Mailing List Archive

HDHomeRun reception issues
Hi All,

I'm having some major reception issues since getting my HDHomeRun. I've
spoken to Silicondust support (actually about a software issue
initially), who ended up replacing the unit. The distributer reported
that they were unable to reproduce my issues with the returned unit, but
replaced it anyway. I received the replacement yesterday and installed
it last night. Todays recordings show the same issues.

This sequence of events coupled with the fact that recordings via my
Haupaugge card are perfect leads me to believe that the HDHR must be
somewhat more sensitive to reception issues (the problem with the
Haupaugge card is that the second tuner no longer works, hence the
HDHR). Note that I've not been using a splitter between the two inputs,
just moving the cable to try both.

Does anyone have any advice for troubleshooting this? If it's of any
relevance my Myth version is 0.27.5 (perhaps worth an upgrade?).

Thanks in advance,

Rob Connolly


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Re: HDHomeRun reception issues [ In reply to ]
I get pixelated images and distortions and stuff every now and again. Can't figure out what the reason is. Doesn't seem be weather, sometimes switching it on and off fixes it, sometimes it doesn't. I've moved it from place to place to get it away from other cables, and that seems to fix it - for a while.

All the googling I've done suggests it is poor signal quality, and the channels I get the problems with show a signal strength of 88%. The others are 90-95%. Not sure what it is 90% of, though ... or if that is significant. And those are the levels when everything seems fine - after something didn't record.

All our channels come from the same place, too.

It only happens occasionally, and if it gets to be a problem, I'll take a look at the cable between the aerial and the splitter, the connections on the aerial and that sort of stuff. I suspect that is where the problem is. Some of the original cable is pretty poor quality - we have one aerial jack that gets no reception at all.


Sent from my Huawei Mobile
Re: HDHomeRun reception issues [ In reply to ]
On 12/07/16 22:27, don@robertson.net.nz wrote:
> I get pixelated images and distortions and stuff every now and again.
> Can't figure out what the reason is. Doesn't seem be weather, sometimes
> switching it on and off fixes it, sometimes it doesn't. I've moved it
> from place to place to get it away from other cables, and that seems to
> fix it - for a while.

Sounds like digital distortion, staircase effects etc.

> All the googling I've done suggests it is poor signal quality, and the
> channels I get the problems with show a signal strength of 88%. The
> others are 90-95%. Not sure what it is 90% of, though ... or if that is
> significant. And those are the levels when everything seems fine - after
> something didn't record.
>
> It only happens occasionally, and if it gets to be a problem, I'll take
> a look at the cable between the aerial and the splitter, the connections
> on the aerial and that sort of stuff. I suspect that is where the
> problem is. Some of the original cable is pretty poor quality - we have
> one aerial jack that gets no reception at all.


Sounds like your aerial cabling is a little marginal... good enough for
a strong receiver but not quite there for a slightly weaker receiver.

Can you take the HDHR to someone else's place with a great signal and
see how it works?

There's a bunch of aerial installers, but they all cost money. However
you'll get the best signal possible, in a lot less time than doing it
yourself.



In a perfect install you'd have a single aerial per device, with no
splitters, and one single run of cable with no sharp bends and no joiners.


--
Criggie

http://criggie.org.nz/

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Re: HDHomeRun reception issues [ In reply to ]
Have you tried installing dvb-apps and running femon-H a0 and a1 for the
reception problem. This will tell you whether there is interference on one
or the other tuner. Or both. See the guide here: shoelace.altervista.org
On 12/07/2016 21:01, "Rob Connolly" <rob@webworxshop.com> wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> I'm having some major reception issues since getting my HDHomeRun. I've
> spoken to Silicondust support (actually about a software issue
> initially), who ended up replacing the unit. The distributer reported
> that they were unable to reproduce my issues with the returned unit, but
> replaced it anyway. I received the replacement yesterday and installed
> it last night. Todays recordings show the same issues.
>
> This sequence of events coupled with the fact that recordings via my
> Haupaugge card are perfect leads me to believe that the HDHR must be
> somewhat more sensitive to reception issues (the problem with the
> Haupaugge card is that the second tuner no longer works, hence the
> HDHR). Note that I've not been using a splitter between the two inputs,
> just moving the cable to try both.
>
> Does anyone have any advice for troubleshooting this? If it's of any
> relevance my Myth version is 0.27.5 (perhaps worth an upgrade?).
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Rob Connolly
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> mythtvnz mailing list
> mythtvnz@lists.linuxnut.co.nz
> http://lists.ourshack.com/mailman/listinfo/mythtvnz
> Archives http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/mythtvnz/
>
Re: HDHomeRun reception issues [ In reply to ]
On Tue, 12 Jul 2016 22:41:09 +1200, criggie <criggie@criggie.org.nz> wrote:

