[SBE] OTA digital TV interference
Bob Reite
br at telcen.com
Mon Mar 16 16:58:44 EDT 2015
Back in the analog days, I had to put up with ghosts and a bit of snow,
I was not about to pay for cable TV, since the only time I watch TV is
for a flood emergency or similar event. So when the digital conversion
came, I bought a converter box.
My OTA digital reception is perfect with the set top converter box into
the old NTSC TV receiver.
On 3/16/15 4:03 PM, David Baker wrote:
> I'm going to try stepping up the quality of the antenna. Mine is one of
> the supposedly better flat panel antennas pointed at the city, which has
> more of a directional pickup pattern
> than the kinds you buy in the $30 range, but I don't understand the
> other claims about what makes these antennas "better" than any other
> flat panel. I've always had lousy luck with these
> antennas, even a bit farther from the city where trains and multipath
> would be less of an issue. They weren't any better than rabbit ears.
>
> If it's radiation from the trains, I think I'm out of luck. Which is
> too bad because I prefer the quality of OTA signals and only watch a few
> channels when I have time. My TV is 2 years old, so not so old.
> I wanted to bring this up because it seems like a major unintended
> consequence of DTV, and an additional problem besides multipath for
> broadcasters.
> My landlord suggested to just get cable, and never heard of the problem,
> probably because the majority of tenants have cable anyway. OTA, to me,
> should always be an option.
>
> Thanks again.
>
> On Mon, Mar 16, 2015 at 1:12 PM, Henry Seiden <info at techworkspro.com
> <mailto:info at techworkspro.com>> wrote:
>
> FWIW, when I lived in So FL I had a condition in my immediate
> vicinity (not trains or moving object, however) that totally blocked
> in the main direction a specific set (VHF 7-10) of frequencies
> within 13 air miles from the antenna farm. The reception was so full
> of ghosts that the TV set could not discern an image on DTV. UHF
> lower band stations from the same general direction worked fine.
> Then, as if by magic, replacing the old set with a newer one (with
> apparently better decoding algorithms) made a huge difference and
> resulted in completely viewable pictures.
>
> So don’t overlook the age and kinds of decoding on your TV
> receiver(s). I did my homework and witnessed the huge 2ᴺᴰ, 3ᴿᴰ order
> reflections in the received digital signal. Frankly don’t know how
> the receiver could ever have worked, but it did! Then I got cable…
>
> Henry
> --
> Henry M. Seiden
> info<at>techworkspro<dot>com
> http://techworkspro.com
>
>> On Mar 16, 2015, at 13:58, Jonathan Solomon
>> <jon at thesolomonhouse.com <mailto:jon at thesolomonhouse.com>> wrote:
>>
>> Maybe a Yagi on the opposite side of the building from the train?
>> An MATV antenna may work (for all tenants). There should be some
>> laws to make the landlord allow an antenna.
>>
>> On Mon, Mar 16, 2015 at 1:53 PM, David Baker
>> <dbaker at addison-il.org <mailto:dbaker at addison-il.org>> wrote:
>>
>> It's becoming apparent from the responses that whether the
>> problem is reflections or EMI, getting the antenna as far from
>> the train as possible is my best solution.
>> Unfortunately, I've tried moving the antenna to all available
>> points in the building with no luck so I've run out of options
>> there. Also, the landlord has strict rules as to where
>> an antenna can go. Probably the only option left is cable
>> TV. It makes sense that bits are corrupt at the antenna
>> already and can't get them back, but trying better
>> coax wouldn't hurt. It is a pretty long run now - about 30 feet.
>>
>> Thanks again to everyone who responded.
>>
>> On Mon, Mar 16, 2015 at 12:29 PM, Jonathan Solomon
>> <jon at thesolomonhouse.com <mailto:jon at thesolomonhouse.com>> wrote:
>>
>> I've done many a shows parked on the streets of NYC. Back
>> in the days of tube monitors, you could always tell when a
>> train was passing underneath as the tube went haywire.
