Monday, November 15, 2010

My Isuzu pickup's dashboard lights are finally out

For several years I've been living with the dashboard lights staying on when I started by '92 Isuzu pickup (2.3L). Not only would the dashboard lights stay on, but the internal blower fan would not run, and the windshield wipers would move very slowly. I learned pretty quickly that I could get the lights to go out (and everything to start working normally) if I rev'd the engine to high RPMs, or in the course of normal driving let the RPMs climb pretty high.

Of course, when this first started, I tried to figure out what was wrong. I tested the voltage on the alternator immediately after starting the truck (with the dash lights on), and it was about 12 V, which isn't enough. However, after rev'ing the engine and getting the dash lights to go out, it was 14.5 V like normal. The conclusion....bad alternator. I took the alternator back to the shop where I'd gotten it, and since it had a lifetime warranty they gave me another one. Both units were bench tested, and both tested perfectly. I installed the new alternator....EXACT SAME PROBLEM. The conclusion....not a bad alternator.

I didn't know what else it could be, but I did some research online and found at isuzuforums.com that some others had run into this same problem. One guy fixed his, he swears, by replacing the internal fuse box. Really?...not me! Another found that he had a bad connector going from the alternator back to the battery. I had long since removed that inline connector because it would get dirty and prevent the battery from charging correctly, but I decided to revisit the permanent connection assembly I had put in place there. I bought a heavy duty straight thru connector, restripped the wires, and redid the connections...wrapping it up nice and tidy with heat protection and tape. Still no change....so that wasn't bad.

I was at the end of my abilities and figured I had some bizarre electrical issue, so I just lived with it for the next 5 years, until just recently. It became apparent over time that it was getting more and more difficult to get the lights to go out, and last month it became impossible. All the old tricks that used to work could no longer satisfy whatever condition was necessary to get the dash lights to go out...and hence, the internal blow motor for the heater didn't work. Winter was approaching and I'd already had to experience driving the truck while it was cold outside, and I decided that it was time for this to be fixed.

I did a quick tune up (not sure when the last one of those was done) just to make sure that wasn't it (it wasn't), and took the truck to my mechanic. After some research and work, he determined that this truck has an interesting little electrical system in which the alternator sends an "I'm charging" signal to a relay, and that relay is responsible for allowing the rest of the electrical systems in the truck to start up (including the heater blower and dash light systems). He replaced the relay, but that didn't fix it (naturally). He did some more testing, including grounding the relay, and as soon as he did that, the dash lights went out. The conclusion....the relay is not getting the correct "I'm charging" signal from the alternator.

He did some additional research, including reading postings on some professional mechanics forums, and found that it was pretty common for replacement alternators to not correctly handle the sending of this signal to the relay, requiring the installation of several different alternators before finding one that worked. Before he started looking for a wiring issue leading from the alternator to the relay, he bought a new alternator from O'Reilly Auto Parts (he's had better luck with these than from Autozone or Advance), and it worked. The conclusion...all alternators are not created equal.

So, to recap...

Problem: 1992 Isuzu 2.3L pickup was leaving the dashboard idiots lights on after the engine was started
Cause: The replacement (reman'd) alternator (2 of them) was not sending the correct "I'm charging" signal to the relay that allows the rest of the "optional" electrical systems to turn on
Solution: Install a good alternator that handles this signal correctly (may take a few).

My replacement alternator was about $150, total cost of repair was $250 with diagnostics, labor, and the new relay

Friday, October 22, 2010

The NFL's new rules are still so ambiguous!

I applaud the NFL for trying to protect players, but the new rule regarding a defenseless player are still too ambiguous. They keep toting out the play where Daunte Robinson hit DeSean Jackson as an example of an illegal play. I've seen it 20 times now in both slow motion and normal speed, and every time, the play looks perfectly legal. The hit was NOT helmet to helmet; the player did NOT launch himself at the receiver; the hit was NOT to the neck; the hit was CLEARLY shoulder (Robinson) to chest (Jackson)...every time I see it. The speed of the play it what made it so brutal...Jackson is one of the fastest guys in the league, running full tilt across the middle of the defense, and the cornerback is standing there waiting for him. All he did was lower his shoulder and plant it into Jackson's chest.

