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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Electrical Questions >> my boiler cuts off my freeview box! https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1230915011 Message started by vasser on Jan 2^nd, 2009, 4:50pm

Title: my boiler cuts off my freeview box!
Post by vasser on Jan 2^nd, 2009, 4:50pm

Hi folks and happy new year. My freeview box cuts out when my gas boiler fires up - sometimes its just a momentary freeze othertimes it takes minutes on end to come back on with signal. I have tried tightening the connections on the mains sockets to the freeview boxes ( I have 2 on diff cicuits and both cut out but not always at same time) but still get same problem. I guess its the wiring to the boiler that needs checking?

I also note that if i switch a light on the sound on the freeview disapppears for a moment - but never causes the signal to freeze completely.

any help appreciated

Title: Re: my boiler cuts off my freeview box!
Post by LSpark on Jan 2^nd, 2009, 9:13pm

I have noticed that dips in the power do tend to upset the freeview boxes, I guess it depends on the make and model of the box as to how reliable it is, but I wouldn't have expected you to have that many problems.

I presume the wiring to the boiler is all sound?. I would check out that first to make sure you have correct polarity and a good low-earth resistance. Is the boiler old or relatively new e.g. less than 10-years old?

Title: Re: my boiler cuts off my freeview box!
Post by Zambezi on Jan 2^nd, 2009, 10:02pm

You could try and fit a mains conditioner to your Freeview box but it will probably cost a lot more than your Freeview box.

Title: Re: my boiler cuts off my freeview box!
Post by cosbycarl on Jan 3^rd, 2009, 10:08am

Its interference caused by noise created from the electricity, you could try a better screened aerial cable as a cheaper option to go with for now, if not its either what zamb said or buy a more expensive free view box, which might be protected against this type of interference, you would need to ask before buying though, as im not 100% sure that they even do this? I used to work for ON Digital, I saw/heard this problem all the time. Normally a good screened aerial cable sorted this problem out, noise from cars or motorbikes passing peoples houses did this too. Different make set top boxes acted differently to this problem as well, some were better at coping than others.

Title: Re: my boiler cuts off my freeview box!
Post by CWatters on Jan 4^th, 2009, 1:12pm

Is your room stat an old style bimetalic strip? If so consider replacing it with a moderm electronic unit.

Otherwise what CosbyCarl said.. I would review your whole freeview installation. Things like back of the set booster amps and cheap cables are notorious for this sort of thing. Replacing a back of set booster with a mast head amp can make a difference (With a back of the set booster the noise gets in to the aerial down lead and is then amplified along with the wanted signal. With a mast head amp the signal is amplified before the noise gets into the aerial down lead so the signal to noise ratio is much better)

If possible make your own cables, even the short ones between freeview box and the VCR or whatever. That way you can check what the screen looks like. It should be like the one at the middle/bottom not the fish net at the top.

See this great site for other ideas..
http://www.aerialsandtv.com/cableandleads.html