[Hotkey]

While watching TV - live not recording - now piped thru my 5508 - I see a shimering kind of effect on screen - picture quality is not quite as good as it was before inserting 5508. The 5508 is connected to TV with screw on coax that came with 5508 - wondering if that needs to be a higer quality cable or what?


Picture is perfect if I attach cable coax direct to TV bypassing 5508.


Help?

 

[rm -rf *.*]

No, it's not the cable, RF-Coax just sucks.


Connect the ReplayTV's S-Video out (Output #2) & R/L audio RCA to your TV if you can. If your TV doesn't have S-Video in (sometimes referred to as an S-VHS video connection) then hook up the ReplayTV's composite video out (Video out #1) which is an RCA connection. The ReplayTV's normally ship with a 6' Yellow/Red/White RCA-RCA cable included. It's a $0.02 POS cable, but it's still going to be a world of difference over the RF-Coax.


So, that way, you can go buy better cables tomorrow over lunch...

 

[Hotkey]

Makes sense. I notice that my TV only has 1 rca audio in jack - not left/right like the Replay audio out - will that work ok?

 

[Ace987]

Get a better TV...... just kidding. If you only have 1 jack, then you have mono sound, not stereo. If you just pluged one cable in (I believe it's probably colored white) you'll only get one side of the audio (left or right). I can't find a way to change from stereo to mono on the Replay, so I guess you're SOL there.


As an alternative (besides buying another TV) is to use a VCR in between the Replay and TV. Connect the RCA output of the Replay to the RCA inputs on the VCR, then send the output to the TV via the coax connection. I use that setup on my TV that only has a coax input and it looks just fine.

 

[melduforx]

Yeah, that will work fine. Just connect the WHITE audio cable to the audio in jack on your TV. You will get mono sound. If you want both the left and the right channels combined, you can buy a "Y" adapter from radio shack for a few bucks to combine the channels.


Hooking a VCR up in between won't really buy you anything. You'll still have mono sound, because very few devices have stereo RF modulation over coax -- it's very, very expensive.

 

[rm -rf *.*]

Rather than connect the ReplayTV RCA/S-Vid to a VCR and then RF-Coax out of the VCR to the TV (to me, this arrangement screams "SIGNAL DEGRADATION", especially considering how cheaply-made most VCRs are these days, but that's just IMHO...) Get a Stereo RF-Modulator that has S-vid input - if you are so inclined, get one that has 2 sets of inputs, so you can hook up your RTV and VCR in parallel.


Here's a few S-Vid-Stereo RF modulators:

ShortCircuit City - Terk Video Switch (MOD-41)

Radio Smack #15-2540 "Easy Answers™ DVD Install Kit"



CC doesn't state it on their site, but according to TERK's catalog the MOD-41 has s-vid inputs. (I've never been dissapointed with any of TERK's AM/FM radio antenna products, if this modulator is of the same calibre... *shrug*)


Like anything else around here, some say Modulators suck, some say that they are OK. Let's face it, if you loop through a VCR then to the TV, take a guess what your VCR is doubling as...


YMMV...



(oh, just go buy a better TV... you know you want to... )

 

[Ace987]

Quote:

Originally posted by melduforx Yeah, that will work fine. Just connect the WHITE audio cable to the audio in jack on your TV. You will get mono sound.

I'm a little curious how the Replay will know to send Mono sound when you only connect the left or right channel. Most devices actually need to specify that you have mono sound so it will send both the right and left channel over the single RCA wire. I believe if you do it this way, you'll might miss out on some of the sound.

Quote:

Originally posted by melduforx If you want both the left and the right channels combined, you can buy a "Y" adapter from radio shack for a few bucks to combine the channels.[/b]

Does that really work? Being in electronics, we were taught never to connect two different outputs together in this way. At best, I'd think you'd get some signal cancellation, at worst you might blow up something (however, I believe the RCA outputs are pretty well protected). Seriously, I have no idea, but I just can't imagine that working.

