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BYPASSINGYOURSETTOPBOXFORANALOGUEBROADCASTS

A TYPICALSETUP

Installing a Set Top Box is a great way of improving the picture quality on existing

analogue TV sets. Many digital stations also transmit additional information that can bedisplayed on the screen. The Set Top Box sits between the antenna and an existinganalogue TV and converts the digital transmissions from the antenna into an analoguesignal suitable for the TV. hile there are several variations on how the connections aremade between the Set Top Box and the TV! the following picture shows possibly the mostcommon method. The TV is set to "#V" $#udio Visual% and the Set Top Box is used toswitch between channels.

NOANALOGUERECEPTION?

Many people find that once they have installed a Set Top Box in this way they are nolonger able to receive analogue TV transmissions. Set Top Boxes simply ignore analoguetransmissions. They are not passed through to the "#V" soc&ets. This isn"t necessarily aproblem if all of the TV transmissions that the viewer is interested in are in fact digital.'owever! should the viewer wish to continue to receive analogue transmissions such asthose still used by many community based TV stations such as ()TV $Bri*+,% in

Brisbane! then it is necessary to ensure that the analogue signal bypasses the Set TopBox.

METHOD1

This involves the use of the inbuilt antenna "loop" that is typicalon most Set Top Boxes. This method requires the purchase ofan additional coaxial cable to connect from the "-oop ut"soc&et to the TV"s antenna soc&et. These cables can bepurchased from many sources! including electronics stores!supermar&et stores and variety stores from as little as three

dollars. The quality of these cables will vary from store tostore. The cheapest purchase is not always the wisest.

Typical Set Top Box installation without analogue signal bypass.

Typical Antenna Loop

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The following picture shows a typical setup using this method. Most TV"s will have an"#V/TV" switch to switch between "#V" and the inbuilt analogue tuner.

hen the viewer wishes to view a digital transmission the TV is set to "#V" and the Set TopBox is used to switch channels. hen the viewer wishes to view an analogue transmission

the TV"s analogue tuner is used. ccasionally this method proves unsatisfactory as thequality of the signal from the "-oop ut" soc&et is sometimes found to have beensignificantly lowered and may even suffer from interference from the Set Top Box. #s withthe cable this may be dependant upon the quality of the Set Top Box.

METHOD2

This method can be used if there isn"t an inbuilt "loop" in the Set Top Box or if there is! itdoesn"t provide a suitable analogue signal to the TV. # coaxial cableand a "0" connector must be purchased for this method. )oaxial "0"connectors come in a variety of shapes and orientations as pictured.)oaxial "0" connectors are often obtainable from electronics stores!supermar&et stores and variety stores. The quality of these also variesand their cost ranges from around sevendollars upwards. The ones pictured here wereboth purchased at 1mart for around eightdollars each and both were found to wor&.

#t the wall soc&et of the antenna! the existingcoaxial cable that feeds the Set Top Box isremoved from the wall soc&et and a "0"connector is inserted in its place. The coaxial

cable is then reinserted! this time into one ofthe soc&ets of the "0" connector. ne end ofthe newcoaxial cable is then inserted into the

Showing an analogue signal bypass.

'Y' Connectors. At the Wall Socket

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other soc&et of the "0" connector. The other end of the new coaxial cable is then insertedinto the antenna soc&et of the TV. The following picture shows the connections at the SetTop Box and TV end of the two coaxial cables.

This method provides exactly the same functionality as the the first method. The vieweruses the TV"s "#V/TV" switch to switch between "#V" and the inbuilt analogue tuner. henthe viewer wishes to view a digital transmission the TV is set to "#V" and the Set Top Box isused to switch channels. hen the viewer wishes to view an analogue transmission theTV"s analogue tuner is used.

SUMMARY

The information provided in this document is meant to be a guide only. 2o responsibility isaccepted for any damage to equipment or in3ury to persons resulting from the use of thisguide. The items and hardware pictured and described in this document are reasonablytypical. 'owever! there are many variations. 4or example there are many different types of

connections for both video and audio outputs of Set Top Boxes as well as for audio andvideo inputs of TV"s. )onsultation of the user instruction manuals for both the Set Top Boxand the TV is recommended. This will usually confirm the best connections and cables forspecific hardware and circumstances.

5n3oy your analogueviewing6

Kim Rendell

7eneral SecretaryB'# Inc

5. 8 . 5. This document was produced using pen Source software on an #S9S 4+5series 2oteboo& :) running the1ubuntu$-inux%operating system! using o riter $penffice.org% and the7IM:.

External Set Top Box bypass.

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