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Signal quality issue with short cable lengths

  • 12-02-2008 11:15am
    #1
    cormacl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 360 ✭✭


    Folks,
    is there some minimum length you need to run from a diplexor socket?

    I found last night that a wall-mounted LCD & Illusion M2s receiver is having signal issues with some stations (notably ITV2+1) because of a short cable from the diplexor socket to the receiver. I was aware of the signal issue for some time assuming it was caused by either a non-optimal minidish positioning or a weak tuner in the M2S.

    Last night when doing some relocation work around the house, I discovered the receiver works perfectly with longer cables. Originally fearing a damaged cable, I made up 2 new shorter cables (about 8 inches long) and each had the very same poor reception for ITV2+1. Then I made a longer 1m cable and it worked perfectly.

    So I've now fitted a longer cable looped up to keep it tidy.. picture perfect now.

    I'm going to try the same with my old Skybox tonight using short vs long cables to get some independent verification of the theory.

    But before then, can anyone suggest the cause here?.. is there some minimum length you need to run from a diplexor socket?


Comments

  • #2
    Zaphod
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,733 ✭✭✭Zaphod


    Is this affecting itv2+1 only? Then it's a problem on the transmission side. If it's affecting all the other channels on the TP (e.g. ITV Central) then maybe:

    10714MHz - 9750 = 964MHz.
    964MHz corresponds to 0.31m wavelength - how long were your leads?

    2261611382_694bb04b14_o.jpg


  • #3
    cormacl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 360 ✭✭cormacl


    The leads were between 6-8 inches long each. I wasn't measuring exactly, just cutting that rough length off the reel.

    Is it possible that the diplexed RF signal is then interfering with it?.. remember the cable that feeds the socket comes from a multiswitch and the TV and receiver are mounted very close to both the mains and sat socket.

    To further test against other receiver, I dug out the sky box from the attic last night and tried it at the same socket and 2 others upstairs using a mix of the short and longer cables and it had no problems at all on any station I tried including ITV2+1. I didn't repeat the test with my living room dreambox as it was busy recording desperate housewives for herself and I'd be killed if that was interrupted.

    So now it appears that only this Illusion M2S receiver is the one that suffers with the short cable. So it's probably either a dodgy receiver or as you suspect possibly sensitive to some kind of interference.

    I bought it for its size originally when I wanted to tuck it away behind the TV. It also has a blind scan feature. The manual was in Spanish only and it took some time to guess the settings PIN code! The words cheap **** do spring to mind a lot when I use it!

    It's a pity there aren't much more receivers that are designed to be tucked away like that.


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