Where's Shucker the Cable Guy??

[JiF]LtWaterboy · Post by **[JiF]LtWaterboy** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 8:41 pm

Ok guys, a new one for ya:

Mentat will like cause it still deals with Comcast...heehee...

We have regular, Comcast cable (non-digital). There is one line that comes into the house.
From this line, it is then split with an in-line splitter to the upstairs & downstairs.

The downstairs one is then split again with an inline splitter, one going into the VCR/TV and the other into my modem & firewall/router.

Now, the problem:

Some channels on the TV sporadically have a snowy look to them. Sometimes the snow goes away and is a clear signal. Doesnt happen on all channels and occurs randomly. This is real annoying, especially cause its ESPN on which it happens!!

I also seem to look connection on my motorola modem quite frequently (all the green lights go out). Even unplugging it for awhile doesnt seem to work.

It looks like the actual signal is being lost to the downstairs. I've checked all the connections and they are all tight. The upstairs TV seems to be unaffected.

Is there anything to doing multiple splits in a line that would cause this? Any other thoughts??

ps. thanks in advance.

LT.

ps. installed the new ethernet card and is working fine (other than the above issue). see other post.

[JiF][AARP]Grimp · Post by **[JiF][AARP]Grimp** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:34 pm

I dunno about Comcast, but with mine I need a filter that protects the TV signal from getting crap from the Broadband side.
Each cable going to a TV has to have an inline filter (round cylinder thingy) to protect it.

[JiF]Mentat · Post by **[JiF]Mentat** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:59 pm

What Grimp said. I know people who have put signal amplifiers on their lines, but I have never needed it. I would try to hook up your modem off the first splitter or as close as possible.

My problem is with their system. I have had complete drop outs of the connection. (always at key moments like flying with a P-38 ) I have had 4 Comcast guys out to the house and they all said it is the new phone system Comcast is selling. The system is not ready nor can it handle the demand but, "corporate" is pushing it anyway for "revenue" and "early market share". Each Comcast guy seems to hate the company and explain this in the same way as if they all sit around on break and complain to each other. Imagine that... Good luck.

[JiF]LtWaterboy · Post by **[JiF]LtWaterboy** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 12:10 am

Cool...thanxs guys!!

Yeah, Ment, that's happenin to me too, and I thought it was our server. Then I saw I didsnt have any lights on my modem!!!

I'll try radio shack tomorrow & see if they have either the filters and/or amplifiers and try them out.

Cant really do much with the splitters. both the TV and computer are about 2' from the second splitter and about 10' from the one in the ceiling (from upstairs)...

LT

[JiF]Smuckers · Post by **[JiF]Smuckers** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 2:30 am

Just something to ponder. The problem may not be inside your house. More often than not it is related to the line feeding your house. Comcast usually trys to put the modem on the first split to avoid signal loss. Too much signal loss can cause the modem to not work correctly or intermittently. The other thing I would recomend is stay away from Radio Shack splitters and cable lines. Most of the cables/splitters they sell have a poor isolation. If you only have the two splits as in a 2 way splitter feeding another one the loss shouldn't be enough to cause it not to work. If one of those splitters is a three or four way the loss may be too great to work correctly.

What channels are snowy. I don't know where ESPN is located on your cable system, but if it is a low channel like 2 through 7 it may be a bad fitting at the pole. The bad fitting could cause the modem to transmit really high or even out of range. If the line is water damaged it would effect the higher channels more, like the one that supplies your modem its downstream signal.

I am guessing that you have had a tech at your house to check everything?

YES I work for Comcast, I like my job, and I approve this message.

[JiF]LtWaterboy · Post by **[JiF]LtWaterboy** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:08 am

Smuck,

Didnt know YOU worked for them!! woohoo...

First - the easy question - no, noone has been called in yet to check things out. was hoping i could solve on my own.

Second - the snowy portion comes and goes and are mainly on the mid-channels (18-35), but i believe i've seen it on others (higher & lower).

Next - tough to do off the first splitter as stated above. the split is for upstairs & downstairs. downstairs has the TV and computer that needs the second one.

Finally - yeah was just lookin at RS for the filters/amplifiers. The splitters and cables are from Comcast. Splitters are only two way as well.

If what you say on the outside line is true, then how would that explain the upstairs TV running perfectly? No snow on any channels.

That's what made me believe it had to do with the multiple splitters or something after the first split.

LT

[JiF]Stepovich · Post by **[JiF]Stepovich** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 2:58 pm

Or...

It could just be that you need to start taking your Risperdal again Lt...

[JiF]KellysHero · Post by **[JiF]KellysHero** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:10 pm

Since you've moved back to Pitt, maybe the snow you are seeing is really snow?

[JiF]LtWaterboy · Post by **[JiF]LtWaterboy** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:33 pm

Good one, Step...

And no, it's actual 64 deg F & sunny for one more day here. drops into the 40's with rain though tommorrow...

(

FYI. did some "real" troubleshooting:

If I send the cable directly into the TV, it gives a clear signal (not perfect, but much better). Did this with and without the 2nd splitter (no difference).
Thus leading me to two options that deals with the VCR:

1. It may be losing the signal thru the VCR (since it wasnt perfect going directly into TV). May need amplified like Ment suggested.
2. VCR may be bad or not set up properly (although the latter, I believe, I tried everything for programming channels, etc correctly). May try another VCR when I get the chance.

Still, nothing I can do about SciFi thou!! heehee!!!

LT

[JiF]Smuckers · Post by **[JiF]Smuckers** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:06 pm

That doesn't explain the modem though.

[JiF]LtWaterboy · Post by **[JiF]LtWaterboy** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:42 am

[JiF]Smuckers wrote:That doesn't explain the modem though.

touche.....

LT

[JiF]LtWaterboy · Post by **[JiF]LtWaterboy** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:00 pm

Well, after having a few minutes today, I actually figured out the cable problems...

My uncle put in the splitter (from the upstairs) in backwards. Switched it around (IN goes to IN and OUTS go to OUTS!!),
and is working like a charm now.

Guess you can never take for granted someone knows what they are doing.....

That and not be lazy and rip open the ceiling tiles to check the connections for yourself!!

LT

[JiF]Smuckers · Post by **[JiF]Smuckers** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:48 pm

LOL

[JiF]Mentat · Post by **[JiF]Mentat** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:21 pm

I am asking you Comcast employees for some advice. I have disconnects every minute for 2-5 days then everything is fine for 5 days then it craps out again. This has been going on since October. This graph shows the disconnects (in red) for several hours on the 8th. I have had 6 Comcast techs out here and they all just scratch their heads. (yeah - he just left 10 minutes ago). They have promised alot but it keeps occuring. They have given me half off my bill for the trouble but the point is I want it fixed, not ignored. I am about to take this to the next level, as each tech has said I should, "call corporate and heads will turn". How do I go about calling corporate? So any advice that anyone has to offer would be greeeaaaattttt!

[JiF]LtWaterboy · Post by **[JiF]LtWaterboy** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:38 pm

Ment,

Do you mean that you just completely lose signal every so often?

I have had that too last month, but for the last week has been ok. My modem would basically just go blank, even though the cable to TV was fine.

I was having that happen sporadically too - and Comcast out here was no better. I even lost internet connection once, and had ALL the lights on my modem (like normal operation). After about 5 hrs or so, it finally connected.

LT