Saorview poor signal quality in apartment

oneilla · 18-12-2020 1:34am #1

I'm in an apartment so can't mount an outdoor aerial; I've been relying on the antenna pictured below for Saorview which has been working fine all year but a few weeks ago the signal quality has been dropping rendering channels unwatchable.

I'm only a few miles from Three Rock and can see it from the apartment. Would anyone have any ideas why the signal has recently become so poor and what, if anything, I can do about it?

Would a different aerial help?

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dxhound2005 · 18-12-2020 9:14pm

That aerial got a couple of really bad reviews on Amazon UK, back in 2012. The only way to find out if another aerial would improve matters is to try it and see. I don't know anything about indoor aerials myself.

Check the signal strength readings on Channel 30 frequency 546 MHz, and 33 570 from Three Rock. A perfect picture does not necessarily indicate a strong signal. There is a small margin in signal received, between a perfect picture and no picture.

Elvis Hammond · 18-12-2020 9:24pm

oneilla wrote: »

I'm in an apartment so can't mount an outdoor aerial; I've been relying on the antenna pictured below for Saorview which has been working fine all year but a few weeks ago the signal quality has been dropping rendering channels unwatchable.

I'm only a few miles from Three Rock and can see it from the apartment. Would anyone have any ideas why the signal has recently become so poor and what, if anything, I can do about it?

Has the aerial been moved, or have you tried moving it, to see if that has any effect? You haven't put anything in the room that might obstruct or reflect the signal?

18-12-2020 9:57pm

aluminium backed plasterboard?

oneilla · 18-12-2020 10:29pm

Elvis Hammond wrote: »

Has the aerial been moved, or have you tried moving it, to see if that has any effect? You haven't put anything in the room that might obstruct or reflect the signal?

I didn't move it before this signal issue started a few weeks ago. I have since tried repositioning it but it doesn't help at all. Weird thing is last night around midnight I was able to watch a programme on RTE1 and it was fine but tonight all channels are unwatchable

I haven't bought any new appliances, furniture or anything

oneilla · 18-12-2020 10:29pm

Deleted User wrote: »

aluminium backed plasterboard?

Hmm possibly. There is foil behind the radiators but the signal had been working all year just fine.

oneilla · 18-12-2020 10:32pm

dxhound2005 wrote: »

That aerial got a couple of really bad reviews on Amazon UK, back in 2012. The only way to find out if another aerial would improve matters is to try it and see. I don't know anything about indoor aerials myself.

Check the signal strength readings on Channel 30 frequency 546 MHz, and 33 570 from Three Rock. A perfect picture does not necessarily indicate a strong signal. There is a small margin in signal received, between a perfect picture and no picture.

This is what comes up when I go into manual tuning on my TV.

dxhound2005 · 18-12-2020 10:43pm

Signal quality is the important one, and that is a low reading. If moving the aerial around does not improve it, try a new aerial.

oneilla · 19-12-2020 1:53am

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Signal quality is the important one, and that is a low reading. If moving the aerial around does not improve it, try a new aerial.

Might see if I can get one of these so.
https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/9338924/Trail/searchtext%3EAERIAL.htm

Digifriendly · 19-12-2020 7:09am

oneilla wrote: »

Might see if I can get one of these so.
https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/9338924/Trail/searchtext%3EAERIAL.htm

I honestly don't think that will improve your signal. Telecam is probably the best indoor aerial. See -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SLx-27769RG-Performance-Freeview-Wideband/dp/B001ACV7E0/ref=pd_lpo_23_t_0/257-9900469-6555705?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001ACV7E0&pd_rd_r=d8a2fe62-51f3-4c0b-9a9c-cdf17b9b4bd5&pd_rd_w=Z3v8m&pd_rd_wg=WSNWH&pf_rd_p=7b8e3b03-1439-4489-abd4-4a138cf4eca6&pf_rd_r=VZZBYMC4WZ2DYQ7PF8XS&psc=1&refRID=VZZBYMC4WZ2DYQ7PF8XS

oneilla · 19-12-2020 2:45pm

My signal is significantly better today to a point that channels are watchable yet I haven't moved the aerial or turned on/off any appliances

Could it be something from an adjoining apartment? Weather?

dxhound2005 · 19-12-2020 3:34pm

oneilla wrote: »

My signal is significantly better today to a point that channels are watchable yet I haven't moved the aerial or turned on/off any appliances Could it be something from an adjoining apartment? Weather?

