The Mystery Of The Media Player And The Refrigerator

[Nekton]

Let me explain, I have a WD HD media player connected to an LG LCD TV via HDMI. When I open the refrigerator door the screen flickers and then the resolution is reset and very pixelated. This annoyed me of course but also made me curious as to how the frig could possibly effect the Media player. Obviously the TV or media player are very sensitive to power spikes. Is it just bad electrical wiring? Does it have something to do with HDMI jack sensing? (Both the TV and media player have auto settings for resolution.) After some experimenting I have learned several things:

• the frig and tv/media player are on separate breakers, but same breaker box, both are on belkin surge protector strips
• when the media player and tv are connected via A/V cables (RCA) the problem does not happen
• the freezer has no light and it happens when it is opened
• it is the door switch not the slamming of the door
• the frig has a 2 prong plug, no ground
• the apartment has three prong plugs (do you think they are actually grounded?)
• After all that experimenting I remembered that when I plugged up the coaxial cable from the building it gave me a little shock, I unplugged it and everything works fine now. I don't use it anyway.

Problem solved but several questions remain. How can a "spike," voltage irregularity or whatever it is, travel from a frig through a fuse box, a surge protector and effect a media player and TV because of a coaxial cable being plugged up?

I used to think that the power in our apartment was alright, we live in a highrise in Bangkok and have had no problems. But this episode has made me rethink some assumptions I have made. What do you think?

• if a device has a brick i.e. AC adapter then it can generally accept 100-240v
• and a brick/ AC adapter offers some protection from spikes
• a laptop because it is actually running off a charging battery and it has a brick is safe from voltage irregularities
• my TV, media player and sound system will be fine with a good surge protector

After this I will be buying a UPS for my office setup will this be enough to protect my external hard drives? Should I buy a UPS for my entertainment center as well?

Please discuss...

[Semper]

No idea. But I have the same problem with my pc sreen and the light in my kitchen.

[Dellboy218]

IT could be radio frequency interference is to blame. If the outer conductor on the coaxial cable is not earthed, which I presume it cannot be if you are getting shocks off it, then it can act as an aerial. The fridge switch arcing or a component on a control board could be emitting a signal that is being picked up on that cable then travelling along a signal earth to the media player connector. I wonder how close that coaxial cable gets to the fridge?

Semper, I presume you have a fluorescent light possibly with an old style wire wound ballast. These are notorious for emitting radio frequency interference which could be picked up by any of your pc screen cables. Nice and tidy coiled cables also make good aerials! On an old style ballast a capacitor fitted on the power side is used to reduce power consumption by over 60% and a capacitor on the light side is used for radio frequency supression. These days that tends to be fitted inside the starter. Usually a tiny device across the neon , it could be that it has come adrift or no longer functioning, try changing the starter.