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Question

Weird Request, I KNow

Apr 23, 2018 9:04AM PDT

Usually people are trying to improve or fix their cable signal. Not I. Can anyone tell me if there is a piece of equipment I could purchase for the following? I would like to be able to switch on and off that very bad weather pixelation effect seen on satellite tv during very bad storms? In other words I am looking to be able to recreate the effect of a very bad signal on my cable TV.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Usually done in post production with After Effects.
Apr 23, 2018 9:22AM PDT

Post was last edited on April 23, 2018 9:22 AM PDT

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Close but not quite
Apr 23, 2018 11:47AM PDT

Thanks for your reply! Cool, but not quite what I'm looking for. Not sure what happens during a severe storm outage but there is a randomness and often asymmetry to it. I am looking to create a different image each time. Looking for randomness and not much control other than off/on for effect. Also should have mentioned in the pixelated effect the image will often freeze for a bit. My dad was an engineer and I know he could have figured out how to do it. But he is no longer with us. It might be easy for the right person. Or perhaps it is much more difficult to replicate than I realise.

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variable resistor
Apr 23, 2018 12:03PM PDT
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Will try
Apr 23, 2018 12:36PM PDT

I like this idea. Ill try it. I have very limited experience with electronics. Any tips for creating this?

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try the magnet approach first then
Apr 23, 2018 12:52PM PDT

Plenty of stuff on variable resistors and how they work from a simple google. Potentiometer is even better.

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I did a quick google upon your first recommending of this.
Apr 23, 2018 1:34PM PDT

After some more thought. I am afraid the magnet solution might be a little risky to my equipment? and am considering the VR as the solution again. I thought you might have some personal or professional tip for creating it based upon experience but yes will just google it. The thing I like about it after some thought is that there wont be any upward spikes and therefore less danger to my equipment. I assume Im correct in all this?

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(NT) correct
Apr 23, 2018 3:40PM PDT
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Try simple.
Apr 23, 2018 12:05PM PDT

Unplug and replug the connection for a very short time.

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Should have mentioned
Apr 23, 2018 12:38PM PDT

I actually tried this but all I got was a stopped signal. No effect such as pixelation..

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try this simple approach
Apr 23, 2018 12:48PM PDT

Find a magnet, run it back and forth along the RF cable or crosswise of cable, from a distance first, don't want to spike the voltage too much. I bet that would do it and you could find different movements for less or greater pixelation.

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I considered this
Apr 23, 2018 1:02PM PDT

I suppose I would need a strong magnet like a neodymium magnet. A cheap simple solution if it works. Although I would prefer to be able to flip a switch. A couple of good ideas to try. This one again if it works would be the simplest and the least effort to produce. Hmm perhaps an electromagnet would be a good solution to the desire for a switch operation. Lots of good ideas but if this works this is a good one.

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Try other simple
Apr 23, 2018 12:49PM PDT

Move the antenna so it fades out.

I will reveal that in a movie shoot, we create this TV effect in post production. The screen is covered in green screen material and filled in later during post production.

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(NT) That would require a antenna to move. But a possibility.
Apr 23, 2018 1:03PM PDT