Powerpoint iin the loft?

[Bazzer Smith]

I just bought a Freecom USB DDTV stick so I can watch (and record) DDTV on my PC, however as my reception/(signal strength) is not too good I had to buy a signal booster as well as I have to split the signal, it is one of those ones you plug in to the mains so I used it in the 'living room' where both the TV and PC are. It seems to work find, however I an not too sure if the picture(s) are a little more 'fuzzy', perhaps due to noise from the amplifier? Anyway I have decent enough pictures on both 'sets'. I did think I would be better off with the booster in the loft closer to the original signal, it could power the connection in the kitchen from their too, and I could use a passive splitter downstairs?, however I have no powerpoint in the loft. Obviously there are wires for lighting in the loft, but will they only work when the light is switched on? I could simply run an extension cable up there, but that wold lok a bit messy.

Incidently the Freecom USB stick seemed more sensitive than my Sagem Freeview box. When I tried with a passive splitter I got a great picture on the PC, but bugger all on the TV, and this is despite the cable to the Freecom stick being of (significantly) lower quality (poorer shielding). However Sagem's user interface and EPG seemed much better.

[Doctor D]

This has been covered in depth before so a Google will help you. Briefly, the nearer to the aerial you amplify the signal the better, although always keep amplifiers a good metre or so from the aerial.

To power the amplifier in the loft you can take a feed from the lighting circuit, if you take it from the supply between each light rather than a switch wire you won't have to worry about it only working when the light is on. Open up a convenient ceiling rose upstairs and you will be able to trace the feed cables, and tap in there. Sleeve your earth cables!

If the amplifier has a flying power lead, snip off the plug and connect it to the lighting circuit via a 3amp fused connection unit with double pole switching

the amplifier is built into a 13 amp plug (a wall wart) use the with a 3amp fuse to feed a standard 13 amp socket and plug it in there.

This prevents any future occupiers using your socket to plug in a 3kw fan heater which would blow the fuse in the consumer unit and leave them in the loft in darkness! (Using a 3 amp fuse in the loft provides some discrimination which should hopefully fail before the CU fuse does.)

[Kim Bolton]

For the best signal (technically, signal-to-noise ratio) you need to boost the signal as near as you can get to the aerial; in your case, that's in the loft. My booster is in the loft, and I power it from downstairs with an extension cable in the same wall-channel as the pipes from the central heating boiler.

Using a splitter downstairs is OK.

[Paul Herber]

a pedant responds with (signal+noise)-to-noise ratio

[Christian McArdle]

This is a digital receiver, right? A poor signal is not indicated by fuzziness. Instead, the picture is more likely to break up into squares or not be received at all.

Your fuzziness might be caused by:

1. TV companies insisting on still transmitting interlaced signals that only flickery pre 1990s TVs can display properly.
2. Your PC screen being of significantly higher quality than an old CRT TV, so the imperfections in the picture are more apparent.
3. Some sort of software issue, such as turning on some sort of filter that you don't need.

Christian.

[Kim Bolton]

...your contribution to the OP being...what, exactly?

Sheesh!

[Phil Cook]

And your's being?

[Kim Bolton]

Wot I said earlier. Wot woz yours?

[Bazzer Smith]

Yea I kind of know that, the picture I probably the same but I am just 'looking for' interference. I was thinking maybe small bit of interference might cause 'fuzziness', anyway it says 98% signal quality, which is the highest it has ever registered, it has never said 100%. So I think

98% might mean 100%, either that or it's because the aerial is in th loft.

I think they reduce bit rates too, to squeeae in more channels.

[Bill Wright]

Given this pointer to the level of Mr Smith's electrical expertise, I really think that subsequent posters who encourage him to make a connection to a lighting circuit are offering dangerous advice.

Bill

[Bazzer Smith]

Yes, I have a degree in electronics, so I better call in a professional. The course didn't cover house wiring anyway, and even if it did I would missed the lectures as I did with most.

[Bazzer Smith]

Actually I have fixed the 'fuzziness' by connecting to the TV via scart, I was using a RF connection and something was interfering with it. I heard a police car do past and I noticed it produced and interference pattern, which gave me a clue to the problem.

[John]

What about Excel, Word, Access or any other part of Microsoft office in the loft? Surely it's not right to alienate one application to a hot dark place!!

Cheers

John

[Bazzer Smith]

Actually I did try to get an answer from google, I think you can guess why the results were not particularly helpful!!!!!!!! But if you can't............

> Cheers

[John Porcella]

[Chas Gill]

Couldn't agree more - and most eloquently put, if I may be so bold. What's more, new laws about such things prohibit dabbling, I believe, except by qualified personnel (competent isn't enough these days, so even a knowledgeable mate is a dubious solution methinks?).

[Owain]

Maybe Double-D TV is one of those late-night encrypted channels?

Owain

[Owain]

Can't help thinking that encouraging him up a ladder might be unwise enough.

No.

Part P does not apply to extensions off existing circuits apart from kitchens and bathrooms. Part P does not require the work to be done by either a competent or a qualified person.

Owain

[Bazzer Smith]

Digitital Domestic TV.

[Frank Erskine]

On Sat, 22 Jul 2006 15:58:58 GMT, "Bazzer Smith" had this to say:

Digital Terrestrial TV