How to improve TV Reception

[Malam]

I have an ATI AIW 9700Pro and a NEC Multisync FE 700+ Monitor
connected to a Cable Network. I need some ideas on how to improve
the TV reception on this unit. I bought a 10db amp from Radio Shack
but it is useless. I only split the cable into two one to a TV and
the other to the TV card. The reception is noisy with some
horizontal lines at the background. The horizontal lines are more
pronounced on some channels more than others.
Any ideas please ??

 

[Lee Gordon]

<<I have an ATI AIW 9700Pro and a NEC Multisync FE 700+ Monitor
connected to a Cable Network. I need some ideas on how to improve
the TV reception on this unit. I bought a 10db amp from Radio Shack
but it is useless. I only split the cable into two one to a TV and
the other to the TV card. The reception is noisy with some
horizontal lines at the background. The horizontal lines are more
pronounced on some channels more than others.
Any ideas please ??>>

If you are using RG-59 cable, replace it with RG-6.

Lee

 

[Kill Bill]

I have an ATI AIW 9700Pro and a NEC Multisync FE 700+ Monitor
connected to a Cable Network. I need some ideas on how to improve
the TV reception on this unit. I bought a 10db amp from Radio Shack
but it is useless. I only split the cable into two one to a TV and
the other to the TV card. The reception is noisy with some
horizontal lines at the background. The horizontal lines are more
pronounced on some channels more than others.
Any ideas please ??

I know that most of those cheap radio shack amps only amplify the noise
they're passing.

 

[Jack Cade]

I have an ATI AIW 9700Pro and a NEC Multisync FE 700+ Monitor
connected to a Cable Network. I need some ideas on how to improve
the TV reception on this unit. I bought a 10db amp from Radio Shack
but it is useless. I only split the cable into two one to a TV and
the other to the TV card. The reception is noisy with some
horizontal lines at the background. The horizontal lines are more
pronounced on some channels more than others.
Any ideas please ??

This is a constant hassle with ATI TV cards and cable connections.
The following "adjustments" seem to help, but do not solve the poor
reception quality:

1) If you use "mixer," mute mono sound.

2) Make sure all cables are far enough away from other sources of
electro-magnetic interference, such as power cables, etc. Some posts
in this group have suggested using the most highly insulated coax
cable available.

3) "Playing around"( "rabbit ear" antennas of the past) with cable
pathways from cable input to ATI TV cards seems to help somewhat. For
me, reception of some channels is improved by loosening/tightening
cable connections of the "splitter."

Improving TV reception is indeed a hassle. If anyone has any tips,
please add them to this thread.

JC

 

[Clint]

Is that the only splits that occur between your computer and the cable box
outside your house? Check the rating on the splitter you have. Around
here, the local cable provider is happy to provide free splitters/cables/etc
because it's cheaper than sending out a technician to fix stuff later. And
they provide decent stuff, again, because it's cheaper to do that than fix
it later.

Clint

 

[Malam]

Thanks all. The cable comes into my Main Power Panel from the
outside, so its right in the box with all the fuse boes and all. This
may not be helping either but its in the basement and can't relocate
the cable inlet without a big expense. I will try the other
suggestions. I had the TV Card connected directly to the cable line
from outside , bypassing the splitter and can't tell the difference.
I thought at least I should be able to see something different.

 

[patrickp]

Thanks all. The cable comes into my Main Power Panel from the
outside, so its right in the box with all the fuse boes and all. This
may not be helping either but its in the basement and can't relocate
the cable inlet without a big expense. I will try the other
suggestions. I had the TV Card connected directly to the cable line
from outside , bypassing the splitter and can't tell the difference.
I thought at least I should be able to see something different.

If your cable box has a composite video or S-video output, Malam, try
conneting with that, to the video input of your AIW (should have
one?).

Check that you're using the correct video standard (NTSC in North
America; PAL or SECAM most other places). Also, for the tuner, make
sure you've selected cable input for the appropriate country.

patrickp

(e-mail address removed) - take five to email me

 

[Conor]

Improving TV reception is indeed a hassle. If anyone has any tips,
please add them to this thread.

