can someone help with a Cable problem?

[Mike]

I don't know if anyone can help me with this but it doesn't hurt to
ask. I've tried other newsgroups and forums but I really didn't have
too much luck.

For the past several years my analog cable reception has been pretty
crappy. It was fine for several years after it was installed (which
was about 13 years ago) but then it started going downhill. The cable
company claims that it's because they are adding more channels and
their system isn't fully setup for that yet but I know that's not the
truth. I think it has something to do with the wiring and/or old
cables used.

Ever since they came out and repaired/replaced a cut cable line I've
been picking up the audio from a local radio station on one or two
channels. Most of them are too snowy to watch and have a bit of static
on them. This doesn't occur on all the TVs just the last one or two
connected. There are four outlets with 3 splits and the two TVs with
the problem are on the last split. I know that one of the cables goes
from the basement to outside on the roof, then up into the attic then
back down into the two rooms on the second floor. I'm thinking that
part of the problem is the cable on the roof and the cables in the
attic. Perhaps the one on the roof can't withstand the extreme
temperatures. It gets baked in the summer and frozen in the winter.
And the ones in the attic perhaps get too hot in the summer. It really
does get hot up there in the summer. Perhaps they just need to be
replaced? It has been 13 years.

Does anyone have any ideas at all on what the problems could be? Or
perhaps what I can do (without spending any money) to see where the
problem is coming from? The cable company won't fix the problem and I
am sick of this crap. I'd like to report them to someone but I don't
know who. I can't find a number or address for the local franchise
authority and Comcast won't give me any info about them. They have a
bogus address for them on the cable bill.

 

[Mark]

For the past several years my analog cable reception has been pretty
crappy. It was fine for several years after it was installed (which
was about 13 years ago) but then it started going downhill. The cable
company claims that it's because they are adding more channels and
their system isn't fully setup for that yet but I know that's not the
truth. I think it has something to do with the wiring and/or old
cables used.


Does anyone have any ideas at all on what the problems could be?

Yes.

You're loosing signal strength, and the signal strength
you're starting with may not be up to snuff. The signal is
supposed to hit your house between 0 and +10 dB. If it
doesn't, the cable provider is obligated to make it so.

After that, if you're not getting the same range (0 to
+10) at all your TV's, you're dropping too much signal in
the house wiring, either due to corroded connectors (not the
cable itself), or simply too many spitters and/or runs of
cable that are too long, or even the incorrect type.

Even with all cabling in good condition, an amplifier may be
required depending on the system design.

Or
perhaps what I can do (without spending any money) to see where the
problem is coming from?

Only if you have a friend that has a signal strength meter
you can borrow, OR demand that the cable company send a tech
when you can be there to check the signal strength at every
outlet (and watch over his shoulder).

The cable company won't fix the problem and I
am sick of this crap. I'd like to report them to someone but I don't
know who. I can't find a number or address for the local franchise
authority

The franchise authority is your city or
township/town/parish. Whatever the smallest unit of
government is where you live. A call to city hall or the
county courthouse will put you on the right track, and in
most cases, the Authority is quite responsive, and can get
results.

I am surprised, however, that the cable company _won't_ fix
the problem, unless they've already determined that the
signal hitting your house is of correct strength, in which
case they have every right to stonewall you.

--
Mark

The truth as I perceive it to be.
Your perception may be different.

Triple Z is spam control.

 

[Jerry G.]

The cable company is obliged to give you proper signal level, and
performance. If they cannot, you should tell them that you want to quit
their service. In this case, get a satellite dish, if they cannot fix it.
When you quit them, tell them your reason for dropping their service, and
that you are going to get a dish. You may even find the dish service much
better. Infact, I am in an area where I cannot get the satellite services.
The cable company would have been out of here a few years ago!

--

Greetings,

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


I don't know if anyone can help me with this but it doesn't hurt to
ask. I've tried other newsgroups and forums but I really didn't have
too much luck.

For the past several years my analog cable reception has been pretty
crappy. It was fine for several years after it was installed (which
was about 13 years ago) but then it started going downhill. The cable
company claims that it's because they are adding more channels and
their system isn't fully setup for that yet but I know that's not the
truth. I think it has something to do with the wiring and/or old
cables used.

