Conference ljsrv1::tv_chatter

> 	I am having a cable TV problem and I was hoping that someone in 
> 	here *might* be able to help.

	Did you know there is a Cable TV conferece at UPSAR::Cable_TV?

    Lou,
    
    I some a weird problem that is similar....after 5pm channel 4, 5 and 7
    start to humm but if I switch to the vcr the hum goes away.  And on
    somedays I lose channel 5 (ABC) and end up with channel 6 (FOX) on the
    vcr (it has auto tuning).
    
    Roberta 

    
    yes, I went into the cable notesfile - they have been very helpful. But
    we have alot of smart TV type folks in here - so I thought I'd cross 
    post.
    
    Louisa

>     yes, I went into the cable notesfile - they have been very helpful. But
>     we have alot of smart TV type folks in here - so I thought I'd cross 
>     post.

	Seeing you are a co-moderator of this conference, did you ever
	happen to read note 1.0? :-)

ps: the type of "smart TV" folks in here can tell you the episode number
    and name for "Love Boat" given just the names of two guest stars, but
    I don't think that's the type of smarts needed to fix your problem :-)

    -1,  What are you, a refugee prig from ASKENET?
    
    Seems like 376.0 falls safely within the "etc, etc" category
    mentioned in 1.0. 
    
    Try bypassing the VCR, maybe it's getting its 3 and 4 mixed up.
    Anyway, sounds like a job for Cable Guy, not us Stooges fans!
      
    

>     -1,  What are you, a refugee prig from ASKENET?

	What's ASKENET?

>     Seems like 376.0 falls safely within the "etc, etc" category
>     mentioned in 1.0. 

	My underwear falls safely under that category also :-)

>the type of "smart TV" folks in here can tell you the episode number
>and name for "Love Boat" given just the names of two guest stars, but
>I don't think that's the type of smarts needed to fix your problem :-)

I think you are under estimating some of the people who read this file,
including yourself!  Not all the readers (especially the closet readers)
are coach potatoes, they are intelligent people who happen to like/love
TV.  They know all the inns and outs of the technology behind TV and cable.
and maybe since they watch alot of TV & Cable - they have experienced some
of the same problems I am  having.

I have read alot of your notes, in this file and others - you do not 
strike me as a coach potato - who only knows how to hit the remote button,
so instead of trying to get in digs where you can - can you offer me any
help or suggestions?

>Try by-passing the VCR, maybe it's getting its 3 and 4 mixed up.
>Anyway, sounds like a job for Cable Guy, not us Stooges fans!

Thanks for the idea, I did try that and it did not work.  I don't know
what to do now - The Cable man was there for 3hrs, and they can't fix it.  I 
called back  to have them try again and they wont come out until they can rip
apart my ceiling :-(  - If I thought ripping the ceiling apart would
fix this problem - then I would let them do it, but I know it is not a fix.

So, because I will not let them rip my ceiling apart - they also wont 
consider an adjustment in my bill!

LKP

    
    	Louisa,
    	   They should be able to "shoot your cable with a tester".
    	Without ripping out your ceiling. It's a procedure where
    	the cable is disconnected from your TV/VCR/Cable Box and
    	terminated, then they go back to the cable hookup outside
    	and put a tester on the cable. The tester will "shoot"
    	a test signal down the cable to the terminator and observe
    	the results on CRT display. The techican should be able to
    	determine the cable intergity from that. DEC network installers
    	use a similar test with a "TDR" to check out network backbones.
    	Bottom line, going from the cable junction box to your TV/VCR/CABLE
    Box	it's just RG-59 75 ohm cable, there has been methods to test that 
    	type of cable for twenty years or more. The cable guys usually
    	just "shotgun troubleshoot" by replacing the wire and all the
    	connectors. They don't take the time to isolate to a failing
    	segment or they can't because they are "minimum wage" monkeys.
    
    
    
    				Good Luck,
    				Roger

    
    Roger,
    
    I called the cable company and told themt o "shoot the box" and they
    did.  The channel is a better, no more scrooling, just a big line and
    ghosts.  I called them back and they are going to send out a "line
    tech" vs the trouble tech the have already sent.
    
    This person I got on the phone was very helpful and understood why I do
    not want to rip out my ceiling w/out a 110% garentee.
    
    Thank you for "shoot the box" idea.  I like to call up and kinda act
    like I know what I am talking about.
    
    Lou

    i had a similar problem as Lou.
    
    in my cable area, channel 15 was coming either fuzzy/out of focus or
    not at all.  it started after there was a power outage. no cables were
    touched in the house (i KNOW - i live alone!). i don't have a box for
    scrambled/ppv stations. tv and vcr are "cable ready".
    
    no problems with any other channels.
    
    the cable company would come out, but there would be a charge if ti
    wasn't in their wires.  so i said forget it, i can live without that
    station.
    
    the problem cleared up when the channel lineup was redone the beginning
    of august.

    
    fWIW:
    
    a new cable guy came out and he fixed my ch 4 (for now) :-)  he
    replaced some more wires and everything seems fine.
    
    Louisa