> On 12/07/16 22:27, don@robertson.net.nz wrote:
>> I get pixelated images and distortions and stuff every now and again.
>> Can't figure out what the reason is. Doesn't seem be weather, sometimes
>> switching it on and off fixes it, sometimes it doesn't. I've moved it
>> from place to place to get it away from other cables, and that seems to
>> fix it - for a while.
>
> Sounds like digital distortion, staircase effects etc.
>
>> All the googling I've done suggests it is poor signal quality, and the
>> channels I get the problems with show a signal strength of 88%. The
>> others are 90-95%. Not sure what it is 90% of, though ... or if that is
>> significant. And those are the levels when everything seems fine - after
>> something didn't record.
>>
>> It only happens occasionally, and if it gets to be a problem, I'll take
>> a look at the cable between the aerial and the splitter, the connections
>> on the aerial and that sort of stuff. I suspect that is where the
>> problem is. Some of the original cable is pretty poor quality - we have
>> one aerial jack that gets no reception at all.
>
>
> Sounds like your aerial cabling is a little marginal... good enough for
> a strong receiver but not quite there for a slightly weaker receiver.
>
> Can you take the HDHR to someone else's place with a great signal and
> see how it works?
>
> There's a bunch of aerial installers, but they all cost money. However
> you'll get the best signal possible, in a lot less time than doing it
> yourself.
>
>
>
> In a perfect install you'd have a single aerial per device, with no
> splitters, and one single run of cable with no sharp bends and no
> joiners.
>
>
I have an HDHR and a Haupauge and am in a fringe signal area.I can confirm
that bad weather can cause these symptoms.I improved things by removing
some trees and fine tuning the aerial direction.I used my TVs signal
strength display to do this.I have an inline signal strength meter but the
TV is more precise.I tuned for best gain and best quality.It is possible
to have high signal gain and crap signal quality.

-Paul

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Re: HDHomeRun reception issues [ In reply to ]
On 13/07/16 06:59, Paulgir wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Jul 2016 22:41:09 +1200, criggie <criggie@criggie.org.nz>
> wrote:
>
>> On 12/07/16 22:27, don@robertson.net.nz wrote:
>>> I get pixelated images and distortions and stuff every now and again.
>>> Can't figure out what the reason is. Doesn't seem be weather, sometimes
>>> switching it on and off fixes it, sometimes it doesn't. I've moved it
>>> from place to place to get it away from other cables, and that seems to
>>> fix it - for a while.
>>
>> Sounds like digital distortion, staircase effects etc.
>>
>>> All the googling I've done suggests it is poor signal quality, and the
>>> channels I get the problems with show a signal strength of 88%. The
>>> others are 90-95%. Not sure what it is 90% of, though ... or if that is
>>> significant. And those are the levels when everything seems fine -
>>> after
>>> something didn't record.
>>>
>>> It only happens occasionally, and if it gets to be a problem, I'll take
>>> a look at the cable between the aerial and the splitter, the
>>> connections
>>> on the aerial and that sort of stuff. I suspect that is where the
>>> problem is. Some of the original cable is pretty poor quality - we have
>>> one aerial jack that gets no reception at all.
>>
>>
>> Sounds like your aerial cabling is a little marginal... good enough for
>> a strong receiver but not quite there for a slightly weaker receiver.
>>
>> Can you take the HDHR to someone else's place with a great signal and
>> see how it works?
>>
>> There's a bunch of aerial installers, but they all cost money. However
>> you'll get the best signal possible, in a lot less time than doing it
>> yourself.
>>
>>
>>
>> In a perfect install you'd have a single aerial per device, with no
>> splitters, and one single run of cable with no sharp bends and no
>> joiners.
>>
>>
> I have an HDHR and a Haupauge and am in a fringe signal area.I can
> confirm that bad weather can cause these symptoms.I improved things by
> removing some trees and fine tuning the aerial direction.I used my TVs
> signal strength display to do this.I have an inline signal strength
> meter but the TV is more precise.I tuned for best gain and best
> quality.It is possible to have high signal gain and crap signal quality.
>
> -Paul
>

Somehow Don's initial reply seemed to disappear into the ether for me. I
had to look it up on Gossamer Threads.

It seems like my signal strength is fine. The HDHR signal meter app
shows 95-100%, but my signal quality fluctuates. Sometimes this is
between 90% and 60% and back again in the space of a couple of seconds.

Thanks for the tips everyone, looks like I'll be climbing on the roof
over the weekend.

Cheers,

Rob


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