TV INTERFERENCE

Before an apparent interference problem can be solved the type of ingress must be determined:
Interference may enter the system through the center conductor of the coax. Fig. 1
Interference may enter the system through the outer shielding of the coax. Fig. 2
Interference may be coming in through the electrical lines. Fig. 3
Interference may be radiated directly into the equipments tuner. Fig. 4
Residential consumers should have their system checked by a qualified technician.
The consumer can collect useful information about the interference that may aid the technician in
solving the problem. A log should be created in which to record this information:
Keep track of when they see the interference:
Is it observed 24 hours a day?
Is it a recurring interference at the same time during the day?
Is the interference unpredictable?
Note which channels are being affected:
Are all channels affected?
Are all affected channels experiencing the same level of interference?
If not, list all channels that are experiencing interference and grade the
levels from strongest to weakest.
What type of interference do they notice?
Do they hear music or voices from another broadcast station?
Is the picture affected? Note the symptoms.
Systems can become quite complex with many devices interconnected and the signals being split-off and
routed to other areas. The first step a technician may take is to reduce the system to its most basic components,
i.e. Antenna, Downlead, & Receiver for an off-air system and the cable feed and receiver for a cable install.
The technician should remove one component at a time and see if the interference goes away. As each
component is removed the connections should be examined and the connectors checked. If the interference is still
present after all extraneous equipment is removed then the type of ingress needs to be determined and a remedy
developed.
If the interference is entering through the center conductor, than a filter may be installed to resolve this problem.
If the interference is riding down the outer shielding into the system, the coaxial should be grounded just before
it enters the building. Fig. 2
If the interference is coming through the power supply than an EMI-RFI AC line filter is needed. These can be
purchased at most electronic stores. Fig. 3
If the interference is radiating directly to the TV try moving the TV to another room or different floor.
Please also note: that poor picture quality is not always due to interference but can sometimes be caused by
equipment operating outside of its design parameters. For example, an antenna that may not be designed to pickup
UHF signals.
Please contact us for help in troubleshooting your interference problems.

COMMUNICATIONS & ENERGY CORPORATION

7395 Taft Park Drive, East Syracuse, New York 13057 USA
TEL: 315-452-0709 800-882-1587 FAX: 315-452-0732 WEB SITE: www.cefilter.com E-MAIL: engineer@cefilter.com

COMMUNICATIONS & ENERGY CORPORATION

7395 Taft Park Drive, East Syracuse, New York 13057 USA
TEL: 315-452-0709 800-882-1587 FAX: 315-452-0732 WEB SITE: www.cefilter.com E-MAIL: engineer@cefilter.com