Looking for a Good Cable Amplifier

[brb84]

Recently, my QAM signal from Comcast has seemed to drop off. Where I was getting around 88-90% signal strength on most channels, I'm now getting 77-80%, which just doesn't cut it, leaving weird glitches running through the picture and making most of the high-quality HD shows (like LOST) totally unwatchable. The signal problem is noticeable both through my HTPC with my HVR-1600's and with my HDTV's built-in tuner.

I'm looking for suggestions on an amplifier. I've tried the Motorola one, and it did wonders for analog signal, but it seemed to actually make the digital signal worse. I tried it with every configuration from no splitters to 3 splitters. I've also tried a weaker one from Wal-Mart, which didn't seem to do anything. I have also tried this in two different rooms in my house, and the weak result is the same. The one thing I did not try was putting the amplifier at the cable box on the side of my house -- mostly because I have no easy way to get power to that spot. I did notice this, however, which is supposed to make it so you can pull power straight from the connection somehow, although I can't imagine how it can work the same as getting voltage directly from a power outlet.

So - does anyone have any suggestions? I've read about the EDA-2100, which I suppose I may try. There's also the stronger FT08100. I just have no idea what I need.

[tmiranda]

Try www.cabletvamps.com. They have a big selection and I've had good results with the company and their products.

[Opus4]

I recently asked about amps here. There are several different amps available, so it may help to know what your layout is before someone suggests something. Also, the cableTVamps.com site says they will make a recommendation if you email them info about your situation.

- Andy

[MattHelm]

Please give a basic layout of your current wiring, and what you'd be willing to change. (can you knock out a wall? )

[brb84]

Here is a basic layout of the current situation:



The main Comcast line comes in to a plastic box on the side of the house. It goes into a 3-way splitter, and those 3 lines go up into the attic and on down into 3 different rooms. The one that goes into the upstairs bonus room is actually split again in the attic because the bonus room has 2 cable outlets - I use one for the cable modem and the other for the TV/HTPC use.

I have also tried the HTPC down in the living room with the same results, so I don't think that splitter up in the attic is causing my main weak signal issues. I don't currently have a good way to connect all 5 of the tuners I want in the bonus room, so I really just do a lot of manual switching back and forth right now.

I'm willing to try an amp pretty much anywhere except that there's no real way to get power to that outside box.

[MeInMaui]

I just installed this amp and it works extremely well.

http://www.cabletvamps.com/Products/EDA-FT08100.htm

The best solution would be to put this drop amp where the cable comes into your house (replacing the 3-way splitter) and run cables from it to each required point with no additional splitters. However, if this is not feasible, I would use this amp to split the line going to your bonus room into each of the lines necessary for your cable modem and tuners. I would not add any other splitters into the loop. Also, make sure you put terminators on any unused outputs.

Aloha,
Mike

[brb84]

I've got Comcast coming out this Saturday to take a look at it. If they can't help me, I may just try putting the 8100 right where the cable comes into my house. Like I said before, there's no nearby power outlet, but I did see an accessory you can buy that somehow pulls power directly from the cable line and uses that instead (no idea how that works).

I would like the option to replace the 2-way splitter in the attic, but I can't drop any more separate lines down other than the two that are going to the jacks. That means the only other logical places would be right before that attic 2-way splitter so it boosts both modem and TV+tuners or right after it so it only boosts the TV+tuners. My cable modem does occasionally drop its signal, though, so I suspect it could use some boosting as well.

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by brb84

I'm willing to try an amp pretty much anywhere except that there's no real way to get power to that outside box.

OK, first, FT08100 family of amps ALL support remore power. They use a coax cable for power, and if you can't/don't want to run a coax just for power, they have a special injector/remover to get power out on one of the cables already there. Just adds a bit to the cost, and 2 small units to do it.

Originally Posted by brb84

Here is a basic layout of the current situation:...

The best layout would be to run an unsplit line to the amp (either by putting the amp in the box, or removing the first split and rerouting the two other lines to the amp) and then running a coax to each device.

