TV snow blue screen of death

[Tapper]

I have an odd problem with one of my TVs, and maybe this is the right forum
to get help.

We're in a rural area with no cable or broadcast TV, so we have two
satellite systems, DishNetwork and 4DTV/C-Band. The receivers are in the
basement and we use a modulator to send the signal to all the TVs in the
house. The small dish is channel 3, and the big dish is channel 55 on all
the sets. We have UHF remotes and those little pyramid-shaped IR boosters
so the remotes work everywhere. The setup is about 4 years old

When we switch channels (55 to 3 or vice versa) there's sometimes a moment
of scramble/static before it pulls in the new channel.

The problem is that ONE of the sets goes out quite frequently, as in blue
screen. I have to wiggle the coax to get it to come back. This has been
happening for about two years and seems to be getting worse. One TV
stopped accepting a signal at all, from any hookup. Then we went through
two more sets in the same place. I change the coax every couple months. A
new set and/or coax helps for a few hours or days, then it's going out all
the time again. Cheap coax, expensive coax, it's all the same. It's
happened with three TVs now.

I have put a Coax inline signal booster, then a signal reducer (powered,
with a knob), then a powered booster, which helps the best. They reduce the
frequency of outages; without any device the TV won't come back at all. It
occurred to me recently that all the sets we've had in that spot were TV/VCR
combos. The other non-combo sets can take some static and keep a picture,
but the combos get static and "save us" by going blue and staying that way.

I think the problem is that the set(s) won't come back from the occasional
picture loss. Is there a way to stop it from going blue when there's
static? It's a Panasonic 20" VCR combo, like the PV-C2063 at
http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?storeId=
11251&catalogId=11005&itemId=62931&catGroupId=11079&modelNo=PV-C2063&surfMod
el=PV-C2063

And why does wiggling the coax help? If I have to get another set, how
would I know whether it will go blue when there's picture loss? We have 4
sets in the house, and it's just in that one spot that this happens.

Thanks
--pat

 

[Jerry G.]

You should find a way to test the signal strength at the TV sets. It is
possible that there is a loss in the feed wire, connectors, or the source.
The best way to check this is with an RF field strength meter. Since you do
not have one, use another TV set as a reference, or you will have to
substitute parts in order to use the process if elimination.

It would also be good to find a way to check the TV set's performance to see
if it is up to specs. It may also pay to call in an experienced TV service
man who does antenna work to figure this all out for you. If he is doing
antenna work, he should have the necessary tools to test everything in line
to the sets.

--

Greetings,

Jerry Greenberg GLG Technologies GLG
=========================================
WebPage http://www.zoom-one.com
Electronics http://www.zoom-one.com/electron.htm
=========================================


I have an odd problem with one of my TVs, and maybe this is the right forum
to get help.

We're in a rural area with no cable or broadcast TV, so we have two
satellite systems, DishNetwork and 4DTV/C-Band. The receivers are in the
basement and we use a modulator to send the signal to all the TVs in the
house. The small dish is channel 3, and the big dish is channel 55 on all
the sets. We have UHF remotes and those little pyramid-shaped IR boosters
so the remotes work everywhere. The setup is about 4 years old

When we switch channels (55 to 3 or vice versa) there's sometimes a moment
of scramble/static before it pulls in the new channel.

The problem is that ONE of the sets goes out quite frequently, as in blue
screen. I have to wiggle the coax to get it to come back. This has been
happening for about two years and seems to be getting worse. One TV
stopped accepting a signal at all, from any hookup. Then we went through
two more sets in the same place. I change the coax every couple months. A
new set and/or coax helps for a few hours or days, then it's going out all
the time again. Cheap coax, expensive coax, it's all the same. It's
happened with three TVs now.

I have put a Coax inline signal booster, then a signal reducer (powered,
with a knob), then a powered booster, which helps the best. They reduce the
frequency of outages; without any device the TV won't come back at all. It
occurred to me recently that all the sets we've had in that spot were TV/VCR
combos. The other non-combo sets can take some static and keep a picture,
but the combos get static and "save us" by going blue and staying that way.

