------- Previous post was at 14:27 ----------

if freq 299mhz -6 its amazing you can even watch tv channels at 609mhz as they'll be -10 or worse

Hi, thanks for the reply.

when the engineer arrived, first thing i did was explain how when it was originally installed i was recomended a replacement cable which never happened and that this had been an ongoing problem.. then he plugged his signal meter into the broadband modem cable, and went to check the line taps... a while later he returned, and said theres some corrosion where a previous engineer hadnt closed it up properly and that he would get networks onto it... then logged onto the Superhub, disabled some of the features like the firewall, then looked at the status page with the signal levels.

When he said he had this time put a tag on it to make sure another engineer doesnt move it down. I know he moved it again because the tv cut out for a while.

So I asked if theres any way I can get another cable put in, and he told me that they will only do that if it is like worst case scenerio then went on to say that using the thicker drop cable is more a london architecture, not round here.

Then he left, wasnt until after i checked the signal levels and theres barely any improvement.. i dont know what they should be but he might as well of not turned up for the difference its made.. but there wasnt much else I could do lol

So you think I should phone back again? I know im not happy with it, the improvement is barely anything. TV Channels work ok, but i admit occasionally i do get interference on the channels like you do on freeview with a weak signal. Broadband speed is more erratic if nothing else.

---------- Post added at 15:21 ---------- Previous post was at 15:06 ----------

regarding tv,

heres the signal levels.

Default Frequency 411mhz

V+ Box which is connected directly to the splitter in the brown box outside

Tuner A
Modulation Error Ratio: 33dB
Input Signal Level: -8 dBmV

Tuner B

Modulation Error Ratio: 32dB
Input Signal Level: -9 dBmV

Tuner C

Modulation Error Ratio: 33dB
Input Signal Level: -8 dBmV


V+ Box which is connect via a splitter with the broadband modem.

Tuner A
Modulation Error Ratio: 33dB
Input Signal Level: -12 dBmV

Tuner B

Modulation Error Ratio: 32dB
Input Signal Level: -11 dBmV

Tuner C

Modulation Error Ratio: 32dB
Input Signal Level: -11 dBmV



Also have a V box also, so 3 boxes and a broadband modem.

He never checked those signal levels, just the signal level on the broadband modem.

[jb66]

Go to settings, technical stuff dtv medic then enter the pin I'll pm u to have a look

[RB2004]

Originally Posted by jb66

Go to settings, technical stuff dtv medic then enter the pin I'll pm u to have a look

Hi, Thanks, anything specific im supposed to be looking for on there?

on the V box, its an SA4200 and STB Medic wouldnt work, just kept coming back STB Poll Error.

But the signal levels on the V Box are,

AGC -8 dBmV
Return Power 49 dBmV
SNR 36.2 dBmV

V Box is connected directly to the splitter in the brown box outside

3 way splitter in the brown box, 2 ways go to the V box and V+ box, 3rd way goes to a 2 way splitter for the other V+ box and Superhub

Thanks for the reply again, much appreciated

[jb66]

Just to see what it fails on

[General Maximus]

i agree dude, he hasnt done anything to improve your signal levels at all. Ask JB66 what needs doing to fix it and then ring VM up and tell them you want another engineer out and what you want them to do to remedy the problem.

[RB2004]

Originally Posted by jb66

Just to see what it fails on

Hi,

it didnt fail on anything that I can see,

But I have run that in the past, and it used to always fail on one of the tuners, didnt do it this time.

---------- Post added at 17:21 ---------- Previous post was at 17:14 ----------

Originally Posted by General Maximus

i agree dude, he hasnt done anything to improve your signal levels at all. Ask JB66 what needs doing to fix it and then ring VM up and tell them you want another engineer out and what you want them to do to remedy the problem.

Hi

No he didnt do anything, the signals arent improved at all, just gave me rubbish about the cable pull, saying RG11 is only something used in london architecture, not around here (thurrock, essex)

anyway, ive got fed up with it now, thanks for providing me with 2nd oppinions.

CEO office has clearly been useless as they was the people who sent the engineer down, and this has been going on for 6 years now, was already annoyed they wouldnt give me tivo.. I was abroad for 8 weeks this year in the past 6 months and was late paying, now they refuse to give me tivo until near the end of the year.. apparently being a loyal customer for more than 6 years counts for nothing.

They gave me the 100mbit Broadband upgrade though, thats how this signal problem all came to light again, and I was hoping after today it was going to be fixed.. as id contacted the CEO office and explained how annoyed i was and that this had been going on for 6 years now... with no proper solution.

Then engineer comes down today and gives me some rubbish and does nothing.

So after you offering me a 2nd oppinion JB66, which I appreciate, Thanks

ive now contacted the department thinking of leaving us.

Told them this has been going on for 6 years now, and no real solution has come about, explained im fed up with this reoccuring problem and said the engineer that came today was next to useless..and said if its not resolved I will be reducing or cancelling my services as im fed up with it.

Then they got in touch with the area installs manager, and phoned me back.. and said they will contact me in due course to arrange a date for a repull using RG11

Just rediculas that it had to come to that.. they could of resolved the problem 6 years ago when an engineer recomended a repull, but instead dragged it out... but I have to say they soon did something about it when i threatened to leave.

Will see what will happen now, hopefully I will get the RG11 repull.

[RB2004]

well that was a waste of time... so much for them agreeing to do a cable repull.

nobody called me as was supposed to.

phoned retentions again, and was told "the area manager thinks you dont need a repull" so no repull will be done... passed me on to the 100mbit team... we will book another engineer for sunday morning.

but i dont get what this engineer is going to do that the previous one couldnt?

previous engineer fiddled with the tap, it made no difference.. then went.. said he couldnt do any more.

so why send another engineer down? to waste my time?

engineers have been fiddling with this signal issue for 6 years.. to no avail.

So clearly something seriously is wrong, but nobody will give me a cable repull.

[jb66]

Ok... another option. If they wont give you a repull then get an external HDU fitted to your omni, that will boost the signal by 6db (as a 3 way splitter looses 3db)

If they wont do that then ask the engineer to replace the 3 way splitter with a 3-way unbalanced splitter that will increase your downstream to -2

[RB2004]

ok will do, thanks again

just dont understand why they cant just do a repull, its only a lump of cable, ok fair enough it costs money but surely no more than the total of all these engineers being sent out is costing them.

just seems stupid... person on the 100mbit team even tried to say a cable repull would not increase my signal.. apparently he obviously doesnt know anything about signal losses over a length of cable.

[RB2004]

Hi, Engineer has just been, and done nothing, said its fine, as its ok down to -7 dBmV as problems dont start happening until it gets down to about 7.1 dBmV

Despite everyone telling me -6 is borderline and the 100mbit team on the phone, which was why they sent the engineer in the first place after they refused the repull.