[Off-topic] Lighted fan interferes with TV signal - any help explaining why?

MascaratumB · 2018-08-09T16:58:40.000Z

Well, this is what happened.
2 or 3 nights ago I was watching TV at nighy. It was a bit hot so I decided to pick a small lighted fan I have (given by a team of a project I participate in) and I turned it on.

When I turned it ON, the TV instantly started acting funny, with interferences in the images (distortions, like a signal failure or slight connection break). But as I live in a house where sometimes signal is lost, I didn’t mind in the first time.

However, when I turned it OFF, the interference stopped. So I repeated the process ON-OFF several times. I then decide to film that but till this moment I couldn’t understand what is going on. Everytime I turn the fan ON, it provokes those interferences.

Can anyone help me understand why? And if this is normal?

NO, the answer is not “Aliens, must be Aliens”

Calaveras · 2018-08-09T17:20:49.000Z

RFI
Radio Frequency Interference. You can shield your fan or add a ferrite rod to you TV if it is the old type with an external antenna. I would toss the fan.
m
it is a POS.

MascaratumB · 2018-08-09T18:30:36.000Z

Calaveras:

RFI
Radio Frequency Interference. You can shield your fan or add a ferrite rod to you TV if it is the old type with an external antenna. I would toss the fan.
m
it is a POS.

Thanks Calaveras! Didn’t know that could interfere this way
I only have internal antenna, so maybe that’s the case why it is so vulnerable to these interferences.

After all the interference is not in the TV buy in the antenna :person_facepalming:

I will avoid using the fan! Period! Very fun but weird stuff :zipper_mouth_face:

Thanks for the explanation :+1:

goshdogit · 2018-08-09T18:36:01.000Z

What’s that little green face on top of the TV? :laughing:

MascaratumB · 2018-08-09T18:49:48.000Z

goshdogit:

What’s that little green face on top of the TV? :laughing:

Ahah! That is called “Pirilampo Mágico” (Magic Firefly):
https://www.google.pt/search?q=pirilampo+magico&safe=active&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjO3t_Rz-DcAhVFvxoKHS0_BnIQ_AUICigB&biw=1280&bih=679

Those are some small dolls that a national association supporting children, youngsters and adults with intellectual “deficiency”, makes every year to raise some funds to help the association! Every year there’s a different colour

It is a furry doll with a curved antenna and GITD paint on the tip Like a firefly!
I know these since I was a kid once I have a cousin that was in that association and my uncle sold those to get some money for the its users! Here it is

kuoh · 2018-08-09T18:53:41.000Z

Guess you’re one of the last holdouts who still watches TV on an old CRT.

Have you ever used an old IR remote next to an AM radio? Even though the intended emissions from the remote is supposed to be just IR, the electronics used to generate the signal made a heck of an RF racket that you could hear on AM. Back in the day, most devices sold in the US had to comply with FCC regulations on signal emissions, but these days the cheap electronics shipped directly from China pretty much bypass any FCC testing. Fortunately most of today’s digital TVs and devices are fairly resilient to that type of interference, but people still using ye old CRTs are at a “slight” disadvantage.

KuoH

MascaratumB:

I only have internal antenna, so maybe that’s the case why it is so vulnerable to these interferences.

After all the interference is not in the TV buy in the antenna :person_facepalming:

I will avoid using the fan! Period! Very fun but weird stuff :zipper_mouth_face:

goshdogit · 2018-08-09T19:05:43.000Z

MascaratumB:

Ahah! That is called “Pirilampo Mágico” (Magic Firefly)

Neat! I remember getting a similar creature as a reward in elementary school.

I think they’re known as ‘warm fuzzies’ in the US.

MascaratumB · 2018-08-09T19:25:43.000Z

kuoh:

Guess you’re one of the last holdouts who still watches TV on an old CRT.

Have you ever used an old IR remote next to an AM radio? Even though the intended emissions from the remote is supposed to be just IR, the electronics used to generate the signal made a heck of an RF racket that you could hear on AM. Back in the day, most devices sold in the US had to comply with FCC regulations on signal emissions, but these days the cheap electronics shipped directly from China pretty much bypass any FCC testing. Fortunately most of today’s digital TVs and devices are fairly resilient to that type of interference, but people still using ye old CRTs are at a “slight” disadvantage.

KuoH

Ehehe, the TV was already in the house when I rented it so there was no need to buy one And I don’t spend many time at home to watch TV, so I just turn it ON to have some people talking and watch the news! Also, this only has some channels, just the basics ! I spend more time on computer, though, so despite loving TV, I don’t care much about the quality of image! BTW, I damaged it a bit due to the proximity of some magnets on the tail of my flashlights :person_facepalming:
Reds are purple now

I never tried what you mention but I will

goshdogit:

Neat! I remember getting a similar creature as a reward in elementary school.

I think they’re known as ‘warm fuzzies’ in the US.

Ahah, nice, didn’t know you had it there too, they’re quite similar These are nice little creatures. And unless it is “staring at me”, I don’t bother Eheh

kuoh · 2018-08-09T20:51:51.000Z

That can likely be fixed or the effect diminished by using the same magnet. Tune to a dead channel so there’s just snow on the screen. Slowly move the magnet toward the discolored spot, but try not to get all the way to the glass if you can. Then slowly move the magnet to a corner, which should drag the spot with it. Once at the corner very slowly pull the magnet away from the screen. You may have to do this more than once if you don’t get close enough. Having a magnet that you can flip over to reverse the polarity can sometimes help with the demagnetization as well. If that doesn’t work, then you may need to find or build a degausser.

KuoH

MascaratumB:

BTW, I damaged it a bit due to the proximity of some magnets on the tail of my flashlights :person_facepalming:
Reds are purple now

MascaratumB · 2018-08-09T22:37:10.000Z

kuoh:

That can likely be fixed or the effect diminished by using the same magnet. Tune to a dead channel so there’s just snow on the screen. Slowly move the magnet toward the discolored spot, but try not to get all the way to the glass if you can. Then slowly move the magnet to a corner, which should drag the spot with it. Once at the corner very slowly pull the magnet away from the screen. You may have to do this more than once if you don’t get close enough. Having a magnet that you can flip over to reverse the polarity can sometimes help with the demagnetization as well. If that doesn’t work, then you may need to find or build a degausser.

KuoH

MascaratumB:

BTW, I damaged it a bit due to the proximity of some magnets on the tail of my flashlights :person_facepalming:
Reds are purple now

Wow, didn’t know that technique :o I guess I will try it with a less strong magnet (just in case) and see how / if it works! That’s a quite nice thing, thanks for the suggestion!
The stain created is quite big so, sometimes, it annoys to have a different colour there. I will try that technique Without the fan around