Use a TV. The noise pattern on the screen is from the fans inside the
PC 9/10 of the time. NEVER use a splitter and avoid an amplifier if
possible as it also amplifies the noise as well as the signal. Use good
quality screened RF cable - I use satellite cable.

 

[Malam]

The splitter is the most expensive that I could find - 5-1100MHZ
coverage. However, I still get the noise even if I connect directly
without the splitter. I think Conor may be right, that the noise is
from the fans in my PC. I have two fans at the back and two fans in
front of my case. And their is the CPU and ATI with fans too.
Is there a way to ground or filter out the noise from the computer
case (fans etc in the computer?)

 

[GMAN]

I know that most of those cheap radio shack amps only amplify the noise
they're passing.

Thats because by the time the cable signal gets to your house thats all there
is left to amplify is the noise and snowy signal.

 

[Conor]

The splitter is the most expensive that I could find - 5-1100MHZ
coverage. However, I still get the noise even if I connect directly
without the splitter. I think Conor may be right, that the noise is
from the fans in my PC. I have two fans at the back and two fans in
front of my case. And their is the CPU and ATI with fans too.
Is there a way to ground or filter out the noise from the computer
case (fans etc in the computer?)

Splitters at any point are pretty much a bad thing. I've tried myself
to overcome the problem even using ferrite rings to try and cancel out
some of the noise from inside the PC. It doesn't do it on a SVideo
input so I can only assume its the tuner picking up the noise.

On my old Hauppauge WinTV card I used a program called DScaler which
applied filters and a different de-interlace algorythm which cured alot
of it after some tweaking.

 

[Malam]

An Update:

The cable company came in this morning to check my signal strength.
The result confirmed that I have a very strong signal which brings me
back to the noise coming from fans in the PC.

Are there any form of filters built in to any of the ATI MMC ? I used
to have a Pinnacle PCTV card that does not have this noise problem
even with the case fans. Except the PCTV card does not have a fan on
the card itself and the AIW card does.

Is this forum monitored by ATI at all ??Maybe someone from ATI can say
something to this?

Thanks.

 

[patrickp]

An Update:

The cable company came in this morning to check my signal strength.
The result confirmed that I have a very strong signal which brings me
back to the noise coming from fans in the PC.

Are there any form of filters built in to any of the ATI MMC ? I used
to have a Pinnacle PCTV card that does not have this noise problem
even with the case fans. Except the PCTV card does not have a fan on
the card itself and the AIW card does.

Is this forum monitored by ATI at all ??Maybe someone from ATI can say
something to this?

Thanks.

If you have a very strong cable signal, Malam, it may be worth trying
an attentuator.



patrickp

(e-mail address removed) - take five to email me

 

[xman Charlie]

If you have a very strong cable signal, Malam, it may be worth trying
an attentuator.




patrickp

(e-mail address removed) - take five to email me

There is a 3 comb filter thingy built into my aiw9600. My comcast cable
captures is okay, satelite captures is the best.

my 2 cents

 

[Malam]

What is the 3-com filter and how do I invoke it? Patrick, what do you
mean by an extenuator? Do you mean a device from Radio Shack ?

Thanks.

 

[patrickp]

What is the 3-com filter and how do I invoke it? Patrick, what do you
mean by an extenuator? Do you mean a device from Radio Shack ?

Thanks.

Attenuator, not extenuator, Malam! ;-) Yes, you could get one from
Radio Shack; should only cost pennies. It's simply a little in-line
device that reduces the signal level by so many dBs.



patrickp

(e-mail address removed) - take five to email me

 

[J. Clarke]

Attenuator, not extenuator, Malam! ;-) Yes, you could get one from
Radio Shack; should only cost pennies. It's simply a little in-line
device that reduces the signal level by so many dBs.

FWIW, for a little more they have an adjustable model--that's the one I'd
reccommend since the amount of attenuation needed is not known.