I ask the NFL rules officials! What, pray tell, was Robinson supposed to do to make a legal play? Back up and wait for Jackson to catch the ball, set himself, and then evade him? Hit him in the legs? At that speed, it may have broken one!

They also compare that hit to the one Ray Lewis put on Todd Heap. A few points that make this an unfair comparison:
1) Lewis is 250+ pounds, Robinson 180
2) Todd Heap is 250+ pounds, Jackson about 180
3) Todd Heap runs a 6-flat 40, Jackson a 4.2
4) Heap had just released from the line of scrimmage and was being covered, so he was not running at anywhere near full speed, but Jackson was running free across the formation
5) the speed involved in the plays differs so greatly, you can't even compare them

Can you even IMAGINE how hurt Jackson would have been if Lewis had hit him in the chest the way he hit Todd Heap (which, incidentally, is exactly how Robinson did it)?

Hits to the head of a defenseless player can and should be avoided, but the current poster child for an illegal hit is no such thing, because neither players head or neck was hit (yes, the side of Robinson's helmet does make contact with Jackson shoulder pad, but it was glancing as his shoulder hit Jackson).

The bottom line is this: Not every play where someone gets hurt is illegal, and not every play that looks brutal is illegal.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

MacBook power charging green LED not lit

My wife's 13.3" Macbook was exibiting an odd issue. The power connector has an LED on the MagSafe adapter right where it plugs into the side of the computer, and usually this LED is a solid bright green. However, she noticed that the LED, after a time, would become a very faint green. Usually if you jiggled it, it would turn bright again. This odd behavior didn't seem to affect the charging, and the system seemed to believe it was plugged in, even in the light was dim. My daughter has the same laptop, so we tried her MagSafe power adapter, and it did the same thing. So I used some 91% isopropyl alcohol and q-tip to clean up the connectors on the computer's adapter connector. After that, the LED has remained bright green, as it should.

Monday, May 24, 2010

How to replace the transmission on a Honda Harmony II (HRZ216TDA) self-proplled lawn mower

Well, the self-propel feature of my 5-year old Honda mower recently stopped working. I sought the help of an expert online, and after first suggesting the belt (which was only $7, but made no change when replaced), he agreed that the transmission was the cause. So, off the Honda parts store I went, and $115 later, I had myself a new tranny for my Harmony II. When I was done, it sprang to life like new when drive was engaged, so color me happy.

Having found precious little assistance online about how to replace this thing, I muddled through it for about 3 hours, and so I figured I'd try to save the next guy who googles it a bit of trouble.

Tools you will need:
10 mm socket
10 mm open-end, ratcheting, or box-end wrench
12 mm socket
12 mm open-end, ratcheting, or box-end wrench
15 mm socket (1/2" preferred)
3/8" extender bar, at 8-12" preferred
hex (torx) adapter or tool for screwdriver
Leather glove, or something else to hold the blade still
vice grips
fine tipped flathead screwdriver
phillips head screwdriver
brake spring tool (auto parts store for less than $10)
snap ring tool (auto parts store for less than $15)
hi-temp all purpose grease
brake parts cleaner
something (2x4)to prop up the back of the mower once the wheels are off
some rags