Ever since they came out and repaired/replaced a cut cable line I've
been picking up the audio from a local radio station on one or two
channels. Most of them are too snowy to watch and have a bit of static
on them. This doesn't occur on all the TVs just the last one or two
connected. There are four outlets with 3 splits and the two TVs with
the problem are on the last split. I know that one of the cables goes
from the basement to outside on the roof, then up into the attic then
back down into the two rooms on the second floor. I'm thinking that
part of the problem is the cable on the roof and the cables in the
attic. Perhaps the one on the roof can't withstand the extreme
temperatures. It gets baked in the summer and frozen in the winter.
And the ones in the attic perhaps get too hot in the summer. It really
does get hot up there in the summer. Perhaps they just need to be
replaced? It has been 13 years.

Does anyone have any ideas at all on what the problems could be? Or
perhaps what I can do (without spending any money) to see where the
problem is coming from? The cable company won't fix the problem and I
am sick of this crap. I'd like to report them to someone but I don't
know who. I can't find a number or address for the local franchise
authority and Comcast won't give me any info about them. They have a
bogus address for them on the cable bill.

 

[Jeff Wiseman]

Does anyone have any ideas at all on what the problems could be? Or
perhaps what I can do (without spending any money) to see where the
problem is coming from? The cable company won't fix the problem and I
am sick of this crap. I'd like to report them to someone but I don't
know who. I can't find a number or address for the local franchise
authority and Comcast won't give me any info about them. They have a
bogus address for them on the cable bill.

Yea, if you complain about the service and they come and discover that your "in house" lines are bad, you'll also get charged. Here's a few things that you can try that may reveal whether the problem is on thier line or yours.

First of all, make sure that the problem isn't in your set--i.e., the snowyness shows up on other sets at that location as well.

Then, find or borrow a small portable color set (this assumes that your main set is too big or a nuisance to move). Get an extension cord and take it out to the actual cable service entrance and hook it up directly there. If the picture is much better, you've obviously got some in house line problems that you will have to do something about yourself (Note that a smaller set can look a little better just due to its size though).

If it appears that there might be a problem with their service, find or borrow a line amp and hook it up somewhere between the service entrance and your set--ideally, hook it up at the service entrance. If there is any noticable improvement at all, you can pretty well justify calling the serivice provider and tell them that they appear to have an inferior signal at your service entrance.

Service levels do change--almost always deteriorating. I've seen a major storm somehow cause service to degrade requiring a reajustment. Also, the channel range is broken up into segments where it goes through the amps so you can have some channels good and others that need to be adjusted. I have 2 channels that were always a bit flakey for 4 years before I discovered that their levels were less than half of what they were supposed to be.

There are government tariffs that define what the signal level at your service entrance must be and the service providers must provide that level. If they do not, technically they cannot charge you for the service.

One last item, if you call Comcast customer service, their people are paid to "make customers happy". Once you know that the problem is on their service, simply call them up and tell them that the problem is theirs and if they can't fix it you want your service dropped because you are getting satellite (their biggest REAL problem at present). If they are unwilling to take care of this, then you really don't want their service anyway.

Oh, and by the way, anytime that you talk to customer service, make sure that you get their NAME. Write it down and mention it on all followup calls. When customer service reps know that you have their name and are willing to remember it, their attention can improve (although I must admit that I have occasionally contacted a get CS person. It's a great experience

- Jeff

 

[Yukio YANO]

Solution (A)
EXPRESSVU !!!

If you can't solve it locally, go higher up, about 22,000 miles up! Still
won't solve the problem of 100's of channels of crap though, even with
access to digital or HD programming, Cost of service is comparable.
Installation cost ~$100 for small dish and receiver including sign-up
discounts

Only real problem would be loss of CABLE INTERNET access but then maybe they
don't supply internet cable access in which case you won't lose much!

Oh well, can't win them all !

SOLUTION (B)
Throw more money at it ! Buy a Line Amp/Splitter box and re-cable all of
your feedlines from this Amp. so as not to intoduce signal loss from a
daisychain of splitter boxes, you should be able to pull new cable using the
old cables, to pull in the new cable!

Yukio

 

[Cher]

You could have plenty of signal and still have a snowy picture.
Cable amps are built non-identical. Since no ckt has a flat response,
if they were the same you would have some channels with lots of signal
and some with little. They make them different so that it balances
out. If you put an amp in line and channels are still snowy or you get
overload, this may be the problem. - they don't have them random
enough.

Go direct to the source first. If it is good on ALL channels, then
your wiring is the problem.

Cable has a tendency to "shrink" the center conductor, and you have to
redo the cable ends. Check to make sure the center conductor is
protruding far enough.