Quote:

Originally posted by melduforx Hooking a VCR up in between won't really buy you anything. You'll still have mono sound, because very few devices have stereo RF modulation over coax -- it's very, very expensive. [/b]

Hooking up a VCR in between my Replay and TV has greatly improved my picture quality (and that is really what this thread is all about). When I hooked the coax output directly to the TV, the picture looked very grainy and noisy. When I hooked the output of the Replay via the RCA connections to the input of the VCR and used the coax out of the VCR to the TV, the picture looked perfect. So in short, not only does the tuner inside the Replay suck, but the output via coax sucks as well. Besides adding picture quality, it puts a VCR inline with your Replay, so you can record shows on VHS tape for friends and family who don't have a Replay as well as watching stuff you might still have on VHS.

Quote:

Originally posted by rm -rf *.* Rather than connect the ReplayTV RCA/S-Vid to a VCR and then RF-Coax out of the VCR to the TV (to me, this arrangement screams "SIGNAL DEGRADATION", especially considering how cheaply-made most VCRs are these days, but that's just IMHO...)[/b]

I disagree with this statement (as I stated above). In my case, I already had a VCR, so the cost was nothing. I was thinking about buying one of those RF-modulators, but why do it if you already have a VCR lying around (and many people do). However, I suppose I would try the modulator before the VCR if I didn't already own a VCR since it is cheaper and takes up less space.

 

[Hotkey]

Very interesting comments - my update follows:


I bought an S-Vid and installed it from Replay to TV. Better picture!


I bought a 2 into 1 Y RCA set up - plugged R & L output RCA from Replay into Y ends and plugged single end into audio in on TV - but now - I've got a back ground noise - when I turn the volume up on the TV, during programming breaks where no planned sound is present - I can here a mild sound rumble or roar or low hiss - hard to describe.


Now what?

 

[Jeff D]

Ace, good points. I have no idea how any of those things would work out well. I think all your comments were spot on.

 

[melduforx]

True Ace. The noise you hear is probably from connecting the both the right and the left audio outputs together via the y adapter, a poor suggestion on my part.


Or maybe not. Try taking the y adapter out and see if you still have the rumble/hiss.


A ground-loop noise usually sounds like a low-frequency hum.


Edit: A quick search on this issue takes away some of my doubt...


As far as RCA outputs go, there is usually a resistor in the output circuit that will automatically (passively) "mix" the audio when the two outputs are connected together. If no such resistor exists in the circuit, it's suggested that a 1K resistor be put inline with each channel before you combine the outputs.


Also, some consume-grade equipment automatically sends out a mono signal when only the left (white) jack is connected. You'll have to do a test on the replay to see if this is true.

 

[BaysideBas]

Quote:

Originally posted by melduforx As far as RCA outputs go, there is usually a resistor in the output circuit that will automatically (passively) "mix" the audio when the two outputs are connected together. If no such resistor exists in the circuit, it's suggested that a 1K resistor be put inline with each channel before you combine the outputs.

Line level outputs are usually high impedance (in the order of 10Kohms) and can be safely mixed via the Y adapter method. I've been doing this for more years than many of you have been alive.

Quote:

Also, some consume-grade equipment automatically sends out a mono signal when only the left (white) jack is connected. You'll have to do a test on the replay to see if this is true.

This you have backwards, it isn't the left OUTPUT that provides mono, but the left INPUT. So, if your audio source is mono, connect it to the left channel input on the next device and get the mono signal on both right and left channels. Connecting anything to the left output will give you left channel audio, period. Only if the audio is mono to start with will connecting to the left (or right) output give you a mono signal.

 

[Hotkey]

Wow - lottsa smart folks here. Thanks for all the feedback and ideas. I guess 1 question I have is, "Is the 5508 a mono output and will that make a difference?".


I can supply results from a test I did with a friends set up. He has a Sony Combo VCR/DVD with RCA out into the very same AMEX TV (only 1 input). We tried plugging the red and white RCA input jacks into the 1 and only input port and got the same exact background low pitch "hiss" or static sound.


