I have been using an Evesham T816 for a couple of days now. I have found several problems, most are bearable and will no doubt be sorted out by updates (if this happens). However a couple of problems are more serious:

1. The scart connectors are not attached to the case in any way. The TV scart socket, in particular, bends in alarmingly before it accepts the scart. Foolishly it has been designed so that its only attachment is to the circuit board. It is not possible to fully push the scart home as there is no way of bracing the socket and it is obvious what will happen if any greater force is applied!

2. Of more concern to me is that I have noticed a random instability of colour and brightness occurs at some point after switching on. It reminds me a bit of macrovision. I have seen this 4 or 5 times now and cannot identify what prompts it. It might be linked to 1 above, but I do not think so as I cannot reproduce it via that route. Nor is it a flickering, like a bad contact - it is a gradual fade in/fade out of brightness accompanied by general changes of hue.

Anybody else seen anything like this?

Hi.

I have only had problems with colour when I have had problems with a poorly connected SCART lead. The box unfortunately has been designed with the sockets only supported by their connections to the mainboard. Care must be taken, therefore, when connecting/disconnecting a SCART lead. If the leads are not going fully home, this suggests a problem with the lead (bent, or misplaced pin/pins). If this is not the case, certainly no undue force should be applied to the socket (and shouldn't be needed) when inserting the lead. If done, this might cause a dry joint in the solder connection to the socket on the board. Have you checked that there isn't any obstruction within the socket? Even a very slight bent pin within the socket, could cause problems. Anyway, I would say the colour problems are down to the lead/connection in some way.

Regards,

Tim P.

I have noticed symptoms very similar to this when viewing the output of my Sky box. It is most noticeable on facial features as a cycling change of skin tone from pale to reddish tinge. The condition does not show up when I feed a signal through the Sky box so I have assumed the problem is being developed within the Sky box. It has existed over a long period (3 years or more) so has remained the same using a variety of Scart leads and different interconnection systems. The period of the complete cycle is several seconds (about 5 from memory).The timing is similar to the effects caused when equipment which generates signals which are multiples of mains frequency are slightly out of sync with the 50 cycles as are TV video signals. It's just a guess though as I'm not an expert in this field.

Colin

Thanks for the replies, Tim and Colin.

Yes, that is precisely what I have found. I have numerous items daisy-chained to the same TV input, but the defect is unique to the T816 sourced output. It is present on both recorded and live material, but is not actually recorded so the problem relates to the video output of the T816. Nor does it occur with external signals coming via the scart input. This seems to rule out problems related to the poor scart socket design. It seems to occur several minutes after switching out of standby and lasts several seconds. Hues change and darken, particularly noticeable in skin tones as you say, and white backgrounds take on a blue tint.

It is not a severe problem unless it is an early indication that a component is failing. My immediate concern was that any archiving will permanently record these occurrences.

Paul

Interfence could be coming from a number of different places.

If the t816 is connected directly to the tv, the tv could be sending the signal from it's tuner back down the scart cable. If the cable's not individually screened, then you could be getting this crosstalk.

The PSU is close to the output board, so you could be getting mains hum leaking into the output board.

The PSU could be putting mains hum onto the supply lines. Can anyone get me a circuit diagram/service manual? Perhaps I can have a poke around with my scope.

If the colour changing only happens on (old?) American shows, then you could just be seeing the Never The Same Color effect that their colour modulation system introduces.

I know what you mean about signal return and I do not think it is that. It is a rather 'ornate' and orderly form of interference - a bit like powering down and up using a dimmer switch, accompanied by fluctuating hues.

The T816 is connected to the TV via a RGB in/out DVD recorder. Other units further down the chain from the T816 seem to pass a clean signal.

First noticed in Working Lunch about 5 minutes after first use. After occurring once I have never seen it repeat in the same session. This makes me think it may be thermal - hence my related questions elsewhere about heat issues.

I've had my Evesham for about a week and used it a lot - I have not noticed the problem you describe, Paul. I did get a momentary whitish flash on the left side of the screen when changing channels but I can't reproduce it now.

(I've got some bugs to report, must look for the relevant thread.)

parthena

I took care to note exactly what was happening following my last post:

I let it to record Working Lunch for an hour in standby. Twenty minutes after the recording ended I switched on and watched the recording. After 15 minutes the colour disturbances occurred for about 90 seconds. They did not reoccur later in the program. The disturbances consisted of repeated gradual fading of brightness and pink skin tones became a yellow/brown.

Could be your DVD recorder. Mine is prone to low-level signal breakthrough from its deselected inputs sometimes, depending on the cable arrangements, and possibly equipment location.

I am going to temporarily isolate the T816 away from other equipment, linked directly to the TV via RGB scart with no other inputs. If the problem persists in that situation then I will have to face up to the fact that I may have been suppied with a faulty unit.

I may have solved my problem.

It seems possible that the problem was sourced from some sort of emission escaping the Tevion 1620 that the Evesham had been temporarily placed upon whilst I originally tested it out. The problem was not seen after I physically moved it away from the Tevion and even connecting it up in a remote position still but in the same chain as before did not reintroduce the problem.

I notice that the tuners have no form of shielding in the 1620 – this seems unusual.