I've noticed 5select having pixelation issues but can live with that.
Did 5Select have the pixelation issue before you installed the signal booster?
I don't think so, but it certainly doesn't have the issue when I insert the TV aerial directly from the wall socket into the television bypassing the YouView box.
And before you might think ah, well, that points to an issue with the box then I'll just say that I've had issues with two boxes previously and this one is the third, it sorted a sound issue with broadband channels so definitely not going to change it for a 4th time, it's either an alignment issue or the aerial isn't the correct one to use even though it was recommended by the people that BT use to install aerials.
There can be issues if a box is receiving too strong a signal. 100% signal quality is good, because it can't be any better, but 100% for signal strength can be problematic. 100% is the upper limit of the scale, but the actual signal strength could be much higher, overloading the tuners. You have said in your other thread that you are thinking of removing the booster.
Yes, but unless there can be no physical damage done to the tuners then I'd prefer just leaving the booster as I'd rather have the odd noise or small pic flash than have the signal go down completely which was occurring prior to the booster.
Is it safe to keep using the booster in this instance?
Is it safe to keep using the booster in this instance?
I don't think that there is a danger of physical damage to the tuners with the booster in place, but others are more qualified than I am to know for sure.
You said that the booster has a gain of 23dB. This is a lot for just one output. A gain as high as that would normally only be used if the signal is to be shared between several outputs. Is the gain adjustable?
edit - I just looked at the user manual for what I think is your booster, the One For All SV9601. It looks like the boost isn't adjustable.
Signal boosters cannot rectify a problem with your signal. They amplify any interference, or noise, as well as the signal, so they can make matters worse. The manual for your product, under HELPFUL HINTS, says this:
If
the picture or sound quality is unsatisfying, please follow the helpful hints
below:
· If
the incoming signal is unclear, the ONE FOR ALL Signal Amplifier will not improve your picture as it will also amplify the noise in the signal. Please
contact your cable TV installer for further details.
·
Check
all the connections. Loose or bad connections will result in an unclear
picture.
My note - For Cable TV Installer, read Aerial Installer.
You said that your signal strength readings are in the 70% region. That should be more than adequate, because as @redchiz pointed out, YouView state that you might experience issues with your picture if the Signal Strength is below 50%. Our box works perfectly well with Signal Strength reading between 55% and 65%, depending on which mux it is tuned to.
As @Roy said, the important reading is Signal Quality, which should be at, or very near to, 100%. If the Signal Strength reading is between 50% and 100%, the box should be OK, with the proviso that if the reading is 100%, there is no way of knowing if it is higher than the maximum that the tuners can accept without problems.
You could try a less powerful booster than the one that you have got, but it seems that there is an issue with your aerial installation that remains unresolved. Signal boosters are normally used if an aerial is supplying a signal to several TVs around the house. The aerial installer should tell you if a booster is required, and it should be fitted at the aerial end of the installation, where they are called masthead amplifiers. A signal booster at the TV end of the chain is often required when a single aerial socket is supplying a signal to several devices.
My situation is not plain sailing in that I've only ever had dealings with those people that BT use for aerial installation, and I've had 3 visits all because the guys that they send are useless.
First one installs in the loft with no option to ask if I wanted an alternative external installation instead.
Had to call get them back as reception was poor, he tells me it's between 2 transmitters so aligns to one particular transmitter, this all performed with no test meter and him shouting down asking if the picture was better, he decides to replace the aerial that TSG supplied for one he said was better for lofts, funny how the first guy didn't offer this but anyway I asked about the quality of this aerial and he said technically the first aerial is better but this one he installed was as he said better for inside lofts.
Had them back a third time as things were as bad as they were when first installed, again no meter with him and again shouting from loft asking how the strength and picture was rather than checking this professionally.
I will not let TSG anywhere near my property ever again as they are a bunch of frauds and liars.
So with this booster at least it has stopped the random signal drops with blank screen albeit I get an occasional screen glitch but this is not happening very much, neither does the pop sound, so if I'm honest I'd say that the booster has helped slightly, I may still go for the lesser gain booster as that may actually stop all glitches as mentioned earlier.
My situation is not plain sailing in that I've only ever had dealings with those people that BT use for aerial installation, and I've had 3 visits all because the guys that they send are useless.
First one installs in the loft with no option to ask if I wanted an alternative external installation instead.
Had to call get them back as reception was poor, he tells me it's between 2 transmitters so aligns to one particular transmitter, this all performed with no test meter and him shouting down asking if the picture was better, he decides to replace the aerial that TSG supplied for one he said was better for lofts, funny how the first guy didn't offer this but anyway I asked about the quality of this aerial and he said technically the first aerial is better but this one he installed was as he said better for inside lofts.
Had them back a third time as things were as bad as they were when first installed, again no meter with him and again shouting from loft asking how the strength and picture was rather than checking this professionally.
I will not let TSG anywhere near my property ever again!
So with this booster at least it has stopped the random signal drops with blank screen albeit I get an occasional screen glitch but this is not happening very much, neither does the pop sound, so if I'm honest I'd say that the booster has helped slightly, I may still go for the lesser gain booster as that may actually stop all glitches as mentioned earlier.
It is devoutly to be hoped that @Puffin will eventually bite the bullet and get in a competent local aerial installer to sort out the clusterfail upstream of his booster, which at the moment can only do the booster equivalent of making a fuzzy picture brighter instead of making it sharper.
(Which is not to be taken literally, but is the best way I can explain why boosting a bad signal just gives you a stronger bad signal, and not a good signal).
Edit: This is my last word on this topic. You can lead a horse to water......
‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ Wm Morris
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And before you might think ah, well, that points to an issue with the box then I'll just say that I've had issues with two boxes previously and this one is the third, it sorted a sound issue with broadband channels so definitely not going to change it for a 4th time, it's either an alignment issue or the aerial isn't the correct one to use even though it was recommended by the people that BT use to install aerials.
Is it safe to keep using the booster in this instance?
· If the incoming signal is unclear, the ONE FOR ALL Signal Amplifier will not improve your picture as it will also amplify the noise in the signal. Please contact your cable TV installer for further details.
· Check all the connections. Loose or bad connections will result in an unclear picture.
I can't wait for the next thrilling instalment
(Which is not to be taken literally, but is the best way I can explain why boosting a bad signal just gives you a stronger bad signal, and not a good signal).
Edit: This is my last word on this topic. You can lead a horse to water......