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"The Repair Database"
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Sunday April 27, 2008
 VCR
Database removed for Updates!.
Sky Codes 3 has been added and can be downloaded using.
Adobe
Acrobat reader
More information click logo.
What is freesat?
Freesat is a brand new digital satellite TV service,
launching in the Spring, and available to almost all
households across the UK.
For a one-off payment for a digital box, satellite
dish and installation, freesat will offer you more than
80 TV channels. If your TV is HD–ready, freesat will
also give you access to the world of High Definition
programmes…subscription free!
Why should I
get freesat?
freesat is the best way to get
the amazing
HD
experience without paying a
subscription. With incredibly sharp
images, brilliant colours and
amazing sound quality, it'll take
your viewing enjoyment to another
level. Available to almost every
household in the UK, freesat will
also give you more than 80 channels,
and you'll be ready for digital
switchover, so won't need to do
anything more when the time comes.
|
Welcome to
tvrepairguide.info |
| For
resources and information on
TV Repair Diagnosis and TV
Repair Manuals |
 
31/12/2007
Download in .pdf
Ferguson, Tony Fell, Ferguson
203T 1955 Showing 'Test Card C
from DVD
British 405-Line Television 
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|
Whitehaven in Cumbria was the first UK
town to switch off analogue TV
A multi-billion
pound auction of airwaves for a new wave of
digital services has been launched by Ofcom.
More digital TV channels and ultra-fast
wireless broadband could be rolled out over the
next decade as radio spectrum is freed up by the
digital switchover.
The regulator has said that the market will
decide how the spectrum is used with an open
auction.
The BBC, Channel 4 and ITV had pressed for
ring-fenced space for high definition TV over
Freeview.
Premium rate
Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said the
decision to opt for a "market-led approach" was
"one of the most important decisions we have
ever made".
He said the auction, which will start in
2009, would lead to a "digital dividend" for the
UK.
The regulator has packaged the available
spectrum into key uses:
*National digital terrestrial TV in
high or standard definition
*Cognitive radio - a new wireless
technology which can deliver broadband
*High-speed mobile broadband and mobile
TV
*Local television - 25 new local TV
stations across the UK
The regulator has said that the suggested
packaged areas did not necessarily mean the
spectrum had to be used exclusively for those
purposes.
As part of switchover, much of
so-called interleaved spectrum - which is "white
space" between television transmitters to
prevent interference - will be dedicated for use
by services like wireless microphones.
There had been concern that if spectrum was
not reserved for this use, events like the
Olympics in 2012 and work by TV broadcasters
would be affected because they would not be able
to use the microphones.
A consortium, known as HD For All, had
lobbied Ofcom to reserve freed-up spectrum for
high definition TV services over Freeview.
The group, made up of UK terrestrial
broadcasters, as well as Sony, Samsung and the
Dixons retail group, felt that the UK could
become a two-tier TV nation, with those prepared
to pay having access to better quality TV
pictures.
But Ofcom said HD pictures could be delivered
over digital terrestrial TV without the need for
allocated spectrum.
It said advances in digital compression
technology and a new transmission standard,
called DVB-T2, could deliver HD channels by the
end of 2009.
Ofcom said HD television remained a "premium"
service.
HD For All has now said it supports Ofcom's
position and has agreed to deliver HD on Freview
by 2012. |
What is digital switchover?
Digital Switchover Guide
What is digital switchover?
Digital switchover
is when the current analogue transmissions that we have been
receiving since the 1930s will be switched off and replaced
by an all-digital transmission. It will happen between 2008
and 2012 depending on your region.
66 per cent of UK
households already use digital television, but for those who
now only receive analogue services such as BBC1, BBC2, ITV,
C4 and Five directly through a TV aerial, this means that
unless you upgrade your TV set-up to receive digital signals
you will not get any TV channels in future.
Will I need to buy a new TV and aerial?
Not necessarily.
Digital signals can
be received by standard aerials but because digital
transmissions have to be decoded and turned back into sound
and pictures for you to be able to enjoy them, you will need
to get a set-top box (like Freeview) starting at around £30,
or you may want to buy a new integrated digital television (iDTV)
which has an in-built digital tuner, or you may want to
subscribe to a cable, satellite or broadband TV service like
Tiscali TV - these will provide you with a set-top box.
Whatever your
choice, you must make sure your TV has a SCART socket,
otherwise you must ensure that the set-top box you get has
an RF Modulator and RF loop-through to enable the
connection, but this doesn't come as standard.