Significantly higher Quality reading?

Ger Roe · 19-12-2020 4:10pm

Those small indoor antennas are a black art - working then not working and varying with the weather and the amount of people in the room etc. If you can see Three Rock from the apartment, is there any possibility of putting a small antenna outside on a balcony?

I once set a tv up in an apartment close to Three Rock by simply using a correctly spaced UHF dipole ('cats ears' telescopic) placed outside and fed in through a small hole in the window frame.

It was a really cheap antenna, done as a test, but it worked and has continued to work without interruption for five years now. The antenna was bought for €1.50 and the key to success is it being outside, polarised correctly and in a strong signal area.

Take the same antenna inside, and you are back to standing on one leg at full stretch to try and get a reliable picture.

oneilla · 20-12-2020 3:42pm

Digifriendly wrote: »

I honestly don't think that will improve your signal. Telecam is probably the best indoor aerial. See -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SLx-27769RG-Performance-Freeview-Wideband/dp/B001ACV7E0/ref=pd_lpo_23_t_0/257-9900469-6555705?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001ACV7E0&pd_rd_r=d8a2fe62-51f3-4c0b-9a9c-cdf17b9b4bd5&pd_rd_w=Z3v8m&pd_rd_wg=WSNWH&pf_rd_p=7b8e3b03-1439-4489-abd4-4a138cf4eca6&pf_rd_r=VZZBYMC4WZ2DYQ7PF8XS&psc=1&refRID=VZZBYMC4WZ2DYQ7PF8XS

Would you know where I could find one of them in a shop? Didn't see them on either Argos or Power city website

oneilla · 20-12-2020 3:44pm

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Significantly higher Quality reading?

Yeah the signal % on the TV's tuning menu was still jumping but rather than flick from 100% to 20 it was going 100% to 50/60. I dunno if that means much but the channels were watchable and I hadn't moved the aerial

oneilla · 20-12-2020 3:46pm

Ger Roe wrote: »

Those small indoor antennas are a black art - working then not working and varying with the weather and the amount of people in the room etc. If you can see Three Rock from the apartment, is there any possibility of putting a small antenna outside on a balcony?

I once set a tv up in an apartment close to Three Rock by simply using a correctly spaced UHF dipole ('cats ears' telescopic) placed outside and fed in through a small hole in the window frame.

It was a really cheap antenna, done as a test, but it worked and has continued to work without interruption for five years now. The antenna was bought for €1.50 and the key to success is it being outside, polarised correctly and in a strong signal area.

Take the same antenna inside, and you are back to standing on one leg at full stretch to try and get a reliable picture.

No balcony

The annoying thing is that it had been working fine all year and then the signal went to s**t a few weeks ago.

Could something like a metal shed nearby affect signal?

Ger Roe · 20-12-2020 4:59pm

oneilla wrote: »

No balcony

The annoying thing is that it had been working fine all year and then the signal went to s**t a few weeks ago.

Could something like a metal shed nearby affect signal?

Unless it is blocking your window, I would say unlikely. Indoor aerials are not reliable, unless your signal is so strong that you could not fail to get a picture.

If no balcony, try moving (extend cable if necessary) the aerial to the window. make sure it is pointing in the correct direction. Alternatively, try another antenna, even a wire dipole correctly cut and polarised and stuck to the window , might give a reliable result. The other thing to consider is the quality of the coax cable - unless it is shielded for a digital signal, it will pick up local electrical noise interference and block the TV signal. The digital signal is more sensitive to electrical interference and loss than the analog signal was - needs better quality coax.

I never had much faith in the fancy indoor aerials that don't look like a proper antenna in the first place. If you get to put the current antenna at a window, place the telescopic elements totally horizontal and as retracted short as possible, pointing towards three rock and see if it makes a difference. That's the nearest you are going to get to a dipole with that antenna.

Digifriendly · 20-12-2020 5:17pm

Ger Roe wrote: »

Unless it is blocking your window, I would say unlikely. Indoor aerials are not reliable, unless your signal is so strong that you could not fail to get a picture.

