Hi,

I have a vertical line crossing my TV screen that's fairly visible
during darker scenes of a movie. I think it's static or noise on my
electrical line, because when I unplug my satellite receiver, the line
goes away.

I read up on this on the net and it appears that a good powerbar/surge
protector with proper noise filtering features should do the trick.

In my shopping, I have come across the following options, an APC
SurgeArrest 11 plug power bar, that "absorbs line static, noise and
small spikes, EMI/RFI Noise rejection (100 kHz to 10 mHz): 60 dB" for
$22 at Costco or the Monster HT800 that features their "Clean Power"
solution for $139.

APC product: http://www.epinions.com/content_163150335620
Monster clean power: http://www.monstercable.com/power/
Go to - Clean Power Flash Module

Now my obvious question, should I spend the extra bucks on the Monster
solution if in the end it does the exact same thing (give or take) as
the 1/5th the price APC product? I can't find any further literature
on the Clean Power thing, but I'm wondering if it just does the same
filtering, maybe a bit better, then the APC one and they're simply
giving it a jazzy name, fancier package and selling it for a whole lot
more? Will I really see a difference in terms of video/audio quality
between the two?

By the way, I know this isn't a home theater newsgroup, but I figured
the folks on this NG would know more about home wiring, electrical
questions, etc. and that you would be less fanatic about your home
theater solutions then in the specialized newsgroups where they will
most certainly tell me to get the more expensive product.

As a semi audio enthusiast, and a user of APC battery backups for my
computer business, I would recommend first trying the APC product. If
it doesn't work, return it and buy the Monster product. Or, buy both
and return the one that doesn't work. You will know in 5 minutes
whether it works or not, so there's nothing to lose (unless you buy
from somewhere that doesn't have a decent return policy).

-KJ

Here is another one to look at
http://www.adcom.com/surgesupressors/ace615.htm

I would also make sure you sat reciver is grounded as per mfg's
instructions. That may do it w/o spending hardly anything!

"Bob" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,

I have a vertical line crossing my TV screen that's fairly visible
during darker scenes of a movie. I think it's static or noise on my
electrical line, because when I unplug my satellite receiver, the line
goes away.

I read up on this on the net and it appears that a good powerbar/surge
protector with proper noise filtering features should do the trick.

In my shopping, I have come across the following options, an APC
SurgeArrest 11 plug power bar, that "absorbs line static, noise and
small spikes, EMI/RFI Noise rejection (100 kHz to 10 mHz): 60 dB" for
$22 at Costco or the Monster HT800 that features their "Clean Power"
solution for $139.

APC product: http://www.epinions.com/content_163150335620
Monster clean power: http://www.monstercable.com/power/
Go to - Clean Power Flash Module

Now my obvious question, should I spend the extra bucks on the Monster
solution if in the end it does the exact same thing (give or take) as
the 1/5th the price APC product? I can't find any further literature
on the Clean Power thing, but I'm wondering if it just does the same
filtering, maybe a bit better, then the APC one and they're simply
giving it a jazzy name, fancier package and selling it for a whole lot
more? Will I really see a difference in terms of video/audio quality
between the two?

By the way, I know this isn't a home theater newsgroup, but I figured
the folks on this NG would know more about home wiring, electrical
questions, etc. and that you would be less fanatic about your home
theater solutions then in the specialized newsgroups where they will
most certainly tell me to get the more expensive product.


This one is easy. Just buy the $22 system. If it doesn't work, just return
it and buy the more expensive system. If you can't return it, you're only
out by $22, no big deal.

If anyone recommends a product from Monster Cable, then save
yourself - run for the hills - every man for himself! Notice
how irresponsible that protector recommendation; based only
upon total technical ignorance - and maybe greed.

A surge protector claims noise reduction. Then we look at
the specifications - especially the numbers. Reduction so
trivial as to be virtually zero. But those who recommend like
an electronics salesman cannot be bothered to first learn
basic technical facts. They hope you never ask for numbers.

Want to increase AC electric line noise into that system?
Install a computer grade UPS. In battery backup mode, the
noise will be maximum - a good test of the noise reduction
that must be part of your existing satellite disk system.
When not in battery backup mode, UPS connects electronics
directly to AC mains where electricity is cleaner.

Address the problem at its source - the receiver, antenna,
or (start here) interconnecting wire. There is no magic
plug-in solution for this hardware problem. But 'magic
solutions' such as those from APC are so profitable as to be
recommended routinely by electronics store salesman.

Bob wrote:
I have a vertical line crossing my TV screen that's fairly visible
during darker scenes of a movie. I think it's static or noise on my
electrical line, because when I unplug my satellite receiver, the line
goes away.