If you can get a good signal to the amp, if you want, you can really split each output by 2, and still get a good signal. (the amp ups the signal 3db and a splitter drops the signal 3.5db for a 0.5db drop after the split)

[Opus4]

I'm not sure how you would use the 8100 where the cable comes into the house unless you want to run 8 cables from it to the other rooms for all the connections. You may be better off with the 2100 at the cable entry point, as you mentioned in the first post.

Oh -- I suppose take out the 3-way splitter & run a single line to the attic, where the amp then runs lines to the 3 rooms. Running a single line to the attic would also allow you to put a single 2-way splitter in place first, running 1 line to the modem & the other line to the amp... which seems to be how most people recommend setting it up when possible.

An unbalanced 3-way splitter could send the lowest drop signal to the room with all the connections. You may still want attenuators to drop the signal to the 2 rooms with single connections. Or, maybe use a tap to keep most of the signal for the main line & drop it a bit before a 2-way splitter for those 2 other rooms.

The single amp might still provide enough power for the multi-connection room. I ended up with 2 amps because I had many connections right where the cable came into the house and also in my office.

I'm just tossing out other ideas to consider, but you should really get recommendations from someone who knows more about it than I do, since I had to ask for advice in the first place too.

- Andy

[gjvrieze]

I bought the one listed below and could not be more happy with, cleaned up my analog perfect, and digital is perfect through the HDHRs with direct cables from the ports on the HDHRs to the drop amp and a 3 port splitter behind the server to handle the three ATI 550Pros works great!!


http://www.amazon.com/Bi-Directional...3306720&sr=8-3

[MeInMaui]

Originally Posted by Opus4

I'm not sure how you would use the 8100 where the cable comes into the house unless you want to run 8 cables from it to the other rooms for all the connections. You may be better off with the 2100 at the cable entry point, as you mentioned in the first post.

In my case, I ended up using 7 of the 8 outputs and I'll be hooking up number 8 before long. But the main reason I went with this one was the the 0dB return and DOCSIS 2 compliance. This allowed me to eliminate the need for a separate splitter before the drop amp for my cable modem.

With the 3dB gain, it would probably work very well to just install the drop amp in the bonus room and run lines from the amp as needed. In fact that is basically the way mine is set up. I have the amp installed in the garage next to my server feeding all of the tuners and the cable modem.

Aloha,
Mike

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by MeInMaui

In my case, I ended up using 7 of the 8 outputs and I'll be hooking up number 8 before long. But the main reason I went with this one was the the 0dB return and DOCSIS 2 compliance.

I have an 8100 too -- I just meant that putting the 8-way amp where the 3-way splitter is now probably wouldn't work too well because of having to run all the lines from that point.

- Andy

[Polypro]

Same here, Brighthouse signal went from 100% after the 4 way splitter, to 75%. I went to Radio Shack and got the $33 +10db adjustable amp and it worked fine.

P

[brb84]

Originally Posted by Opus4

I'm not sure how you would use the 8100 where the cable comes into the house unless you want to run 8 cables from it to the other rooms for all the connections. You may be better off with the 2100 at the cable entry point, as you mentioned in the first post.

Yeah, if I decide to amplify from the start, the 2100 is probably the better bet.

Originally Posted by Opus4

take out the 3-way splitter & run a single line to the attic, where the amp then runs lines to the 3 rooms.

Yes, that would be nice to have everything centralized up there. However, this house is new, and the cabling was obviously done before the roof was finished being put on, because it's actually impossible to get to most of the cable drops that go to the rooms.

Originally Posted by Opus4

An unbalanced 3-way splitter could send the lowest drop signal to the room with all the connections. You may still want attenuators to drop the signal to the 2 rooms with single connections. Or, maybe use a tap to keep most of the signal for the main line & drop it a bit before a 2-way splitter for those 2 other rooms.

I just had another thought as to what might help balance out the load a bit. I may actually try out a HDHomerun and put it down in the living room since I've got ethernet run down there. I'd like to replace those 2 analog tuners anyway since I should be able to get everything I need in digital form. That way I won't need so many splits in the bonus room.