The steps:
1. Get the mower at a comfortable working height (I used the tailgate of my truck), and lock the front caster wheels; turn the gas-line valve to OFF to help prevent leaking; lean the mower (gas tank side UP) so the underneath can be easily accessed.
2. Using the 15mm, 1/2" drive socket, remove the blade. Use something (leather glove) to hold the blade still while you loosen the 2 bolts that hold the blade on.
3. Using the 10mm socket, remove the 2 panels that comprise the belt cover. There should be 5 bolts to remove (2 on the smaller panel, 3 on the larger). You may need to utilize the 10mm wrench for those socket-inaccessible bolts.
4. The belt and transmission should be completely accessible now, so it's time to remove the belt (since you have to remove it anyway, you might as well replace it; only $7). The big spring attached to the gold colered Shift Arm is all that stands in the way, but it's a very strong spring. Using the vice grips, grip the spring just after the coil (on the coil side of the Shift Arm) and pull; then use the fine-tipped flathead screwdriver to pry underneath the hook of the spring and remove it from the Shift Arm. Pulling with the vice grips should release enough tension on the spring to allow you to pry underneath the hook with the screwdriver.
5. Remove the belt by rolling the transmission downward to allow it be slipped off the pulleys.
6. Disconnect the drive cable from the transmission. It connects to the tranny on the top-left (gas tank side), and is held in place by a hex bolt that holds down small guide plate for the cable. Remove the hex bolt and slide the guide plate up and out of its slot, and then rotate the drive lever arm forwards and unloop the end of the drive cable from it. (Removal of the speed control cable will not be done yet; at least I didn't think it was possible to remove it with the tranny still mounted in the mower).
7. Using the 10mm socket (and 10mm wrench) remove the other 2 underside panels (3 for the one, 2 for the other, IIRC). The bolt located above the transmission will require a long extender bar.
8. Time to remove the wheels. Using the 2x4 or other propping aide, prop up the back of the mower so the wheels are not touching the ground. Using the 12mm socket, loosen the wheel bolt, then finish removing it by hand, being VERY careful not to let the small washers on the back side of the wheel fall off the bolt. If they do fall off, the order I put them back on is: wheel -> flat black washer-> curved washer facing like so ( -> bolt threads.
9. Now it's time for the tough part, removing the snap rings. The use of a snap ring tool (my dealer called them C-rings, but an auto parts store will look at you like you're high if you ask them for a C-ring tool) is practically essential, so for less than $15, you can save yourself a massive headache, since there are 4 to remove and reinstall.
10. The axle has the has the following items installed on it (outside the mower frame) black interior wheel cover > thin washer > fat spacer > snap ring > midsize spacer > half-circle wedge inside the axle > sprocket > midsize spacer > snap ring. I used the 90-degree attachment on the snap-ring tool, and when you open the ring, it should open enough to allow you to lift it straight up off the end of the axle. Slide the sprocket and its first spacer off (they may be pressed together), and be very careful to catch the half-circle shaped wedge that is installed inside the axle under the sprocket, then slide off the next spacer. Remove the next snap ring in the same manner as before, and slide off the last spacer, washer, and black inner wheel cover. Repeat for the other end of the axle.
11. I cleaned up the sprocket and washers with brake parts cleaner, setting them in the correct reinstallation order for drying (if you install the sprocket in the wrong direction, the wheel will not roll foward). They were nasty, and I figured it couldn't hurt to have them clean.
12. Time to get the tranny out, so prop the mower on it's side (gas tank up), but be sure the right end of the axle has plenty of clearance because you're going to be sliding it that way. While rotating the tranny downwards, slide it towards the long side of the axle. The short side of the axle should slide out and be free from the mower frame, so now slide the tranny the other direction, making sure the short side is under the frame. The long side should slide out as well, freeing the unit from the frame.
13. Time to remove the speed control cable. Using a phillips screwdriver, remove the small screw holding the cable to the top of the tranny. Now rotate the pulley so one of the large holes is above the 2nd screw, which holds down a rectangle-shaped guide that's part of the cable. Remove the screw, then rotate the tranny and cable so that the cable's "S"-shaped end can be removed from its retaining hole. That's it, the tranny is out...BUT you're not quite done with it.
14. At each end of the axle, there is a groove cut into it that houses the half-circle wedge, as well as a very small spring. I was surprised to see that my new tranny did NOT include new springs, so make sure you remove the old springs and install them in the new axle.
15. On the old axle, there should be 2 black plastic sleeves on each end; well, one sleeve and one cap. Remove them, making sure to keep them oriented correctly (the flared end of the sleeve is closer to the transmission, and the cap is inside that, with the flat top on the inside).
16. Installation is just the reverse of the above. I used some hi-temp all purpose grease as I installed parts back onto the axle. As far as the snap rings go, to reinstall them I opened them with the tool and slid them straight down the axle until they hit their groove (if you open and lift them off the end of the axle, they should not become deformed and can be reused, otherwise buy new ones for 50 cents each). The half-circle shaped wedge is installed with the curve facing the spring, so the flat part engages with the inside gears of the sprocket. Make sure the sprocket is facing the correct direction, otherwise the wheel will not roll foward (how do I know?) after assembly. The side of the sprocket that contacts the wheel gear should look more silvery, and goes toward the outside.
17. For reinstalling the spring to the Shift Arm, I bought a brake spring tool, and I used the flat end of the Shift Arm as the tension point for the tool. It took a few times because it kept sliding off, but just stick with it and you will figure out a method that works for you.

