A good Antenna Isolator?

[Guywiththegun]

I have horizontal bars traveling up my screen accompanied by an annoying HUM. I've read that this is due to the cable wire connected to my TV interfering with the PC connected to another outlet . . or something like that. Anyway, it looks like I need an antenna isolator. But I don't know where to get this.

Are there specific kinds I need? Anyone got a good recommendation? The cheaper the better.

 

[Modelworks]

If you have a hum in the audio of the TV the first thing to do is to disconnect everything from the tv. Don't have anything connected, no dvd, vcr, etc. Then plug the tv into an outlet by itself and make sure the hum is gone. That rules out the tv's power supply. Then connect the cable back and if it has a hum , then you need to find out where the ground block is for the cable wire. There should be a ground block on the outside of the home that is connected to a solid ground. Without that the cable could damage your tv and anything else its connected , as well as pose a shock hazard. If it is connected to the homes ground then their should not be any hum or problems.

This is what the ground blocks look like:
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/8704

 

[Guywiththegun]

The hum only exists when the PC is connected to the TV at the same time as the cable. Otherwise, its fine. There is some kind of conflict with either the S-Video chord or the audio line being fed into the TV from the PC with the cable.

 

[zzuupp]

Originally posted by: Guywiththegun
The hum only exists when the PC is connected to the TV at the same time as the cable. ...

When this happens, are both the TV & the PC connected to the same outlet.

I presume we all think ground loop.

 

[Guywiththegun]

Yes, both are plugged into the same power strip.

I did some research and it looks like I need something like this:

http://www.rackmount-devices.com/015-8700.html

I just don't know what kind, or what brand I should get.

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: Guywiththegun
Yes, both are plugged into the same power strip.

I did some research and it looks like I need something like this:

http://www.rackmount-devices.com/015-8700.html

I just don't know what kind, or what brand I should get.

While that will work , it isn't really solving the problem which is a bad ground either in the cable system or the home power. That really needs to be fixed for safety reasons. Also that device will not work with cable boxes that send back info to the cable company as its passive and sends signal only one way.


If it isn't fixed you could easily get shocked anytime you touch metal on the pc case and metal on a cable box or cable connection.

 

[Guywiththegun]

Really? Its dangerous? I've read about this on numerous sites and never read of any safety issues.

What do I need to do? I have about -0 experience in wiring or any of this stuff. Can you explain how this could be a safety issue?

Everything has been fine for years. This hum only occurs when the PC is connected to the TV.