Digital interference question

[Rassilon]

I have a Nextwave TDR-3200 standard definition set top box.

I've been getting strange interference in the picture (the sound is
ok) where a thin horizontal line appears in the picture, normally
across the width of the tv screen, but at different positions each
time. If I record to dvd I can check this and it is only there for 1
frame. It happens perhaps every 10-15 minutes on average.

Does anyone know what could be causing this?

Thanks

[tony_h]

Rassilon wrote:
> I have a Nextwave TDR-3200 standard definition set top box.
>
> I've been getting strange interference in the picture (the sound is
> ok) where a thin horizontal line appears in the picture, normally
> across the width of the tv screen, but at different positions each
> time. If I record to dvd I can check this and it is only there for 1
> frame. It happens perhaps every 10-15 minutes on average.
>
> Does anyone know what could be causing this?
That is a sure fire sign of a few bit errors. This is often accompanied
with a little bit of silence (or popping and squealing for some STBs, not
the Toppy!!)
You are getting interference, or your signal strength/quality is not good
enough. Get quad shielded RG6 cabling for all your connections to the
antenna, and this often improves things.
I get this prob (with similar frequency to you) on Nine Sydney, no other
channels (am only about 10km from the transmitters too, but in a block of
units, so goodness knows what kind of crappy distribution setup they have!)
Regards
Tony
--�
http://tonyspage.abock.de for some Topfield info including turning
those recordings into DVDs, adding features with the open source TAP
environment etc...

[Rassilon]

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 07:27:43 GMT, "tony_h"
<tony_h@REMOVE.bigpond.net.au> wrote:

>Rassilon wrote:
>> I have a Nextwave TDR-3200 standard definition set top box.
>>
>> I've been getting strange interference in the picture (the sound is
>> ok) where a thin horizontal line appears in the picture, normally
>> across the width of the tv screen, but at different positions each
>> time. If I record to dvd I can check this and it is only there for 1
>> frame. It happens perhaps every 10-15 minutes on average.
>>
>> Does anyone know what could be causing this?
>That is a sure fire sign of a few bit errors. This is often accompanied
>with a little bit of silence (or popping and squealing for some STBs, not
>the Toppy!!)
>You are getting interference, or your signal strength/quality is not good
>enough. Get quad shielded RG6 cabling for all your connections to the
>antenna, and this often improves things.
>I get this prob (with similar frequency to you) on Nine Sydney, no other
>channels (am only about 10km from the transmitters too, but in a block of
>units, so goodness knows what kind of crappy distribution setup they have!)
>Regards
>Tony
>--?
>http://tonyspage.abock.de for some Topfield info including turning
>those recordings into DVDs, adding features with the open source TAP
>environment etc...

Thanks for the info. I've gone out and bought some quad shielded RG6
cabling, based on your advice and some articles I've read on the net.
Perhaps I even need a new antenna, but I'll get the cabling sorted out
first and see what happens. My signal strength is fine so it does
sound like some interference, probably due to the 30 year old existing
cabling...

[Sean Anderson]

It's really odd that you would get a horizontal line. I would have
thought that if you have some momentary interference that it would cause
a more blocky type of breakup, not a horizontal line.
I wonder if the analogue path post set-top-box is picking up some
interference?

Rassilon wrote:
> On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 07:27:43 GMT, "tony_h"
> <tony_h@REMOVE.bigpond.net.au> wrote:
>
>
>>Rassilon wrote:
>>
>>>I have a Nextwave TDR-3200 standard definition set top box.
>>>
>>>I've been getting strange interference in the picture (the sound is
>>>ok) where a thin horizontal line appears in the picture, normally
>>>across the width of the tv screen, but at different positions each
>>>time. If I record to dvd I can check this and it is only there for 1
>>>frame. It happens perhaps every 10-15 minutes on average.
>>>
>>>Does anyone know what could be causing this?
>>
>>That is a sure fire sign of a few bit errors. This is often accompanied
>>with a little bit of silence (or popping and squealing for some STBs, not
>>the Toppy!!)
>>You are getting interference, or your signal strength/quality is not good
>>enough. Get quad shielded RG6 cabling for all your connections to the
>>antenna, and this often improves things.
>>I get this prob (with similar frequency to you) on Nine Sydney, no other
>>channels (am only about 10km from the transmitters too, but in a block of
>>units, so goodness knows what kind of crappy distribution setup they have!)
>>Regards
>>Tony
>>--?
>>http://tonyspage.abock.de for some Topfield info including turning
>>those recordings into DVDs, adding features with the open source TAP
>>environment etc...
>
>
> Thanks for the info. I've gone out and bought some quad shielded RG6
> cabling, based on your advice and some articles I've read on the net.
> Perhaps I even need a new antenna, but I'll get the cabling sorted out
> first and see what happens. My signal strength is fine so it does
> sound like some interference, probably due to the 30 year old existing
> cabling...

[nohope]

The problem is caused by failure of the mains filter capacitor in the power supply.

What you are seeing is a hum bar moving up and down the screen.

If your box has not stopped working yet, it soon will with a catastrophic failure of the power supply.

If it is still under warranty get it looked at now. I have seen a few of these now, usually just out of warranty.

I'm guessing there was a faulty batch of capacitors there somewhere.