picture quality after splitting RF2

clone1

I have the digibox on our living room, and have taken the RF2 output into the attic where it is split 6 ways, the quality is OK for bedrooms - but one of the splits is taken down into the main sitting room where we have a tv link setup onto our 32" widescreen and the picture quality is poor for the main sitting room. What is the best way to improve the picture quality?

watty

How is it split?

A 32" widescreen is best fed by SCART.

Have you didgibox set to 16:9 mode or else picture is degraded?
( you can set it with 16:9 on one remote and 4:3 Letterbox on the other, i.e if you swap between remote eye on RF2 and main box eye the WS mode can change).

Also only SCART supports the 16:9 / 4:3 switching signal you need to tell the WS TV how to show the picture.

clone1

Its split using a six way splitter in the attic and then I just have a coaxial lead going to the tv in the sitting room. I've set the digibox that the second tv is 16:9 format. I agree that the scart is the best way - but the problem is that the digibox is in the living room so I can't do a scart connection.

watty

try a different RF channel for Digibox.
(Services 4 0 1 Select)
try an attenuator on input of 6 way "splitter" (is it a passive splitter or an amplifier?

clone1

Thanks Watty - It is a passive splitter.

Tony

clone1 wrote:

Thanks Watty - It is a passive splitter.

I think you really need a sky compatible amp as it sounds the level has dropped over the longer cable runs. The F140 works well and will also also you to add tv links which will allow remote control of the sky box.

watty

OK no attenuator.

Unless it is a high level CATV / Cable TV signal a passive split needs to be limited to 2.


Get an 6 way or 8 way Sky Eye compatible distribution amp. Maplin is cheaper than B&Q for same thing. I think about 45 Euro for 8 way.

watty

I use a four way "Global" brand distribution amp and a passive hybrid two way splitter on a couple of outlets that don' use a Sky Eye.

Some splitters also simply connect all the connectors together instead of a little hybrid transformer wound on a ferrite bead. Some allow DC pass through, some short out DC, few work in reverse to pass back the Sky Eye signal.

Antenna

He could try resetting the skybox's RF out to the lowest UHF channel possible -i.e. 21 , (providing there is nothing in that area on it or adjacent channel). Cable attenuation is less at lower UHF channels (assuming its set at the moment at the high end of UHF) , so doing this may give an improvement.

Though whats really needed as others have mentioned is an amp, considering 6 outlets are in use.

watty

I find I aways need to set digboxes as the last UHF channel as they increase the noise on all the channels above the set channel.

Tony

Antenna wrote:

He could try resetting the skybox's RF out to the lowest UHF channel possible -i.e. 21 , (providing there is nothing in that area on it or adjacent channel). Cable attenuation is less at lower UHF channels (assuming its set at the moment at the high end of UHF) , so doing this may give an improvement.

excellent point

byte

For TVLink compatible distribution amps, I recommend the Antiference range. Downside is that they need mains power though. The 4 way Global gets its power source from the RF2's 9V. source.

I have had various issues with Global's in the past though, where there is some very good terrestrial signals involved (4 average NI signals and 4 good IRL signals), which over-excited the amp. Now I mostly use the Triax equivalent, which is also line-powered.

watty

I'm nearly sure my Global 4-way doesn't use RF2 power but a plug top PSU. Perhasp they do both versions in case no digibox is used?

byte

watty wrote:

I'm nearly sure my Global 4-way doesn't use RF2 power but a plug top PSU. Perhasp they do both versions in case no digibox is used?

Yeah, they probably do.

I know that 8 way Global's need the external PSU, as the power from a digibox wouldn't be sufficient to power it and a possible 8 TVlinks.