Can you guys make any determination on the fix from trhe added info?

 

[melduforx]

Aha! I think what you're experiencing is this . Are you feeding your coax directly into the replay? Some other users have an audio hiss in that setup.


The Y cable is your best solution for combining the two channels.


Edit: After re-reading your response, I take back what I said about it being the replay's fault. It looks like it might be the TV's fault, since you're able to reproduce the problem on two different TV's with two different input sources.

 

[Hotkey]

Ya I'm sure its the TV - I'm just trying to determine if connecting in some different way will solve the problem. I'll see if this TV outfit has a website too.

 

[rm -rf *.*]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hotkey Very interesting comments - my update follows: I bought an S-Vid and installed it from Replay to TV. Better picture! I bought a 2 into 1 Y RCA set up - plugged R & L output RCA from Replay into Y ends and plugged single end into audio in on TV - but now - I've got a back ground noise - when I turn the volume up on the TV, during programming breaks where no planned sound is present - I can here a mild sound rumble or roar or low hiss - hard to describe. Now what?

most likely, what you're hearing is caused by one of the following two things:

1) that's prety much "normal" (or rather, "expected") for situations when you use a simple y-splice to combine two unbalenced outputs. If you'd rather not hear it, deep six the Y-splice and just directly connect either the Right or Left out to the TV.

--Or--

2) due to the fact that your TV is an archaic piece of junk that you've been meaning to replace with someting more modern (like, designed and manufactured within the last 10-years, hopefully...) for some time now...

 

[Hotkey]

Its gots be the TV - even with nothing attached to any audio input - 1 2 or SVideo - The TV makes noise on all 3 inputs. Only when just cable input is used is the sounds loud and clear.


Any final thoughts?

 

[BaysideBas]

An interesting effect, commonly known as "pumping" or "breathing" can occur when there's a lull in the audio content. The automatic gain control will then increase the amplification until the floor noise signal (hiss) is clearly audible. Then, when audio content is back again, the gain is lowered, so the noise is now back where it belongs. Could this be a part of your problem?

 

[rm -rf *.*]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hotkey ... Any final thoughts?

Yup, just one though...




...ROOF TEST!!!!!

 

[Hotkey]

I'm baaaccckkk!


Well - I had the APEX TV tested at the sales store - REX - and they tested a floor model also - it did the same thing and agreed it was faulty. 1 week later they called me, explaining that APEX said that was normal operations! And that was when switching from the split off normal coax cable input to any video or S video input - the overall sound output was lowered and then having to increase the volume to hear programming, allowed the background noise to be audible.


So... I exchanged the APEX TV (bought new 6 weeks ago) for a Magnavox with stereo inputs rather than the mono input the APEX had. Imagine my amazement since it too does the same thing! And that is: when watching split off coax cable direct, sound quality is fine; when switching to S video input where my Replay is input (and of course I have the RCA jacks audio out and in right and left channels now) the overall audio lowers a bit and if I increase to the same output level as when just the cable is selected, I can again here a small audio hum/rumble/hiss in the background.


Overall - not as bad as the APEX but still there.


So I still need your ideas - help. Is it an issue with digital output from digital cable box and/or digital output from replay not being handled by inexpensive TV (analog?) - I'm obviously no expert at this by any means!


I did buy an RF modulator but I'm not sure if that will help - and also not sure where/how to install? System now is coax into digital cable box, coax from that to Replay, SVideo out to S Video in on TV with the RCA audio cables from Replay audio out R/L to TV audio in R/L.


Thanks again.


JDS

 

[l8er]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hotkey System now is coax into digital cable box, coax from that to Replay, SVideo out to S Video in on TV with the RCA audio cables from Replay audio out R/L to TV audio in R/L.

You should be running s-video or composite between the cable box and the ReplayTV. The tuner in the ReplayTV is a weak link in the chain and switching to s-video or composite will make a big difference.