Set top box/PVR problems

[scuba05]

Gday guys,
I bought a DGTEC HD320PVR round xmas 08, and have started to have some problems with it. All of the VHF channels(7,9,10,1 etc) are jumping to the point that you cannot watch it. Meanwhile SBS & ABC are fine. I have tested the STB on 3 other TV's, each with different connections to the aerial, with the same results.
I ahve also tried multiple times turning it off/disconnect from power, and reconnecting, to no avail.
The STB has a serial i/p which i can upgrade the software with, but currently dont have a cable to connect it to the computer. Is it worth my while going out and buying the cable to upgrade the software? Or is it a complete waste of time, and should just buy a new STB.
Any other tests i should do to see if it begins to work??

May be unrelated, but a few of the segments for the front display are visibly dimmer than the others. This a related problem?

Thanks in advance

 

[Jon]

I have had the same thing and found several issues.
1. Make sure your connections are all tight
2. If it was good before and is crap now then look around for something different ie trees outside that a neighbor has planted.
3. Try a re-tune scan.
4. Is the reception on the other tv's ok (assuming they are digital)
5. Physical damage to STB?

My issues were cheap shit cables and trees growing. Looking at another tower now.Sorted.

 

[scuba05]

1)Connections are tight.
2)Weirdly enough, it was fine until a few days ago, when it rained for a day. Then mysteriously the STB died?
3)Done the rescan multiple times, but il do it again for good measure
4)All other digital TV's and STB are working perfectly. Even the one that i had before this is still going strong after 5-6years, and i only paid $80 for it.
5)No obvious physical damage. It doesnt move at all really. We have surge protectors and all that jazz installed on the meter box, and it has one on the powerboard im using, so im ruling out that.

The only other thing i can think of is go to a mates house and put it in quickly. If it work, then there is something wrong with my antenna cable that goes to my room. If it doesnt work, i just inherrited a $400 pinata.

I am still using a shitty oldschool TV (5-6yrs old), so im still on the good ol RCA cables. Prob upgrading that towards the end of the year.
Another thing is when i just watch tv without the STB, it seems to be decent reception on all channels(obviously still analogue).