Faint lines on Sky picture and drop in signal strength/quality.

willg

Hi All, Need your advice, got a new Thompson Sky Digital receiver (the one with the blue Sky logo on the front) installed yesterday. I'm seeing two things.

[1] Lower signal strength and quality (Thompson S70%/Q80%) than the Panasonic box (S90%/Q90) it replaced.

[2] There are slight lines across the picture running diagonally, very faint but still visiable. The Sky box is connected to my VCR and the VCR to the tv all scart connections. I also have the Sky box hooked up to my stereo which is beside the tv unit.

The signal strength/quality issue doesn't concern me as much as the lines. Any thoughts on both folks. Your advice and help would be much appreciated.

I think it's one of three things [1] Interference from the stereo speakers [2] interference from the VCR [3] Box fault

One last thing to add I used all the existing scart/audio/power cables from my Panasonic.

Many thanks

watty

The Signal & Quality are different on different models for the same real values.

Try selecting an unused TV channel on RF then reselect AV and unplug VCR. It can be SCART cable crosstalk where the SCART wires are not individual coax inside the fat cabel.

willg

Thanks Watty as ever your a mind of information. One quick Q do you mean an unused tv channel on RF for the VCR or the digibox?

willg

Hi Watty, I switched everything round cables, unplugged everything and connected the Sky digibox on it's own to the tv and I still have the faint banding. Could it be the box itself, the box is a THOMSON DS1421C. Anyone else have this issue with a Thomson box.

Thanks

byte

I've installed a few of those boxes recently, and although they're not exactl aesthetically pleasing, I've not noticed the bars you mention.

Is the Scart output set to PAL or RGB? Maybe swap to the other and see what happens?

ixtlan

Just to second byte's rgb point.

When you say you have the digibox -> VCR - > TV I assume that's from the VCR port on the digibox?

And that you also have digibox TV port -> TV direct. That's the only way you will get RGB, which is much better quality.

You're probably right about the interference, but you might be able to bypass the problem with a direct connection.

Ix

watty

willg wrote:

Thanks Watty as ever your a mind of information. One quick Q do you mean an unused tv channel on RF for the VCR or the digibox?

Unused channel on TV.

On either Sat receive my TV is fine but on DVD source what ever RF channel was on TV Tuner before AV selected breaks through (faint diagonal lines or sidewides/vertical scrolling bar and faint audio). In the end I cut the audio wires on the SCART at one end from TV to DVD.

willg

Yep connected to the VCR from VCR scart socket on digibox. Tried everything ye have said and still I have faint lines Going to try the box on my parents tv at home and see if the lines are present there. If they are I'll push for a replacement. If only Panasonic were still making new digiboxes. I found them an excellent piece of kit. Thanks for all your help guys, appreciate it. Will let ye know how I get on.

byte

Do you get teh faint lines if you plug VCR directly to TV and watch a tape?

Just to see if fault is with new Thomson box, TV or cable.

lomb

Ive got the same thompson box, and apparantly its a common problem on this box as i have the same issues. i read it on some uk forums, do a google.

willg

Thanks lomb, at least I know I'm not going mad now. Did you try for a replacement?

pajo1981

I have exactly the same prob with my thomson box. Faint diagonal lines!!!
Called tech support a few months ago, was on hold for an hour before I hung up!

I am bonna try again and there better be no bs. Apparently some guy in england had the same prob so he had a tech call around. The tech had the box sent off to be looked at. Sky returned the box saying they could find no fault?

willg

pajo1981, My advise is if possible I'd push for a new box. When I had the problem a few months back I got out the guy who installed Sky originally and got a replacement Thomson box after I demanded it and said I'd cancel the whole thing.

Ironically he then levelled with me after argueing with him for 30 mins and said the Thomson boxes were indeed flacky and that he had lots of issues with em. I wanted a Pace but reluctantly I took a 2nd Thomson and it's given us no problems since the day we got it. That's my 2 pence worth, hope it's of some help to you and good luck!

Cheers WillG