Between two and ten
percent of households will not be able to receive the
digital transmissions because they have an unsuitable or old
aerial - these are the ones that can't currently get the
free digital channels even if they are in a Freeview area
and they have the set-top box - they will have to install a
new aerial or opt to subscribe to a cable, satellite or
broadband TV service like Tiscali TV.
Video Recorders will
still be a able to work but will lose some functionality,
for example they will no longer be able to record a
different channel to the one you are watching. To do this
and to gain the full benefits of digital broadcast
recording, you will need to buy, you guessed it, a digital
recorder.
What channels will I get?
For various reasons
(including old aerials) about one in four UK households
can't get the full range of digital TV services available
free through an aerial, and one in five UK households can't
even get Five.
After the
switchover, as well as the current channels (BBC1, BBC2,
ITV, Channel 4 and Five), you'll have an added choice of
free digital channels including BBC3, BBC4, ITV2, ITV3, E4,
More4, CBBC, Cbeebies and BBC News 24 - or you can opt for
more by subscribing to a cable, satellite or broadband TV
service like Tiscali TV.
Digital broadcast
means you will also be able to take advantage of new
services like high definition TV and broadcasting to mobile
phones.
When will I know?
In the build-up to
the switchover, the Government and industry are planning a
consumer information initiative which apart from letting you
know when your region will switchover (for instance, by
announcing it with captions on your TV), they will clearly
outline the choices for consumers as described above, as
well as promote the clear labeling of TV sets setting out
what equipment consumers will need to receive digital
signals.
Jargon Buster
A - Z of glossary terms, acronyms &
abbreviations
| Analogue
|
Historical mode of transmission,
uses standard wave to transmit
television services |
| |
|
| Audio
Description |
Services that carry an additional
audio stream describing what is
happening on screen for those who
have difficulty seeing. |
| |
|
| Broadcasters
|
The people who transmit TV
programmes |
| |
|
| Common
Interface (CI) |
Connection on a television or a
set-top box which can be used to
connect to any other device using
the same open standard. |
| |
|
| Communal
System |
Where a signal is distributed
through a building (e.g. a block of
flats) using a wiring system,
sharing the same signal source. |
| |
|
| Conditional
Access (CA) |
Method of blocking access to
programming, access only being
allowed with the correct codes or
card to "unlock" the programming.
|
| |
|
| Coverage |
Areas that can receive digital
television - you can check your DTT
coverage using the postcode database
|
| |
|
| Decoder |
The tuner in a digital set
|
| |
|
| D-CAB |
Digital Cable
|
| |
|
| D-SAT |
Digital Satellite
|
| |
|
| DSL (xDSL)
|
Digital Subscriber Line: a method of
delivering TV or broadband, or Video
on Demand through telephone wires.
|
| |
|
| DTG |
Digital Television Group - has over
100 members. The DTG was formed in
1995 to set technical standards for
the implementation of digital
terrestrial television (DTT) in the
UK and now encompasses all Digital
TV platforms and convergence issues
on a world-wide basis |
| |
|
| DTT |
Digital Terrestrial Television
|
| |
|
| DTV |
Digital Television
|
| |
|
| DVB |
Digital Video Broadcasting, a
European standard for digital
television technology |
| |
|
| DVD |
Digital Versatile Disk - digital
storage device commonly used for
film/video |
| |
|
| DVD-R (DVD-RW)
|
Recordable DVD, another digital
recording device - uses DVD format.
|
| |
|
| Encryption
|
Method of encoding data/broadcasts
so that they can only be viewed with
the correct Conditional Access
codes. |
| |
|
| Enhanced TV
|
See Interactive TV
|
| |
|
| EPG |
Electronic Programme Guide - "Now
and next" information that can be
called up on digital television.
Extended for a period of weeks on
DSAT and DCAB, 7 day EPG due to be
launched on Freeview |
| |
|
| HDTV |
High Definition Television is a new
technology that will enable viewers
to get higher definition television
pictures. HDTV has four times as
many pixels (dots on the screen) as
standard TV broadcasts, meaning a
clearer picture and stunning detail
on large-screen TVs. An HD-ready TV
is not necessarily a digital TV.
|
|
IdTV |
Integrated Digital Television -
a television with a built-in
digital tuner. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IdVCR |
Integrated Digital VCR - a video
recorder with a built-in digital
tuner. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IRS |
Integrated Receiver System - A
shared reception system, common
to flats and hotels, that
enables delivery of television,
radio, and Internet services
around the same distribution
system, from a single wall plug.