I read up on this on the net and it appears that a good powerbar/surge
protector with proper noise filtering features should do the trick.

In my shopping, I have come across the following options, an APC
SurgeArrest 11 plug power bar, that "absorbs line static, noise and
small spikes, EMI/RFI Noise rejection (100 kHz to 10 mHz): 60 dB" for
$22 at Costco or the Monster HT800 that features their "Clean Power"
solution for $139.

APC product: http://www.epinions.com/content_163150335620
Monster clean power: http://www.monstercable.com/power/
Go to - Clean Power Flash Module

Now my obvious question, should I spend the extra bucks on the Monster
solution if in the end it does the exact same thing (give or take) as
the 1/5th the price APC product? I can't find any further literature
on the Clean Power thing, but I'm wondering if it just does the same
filtering, maybe a bit better, then the APC one and they're simply
giving it a jazzy name, fancier package and selling it for a whole lot
more? Will I really see a difference in terms of video/audio quality
between the two?

By the way, I know this isn't a home theater newsgroup, but I figured
the folks on this NG would know more about home wiring, electrical
questions, etc. and that you would be less fanatic about your home
theater solutions then in the specialized newsgroups where they will
most certainly tell me to get the more expensive product.

if it is VERTICAL line it is probably NOT related to power....

does it drift slowly across the screen?

I would guess it is the satellite video signal somehow leaking
over....and you see the horizontal sync pulse...

what if you unplug the video connection from the sat to the tv?

Mark

Hi, it is a Vertical line and yes it does drift slowly across the
screen.

I haven't tried unplugging the video connection from the sat yet, will
try that tonight, I have however tried to unplug the sat receiver power
cable and the problem does go away.

It's only really noticable during dark scenes of a movie (from the DVD
player).

What do you suggest?

The Monster website with their "Clean Power" add do mention the
vertical line problem... I'm thinking I might follow one of the
previous poster's suggestion and just buy, try it and return it if it
doesn't fix the problem.

Monster product is about as honest as those WMD claims.
Forget about them. Start with the dish system - the receiver,
the LNB, and especially with the cable between dish and
receiver. Fix the problem at its source - not with some
marketing scam. Monster Cable has a long history of selling
on myths. They do it by pricing their products excessively -
which gets store salesmen to hype their products even more.

How to create the dirtiest power for test purposes. Run the
dish system on a UPS in battery backup mode - unplugged from
AC mains. Any decent dish system should even not be affected
by electricity that dirty. It is doubtful your verticle line
has any relationship to the much cleaner utility AC power.
More likely suspects include water leakage inside a coax
cable.

Bob wrote:
Hi, it is a Vertical line and yes it does drift slowly across the
screen.

I haven't tried unplugging the video connection from the sat yet, will
try that tonight, I have however tried to unplug the sat receiver power
cable and the problem does go away.

It's only really noticable during dark scenes of a movie (from the DVD
player).

What do you suggest?

The Monster website with their "Clean Power" add do mention the
vertical line problem... I'm thinking I might follow one of the
previous poster's suggestion and just buy, try it and return it if it
doesn't fix the problem.

On 28 Oct 2005 09:42:27 -0700, Bob wrote:
Hi, it is a Vertical line and yes it does drift slowly across the screen.

Are you using RF on a VHF channel between devices? Like out of the SAT
receiver, or your DVD player? In the "old" days, a moving vertical line would
unambiguously indicate co-channel interference, like a broadcast signal
leaking into an RF distribution system.

If you're running baseband video around, look for a source of 15kHz noise that
could be getting into the video. You may have a bad video cable. Since its
moving, it is not due to a problem in the video display itself (a non-moving,
ragged vertical line could indicate arcing in some portion of the horizontal
deflection circuit of a CRT-based display). Do you have more than one video
display? It could be noise from one getting into the other, but in this case
the vertical line would move *very* slowly, if at all, especially if both
displays are displaying the same video.

If you are using exclusively digital connections (DVI, HDMI), then this noise
may actually be originating in the DVD player or SAT receiver, or perhaps on
the inputs to the SAT receiver. Some SAT receiver systems use 18kHz or 22kHz
signalling to switch LNB polarity, but if your interference is related to
that, it would not be a slowly moving vertical line.

--
Art Greenberg
artg AT eclipse (remove this) DOT net

whatever switch is being used to select one video source or the other
does not have enough isolation and you are seeing a little of the other
video leaking over onto the video you are trying to watch

A suggestion is to turn off the other video source when you are not
watching it.

Mark