[mythtv-users] problem solving help

[Allen Edwards]

On Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 8:51 AM, Peter
Abplanalp<pta-myth at psaconsultants.com> wrote:
>
> sorry about the ambiguous subject but i didn't know what else to put.
>
> i've been running myth for about 5 years.  i've used only pvr-150's.  i've
> always transcoded recordings.  i've had no trouble with the system at all
> until last september.  at that time i got a hdhomerun and added it in.
> since then i've had pretty bad video artifacts in the recordings that come
> from the hdhr.  both hdhr tuners go to one machine with one disk.  i tried
> moving the hdhr between a couple of my slave backends including putting the
> hdhr tuners on different boxes but the problem persists.  i've tried asking
> on the silicondust forums and they seem to think it is a signal strength
> issue but i've set up nagios to graph signal strength and it seems to be
> ok.  also, when i watch tv on all the inputs on different boxes/tv's, the
> video comes through fine, no artifacts.  i've also tried not transcoding
> recordings thinking it was the transcoding that was introducing the
> artifacts.  didn't help.  i'm at a loss as to what i should try next.  can
> anyone suggest some things to try in order to help figure out what is going
> on here?
>
> thanks in advance,
>
> -peter
>
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>

Sounds like either a bad HDHR or poor signal strength like they said.
You may find that things will be better on Saturday after the higher
channel numbers are vacated.  My guess is that this isn't that bad or
you would not have kept the HDHR so maybe it is just a few channels
and only now and then.  If it is signal strength, get a preamp and put
it near the antenna.  I have seen recomendations for Channel Master
7777 so you might want to start there.  There are some really bad
amplifiers available at local stores so don't just get any old
amplifier.  They are not the same.

Alterniatively, you could move your hdhr up closer to the antenna.  If
 you get an amplifier, put it before any splitters.

Allen