|
|
|
|
|
Interactive
|
Services that enable the viewer
to interact with the television
programme
|
|
|
|
|
ITC |
Independent Television
Commission (Ofcom took over
responsibility of the ITC in Jan
2004) |
|
|
|
|
MATV |
Master Antennae TV - a communal
aerial system that uses a master
aerial to receive the signal
before it is distributed.
|
|
|
|
|
Multiplex
|
A bundle of channels delivered
in Digital Terrestrial
Television by a single signal
channel. |
|
|
|
|
PDR (Personal Digital Recorder)
|
See PVR below.
|
|
|
|
| PVR (Personal Video Recorder) |
A
video recorder that records
programmes on to hard drive. Allows
much greater flexibility in
recording and playback. |
| |
|
|
Platform
|
Method of delivery or reception
of digital television (e.g. the
satellite platform) |
|
|
|
|
PSB |
Public Service Broadcasters:
these include BBC, ITV, Channel
4, Five, S4C and Teletext
|
|
|
|
|
RF Loop
|
Connection which allows the
aerial signal to connect to one
device, and then be connected
further by another connector -
similar to an "aerial out"
socket. |
|
|
|
|
RF Modulator
|
The "aerial out" connector on
your TV is an RF modulator.
This puts an output from a TV
tuner on to the connection, as
opposed to an RF loop which
simply allows the signal from
the aerial to carry through.
|
|
|
|
|
SCART |
A type of connection and cabling
used to carry video signals,
usually found on the back of TVs
and videos. |
|
|
|
|
Solus Card
|
Digital Satellite cards that
enable viewing of free to view
channels. |
|
|
|
|
Spectrum
|
The electromagnetic spectrum:
the set of radio frequencies
used to transmit television,
radio and other forms of
electronic communication.
|
|
|
|
|
STB |
Set Top Box, occasionally
referred to as an adaptor.
|
|
|
|
|
Switchover (Digital Switchover)
|
The process of migrating
television equipment from
analogue reception to digital
reception, in preparation for
the switching off of the
analogue signal. |
|
|
|
|
Terrestrial
|
"Earthly" - as opposed to
satellite. Television services
that can be received through a
standard aerial. |
|
|
|
|
VCR |
Video Cassette Recorder
|
|
|
|
|
VDSL |
Very-High bit-rate Digital
Subscriber Line, allowing for
faster downstream speeds than
ADSL enabling video services to
be delivered. |
|
|
|
|
VOD |
Video on Demand
|
|
|
Television is
changing...
The UK is switching to digital-only TV and this process is called digital
switchover. And it’s the biggest change in broadcasting since colour
television was introduced in 1967. This process will be happening in your
area some time between 2008 and 2012. It will happen TV region by TV region,
depending on where you live:
For more information on the
announcement please visit
www.digitaluk.co.uk
or call 0845 6 50 50 50
Or use Navigation Tool option above.
| Some
things you need to know about High-Definition TV. Firstly,
if you watch digital television, this does not mean that it
is HD.
Two million HDTV sets are projected to sell
in the UK in 2006
|
Digital TV describes how the picture is transmitted and
received - through satellite, or a digital set-top box.
HDTV describes the quality of the picture, and the fact
that it is very good.
The TV picture you normally watch is made up of pixels -
625 horizontal lines of small dots which make up the image.
If we were to zoom in on part of the picture you could
see that under close scrutiny, there is not as much detail
as you would first imagine.
An HDTV picture contains many more pixels, meaning a
sharper picture, allowing us to see more detail in each
scene.
The resolution of HDTV will be close to that of the films
we see in cinemas, and that has got programme makers
salivating over how great they can make their programmes
look. |
|
Images of test cards
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia.
A
test card is an image, broadcast
to ensure a correct
television signal.
VINTAGE TELEVISION
 
Above, on the left you can
see a Retrovisor Festival, produced by Radiocraft from 1993
to 1995. And on the right there's an original example of its
inspiration - the Bush TV22 which dates from 1950. This set
could be adjusted by the customer to receive any of the regional BBC
transmitters on Band I - channels 1 to 5.
|
This is the Argus, a 'kit' television I
constructed in 1990 from instructions which
appeared in a series of Practical Television
Magazines in 1952. Billed as a "television for
£20" I found this still cost about the same to
construct (in real terms allowing for inflation)
38 years later. It uses 1940s-style trf
circuitry and ex-WD parts. Although the VCR97
tube originally specified gave a green picture,
I was fortunate enough to find a
physically-identical CV2810. This had a short
persistence violet phosphor beneath a longer
persistence green one, effectively giving a
black & white picture. |
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|
Where can I get
my own vintage tv ?