Hopefully this works for you and will save you a little time. If so, leave a comment. Also, if some of my instructions are misleading or vague (or just plain wrong), leave a comment so I can fix them.

Friday, May 14, 2010

My Honda Harmony II HRZ216TDA lawn power doesn't self-propel any more

Well, my 5 year old Honda HRZ216TDA mower is sick. It has decided that the self-propelled feature no longer applies, leaving it up to me to push that heavy thing around the yard. I've posted a request for assistance from an expert at All Experts, so we'll see how that goes. Here's a list of symptoms:

1. The rear wheels no longer roll backwards (this started last year sometime)
2. The rear wheels turn when drive is engaged and the back is lifted off the ground, but stop when I set it back down.
3. On concrete, low speed 1 actually pulls the mower slowly, speed 2 barely moves it, and Hi speed 3 does nothing.
4. I removed the belt cover panels so I could access the belt and transmission. The belt seems pretty loose
5. The big spring that attaches to the Shift Arm seems to be fully compressed, and I cannot move the Shift Arm manually...at all. I sprayed a bunch of lubricant in there, but it made no difference.
6. When I engage drive (engine off, of course), the cable does move and the drive lever moves, which expands the small spring on top of the trans. This seems normal.

I don't know if it's just a bad belt, a bad spring, or if the notoriously weak transmission has finally croaked. The cable and spring are cheap, but the tranny is $110, so it's not a "test and see" type of option.

I could probably replace the spring and the belt without much trouble, but I'm concerned that the Shift Arm seems frozen against the tranny, and won't move a bit either direction. I'm kind of assuming that it's supposed to move in order to increase tension on the belt, and thus drive the wheels, but I'm not sure (I found a discussion by someone having the same problem, and it was recommended that he get the Shift Arm moving, which is what I was trying to do).

Hopefully the "expert" will come through and give me some good advice on what direction I should go. I really like my mower (those rotating front wheels are the bomb), and I'm not in a place to drop coin on a new one, so fixing this one is my best option (as long as it isn't going to cost me $200, at which point I might as well get a new one).

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Yee Haw!! My Survivor tickets are in hand

My Survivor tickets arrived this week. The wife and I will be attending the Aug 13 show at the Mable House Barnes Amphitheater in Mableton, GA. Looking forward to it; haven't seen Frankie and the boys since 2002.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Tiger has a serious decision to make...and it won't be easy!

OK, he's taken a few months off from golf to get his personal life straightened out, and while he's far from done on that front, Tiger Woods also has some serious professional decisions to make. Tiger has done some amazing things on the golf course...truly amazing things, but if he is going to pass Jack's record of 18 professional majors and be considered the greatest player of all time (goals he has made no bones about setting), he needs to learn how to drive the ball consistently. He may eventually pass Jack without fixing his tee ball issues, but considering how he can dominate a course from the short grass, he could win 24 or 5 majors if he could just FIND THE DAMN FAIRWAY!!!

He needs to present Hank Haney with an ultimatum : Fix my driver swing or YOU'RE FIRED!!!

It isn't any more complicated than that. Phil has added SIGNIFICANT yardage and accuracy in recent years, and there is really no reason Tiger can't do the same thing, especially given his fitness level and work ethic. If he ever does manage to combine those two consistently, everyone else truly will be playing for 2nd place (and they all know it, believe me!). He placed T4 at The Masters and hit less than 50% of the fairways; had he hit 75%, he would have likely shot nearly 20 under par and blown the field away (Phil would have NEVER shot 67 on Sunday if he had started the day 3 shots behind Tiger).

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Tapecity - RIP!

It is with much sadness that live concert recording trading site Tapecity calls it quits as of today, 3/31. No explanation given, just that it's 'Adios'! There are others, thank goodness, and they all go to painstaking efforts to keep the site legal by disallowing any material that can be bought commercially and by allowing any artist or venue to opt out of their material being traded.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Survivor's New Album to be titled "Re-Entry"... what a year it's going to be!

I just read that Frankie Sullivan of Survivor has confirmed via Facebook that the title of their new album is "Re-Entry". This is going to be some kind of year, as several of my favorite bands (including some that have been silent as of recently) will be releasing new music, with Survivor and The Outfield topping the list. I'm also looking forward to new stuff from my new BritPop favorites....Keane, The Feeling, and McFly.

