local channels come in fuzzy
#1
local channels come in fuzzy
I have COMCAST cable installed in the garage and the wire comes from the main wire that runs along the house.Anyway channels 2,4 don't come in (they do in the house) The tv Is a older type But is made for cable and yes The switch is set to CATV (cable tv). I have to turn the vcr on to get the channel to come in good enough to see.Is there somthing I can install on the cable line to boost the signal or did the contracter do a poor job or is it the tv.I do not know what brand the tv is the name plate is missing. COMCAST uses a lot of LOCAL contracters to do the work sometimes they do it themselfs.Is the problem right there? the cable works good in the house.
P.S Im in Warren Michgan and have basic cable.
The garage is free they just charged for labor we are allowed 3 free rooms I think. We have the living room (the main room) and the 2 bedrooms and the garage.
P.S Im in Warren Michgan and have basic cable.
The garage is free they just charged for labor we are allowed 3 free rooms I think. We have the living room (the main room) and the 2 bedrooms and the garage.
#2
Many possibilities here.
How many times is the main cable split before it gets to the garage? How long is the run to the garage?
It could be that the TV is bad, but if all other channels work, the TV is most likely fine.
Since you say channel 2 and 4 don't come in, I am assuming you have a signal loss problem. You can buy signal amplifiers that will boost a good signal. You must install this close the main source or it will not help. Motorola sells a prety good one, not sure the exact model. Search for motorola signal amplifier. You need to plug this in to a wall outlet to get electricity, so its not really made for outdoors. You can also replace the splitter for a better quality one. Try to get a 1000mhz one. Comcast uses Regal name brand in my area, and they are very good. If that is what you have, you should be ok there.
If none of this helps, talk to the cable company and see if they can do anything. You may be receiving a weak signal from them.
How many times is the main cable split before it gets to the garage? How long is the run to the garage?
It could be that the TV is bad, but if all other channels work, the TV is most likely fine.
Since you say channel 2 and 4 don't come in, I am assuming you have a signal loss problem. You can buy signal amplifiers that will boost a good signal. You must install this close the main source or it will not help. Motorola sells a prety good one, not sure the exact model. Search for motorola signal amplifier. You need to plug this in to a wall outlet to get electricity, so its not really made for outdoors. You can also replace the splitter for a better quality one. Try to get a 1000mhz one. Comcast uses Regal name brand in my area, and they are very good. If that is what you have, you should be ok there.
If none of this helps, talk to the cable company and see if they can do anything. You may be receiving a weak signal from them.
#3
Ok I went outside and took a look at how it was wired.
The cable gets splite 3 times before going to the wire that connects to the garage. The run to the garage it 28 feet and it continues into the garage (its all one long cable that goes from the house to the tv not like it is in the house). heres a pic of the split.
The cable gets splite 3 times before going to the wire that connects to the garage. The run to the garage it 28 feet and it continues into the garage (its all one long cable that goes from the house to the tv not like it is in the house). heres a pic of the split.
#4
So that is the only splitter between the main source and the garage? Or are there more splitters down the line?
If the main cable source comes in, and is split three ways as in your picture, and one of those splits goes straight to the garage, you should be ok there. I was trying to figure out if you had a splitter at the source, then another splitter off of one of those lines, and then another splitter, etc. That would definitely lead to signal loss. But it appears you are ok from the splitter aspect.
Is there anyway that you could take a small tv from the house out to the garage, and see if those channels work on that tv? If they do, then you know the tv is probably going bad. If they don't work on that tv either, then you most likely have a signal loss issue. In that case, I would call Comcast and tell them your problem. Since they installed the line for you, they should make sure that the line works properly.
If the main cable source comes in, and is split three ways as in your picture, and one of those splits goes straight to the garage, you should be ok there. I was trying to figure out if you had a splitter at the source, then another splitter off of one of those lines, and then another splitter, etc. That would definitely lead to signal loss. But it appears you are ok from the splitter aspect.
Is there anyway that you could take a small tv from the house out to the garage, and see if those channels work on that tv? If they do, then you know the tv is probably going bad. If they don't work on that tv either, then you most likely have a signal loss issue. In that case, I would call Comcast and tell them your problem. Since they installed the line for you, they should make sure that the line works properly.
#5
Im thinking thats the only one unless theres one on the poll but thats the only one on the house I have another tv that I can test with but I will have to drag it out of the box.Oh to give you an idea of the age of the tv I can't change the channels there are no buttens I have to enter the ch number by each digit and it only goes up to 59 and then channels 60-69 don't come in (they do with the vcr cause its made to go that high).I will try the other tv in the morning its to late to do anything now.One of the splites in the picture goes right to the garage.
#6
Ok I tried another TV no go. Its a little better cause I can see the picture but its still fuzzy so I will have to give COMCAST a call and tell them the problem.
#7
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Check your cable from the Comcast outlet to your TV. You likely have an old RF type tv cable. No, they are not all alike...
A good cable tv cable will have a foil wrap around the wax core, then may be covered with wire braid. The wire braid is not necessary but the foil wrap is.. And, usually a factory made tv cable will not have a long enough center conductor. Swap it out with a different cable.
And for reference, channels 2-6 are 6mhz apart each but there is a big space between 6 and 7. So, often you will see 2-6 fuzzy and 7 up a lot better. It's a dead givaway for a bad cable.
A good cable tv cable will have a foil wrap around the wax core, then may be covered with wire braid. The wire braid is not necessary but the foil wrap is.. And, usually a factory made tv cable will not have a long enough center conductor. Swap it out with a different cable.
And for reference, channels 2-6 are 6mhz apart each but there is a big space between 6 and 7. So, often you will see 2-6 fuzzy and 7 up a lot better. It's a dead givaway for a bad cable.
#8
I can't change the cable It goes from the splicer on the house to the garage and to tv its all one long run. the wire comes into the garage then runs along the studd beams and down to the tv.
Originally Posted by mdtaylor
Check your cable from the Comcast outlet to your TV. You likely have an old RF type tv cable. No, they are not all alike...
A good cable tv cable will have a foil wrap around the wax core, then may be covered with wire braid. The wire braid is not necessary but the foil wrap is.. And, usually a factory made tv cable will not have a long enough center conductor. Swap it out with a different cable.
And for reference, channels 2-6 are 6mhz apart each but there is a big space between 6 and 7. So, often you will see 2-6 fuzzy and 7 up a lot better. It's a dead givaway for a bad cable.
A good cable tv cable will have a foil wrap around the wax core, then may be covered with wire braid. The wire braid is not necessary but the foil wrap is.. And, usually a factory made tv cable will not have a long enough center conductor. Swap it out with a different cable.
And for reference, channels 2-6 are 6mhz apart each but there is a big space between 6 and 7. So, often you will see 2-6 fuzzy and 7 up a lot better. It's a dead givaway for a bad cable.
#9
usually when that happens your cable fittings are bad,and have moisture at one time inside causing the cable inside to corrode it's copper with alumium coating .the distance sometimes doesn't really matter as long as your fittings are good mostly on your lower chnls.you are having interference on those chnls .remember when it's lower check fittings ,higher it could be the cable or splitters gone bad ,
#10
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bad chs
I say call cable co..they ran it..it doesn't work right..they fix it. Unless you just like to try to fix things yourself..if so change the connectors one at a time, only on the line to the garage. a three way split won't degrade the signal enough to see snow in 30' of Rg-6.