Digital TV blinking

I've been observing a phenomenon that's puzzling me. I have an analog TV connected to a DTV settop converter (Zenith DTT901). For the most part, it works fine.

But every so often the program I'm watching blinks. Every few seconds the picture blinks black. No corresponding breaks in the audio.

It only does it on certain channels, at seemingly random times. Switching to another channel gives an unblinking picture. So this tends to rule out the converter box, even though it *could* be blinking just on that one channel (but why?).

And if the station is putting out a blinking signal, you'd think the station would notice this and correct it.

Anyone else seen this?

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Reply to
David Nebenzahl
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Your reception is bad, or your settop, or both, most likely the settop, it looks as if it cannot keep up with the datastream/conversion.

Reply to
Sjouke Burry

On 2/1/2010 7:54 PM Sjouke Burry spake thus:

No, I don't think that's the problem. The signal is strong (at least as indicated by the converter itself, which at least gives a fair approximation of signal strength), and this isn't the usual kind of image degeneration one sees with a marginal signal (pixellation, unchanging parts of scene, general corruption of image). The image--perfectly clear--just blinks from time to time.

So I take it you haven't actually seen the phenomenon I described.

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Reply to
David Nebenzahl

About how long has this been occuring?

Reply to
Meat Plow

Sure your signal is not dropping out at the antenna?

Reply to
PeterD

I would try another setup using a different antenna or convertor, borrow or swap one with a a neighbor.

Reply to
hrhofmann

Bad reception is NOT indicated; that would cause the audio to drop out, and the screen would freeze, not go black.

Two possibilities: your picture circuitry (possibly a video driver power supply) has a loose connection, or the TV station is having 'video difficulties'. If the TV is a LCD type, the backlight could be going out intermittently, if it's a CRT set, the HV might be arcing (this will usually cause the screen picture size to change a bit also).

Can you record some black-ing video and see if it has the same artifact on playback?

Reply to
whit3rd

I would try another setup using a different antenna or convertor, borrow or swap one with a a neighbor.

Bear in mind also, that digital TV reception is not *just* about signal strength. The digital sat receivers here in the UK, have twin on-screen signal meters in service test mode. One of these is for signal strength, and the other is for signal "quality", which is a measure of the determined bit-error count. I have on many occasions seen misaligned dishes that give a good 70%+ signal strength indication, but only a 50% quality reading. My terrestrial DTV signals are a bit 'iffy' at some points on my distribution network. The signal to the kitchen is one example. The LCD TV in there has a signal strength meter which pops up for a few seconds whenever you change channel. This seldom shows below 70%, but this set often suffers from all sorts of odd problems, including pixellation, total freezes, and an on screen message saying that no programme is available on that channel, even though the meter showed a good signal level. I suspect a cable drop issue and standing waves on the drop, but it only occurs on some channels, and the TV is not used enough to warrant the hassle of running down the cause of this 'problem'.

Arfa

Reply to
Arfa Daily

"Arfa Daily" wrote in news:nm4an.6$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe01.ams:

I have two different US DTV converters,and the signal meters only measure signal strength,not "quality"(bit error rate?),and they are different in their operation and response.

Mine drops out depending on where my upstairs neighbor is at the time. :-(

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Jim Yanik
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Reply to
Jim Yanik

Another: The TV set concerned is correcting for different aspect ratio (widescreen / normal) between program material and that shown during the advert breaks?

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Adrian C
Reply to
Adrian C

He should go on a diet!

Reply to
Sjouke Burry

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