Additionally, Survivor will be playing the Mable House Amphitheatre in Mableton, GA in August, and it's only 20 minutes from my house. I will certainly be picking up tickets for me and the wife just as soon as they are available. There are several acts coming to Atlanta that I would love to see this year (Heart, REO Speedwagon, Styx, Bon Jovi, etc), but I have to be selective, as funds for entertainment are not unlimited.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Always on the lookout for live shows by The Corrs, audio or video

I'm always on the lookout for live recordings (bootlegs) of The Corrs. I have the following audio shows (as you can see, I'm not picky about lossless (flac) vs. lossy (mp3)format, although I do prefer lossless format, as it's easier to find traders). The folder name format is:
(yyyy-mm-dd) [Bootleg Name] Venue, City, STATE/COUNTRY (SOURCE flac/mp3@bitrate)

(1996-05-25) El Gran Musical, Bilbao, SPA (TVrip mp3@192)
(1996-07-11) Club Quattro, Tokyo, JAP (SBD mp3@160)
(1996-07-27) Live (Almenia portion) (Langelands Festival, Odensee, DEN) (AUD mp3@320)
(1996-07-27) Secret Oceans (Langelands Festival, Odensee, DEN) (part) (AUD mp3@160)
(1996-08-04) Millstreet Music Fair, Cork, IRE (VidRip mp3@192)
(1996-12-11) You Will Not Forget (Hamburg Docks, Hamburg, GER) (AUD flac)
(1997-11-18) De Melkweg, Amsterdam, HOL (AUD mp3@128)
(1997-11-18) Love in the Milky Way (De Melkweg, Amsterdam, HOL) (AUD mp3@192)
(1997-11-21) Dreams (Grosse Freiheit, Hamburg, GER) (AUD mp3@128)
(1997-12-06) Whitla Hall, Belfast, NI (AUD mp3@128)
(1997-12-08) Olympia, Dublin IRE (AUD mp3@128)
(1998-03-07) Ohne Filter TV, Baden Baden, GER (DVDrip flac)
(1998-03-22) City Hall, Sheffield, England, UK (AUD flac)
(1998-07-03) Ohne Filter, Baden Baden, GER (TVrip mp3@320)
(1998-07-12) Dr. Music Festival, Escalarre, SPA (VidRip mp3@192)
(1998-07-15) Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, SWIZ (VidRip mp3@192)
(1998-08-21) Sopot Festival, POL (TVrip mp3@192)
(1998-09-21) Stadium Utama Bukit Jahil, Kuala Lumpur, MAL (DVDrip flac)
(1999-01-01) Dreams Of The East (compilation) (TVrip flac)
(1999-02-22) Wembley Arena, London, UK (FM flac)
(1999-05-30) City in the Park, Woolaton Park, Nottingham, UK (SBD flac)
(1999-06-27) Glatonbury Festival, Glastonbury, UK (VidRip mp3@192)
(1999-07-10) Solidays Festival, Longchamp, Paris, FRA (AUD mp3@128)
(1999-08-02) Alsterdorfer Sporthalle, Hamburg, GER (AUD flac)
(2000-08-04) Taipei, Taiwan (VidRip mp3@256)
(2000-11-03) It's Like a Dream (The Ahoy, Rotterdam, HOL) (AUD mp3@128)
(2000-11-06) Hallenstadion, Zurich, SWI (AUD flac)
(2000-11-12) Festhalle, Frankfurt, GER (DVDrip flac)
(2000-11-18) Globen Arena, Stockholm, SWE (from silver) (AUD flac)
(2001-01-18) SECC, Glasgow, UK (FM flac)
(2001-04-01) Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, ENG, UK (AUD flac)
(2001-04-03) Heart FM Concert, London, UK (FM mp3@160)
(2001-09-23) Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, JAP (AUD flac)
(2001-10-03) Plenery Hall, Jakarta, IND (VidRip mp3@192)
(2001-10-16) Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, AUST (AUD mp3@320)
(2001-10-17) Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, AUST (AUD mp3@320)
(2001-11-15) VIP Club, Paris, FRA (partial) (AUD mp3@128)
(2001-11-29) BBC Radio2, Riverside Studios, London, UK (FM flac)
(2001-11-29) BBC Radio2, Riverside Studios, London, UK (VidRip mp3@224)
(2001-12-07) Live38, Amsterdam, HOL (DVDRip flac)
(2002-01-06) Musica Si, SPA (VidRip mp3@192)
(2004-05-03) Stage 40, Madrid, SPA (VidRip mp3@192)
(2004-05-27) The Helix, Dulbin, IRE (VidRip mp3@192)
(2004-06-01) Alte Bahndirektion, Cologne, GER (FM mp3@160)
(2004-06-19) Museumsmeile, Bonn, GER (alt source) (AUD mp3@128)
(2004-06-19) Museumsmeile, Bonn, GER (Falo matrix) (AUD flac)
(2004-06-21) Hammersmith Apolo, London, UK (AUD mp3@192)
(2004-07-08) Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, SWI (DVDRip flac)
(2004-07-10) The Zenith, Paris, FRA (AUD mp3@96)
(2004-07-19) Plaza de Toros, Benidorm, SPA (AUD mp3@192)
(2004-08-06) Chateau Ste Michelle, Woodinville, WA (AUD flac)
(2004-08-19) Ravinia Festival Pavilion, Highland Park, IL (AUD mp3@192)
(2004-08-27) Jones Beach Theatre, Wantagh, NY (AUD mp3@192)
(2004-10-11) Bercy, Paris, FRA (AUD mp3@320)
(2004-10-12) Hall Tony Garnier, Lyon, FRA (AUD mp3@160)
(2004-10-22) Color Line Arena, Hamburg, GER (AUD mp3@128)
(2004-11-19) Plaza de Toros de Murcia, Murcia, SPA (VidRip mp3@192)
(2004-11-27) Silvretta-S Parkplatz, Ischgl, AUS (AUD flac)
(2005-06-24) Olympia Club, Paris, FRA (FM mp3@192)

