# Rolling horizontal lines



## Aliens (Jul 3, 2004)

I’ve been getting horizontal lines (bands/waves) rolling from the bottom of the screen to the top for possibly as long as I’ve had E* (about a year now), and decided it’s time to address this issue. This is much more noticeable on OTA broadcast, but I can see it on other stations as well. It stands out the most during the split second between commercials or changes in programming when you see the black background, but still bleeds through programming on the OTA stations. It is much more difficult to see this on other stations, but it is there. I’m running all of my cabling through a Tripp-Lite HTPOWERBAR10 surge suppressor. I’m using Philips RG-6 cables from the wall to the Tripp-Lite, from the TL to the satellite receiver and TV. Connections have been double and triple checked. Thanks for any thoughts on this.


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## Jon Spackman (Feb 7, 2005)

This is on a 942 receiver?


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## lakebum431 (Jun 30, 2005)

Can you take a picture and show us?


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## kmcnamara (Jan 30, 2004)

I have rolling humbars on my 942 picture when I have the VCR powered on at the same time. As soon as I power off the VCR the humbars go away. You might see if something similar is going on with yours.


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## Aliens (Jul 3, 2004)

Yes, this is a 942, and I don’t have a digital camera, so I can’t post any pictures. This is fed straight from the satellite to the TV - no VCR involved. Judging from the responses, or should I say lack of, I have something that is peculiar only to me, which leads me to believe the 942 isn’t the problem. What’s interesting, my OTA NBC from Richmond and Charlottesville are ‘clean,’ yet, Richmond’s ABC and CBS are cluttered with interference. I’ll post in the local section and see if anyone else is having the same problem. I don’t recall seeing anyone post anything, however, it is surprising what some people will live with and also what some of us see and others don’t. Thanks for your responses.


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## kmcnamara (Jan 30, 2004)

So you don't have any other devices on that circuit (or maybe on the same power strip as the TV and 942)?


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## Aliens (Jul 3, 2004)

Everything is on that power strip, kmcnamara: Satellite, TV, receiver, DVD and CD players, OTA pre-amp, and powered speakers. I would've unplugged everything except the satellite and TV to see what results I may have gotten, but I have 2 NBC stations 60 miles apart working perfectly - by that I mean a solid black screen - this is what has me puzzled. I have nothing to lose, so I'll unplug everything and see what happens.

This image is the best I could come up with searching the internet. Eliminate everything you see except the lines; make the background light gray, darken and solidify the lines, and you pretty much have it.


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## Aliens (Jul 3, 2004)

No luck. I unplugged everything except the TV and satellite, and CBS Richmond had an incredible amount of noise - so much so, the horizontal ‘bars’ weren’t solid. Ironically, ABC (a problem channel) was flawless before and after with a solid black screen. I think I should mention; when I’m seeing solid black on the screen during those brief commercial changeovers, I can see every pixel and section (2 of them) on my plasma. When its normal, it’s as if someone threw a switch breaking the circuit, and when it isn’t, its like someone left the switch open and juice is flowing through. Sorry, I’m doing the best I can at explaining this. Because of the inconsistency, I’m not very confident I can resolve this. 

I’m not having any luck in the local forum, but its summer and it’s early in the posting stage, so that may take some time.


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## Jon Spackman (Feb 7, 2005)

Is your Dish grounded? Try tuning to a local HD channel and unplug the two sat feeds and see if the hum bars go away temporarily. I used to have rolling bars on my 510, but I think it was because I had it powered in the attic and the video cables running downstairs.

Try connecting the power for the tv to a different circuit with an extension cord. My boss has terrible bars that make his plasma un-watchable when he plugs it in next to the tv location, but if he runs an extension cord from a different circuit its nice and clean. The only thing that sounds weird is that sometimes you have it and sometimes you don't. What else is on that circuit? Computers, Refrigerators, Laundry????


Jon


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## Aliens (Jul 3, 2004)

At this hour (6PM), all OTA stations are clean. I’ll check and see what happens when they go to network.


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## Jon Spackman (Feb 7, 2005)

You do see this on sat channels or no?


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## Aliens (Jul 3, 2004)

This morning all 4 major networks are clean :icon_dumm – I forgot to check FOX yesterday. 

Jon,

I’m not sure what is normal and what isn’t. As I mentioned, when locals take breaks, my screen goes completely dark (when they are clean); when satellite channels break this doesn’t happen; I see noise with a light gray background, but nothing like the bars on local broadcasts. Should my screen go completely dark on satellite channels the way locals do? Last year after getting E* up and running, TV2 was loaded with interference and a CSR told me to run my TV2 line through a VCR to help clear it up. That did help a lot, but I’m still getting some interference. 

Both satellite and OTA antenna are grounded. Would a long cable run cause interference? It’s a 150’ from the dish to my house. I seem to recall the installer saying they don’t like to run anything over 100’.

Thanks for the inquiries.


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## Jon Spackman (Feb 7, 2005)

What do you mean by "take breaks" do you mean the split second before a commercial starts? 

If that is what you mean, then Its too fast to tell if its pure black or what.



Did you try different channels for TV2, higher and lower?


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## Aliens (Jul 3, 2004)

Jon Spackman said:


> What do you mean by "take breaks" do you mean the split second before a commercial starts?
> 
> If that is what you mean, then Its too fast to tell if its pure black or what.


Exactly. Some channels do this very quickly and others allow me that spilt second of dead air to see the background. I'm not really anal about this kind of thing, just trying to find out what is considered 'normal' that will allow me to get the best clarity in PQ possible. I'd hate to find out I've been watching poor PQ when I could've been doing better. Although, after leaving Direct and coming back to E*, I could tell immediately I was getting a better picture. I want to make the move to the 622, but after seeing the issues with that I'm a bit nervous.



Jon Spackman said:


> Did you try different channels for TV2, higher and lower?


Yes.

Perhaps an in-line amp at the outside switch helps with the length of run I have?


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## Jon Spackman (Feb 7, 2005)

Aliens said:


> Perhaps an in-line amp at the outside switch helps with the length of run I have?


Or maybe its too strong, the 942 bumps up the signal i want to say like 10db. So you may want to try an attenuator to see if you are over amping the signal.


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