Cable Amplifier Placement

[DerbyDad03]

Where's the best place to put a cable signal amplifier?

Here's what I have:

The incoming cable is split right after the cable modem tap with a three way splitter. One of the lines off the three way goes from the basement to the attic of a two story colonial where it is again split with a three way spitter. This feeds 3 TV's on the second floor.

My main question is this: Is the problem with splitters/long runs just an signal amplitude issue that an amp can fix either before or after the degradation, or does the signal actually lose quality that even an amp can't fix if placed after the splitter/long run?

The answer to that question will help me determine the placement of an amp if I want to boost the signal for the 3 TV's on the second floor.

1 - At the main cable before it is split in the basement (1 In - 1 Out amp, then the 3 way) 2 - In place of the 3 way in the basement (1 In - 4 Out amp, no splitter) 3 - At the beginning of the long run to the attic (After the 3 way, then 1 In - 1 Out Amp) 3 - In the attic before the 3-way splitter (1 In - 1 Out Amp, then the 3 way) 4 - In place of the 3 way in the attic. (1 In - 4 Out amp, no splitter)

Thanks!

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Did you talk to yout cable company? I neve experienced a weak cable signal. Always it's strength is more than what I need. Rule of thumb is you boost weak signal close at the source(at the cable enterance to your house). An example, you always install the TV antenna signal booster on the mast not at the bottom of tower.

[JGolan]

[Randy Day]

Your problem is too many splits, moreso than the long run.

In your situation, an amp placed between the splitters should correct your problem. Unless you're talking about a run of hundreds of metres, you should be able to put a 1 in 1 out amp at either end of the run to the top floor.

Either Option 3, or your other option 3. ;)

4 would work too, but I'm guessing it's $$$.

HTH

[DerbyDad03]

Whoops..too many 3's! I added a number 2 and forgot to keep updating my number!

Thanks...I actually have a 1 > DerbyDad03 wrote:

splits, moreso than

[DerbyDad03]

many splits, moreso than

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[allan]

The way I solved it was to have the cable people up the power coming in.

[mm]

It's hard to believe that added anything, but apparently if I had had the patience to read and process your first post, it did.

I got confused by your post (not that it was badly written. I'm just impatient today) and I can't even tell if I'm agreeing with the answers you got, but I'll tell you what I did. I put in splitters everytime the signal had to split, and when the signal got too weak, I replaced a splitter with an amp or an amp/splitter. That's probably half way between the last amp and the farthest tv, when it is installed. On at least some stations I get a perfect picture at the far end of the string, and on others, I don't get a perfect picture even at the VCR that starts things off. I have 6 splitters (counting the ones in amps) and two amps. With tvs in 8 rooms (counting the attic and one bathroom.)

I agree that run length doesn't much matter. When I first got cable, I asked him to put the cable box not on the tv but in the closet 4 feet away. He said he wasnt' sure if that would work but it did. Later when I ran a line to the basement and from the back wall of the basement to the front, plus slack back and forth while running the line, it was about 100 feet without an amp** and the picture on local stations was perfect. Why he thought 4 feet might be a problem, I don't know.

**Later I had to add an amp when I split the signal for a tv >> Whoops..too many 3's! I added a number 2 and forgot to keep updating >> my number!

many splits, moreso than

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[Noozer]

In the TRASH.

If you have a crappy signal, call the cable company and tell them to fix it.

You could have TOO MUCH signal and it will mess up your picture.

Most picture problems are not from the amount of signal, but are from the amount of stray interference getting into the cable at bad crimps and damaged cables.

A cable amp is about the worst thing you can do if you've got a bad TV picture.

[Mark Lloyd]

EVEN when it could have helped your problem :-)

If the signal is crappy where it enters your house. It helps to try a portable TV there.

If you put an amp in, and the picture gets WORSE, then you know you're better off without it.

It won't hurt to TRY it. You don't usually know the source of the problem. However, if an amplifier is needed it needs to be inserted at a point where the signal level is normal (BEFORE the cable run with loss).

[Jim Yanik]

"Noozer" wrote in news:Dmcwh.834094$5R2.168564@pd7urf3no:

Signal-to-noise ratio,very important.

and a bad/loose connector can GENERATE noise.(from corrosion)

Amps boost noise along with the signal,and add noise of their own.

[Mark Lloyd]

They do. That's why you need to put the amp where the signal is still good. It there's no such point, then it's time to call the cable company (they're not providing a decent signal).