>> Obviously, the bigger or better (high res) monitor, the
>> worse the problem. It was only when trains went by, so
>> I'm guessing an EMI (Strong magnetic pull).
>>
>> As to the antenna question, what about a very directional
>> yagi?
>>
>> On Mon, Mar 16, 2015 at 11:26 AM, Dan Slentz via SBE
>> <sbe at sbe.org <mailto:sbe at sbe.org>> wrote:
>>
>> I remember reading something about the subway trains
>> in NYC having a major power interface that caused all
>> sorts of EMI issues. Wonder if potentially (pun) a
>> metro type train (large power station centrally
>> located) or even a traditional train (basically giant
>> generator which powers the train since ALL trains,
>> less steam locomotives, are actually electrical) are
>> producing the interference through electrical noise
>> (thinking this is more electrical interference than
>> "train reflection".
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> *From:* David Baker <dbaker at addison-il.org
>> <mailto:dbaker at addison-il.org>>
>> *To:* sbe member discussion mail list <sbe at sbe.org
>> <mailto:sbe at sbe.org>>
>> *Sent:* Monday, March 16, 2015 10:30 AM
>> *Subject:* [SBE] OTA digital TV interference
>>
>> Good morning!
>>
>> I'm wondering if any TV station engineers are
>> addressing the problem of OTA digital TV interference
>> and loss near trains, or if a solution can be
>> recommended for this problem. For apartment buildings
>> especially where antenna height is not an option, if
>> that would fix the problem at all. Can a filter be
>> installed between antenna and TV that would help to
>> remove what I think is EMI coming from the trains?
>>
>> Thanks for any suggestions!
>>
>> --
>> Thank you,
>>
>> David Baker, CBTE
>> <http://www.sbe.org/sections/descriptions.php#CBTE_CBRE>,
>> CBNT <http://www.sbe.org/sections/descriptions.php#CBNT>
>> Media Production Coordinator
>> Community Relations Dept.
>> Village of Addison
>> office: 630-693-7554 <tel:630-693-7554>
>> cell: 708-935-7829 <tel:708-935-7829>
>> www.addisonadvantage.org
>> <http://www.addisonadvantage.org/>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> The SBE Roundtable, SBE at sbe.org <mailto:SBE at sbe.org>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Thank you,
>>
>> David Baker, CBTE
>> <http://www.sbe.org/sections/descriptions.php#CBTE_CBRE>, CBNT
>> <http://www.sbe.org/sections/descriptions.php#CBNT>
>> Media Production Coordinator
>> Community Relations Dept.
>> Village of Addison
>> office: 630-693-7554 <tel:630-693-7554>
>> cell: 708-935-7829 <tel:708-935-7829>
>> www.addisonadvantage.org <http://www.addisonadvantage.org/>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> The SBE Roundtable, SBE at sbe.org <mailto:SBE at sbe.org>
>> To unsubscribe, go to
>> https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/options/sbe
>>
>> https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/sbe
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> The SBE Roundtable, SBE at sbe.org <mailto:SBE at sbe.org>
>> To unsubscribe, go to https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/options/sbe
>>
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>
>
> _______________________________________________
> The SBE Roundtable, SBE at sbe.org <mailto:SBE at sbe.org>
> To unsubscribe, go to https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/options/sbe
>
> https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/sbe
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>
>
>
> --
> Thank you,
>
> David Baker, CBTE
> <http://www.sbe.org/sections/descriptions.php#CBTE_CBRE>, CBNT
> <http://www.sbe.org/sections/descriptions.php#CBNT>
> Media Production Coordinator
> Community Relations Dept.
> Village of Addison
> office: 630-693-7554
> cell: 708-935-7829
> www.addisonadvantage.org <http://www.addisonadvantage.org>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> The SBE Roundtable, SBE at sbe.org
> To unsubscribe, go to https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/options/sbe
>
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