Verizon FIOS RFI?

[W9GT]

I just switched over to Verizon FIOS for my internet, tv, and phone service all on fiber.  We love it!  One problem though...I have some TVI that I did not have before.  I suspect that I am just overloading something...perhaps the set top box, router, or even the fiber electronics package.  The interference is not severe, but considering the really high quality of the TV picture now, I need to get it fixed because it is very noticable.  The in-house distribution cable runs very close to my open wire transmission line and it routes around the outside of the house in the vicinity of the shack, so could be getting some signal directly coupled into the system.  One of my antennas is also close.  I'm going to put a ground rod right outside next to the splitter that is used to pick off the drop to my computer and ground it there.  Unfortunately, the computer and router are also very close to the rig...hope that isn't where it is getting in, but don't notice any problems with the computer.  Any other suggestions?  Anyone having similar problems?  Need to get this fixed quick or the XYL might kill me. 

73,  Jack, W9GT

[W9GT]

Everything is still on wire here, digital CATV with broadband internet connection and fiber fed SLC phone service with DSL internet connection.

We have a local 5KW AM BC station with a 4 tower directional array and 3 businesses located around the tower field. When these businesses each converted to digital PBX gear for phone and data service, all 3 suffered severe RF interference. I was still employed with the local Telco and there was nothing that I could do for any of them since their gear was at fault and I couldn't touch the 'customer provided' gear.

I think the engineers designing this type of gear believe it is immune to RF interference because of the fiber feed and do nothing on the electrical side to filter or bypass foreign RF.

If your using older model TV sets, maybe a high pass filter on the output of the converter boxes would work?

Mack

Having worked for many years as a Telco radio & video engineer and also having dealt with many RFI issues, I recognize what you are talking about.  I do, however, believe that the FIOS system is relatively sound and RFI problems can be mitigated.  I guess I'm just looking for suggestions from folks that have had, or are having similar experiences.  I don't know if the filter is practical....don't know what the range of frequencies are, but I know that it is pretty wide.  The high pass might work though,  if the problem is in the TV itself.  I don't know what the lowest channel frequency is coming out of the box.  (old Channel 2 or ?)At this point, I don't know if problem is even in the set top box, or the TV, or the fiber gear or what.  I suspect that if I can knock the level down it may be OK.  VZ would probably help if I asked, or they might even be interested in RFI mitigation methods and results if they get many complaints.  Will let everyone know what I learn.

73,  Jack, W9GT

[Ed - N3LHB]

I doubt it's the TV since you didn't have TVI before the verizon fios. Try grounding shields on the coax to the tv at the convertor. If that doesn't work, try shielding the fios equipment (js wrap with foil and ground). 

Let us know what you find, my bet is that the fios equipment is the issue.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

You might check to see if "the box" has video outputs along with coax output to TV channel input. I use "the box" video outputs directly into the video input of the TV (have to set it to Video Input 1). My TV has 5 video inputs. Not only don't I have to remember to set the TV channel selector, the picture seems to be clearer, and don't have to worry about TV RF front end pickup of any local RF from my rigs even when I run high power on 6 or 2 meters.

[flintstone mop]

I can't wait for fiber? Glass cannot have RFI issues. There's nothing conductive in the fiber cable. The RFI must be to the external goodies or the TV.

[WA3VJB]

You still get some radio signal paths with fiber optic, and traditional vulnerabilities if installation practices are questionable.

Check for good crimps on the F connectors terminating the RF coax from the optical converter box on the side of the house throughout all the destination paths.

We have three sets hooked up to the light pipe, two SD, one HD.  I helped the guy run the coax, and he gave me another 200 feet of it to run from the over-the -air HD antenna that's on a rotator on the chimney. Had nothing to do with FiOS except damn good customer relations.

They now are using round compression fittings on the F connectors rather than hexagonal. Less of an RF bump, and very tight to the braid. But we had one that after compressing with the tool did not extrude the plastic compression ring dead-center into the cylinder wall, and he lopped it off and put a new one on there, done right.

The converter boxes each include a setup menu that contains a frequency counter, S/N analyzer, and signal strength readout, plus a bunch of other stuff they don't want you to know about.  The signal reading will tell you how much loss there is from the outside box to the converter box at the television. Mine are all 97-98 out of 100 "units" whatever that means.

Sorry to hear you let them abandon the old copper pair for your telephone service. Now the power is up to you instead of them. I kept our copper pair for basic dialup, so if the fiber breaks down I can still get a dial tone for calls or superfast 33Kb internet service.

[flintstone mop]

OK that sounds good to me.
But there are other issues that connect to the use of copper that start the RFI problems we are familiar with, not the fiber itself. The locating wire shouldn't radiate RF into other devices if it doesn't physically touch them.
We used fiber cable with 48 strands to eliminate the problem from lightning strikes to a 240 tower making a connection to our microwave radios and the data equipment located in main building.
The same pitfalls will be everywhere when the infrastructure is hit by extended power failures, natural disasters, or a National emergency. Overload and then outage.
Fred

[flintstone mop]

ooops
I forgot to mention that the only thing that kept TV signals "on the Air" during 911 was the fiber connection to the cable companies. The Terrestrial system was destroyed in the Towers.
Fred

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

The conductive strand in the fiber is NOT part of the signal circuit, so there will be less EMI problems from RF coupling into the wiring (as in copper based systems). In my experience, the copper lines act as antennas and couple the RF into the electronic device. If a phone is suffering from RFI, unplugging it from the phone line almost always removes the the RFI. So, without this coupling, as in a fiber system, one should have less RFI/EMI problem. But, as Mack pointed out, there are still electronics involved and grounding issues still apply.