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From: myers@hpfcdj.HP.COM (Bob Myers)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Undesired television reception: solution?
Message-ID: <17660035@hpfcdj.HP.COM>
Date: 16 Nov 89 19:31:29 GMT
References: <938@swbatl.UUCP>
Organization: Hewlett Packard -- Fort Collins, CO
Lines: 40

>site is miles from my house, and local signals overpower the cable carried
>signals.  My suspicion is that this is indicative of poor shielding on their
>part; Isn't coax awfully close to a faraday cage?  It also seems that they

First minor point: coax may or may not be viewed as a "Faraday cage", depending
on whether or not a balanced drive scheme is used (i.e., if the signal return
current is carried over the "shield", than it's not stricly a "Faraday cage.")

Now, major point: regardless of how well the cable company keeps undesired
signals off their cable, they *can* and likely *will* enter either at
the converter box or in your tuner (you don't mention whether you
use an external converter or use a "cable ready" TV).  Consumer electronics
are notorious for poor shielding.

>could move local channels to another freq on the cable, or boost signal
>levels at diffrent points in the city.   They say I should "just connect the
>antenne" to watch local channels, a wholly unacceptable answer, especially
>during unattended videotaping.

If the local channels are on their proper frequency on the cable, then I'm
assuming that your set's tuner is doing all the work - the above comments
apply.  Connecting the external antenna for the local channels may in fact be
the only solution.  Is this really a problem for taping?  How often do you
tape shows from both local stations (which are not available from other
stations on the cable) and cable-only stations, in the same "unattended"
period?

>Am I reasonable in my irritation?  Are there other solutions I could suggest?
>Is there some minimum quality of service they are required (by whom?) to
>provide? Should I wrap my house in tin foil :) ?

Unfortunately, some type of shielding may be the only answer outside of
pulling the antenna swap - wrapping your house in tin foil is, I presume,
unacceptable. :-)



Bob Myers  KC0EW   HP Graphics Tech. Div.|  Opinions expressed here are not
                   Ft. Collins, Colorado |  those of my employer or any other
myers%hpfcla@hplabs.hp.com               |  sentient life-form on this planet.