Help with TV Capture Card Issues

[Piha4]

Hi
I have a Winfast DTV Capture Card running with Windows 10. For months now, I have had what appear to be either Signal Issues or Decoder Issues. Every now an again, I manage to get NEXTPVR running smoothly. It may be OK for a couple of weeks, but then, the prime culprit a "Windows Update " kicks in an kills my signal.
I have tried everything from Decoders, Decoders, and more Decoders. I have tried EPG updates, Channel Updates, I had a TECHO guy around and he checked out my signal and the end result was that everything seemed to be fine. In last couple of weeks, I have had nothing but signal issues again and I have run out of things to try to fix the problem.
My question is ...................... Would it be the TV Capture Card? That is the only thing that I have not been able to try and have avoided going and spending heaps of dollars in case it does not fix the issue. Do different TV cards have better signal receiving capabilities than others. I really enjoy NEXTPVR, when it is going OK, but lately it has been doing my head in trying to get it to receive the signals without the interference. I have tried LAV, Microsoft DTV-DVD, and ffdshow, Video and Audio Decoders, both as Video Decoders and Audio Decoders, as I have no idea which one is the problem.

If any one can shed any advice on this it would be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks

[Graham]

My question is ...................... Would it be the TV Capture Card?

Possibly ... some tuners are better than others. Hauppauge seem to be the most reliable.

It is widely reported that computer TV tuners are less sensitive than a real TV. A signal test might have shown that the incoming signal is okay for a TV but the signal might be borderline for a computer TV tuner.

Also, it may be aerial cables and splitters that are the source of the problem. Are you able to temporarily move things around so that recordings are made on a computer with the shortest length of aerial cable and the fewest splitters.

A good diagnostic for signal problems is to play the recording using VLC because VLC uses all of its own decoders. You can be pretty sure that its a signal strength problem if a recording plays badly in NextPVR and badly in VLC.

[Piha4]

Possibly ... some tuners are better than others. Hauppauge seem to be the most reliable.

It is widely reported that computer TV tuners are less sensitive than a real TV. A signal test might have shown that the incoming signal is okay for a TV but the signal might be borderline for a computer TV tuner.

Also, it may be aerial cables and splitters that are the source of the problem. Are you able to temporarily move things around so that recordings are made on a computer with the shortest length of aerial cable and the fewest splitters.

A good diagnostic for signal problems is to play the recording using VLC because VLC uses all of its own decoders. You can be pretty sure that its a signal strength problem if a recording plays badly in NextPVR and badly in VLC.

Thank you for your prompt reply
I could try what you say. Only, the Techo guy that came around took his reading from my cable connections at the computer end. He did in fact find a problem with a splitter and that was replaced. The other thing I have found over the weeks is that many times I have used the Windows Troubleshooting facility and changed the program to Windows 7, and many times this has worked (for a while until the next Windows Update is installed). Maybe I need to invest in a signal amplifire instead of a new card?

[Graham]

Maybe I need to invest in a signal amplifire instead of a new card?

If it were me ... I would move the computer and remove extension cables to test and be sure. I would run tests whenever convenient with all the splitters and extension canbles removed. Does a test adding yet more extension cable make the problem worse?

[Piha4]

If it were me ... I would move the computer and remove extension cables to test and be sure. I would run tests whenever convenient with all the splitters and extension canbles removed. Does a test adding yet more extension cable make the problem worse?

Hi Graham
Well, Thanks for your input and maybe this email may help others with the same issue? I was in the process of doing what you suggested, and my first port of call was my splitters which are under my house. In the process of disconnecting them prior to moving my PC to another location, I tried to bypass one of them. This did not work so I put the setup back to how it was to see if there was any difference in the signal. Would you believe there was an enormous difference and NEXTPVR is working like it did eight months ago when the TECO guy visited. I appears that just by resetting the Cables by unscrewing and screwing them back together was enough to give me the signal that I had way back. And, I can run the two other TV's in the house and it has no effect on NEXTPVR signal at all.
So the upshot is ................ maybe there was an imperfect connection at the splitter end, and all it took was some movement to get the connection back to how it should be. I have been using NEXTPVR all day and recorded three programs and everything is running perfectly.
Many Thanks for your advice .............. It was your advice that started the great outcome.
Regards