This topic

Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

NJRF — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 20:48:20 GMT

*ADMINS PLEASE REDIRECT IF THIS IS ON THE WRONG BOARD*

PROBLEMS VIEWING TERRESTIAL CHANELS VIA BT BOX

For the last few months I’ve endured a frustrating problem with FTA broadcast channels (BBC/ITV/C4 etc) when watching through the BT box.

Randomly the picture starts to degrade with large pixels or half the screen displaying a different image often accompanied by a loud chirp/popping sound which appears to partially mute the sound which then gradually recovers to its previous level. The picture also gradually recovers.

This is intermittent and doesn’t always happen but once it starts it becomes more frequent.

It doesn’t happen on other channels or when watching via Amazon Fire or direct from the aerial.

Steps already taken to rectify:

surge protection on power supply

new aerial fly lead

restarted/reset BT box, updated software & channels

unplugged all interconnects & replugged

The frustrating thing is the set-up is exactly the same as in our previous house where there was no problem - this is only present at this location.

Equipment: Samsung LE32R88BD (old but good!) /BT TV Box Pro type B (Youview) connected wirelessly to BT Home Hub 8 & via BT HDMI to port 1 / Fire Stick to HDMI2/aerial fly to wall socket/Logik LS32WLB14 sound bar/wireless subwoofer attached by fibreoptic lead.

Any insights/suggestions extremely appreciated!

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

zulu17 — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 21:41:07 GMT

Does the different image you mention appear to be a image from the current programme you are watching or from some other programme/source ?

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

NJRF — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 22:26:57 GMT

Hi zulu17 - thanks for replying.

TBH I’m not absolutely certain as it’s quite fleeting: my impression is it’s from the same programme but it’s incomplete so can’t be certain!

Is this significant?

Regards,

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

gomezz — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 11:05:52 GMT

You say it doesn't happen when watching "direct from the aerial". Can you can clarify how you are watching these channels other than direct from the aerial? Do you mean you are watching the IP streaming versions?

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

NJRF — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 11:41:12 GMT

I mean that if I plug the aerial directly into the tv the issue disappears; this was done to isolate whether the aerial was causing the issue - which it is not.

And, yes, when watching via the Fire stick or streaming on the BT box, the problem doesn’t exist as it’s not live tv!

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

NJRF — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 11:40:46 GMT

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

zulu17 — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 13:30:44 GMT

How often is this occurring , a few times each day , a few times eachweek , a few times a month ?

When it occurs once it returns to normal , try rewinding back to just before the problem and replay see if the buffer replay experiences exactly the same issues ?

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

NJRF — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 14:51:00 GMT

Hi zulu17,

just watching ITV1 now we have a stable picture but the audio is “blurred” although I anticipate this will not last!

Generally it is happening every time we watch live TV (i.e. free-to-air broadcast) regardless of channel.

I’ve tried rewinding as you suggest & the buffer holds the error so it’s clearly somewhere between the input & the tv (i.e. in the box).

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

zulu17 — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 15:35:49 GMT

Well only speculative thoughts / ramblings from me .

Possible issue with aerial socket on the BTTV Box.

Possible electrical or other interference with the aerial cable feed to/around BT TV box ( TV may have better shielding).

Could it be a faulty tuner on the BT TV box , given that there are 4 tuners available on box would be interesting if problem occurs on recordings in progres at at same live as live viewing ?

Freeview does have a range of multiplexes , it would be interesting to see if the problem occurs only on 1 or all of the multiplexes.

When the problems occur on Itv is this the HD 103 channel or SD 3 channel and if you switch between HD and SD do you experience issue on both.

If you check Signal Strength/Quality in the BTV Box settings what values do you get. ( ideally check when you don't have a problem and also when you do)

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

zulu17 — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 17:22:56 GMT

Worth mentioning is one option you do have is to use your BT Pro box in IP mode for the free to Air channels (would reduce the number of simultaneous recordings you can have as restriction of 2 IP channels for viewing/recording would apply).

Also some Freeview channels not available in IP mode.

However you could use the aerial feed into your TV and view all the Freeview channels via the TV tuner.

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

NJRF — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 17:54:47 GMT

Hi zulu17

Thanks for both your messages - I will work through your suggestions & report back in due course!!

Cheers!

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

caravanj — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 18:22:08 GMT

@NJRF

Have you checked to see if any birds are nesting on your aerial? 😁

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

Midnight_Voice — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 21:23:23 GMT

@NJRF

When dropping the BT box out of the loop, do not take the aerial cable from the YouView box and plug it in the TV in place of the cable from box to TV (assuming you have that).

Rather, initially, just take both aerial connections from the YouView box and couple them together.

If the problem persists, only then try a cable directly from wall socket to TV. If that is OK, then you are likely looking at the slight, but not negligible, possibility of a problem with the onward cable from box to TV.

You can do this in the opposite sequence if you like, but the important thing is to test both with and without the onward cable, so you don’t erroneously diagnose a problem with the onward cable as a problem with the box.

Re: Popping/chirping then picture breaks up & sound dimished

Petecee — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 16:36:17 GMT

I had this earlier in the year and a bit of AV research sent me to check the signal strength for terrestrial channels, all at 100%. Followed the suggestions that the decoders in the box can get overloaded and bought a variable attenuator (Amazon, about £6) and turned it to give me 90% signal strength and never had the problem since.