Need signal amplfier advice

stardotstar · 05-10-2009, 09:29 AM

Hi all, relative newbie here!

Here is my scenario. Live in Houston Texas and have Comcast service and 7 TVs in my home. Cable connects in garage from CC and then runs about 75 feet into home and is then distributed amongst the tvs throughout the home.

At the connection point in the garage there is one SA surge gap amplifier boosting the signal. At the end point this boosted signal enters a splitter, 2 splits. One side of this splitter takes the signal directly downstairs to my 46 LCD, and that signal is fine. The second side then feeds a second splitter that feeds the remaining 6 tv's.

On Friday bought my son a 40 LCD for his room, and after 3 returned HD boxes to CC determined that the signal was low in his room. Installed an older signal amplfier to boost the signal to the second split, feeding the 6 other tvs. All is well now and his problem is resolved.

I want to clean up the install of all of this and want to know:

Should I leave the SA surge gap amplifier at the connection point in the garage and then install one Electroline EDA-FT08300 XSP ACTIVE RETURNED 8 port amplifier within the home to combine all connections into one amp? Remember the TV downstairs is only receiving the initial non-boosted signal. This would give it a boosted signal, which may address a very random lockup on local 313 HD chanel.

Or should I remove the SA in the garage and just use the Electroline or other 8 port splitter amp within the home?

Is there better amplifier for less? or another better way for my scenario?

Thanks

m_vanmeter · 05-13-2009, 12:06 PM

ask Comcast about a provider installed distribution amplifier at the point of entrance. The real villan is the spliters...a 1 to 2 spliter cuts the signal strength by about half, a 1 to 4 is even worse. Ideally all your coax runs to various TV's would "home run" to the garage and connect directly to the distribution amp. Do not put another amp downstream from the first amp...fix the problem at the source.

stardotstar · 05-13-2009, 05:13 PM

Thanks, they came out and found I had negative numbers at the tap. They are suppose to come out and fix.

05-10-2009, 09:29 AM	#1
stardotstar How can anyone watch standard def? Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 28	Need signal amplfier advice Hi all, relative newbie here! Here is my scenario. Live in Houston Texas and have Comcast service and 7 TVs in my home. Cable connects in garage from CC and then runs about 75 feet into home and is then distributed amongst the tvs throughout the home. At the connection point in the garage there is one SA surge gap amplifier boosting the signal. At the end point this boosted signal enters a splitter, 2 splits. One side of this splitter takes the signal directly downstairs to my 46 LCD, and that signal is fine. The second side then feeds a second splitter that feeds the remaining 6 tv's. On Friday bought my son a 40 LCD for his room, and after 3 returned HD boxes to CC determined that the signal was low in his room. Installed an older signal amplfier to boost the signal to the second split, feeding the 6 other tvs. All is well now and his problem is resolved. I want to clean up the install of all of this and want to know: Should I leave the SA surge gap amplifier at the connection point in the garage and then install one Electroline EDA-FT08300 XSP ACTIVE RETURNED 8 port amplifier within the home to combine all connections into one amp? Remember the TV downstairs is only receiving the initial non-boosted signal. This would give it a boosted signal, which may address a very random lockup on local 313 HD chanel. Or should I remove the SA in the garage and just use the Electroline or other 8 port splitter amp within the home? Is there better amplifier for less? or another better way for my scenario? Thanks Last edited by stardotstar; 05-10-2009 at 09:53 AM.

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05-13-2009, 12:06 PM	#2
m_vanmeter WD4JCM in KY Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 669	ask Comcast about a provider installed distribution amplifier at the point of entrance. The real villan is the spliters...a 1 to 2 spliter cuts the signal strength by about half, a 1 to 4 is even worse. Ideally all your coax runs to various TV's would "home run" to the garage and connect directly to the distribution amp. Do not put another amp downstream from the first amp...fix the problem at the source.

05-13-2009, 05:13 PM	#3
stardotstar How can anyone watch standard def? Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 28	Thanks, they came out and found I had negative numbers at the tap. They are suppose to come out and fix.