I think the problem is that the set(s) won't come back from the occasional
picture loss. Is there a way to stop it from going blue when there's
static? It's a Panasonic 20" VCR combo, like the PV-C2063 at
http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?storeId=
11251&catalogId=11005&itemId=62931&catGroupId=11079&modelNo=PV-C2063&surfMod
el=PV-C2063

And why does wiggling the coax help? If I have to get another set, how
would I know whether it will go blue when there's picture loss? We have 4
sets in the house, and it's just in that one spot that this happens.

Thanks
--pat

 

[James Sweet]

I have an odd problem with one of my TVs, and maybe this is the right forum
to get help.

We're in a rural area with no cable or broadcast TV, so we have two
satellite systems, DishNetwork and 4DTV/C-Band. The receivers are in the
basement and we use a modulator to send the signal to all the TVs in the
house. The small dish is channel 3, and the big dish is channel 55 on all
the sets. We have UHF remotes and those little pyramid-shaped IR boosters
so the remotes work everywhere. The setup is about 4 years old

When we switch channels (55 to 3 or vice versa) there's sometimes a moment
of scramble/static before it pulls in the new channel.

The problem is that ONE of the sets goes out quite frequently, as in blue
screen. I have to wiggle the coax to get it to come back. This has been
happening for about two years and seems to be getting worse. One TV
stopped accepting a signal at all, from any hookup. Then we went through
two more sets in the same place. I change the coax every couple months. A
new set and/or coax helps for a few hours or days, then it's going out all
the time again. Cheap coax, expensive coax, it's all the same. It's
happened with three TVs now.

I have put a Coax inline signal booster, then a signal reducer (powered,
with a knob), then a powered booster, which helps the best. They reduce the
frequency of outages; without any device the TV won't come back at all. It
occurred to me recently that all the sets we've had in that spot were TV/VCR
combos. The other non-combo sets can take some static and keep a picture,
but the combos get static and "save us" by going blue and staying that way.

I think the problem is that the set(s) won't come back from the occasional
picture loss. Is there a way to stop it from going blue when there's
static? It's a Panasonic 20" VCR combo, like the PV-C2063 at
http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?storeId=
11251&catalogId=11005&itemId=62931&catGroupId=11079&modelNo=PV-C2063&surfMod
el=PV-C2063

And why does wiggling the coax help? If I have to get another set, how
would I know whether it will go blue when there's picture loss? We have 4
sets in the house, and it's just in that one spot that this happens.

Thanks
--pat

I'm guessing you have a problem with the TV itself, probably solder joints
on the coax jack, very simple fix for a tech, you should take the set to a
pro unless you have decent soldering skills and are aware of the shock
hazzard of working inside a TV set.

 

[Tapper]

This problem happens with every TV set that's attached in that spot. After
awhile it kills the TV so that it won't even work when attached to a
different location.

 

[Tapper]

Thanks, I'll call around. A couple repair guys have been here and couldn't
figure it out, but I'll tell them about checking the signal strength.
Thanks

 

[Doug]

Thanks, I'll call around. A couple repair guys have been here and
couldn't figure it out, but I'll tell them about checking the signal
strength. Thanks


http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?storeId=
11251&catalogId=11005&itemId=62931&catGroupId=11079&modelNo=PV-C2063&surfMod

If I read your post right, whatever the problem is, it's killing the TV's
permanently. This would indicate to me voltage/current is getting some
where it doesn't belong. In this case it must be either from the coax or
the powerline. Since this is location sensitive is there something wrong
with the outlet this set is plugged into? Maybe a bad ground, or a motor
putting large spikes of voltage on the outlet which is then feeding back
through the TV input and the coax. Another thought is that the neutral and
hot lead are reversed. Just my thought

 

[Tapper]

If I read your post right, whatever the problem is, it's killing the TV's
permanently. This would indicate to me voltage/current is getting some
where it doesn't belong. In this case it must be either from the coax or
the powerline. Since this is location sensitive is there something wrong
with the outlet this set is plugged into? Maybe a bad ground, or a motor
putting large spikes of voltage on the outlet which is then feeding back
through the TV input and the coax. Another thought is that the neutral and
hot lead are reversed. Just my thought

So maybe the wire in the wall from the basement is wrong. The guy did pull
wire and crip connectors on it. I'll try running a bought coax up the
stairs. It would be a bit over 70 feet, so I'll put one of the signal
amplifiers in the middle.

Thanks