If no balcony, try moving (extend cable if necessary) the aerial to the window. make sure it is pointing in the correct direction. Alternatively, try another antenna, even a wire dipole correctly cut and polarised and stuck to the window , might give a reliable result. The other thing to consider is the quality of the coax cable - unless it is shielded for a digital signal, it will pick up local electrical noise interference and block the TV signal. The digital signal is more sensitive to electrical interference and loss than the analog signal was - needs better quality coax.

I never had much faith in the fancy indoor aerials that don't look like a proper antenna in the first place. If you get to put the current antenna at a window, place the telescopic elements totally horizontal and as retracted short as possible, pointing towards three rock and see if it makes a difference. That's the nearest you are going to get to a dipole with that antenna.

Tend to agree with this especially re interference. Also if a signal is on the cliff edge i.e. close to being watchable but not quite, so with digital this means pixellated picture then try to prevent aerial cable from touching other cables/wires. This can make all the difference.

I did recommend the Telecam as it is probably the better indoor aerial compared to others but advice re indoor aerials given above is spot on. The signal has to be pretty good in the first place if indoor aerials are to work effectively.

Elvis Hammond · 20-12-2020 11:41pm

oneilla wrote: »

... The annoying thing is that it had been working fine all year and then the signal went to s**t a few weeks ago.

Could something like a metal shed nearby affect signal?

It could; did its appearance coincide with your signal problem, or was it there all along?

Dunfyy · 20-12-2020 11:48pm

Put aerial outside window and see if that helps move your tv if you have to try rescanning

dxhound2005 · 21-12-2020 12:05am

The OP said that the glitch is gone and the Quality reading was over 50% yesterday. It was 23% when the picture was blotchy the day before.

Might indicate a rare event intermittent fault, which may have been there at other times during the year when nobody was watching TV. Could be some problem with the cable from the aerial to the TV, or the connections either end.

oneilla · 21-12-2020 1:34am

Ger Roe wrote: »

Unless it is blocking your window, I would say unlikely. Indoor aerials are not reliable, unless your signal is so strong that you could not fail to get a picture.

If no balcony, try moving (extend cable if necessary) the aerial to the window. make sure it is pointing in the correct direction. Alternatively, try another antenna, even a wire dipole correctly cut and polarised and stuck to the window , might give a reliable result. The other thing to consider is the quality of the coax cable - unless it is shielded for a digital signal, it will pick up local electrical noise interference and block the TV signal. The digital signal is more sensitive to electrical interference and loss than the analog signal was - needs better quality coax.

I never had much faith in the fancy indoor aerials that don't look like a proper antenna in the first place. If you get to put the current antenna at a window, place the telescopic elements totally horizontal and as retracted short as possible, pointing towards three rock and see if it makes a difference. That's the nearest you are going to get to a dipole with that antenna.

I unplugged every other device that was plugged into the TV and it worked, perfect signal quality with no breaking up.

I started plugging stuff back in and the Amazon Fire Stick with HDMI extender which boosts WiFi killed the saorview signal again.

All of this also coincides with using mobile data recently. IDK if this is all coincidence or what

khaldrogo · 21-12-2020 1:38am

I got saorview nearly a Yr ago. Rte 1 + 2 unwatchable most of the time. Got the box in power City and got the more expensive indoor aerial they had. Any way to improve things?

Ger Roe · 21-12-2020 11:19am

oneilla wrote: »

I unplugged every other device that was plugged into the TV and it worked, perfect signal quality with no breaking up.

I started plugging stuff back in and the Amazon Fire Stick with HDMI extender which boosts WiFi killed the saorview signal again.

All of this also coincides with using mobile data recently. IDK if this is all coincidence or what

It could be a factor. Best test now would be to move the antenna away from the TV (and other devices) and see what happens - this is where possible extending the cable and making sure it is of high enough quality, becomes important.

oneilla · 23-12-2020 12:06am

Ger Roe wrote: »

It could be a factor. Best test now would be to move the antenna away from the TV (and other devices) and see what happens - this is where possible extending the cable and making sure it is of high enough quality, becomes important.

With the fire stick unplugged I moved the antenna in as many different positions as I could and didn't get any breakup of signal. Plugged the fire stick back in and was getting the usual pixels and audio loss.

23-12-2020 11:10am

By holding down the home button on the firestick remote you should see a sleep option.
I also have a longer hdmi cable which I have used in the past to get a stronger signal but also takes the firestick away from the back of the TV

Saorview poor signal quality in apartment

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