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Forum Discussion
anengineer
Jan 05, 2019Aspirant
Conflict between Orbi and digital TV antenna
I have found interferrence between Orbi and my digital TV antenna. If the Orbi Satellite is too close to the TV, the tuner is stuck on one channel, with audio & video going in and out - and I have lo...
- Jan 05, 2019
Yes, you should keep Orbi away from other RF devices. They can interfere, even if the devices use different frequencies.
The satellite is turning amber because the signal became poor. The RF singl-to-noise ratio will vary over time, so this is not unusual. It also means if the satellite turned blue once it doesn't mean everything is good. You need a signal strong enough such that it's still good, even when the signal varies on the low side.
If the TV antenna is the issue, you should also have the option of moving the antenna farther away from the TV and Orbi, by using a longer length of coax cable to attach the antenna to the TV.
st_shaw
Jan 05, 2019Master
Yes, you should keep Orbi away from other RF devices. They can interfere, even if the devices use different frequencies.
The satellite is turning amber because the signal became poor. The RF singl-to-noise ratio will vary over time, so this is not unusual. It also means if the satellite turned blue once it doesn't mean everything is good. You need a signal strong enough such that it's still good, even when the signal varies on the low side.
If the TV antenna is the issue, you should also have the option of moving the antenna farther away from the TV and Orbi, by using a longer length of coax cable to attach the antenna to the TV.
- anengineerJan 05, 2019Aspirant
I hadn't thought of the antenna itself as being impacted. When talking to the antenna agent, he seemed to be focused on the physical connection to the TV for the antenna, or the circuit in the TV for that connection. I could no longer control the TV when the problem occurred, and I couldn't understand how the antenna could cause that.
I can try a longer cable. Also, this antenna has an inline amplifier to increase the sensitivity. Also, the agent gave me a link for a filter that could be put in the antenna line, but I haven't yet followed up on that.
- JoeCymruJan 05, 2019Virtuoso
Though the allocated frequencies for broadcast TV are below household wifi, compact off-the-air antennas need to do something that full blown outdoor antennas do not. Antennas need to be specific lengths to resonate with the broadcast signal (or to broadcast it). In indoor antennas, whether digital or analog, the frequency determines the length (the shortest length is 4 to 7 inches for UHF), but to get the correct frequency in a small package (especially for VHF which is a relatively long wave length), they must fold and otherwise convolute the antenna(s) itself. Sometimes this is done with circuit etchings rather than larger aluminum parts. The problem is, when you fold an antenna it has a tendecy to resonate at the full lenght as required, but also to some degree to the folded dimensions, which sometimes makes them resonate at other higher frequencies. This is actually a good thing for some antenna devices where an antenna length can be given double frequency duty. If the antenna is being bathed in a higher frequency than UHF (which goes up to about 0.8GHz for regular commercial reception use), some part of the antenna could actually resonate at the 2.4GHz band. Also most indoor antennas are nearly or fully omni-directional so pick up from all directions. And they also somewhat broadcast signal in resonance to what they receive. What's more, pumping strange carriers with digital information into your TV can potentially drive your digital tuner nuts. If that signal is amplified, even nuttier. The filter may help, one that insures that no signal above 806MHz gets to the TV. Remoting the antenna also will help.
- ekhalilJan 05, 2019Master
JoeCymru wrote:
Though the allocated frequencies for broadcast TV are below household wifi, compact off-the-air antennas need to do something that full blown outdoor antennas do not. Antennas need to be specific lengths to resonate with the broadcast signal (or to broadcast it). In indoor antennas, whether digital or analog, the frequency determines the length (the shortest length is 4 to 7 inches for UHF), but to get the correct frequency in a small package (especially for VHF which is a relatively long wave length), they must fold and otherwise convolute the antenna(s) itself. Sometimes this is done with circuit etchings rather than larger aluminum parts. The problem is, when you fold an antenna it has a tendecy to resonate at the full lenght as required, but also to some degree to the folded dimensions, which sometimes makes them resonate at other higher frequencies. This is actually a good thing for some antenna devices where an antenna length can be given double frequency duty. If the antenna is being bathed in a higher frequency than UHF (which goes up to about 0.8GHz for regular commercial reception use), some part of the antenna could actually resonate at the 2.4GHz band. Also most indoor antennas are nearly or fully omni-directional so pick up from all directions. And they also somewhat broadcast signal in resonance to what they receive. What's more, pumping strange carriers with digital information into your TV can potentially drive your digital tuner nuts. If that signal is amplified, even nuttier. The filter may help, one that insures that no signal above 806MHz gets to the TV. Remoting the antenna also will help.
Good information, thank you!
- anengineerJan 08, 2019Aspirant
I have moved the Orbi Satellite away from the TV/antenna. It is now about 25 ft from the TV and about 55 feet from the Orbi Router. The interference with the antenna is gone, and the Internet connection in the area between the TV and Satellite is consistently good (there is a wall between the TV and the Satellite.) Since the iPad is working well in this same area, it no longer is a suspect in it having dropped connection often.
I perhaps had fallen for the marketing pitch from Netgear in that they say the RKB22 is good for a house up to 4000 sq. feet. Our house is two-story and 3000 sq. feet. But its footprint is about 75 feet long; so it is not the average 3000 sq foot house.
I switched from a Netgear R6300/EX6200 setup to Orbi. Both the R6300 and EX6200 used 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, which resulted in 4 network connections. It was a bit tedious when roaming from room to room because of the delay in the device switching to the closer router, and each connection had its own name to consider if one manually switched. The Orbi has one name; so roaming rome room to room is much simpler.
- st_shawJan 09, 2019Master
Good to hear you got it working. Thanks for letting us know.