There are regular swap-meets held all over the UK, Europe and the U.S. If
you're in the UK, start by attending the twice-yearly
National Vintage Communications Fair in
Birmingham, England. Here, no membership of a society or club is required.
If you click on the link above you'll be taken to a special Radiocraft
picture feature on the first show of the year 2000.The magazine 405
Alive, the premier magazine for all interests related to vintage
television is no longer published but is now incorporated in the bulletin
of the British
Vintage Wireless Society. For information on joining the BVWS
please contact Graham Terry, 26 Castleton Road, Swindon, SN5 5GD, tel:
01793 886062 or click
here to email them.
The BVWS has produced a CD-ROM containing the complete run of 405 Alive
and Vintage Television in .PDF (Adobe Acrobat) form.
How much do they cost ?
There's now a comprehensive listing of television prices on our
Valuations Page.
Sets are only rarely are sold in working condition. Indeed (in the UK)
to sell a set and state it is 'in working condition' is to imply the
vendor has legal responsibility for safety and reliability, so this is an
unwise course of action !
If you want to use your set, unless you are knowledgeable yourself, do
not try to repair it. The voltages inside television
sets can KILL !!! Employ a reputable specialist repairer such as
Radiocraft.
What signal do I need to fire up my vintage television ?
British vintage televisions will only produce results from a
long-obsolete type of television signal. This means that not only is the
picture made up of fewer 'lines' (405 instead of 625), but also the radio
carrier wave used is of far lower frequency than the one used today. So
what's involved ?
First, it's necessary to provide an appropriate 405-line video signal for
the old set. This is generally achieved by stepping down the modern
625-line signal down to 405-lines, through the use of something called a
standards converter.
Secondly, the 405-line picture has to be carried into the set atop a
radio carrier of the appropriate frequency. This task is performed by a
modulator.
A standards converter with built-in modulator is currently
available from
Malcolm Everiss for £400. I have recently
purchased one of these units and can personally recommend it. This is all
you need to fire up your British vintage television besides a source of
programmes. Whether the programmes are off-air or recorded, these are
generally easily obtainable from a VHS video recorder (and its built-in
tuner).
Another refinement is to obtain a Test Card Generator. A
fully-programmable, dual-standard one is available from R.T.Russell at
www.rtrussell.co.uk/products/tccgen/tccgen.html
and includes old favourites such as Test Card 'C'.
For enthusiasts in countries which have not changed the fundamental
transmission standards since the early days (like the U.S.A.) the
situation is far easier. You simply need to get the tv repaired and then
normally the old set will fire up on one or more of your local tv
stations. A comprehensive and very impressive American site is
here. If you're interested
in early colour sets take a look
here and
here
too !
How to get in touch with other like minds...
If you are interested in vintage television, there is now a low-volume 405
line TV mailing list that you can join. To subscribe, send an e-mail with
the phrase "subscribe 405-chat" (without the quotes) in the message body
to
majordomo@g7tgr.demon.co.uk. To unsubscribe, send an e-mail
with the phrase "unsubscribe 405-chat" (without the quotes) in the message
body to the same address.
Once you have been subscribed, simply send messages to
405-chat@g7tgr.demon.co.uk |
 CPC
(Combined Precision Components) was established in 1967 and soon became well
known as a supplier of spare parts for a very wide range of commercial and
domestic appliances. The range rapidly increased to include an extremely wide
variety of electrical and electronic products. The CPC catalogue now lists
over 100,000. The Company employs 350 staff at its purpose built 145,000 sq ft
distribution complex, which is located in Preston beside the M6 motorway.
Welcome to
Comtech2000 link to TV-Video
Database.
More repair tips.
The Highland Electrix
(TV) (FREE) Website is here to help other TV folk to repair Electronic
Equipment, using the knowledge I have found, or been given not that I'm an expert, but I have been doing it for ages, and I'm bound to have
picked up something.
You will find a Database of faults, that I know about, and maybe you will email
me on the fault form provided, about your problem and I'll email back help, or
tell me of some cure for a problem, and then I may be able to help others.
Go to Step By Step DIY TV Repair Help
-
Highland
Electrix (TV)
Audio /Satellite/Freeview FAULTS
-
Highland
Electrix (TV)
MONITOR FAULTS
-
Highland
Electrix (TV)
VCR and DVD FAULTS
Service Modes1
for access to various television.
Service Mode 2
now available.
I have added the first page of
Services Modes for popular television sets, more to follow.
Service Manuals
Doknet service manuals a company
started in 1996 specialist for fast delivery of service manuals, documentations,
remote controls, programming service for eeproms and service parts for the
consumer electronics.
|