If you are interested in a trade (audio or video), just leave a comment or email me, and I will eventually get back to you and see if we can work something out. I need to get in the habit of checking my gmail a bit more often anyway. I'm open to trading by any method, including CD/HDD/USB-flash via snail-mail, uploading via Rapidshare and Megaupload, or direct torrent transfer via DHT. I'm adding new shows as often as I find them, so even if you don't see anything new, check with me, as I may have added some.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Is it really surprising that there's water ice on the moon?

I personally don't find it surprising at all that there is water ice on the moon. Having recently seen a National Geographic or Discovery Channel program on the origins of water on Earth and the creation of our own moon, it seems rather obvious that there would be water ice on the moon. After all, if the moon was created when a smaller object collided with Earth during their formative years, it only stands to reason that the material ejected from Earth during that massive collision would contain some water (considering how much water is left on Earth), and that the cohension of all that debris that formed what we now see as the moon, would yield water (ice in fact, because it's so damned cold). Finding and retrieving the water would always be a challenge, of course.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The U-verse is falling...still...oh my achin'head...holy crap!

It seems like ever since we enabled HD on our AT&T U-verse account, the picture has been stuttering, stammering, hanging, etc. I called tier 2 support (yes, I have their direct number because the front line flowchart morons are worthless!), and they checked it out, and there was definitely a problem. The technician came out and replaced the outside splitter as well as a couple other connectors. The picture was no different.

As an experiment, I ran a 100-ft length CAT5 cable from the RG to the DVR and removed the coax connection. Instantly the picture was better...and perfect! Obviously there is a problem with the coax connection. It just so happens that the coax to the DVR is a RG6 shielded line, dedicated to the DVR, and only splits at the outset, for household distribution:

RG -> AT&T splitter -> 3 way house splitter -> 1) DVR 2) living room 3) floor 2

My suspicion was the home 3-way splitter, since the tech had replaced the AT&T splitter. I called to get another tech to come out. When he arrived, I gave him the rundown of what was going on and what had been done, so he set out to replace the home splitter, and he discovered a lot of interference on the line coming from the floor 2 line. I showed him the attic access to that line and splitter, where he replaced a couple of the end connectors. In all, he replaced the 3-way splitter and also some end connectors, as well as the end connectors at the splitter in the attic on floor 2. After all that, he could detect no interference on the line, and the picture has been perfect ever since.