Drop amp placement

[stevenkd]

I have a splitter at the cable entry point that spilts the cable 5 ways, one being to the cable modem, another being to the room where my sage server is, and the other three througout the house. The cable is split 4 ways again at the Sage server While everything is working, I believe I am right on the edge of too much signal drop. I am thinking I need 2 amps, one at the cable entry point and another at the Sage server. I am wondering if it is better to place the second amp in line with the first amp, or should I bypass the first amp and just use the 2nd amp at the Sage server?

[carlgar]

I would think that replacing the 4 way splitter with an amp should be plenty. Your setup sounds much like mine. I have a 4 or more way splitter outside that was installed by the cable company. I then have another 2 way splitter on one of those lines. Again that was installed by the cable company. I was then using a 4 way splitter at my Sage server. When I noticed poor signal strength I replaced the 4 way splitter with an 8 port amp. A 4 way splitter causes about 80% signal loss. So you eliminate the loss and you boost the strength with an amp.

[Tej]

What you've described works out to about a 95% signal strength drop from the entry point to the capture cards. I'm kind of surprised you're getting a picture at all.

You should be OK with one, high quality amp at the cable entry point. I installed an Electroline model EDA-FT08100 drop amp to correct some ghosting and have been very happy with the improved picture quality.

Until I saw the "before and after" with the drop amp, I hadn't realized how much my splitters were degrading the signal. I also splurged for some F-terminators for the unused cable drops.

I got it for a decent price from here:
http://www.cabletvamps.com/index.htm

[carlgar]

Originally Posted by Tej

What you've described works out to about a 95% signal strength drop from the entry point to the capture cards. I'm kind of surprised you're getting a picture at all.

I am not sure why you are surprised. If the outside splitter was installed by the cable company, I would expect its output to be full signal strength. So the only other loss in the 4 way splitter at the server itself. I was concerned that when I swapped the splitter with the amp that the signal would be over amplified. The HDHR now shows 97% -100% signal strength. I was in the 80% range before.
I also bought an Electoline AMP but I got the EDA 2800 model.

[Tej]

Originally Posted by carlgar

I am not sure why you are surprised. If the outside splitter was installed by the cable company, I would expect its output to be full signal strength. So the only other loss in the 4 way splitter at the server itself. I was concerned that when I swapped the splitter with the amp that the signal would be over amplified. The HDHR now shows 97% -100% signal strength. I was in the 80% range before.
I also bought an Electoline AMP but I got the EDA 2800 model.

Sorry for the confusion, I was actually referring to the post above yours, and assumed the splitters were nonamplified and installed by the homeowner. My experience matches yours in that the cable company amplifies the signal back to full strength if they are the ones installing the splitter.

The EDA 2800 is another good choice for a drop amp, and is less costly than the 8100. I went with the 8100 for several reasons, particularly that it is designed to fit in narrow spaces, and to work with cable modems.

[carlgar]

I thought you were replying to the original post. My outside splitter in not amplified. I just assumed that an outside splitter was installed by the cable company. I just expected that the cable companies take the split into account and send an over amplified signal to the house. The outside splitter then brings the signal back down to normal.