cable installer

[GRIMJIM]

Anyone here install cable tv? I added internet and now the picture is messed up. Do I need to ground the splitter? Or is there another issue.

[bobg]

  My tv picture was all messed up when they first installed my cable. The cable guy told me nothing he could do it was because of the location of my house and the trees in the yard.
  A fried of mine that works on computers stopped to look at it. He said the idiot had the cable plugged into the wrong port on the box. Moved the cable to the correct port and problem solved.

[troy1_4]

I would call them back. Your internet should not mess with your pics.They might have pulled to much signal from your tv to send to your modem,they can put in another type of splitter to correct the problem.As for grounding the splitter if your drop is grounded outside then it should not be an issue.Hope this helps

[magooch]

It seems to me that in any case it should be the cable company's business to make it right if they were the installer.  When our cable was installed, there was a problem and the installer worked all day before he finally figured out that he had inadvertently used a wrong phone wire in one of the connections (we're bundled).  We bargained with Comcast and got them to agree to do the complete installation for free and they stuck to it.

[GRIMJIM]

I did a self install. I was very proud of myself when the internet came on without a hitch. Then I tried to watch tv.

[magooch]

I assume you used a modem--right?  If so, did you use a modem supplied by the cable company, or did you get you're own.  I was told that not just any modem will work right.

[GRIMJIM]

The install kit and modem was bought from them.

[SHOOTALL]

  My tv picture was all messed up when they first installed my cable. The cable guy told me nothing he could do it was because of the location of my house and the trees in the yard.
  A fried of mine that works on computers stopped to look at it. He said the idiot had the cable plugged into the wrong port on the box. Moved the cable to the correct port and problem solved.

Got to ask if its cable what do trees have to do with it ? 

[LanceR]

Jim, I'm an independent contractor for DirecTV and Hughesnet installations and service work.  While I don't know which cable company you are with or what technology they use in your area there are a few things to check.

Look into each connector and be sure that there isn't any stray strands of the wire shielding (or in some cases the foil shielding) that are touching the center connector.  If there are any use the tip of a knife to trim them or remove them.

Run your fingers down the outside of the parts of the cables you can reach.  You may find a spot where the cable was crushed or bent too tight.  Because the center conductor is encased in a dense foam core it can be stretched and broken by a tight bend in the cable since it can't move freely to relieve the stress.  You'll feel most of these defects better than you'll see them.

Disconnect all the connections and reconnect them.  For reasons no one understands that can help even if nothing else gets changed.

Shut off, unplug and restart all the electronic components- the boxes, modem, TV etc. 

Is your computer plugged into the same outlet or power strip as the TV?  Sometimes the electrical harmonics from the computer fan or the computer monitor can cause the TV fits.  It's rare but worth checking.

Consider disconnecting all the hardware that is related to the computer and modem and see if the TV works.  At least that will let you know if the problem is in the service and its wiring or if it is related to the computer hardware.

When you call the cable company be prepared to explain what equipment you have, how it is connected and what you changed.  Unfortunately the folks who answer the phone are generally reading from a script on a computer screen and they are not technicians.  Ask for a tech.

Also, the folks who answer the phone often cannot make a decision.  Ask for a supervisor if you don't like the answers you get.  If that fails, ask for the customer retention department.  All outfits have one although the name may be different.  Everyone in the industry knows it costs a lot more to get a new customer than to keep you happy so those are the folks who can really make things happen.

Good Luck

Lance



Once you've

[bobg]

SHOOTALL that is the same question i ask. I don't think the guy had a clue what he was going.
 I now have DirecTV and don't have to worry about dealing with  the cable company.

[SHOOTALL]

I have a sat and snow and storms kill it , Pop has cable and it always works if they have elec.

[GRIMJIM]

Thanks Lance. I figured someone on here was a pro and I could get some good answers. I'm going to mess with it tomorrow and see if I can get it going. I just don't want to have to take a day off work and wait around for the cable guy to show. When I called customer service, right away they wanted to send out a service tech.

[LanceR]

I just don't want to have to take a day off work and wait around for the cable guy to show. When I called customer service, right away they wanted to send out a service tech.

It's good they are willing to do that.  The single biggest arena for complaints in the satellite and cable TV business is missed or late appointments and I've never had any patience with the "We'll be there between 8 and noon." stuff.  For crying out loud, if you're a professional then you can make a hard appointment.  Mr. Grim, I'll be there at 1 PM.  I'll call if I'm going to be more than a few minutes late."  It's really not hard.

See if they can schedule you for the first stop of the day.  That'll mean you have less chance of a late appointment due to other appointments going longer than the scheduler allowed for.  Tell the tech you'll have the coffee and donuts waiting...

One advantage of being self employed and being a full line stocking dealer for DirecTV is that no one but me controls my schedule.  I long since told the retailers I do installs for that they and I are two different businesses and I wasn't giving them any control over scheduling.  I get a text message or email with the work order particulars, check stock to make sure we have the right equipment and make my own appointments.  We do our installations within a day or two of the customer placing the order and move heaven and earth to get to service calls ASAP.

 I'm pretty miserable about expecting techs to make hard appointments and be on time.  I guess it's a hold over from 29 years in the Army where "If you're on time-you're late!"

Lance

[magooch]

Jim, I just remembered something the installer stressed to me and that is that one has to be very careful not to scrape, or in any way damage the center wire on the cable when you make connections.  He had a special cutter and could make those cuts and connections quicker than I could see what he was doing.  Oh yeah, one other thing; he said the cable should not be run parallel in close proximity to any electrical wires for more than a very short distance.  He said it was alright to cross over, or under electric wires, though. 

Good luck.

[Rangr44]

I would check the splitter, since AFAIK the splitter for TV/Internet is different than a TV/TV splitter.

Also AFAIK, there should be one splitter port with a different rating (they're labeled on the side of the splitters).  The oddball port should be the internet connection.

IIRC, if the TV is connected to the internet port, the signal isn't right.

.