Poor PCTV capturing + Network probs

[Asa]

A double whammy..



The signal is coming from out of the Sky SCART socket, into a SCART/Phono adaptor and into the S-Video/composite hole of the PCTV card but this way still causes the wavy lines to appear (I always used to put up with it when feeding the Sky signal from the co-axial aerial but thought doing it this way really would sort out the problem). Any ideas? It's worse on a blue background (I'm sure someone who knows colour bleeding etc.. could tell me why) but it's still a pain not having a perfect picture when it really should be!


The second problem is that my WinXP laptop is connected via a network cable to the Win98 PC. Whenever I plug the cable in and have the PC on and start the laptop, the screen always freezes on the "Welcome" screen for over a minute before finishing loading.


Any ideas?!

Thanks, Asa

[Neil Jones]

The signal is coming from out of the Sky SCART socket, into a SCART/Phono adaptor and into the S-Video/composite hole of the PCTV card but this way still causes the wavy lines to appear (I always used to put up with it when feeding the Sky signal from the co-axial aerial but thought doing it this way really would sort out the problem). Any ideas? It's worse on a blue background (I'm sure someone who knows colour bleeding etc.. could tell me why) but it's still a pain not having a perfect picture when it really should be!

Usually implies some sort of interference somewhere; like some radios, when switched on, start to pick up the TV signal when you turn the TV on and so start making loud whoosy static noises. Usually happens on terrestrial TV when you get co-channel interference; it usually generates the same sort of wavey pattern when the signal clashes with your digibox if it's not connected with SCART.

In my experience though, it usually disappears on its own when it happens after so long, a sort of "settling down" period if you like. That's not what happening but it feels like it

The second problem is that my WinXP laptop is connected via a network cable to the Win98 PC. Whenever I plug the cable in and have the PC on and start the laptop, the screen always freezes on the "Welcome" screen for over a minute before finishing loading.

On the laptop have you mapped the PC hard drive to a letter AND told it to try and reconnect to it when you log on?

[Asa]

Thanks for the response Neil. The lines disappeared for a little while but came back again and sometimes they settle down and sometimes not so I guess there's not too much I can do about it!

As to the network, it's all set to reconnect at logon etc.. so I'm at a loss what the problem could be.

[Stuart]

Thanks for the response Neil. The lines disappeared for a little while but came back again and sometimes they settle down and sometimes not so I guess there's not too much I can do about it!

As to the network, it's all set to reconnect at logon etc.. so I'm at a loss what the problem could be.

Asa - that is just what the delay is. When you switch the laptop on, it queries the network to make sure that the mapped network drives and shares are available this is why it takes so long.

As for the interference problem try a higher quality phono cable, ensure it is clear of other cables (such as mains cables) and consider running a seperate earthing cable between your sky box and the pc.

Hope this helps

Stuart

[Neil Jones]

Thanks for the response Neil. The lines disappeared for a little while but came back again and sometimes they settle down and sometimes not so I guess there's not too much I can do about it!

As to the network, it's all set to reconnect at logon etc.. so I'm at a loss what the problem could be.

Asa - that is just what the delay is. When you switch the laptop on, it queries the network to make sure that the mapped network drives and shares are available this is why it takes so long.

One thing Asa may want to consider doing is turning off the auto mapping and gain access to the other computer through "My Network Places", which is accessible by default on the desktop, and through the Windows Explorer. It's the same thing, only done a different way.

[Andrew Wood]

Thanks for the response Neil. The lines disappeared for a little while but came back again and sometimes they settle down and sometimes not so I guess there's not too much I can do about it!

As to the network, it's all set to reconnect at logon etc.. so I'm at a loss what the problem could be.

Hi Asa, have you got fixed IP addresses for both your laptop and your desktop?

If you haven't, what maybe happening is that the laptop is waiting for an IP to be assigned automatically from the desktop via DCHP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol).

I have two PCs networked at home and had this problem until I assigned them both with individual IP addresses - 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.0.2. It solved the issue straight away.

All the best from the islands (well, when I go back on holiday )
Andrew

[Asa]

Thanks for all the advice - Andrew, how do I go about mapping the IPs? Is there a way to have a program map network drives automatically after the laptop has finished loading? If I disconnect them now, the laptop will restart and load in normal time and then mapping after the laptop has been given a minute to settle down always works instantly.

[Andrew Wood]

Hi Asa!

On XP go to Network Connections and select the Local Area Connection which should be your network card. Bring up properties and then Internet Protocol and enter your preferred IP (in the range 192.186.0.xxx) and sub-net mask 255.255.255.0.

If you're sharing an internet connection as well, then you'll need to set the gateway and 1st DNS to the IP of the PC if it's the PC that's connected to the net. (Otherwise leave them blank and set the gateway and DNS on the PC to the IP of the laptop - confusing, eh?!) A picture...



On the Windows 98 PC, right click on the Network Neighbourhood icon and select properties, then (from memory) find the TCP-IP binding associated with the PC's network card (not the dial-up adapter) and choose properties. Here you should set the IP to another IP in the same range 192.186.0.xxx and the sub-net mask again is 255.255.255.0.

Set the gateway and 1st DNS to the IP of the laptop if it's the laptop connected to the net (otherwise leave them blank!)

Bit of a muddle and a couple of reboots but it should (fingers crossed) work!

Andrew

[Asa]

Fantastic. Works a treat. Thanks Andrew!