I've had all sorts of problems with the Freeview signal I receive over the last year. I live in an area that doesn't get brilliant aerial reception, but after hiring someone to check over the cabling and redo the connections, I'm getting steady image quality on all the Freeview channels I should be receiving. The problem is that the moment I turn on another device, the broadcast signal turns into an unwatchable jumble of stuttering macro-blocks. This isn't a problem with most devices, as I don't need consoles or my PC on when I'm watching TV.
What's annoying is that I can't use the hard drive I have hooked up to record TV programs. I have one of Panasonic's new sets that has a built-in recording function; all you need to do it connect an external USB hard drive. The set recognises the drive and has formatted it. I've done test recordings that are fine, so there's no issue with the drive itself. There's no problem when the drive is just switched on, but the moment I start recording it causes major signal interference that results in an unwatchable mess 90% of the time.
Any ideas what I can do to fix this? Do I need a signal booster? Is the cable running direct to my set not shielded properly? Any other possibilities?
Other devices affecting broadcast TV quality
Re: Other devices affecting broadcast TV quality
I presume you've checked out your aerial, your'e not just using one in the room? Depending on you're location - I'd be more inclined to think the aerial is the route of the problem even if it is external... A couple of years ago my parents and grand parents had old aerials in the loft that seemed to work fine with analogue; but kept cutting out on digital. A cheapish new one in each house sorted them out perfectly for digital...
Do I need a signal booster?
Even a cheap one can't hurt; but its probably not solving the issue itself... unless perhaps if the aerial cable is particularly long...?
Is the cable running direct to my set not shielded properly?
As long as you can rule out the top 2 issues as the problem/solution then this would be my last bet... but it would strike me as a little surprising; unless reception/signal strength is exceptionally low/sensitive...
Do I need a signal booster?
Even a cheap one can't hurt; but its probably not solving the issue itself... unless perhaps if the aerial cable is particularly long...?
Is the cable running direct to my set not shielded properly?
As long as you can rule out the top 2 issues as the problem/solution then this would be my last bet... but it would strike me as a little surprising; unless reception/signal strength is exceptionally low/sensitive...