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Are you using the surge protector on the RF output of the 721? If so, why? Just run the cable straight from the RF output of the 721 to the add'l TV's, as you always did. Just use the surge protector for the AC power. There are no power sures from the 721 RF outpout that can damage your basment/office TV's, and vice versa.

GaryPen said:

Are you using the surge protector on the RF output of the 721? If so, why? Just run the cable straight from the RF output of the 721 to the add'l TV's, as you always did. Just use the surge protector for the AC power. There are no power sures from the 721 RF outpout that can damage your basment/office TV's, and vice versa.

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I hadn't thought about that but it certainly makes sense. I don't even need to run the coax through my surge suppressor in my bedroom. I'll take the coax line to my bedroom tv off the surge suppressor tonight. That should clean up the signal considerably.

I am using a signal amplifier on the 721 RF output but I'm still not getting a very good signal from it. Are there any particular amplifiers that are "better" than others. The one I have now is a rather inexpensive one that I bought at RadioShack many years ago. Any recommendations?

mlinuxg said:

I hadn't thought about that but it certainly makes sense. I don't even need to run the coax through my surge suppressor in my bedroom. I'll take the coax line to my bedroom tv off the surge suppressor tonight. That should clean up the signal considerably.

I am using a signal amplifier on the 721 RF output but I'm still not getting a very good signal from it. Are there any particular amplifiers that are "better" than others. The one I have now is a rather inexpensive one that I bought at RadioShack many years ago. Any recommendations?

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I was going to mention this before but I figure I answer your original question directly,. but..
Just to give you another angle on things what I presently have is a product called triple play from NetMedia. I take my audio/video feed from my dish my DVD player and something else and each of them gets converted to a UHF channel that not on air locally here. SO I have Dish on Channel 60. DVD on Channel 45 and something else on 41. I take this feed from triple play and feed that to a signal combiner to combine it to my off air Antenna. I now have a cable system in my house. One thing to note the Triple Play takes a stereo in but the channel it gets put on does not produce a stereo signal its mono but that does not bother me so much because if its something good I will watch it on my main tv since that tv is connected directly via video and audio for almost all the sources.
The RF out of the triple play is very strong I dont need any signal amplifiers.

mlinuxg said:

I have a 721 receiver which I use the coaxial video out to route the signal to additional TVs in my basement office and bedroom. I recently added a surge protector to my bedroom TV. Since adding the surge protector the video quality on the my office and bedroom TVs are significantly worse. How could improve the signal to both of these TVs?

Thanks for any suggestions.

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In addition to all the great advice you've been provided so far, be prepared for less than great RF from the 721. I have RF from my 721, 625, and 322 running a short distance to another room, with a good signal amp. While the RF output on the 625 and 322 are consistently good, the 721 stays true to it's freaky nature and provides at best noticeable analog noise. Also, depending on what mood the 721 is in , you may find quite a bit of noise out of the 721 RF. I have found that a re-boot seems to restore, most of the time, the 721's RF output to it's usual sub-par but watchable RF signal. Ironically, it is my mother who watches the 721 RF in the extra room, and the noise does not bother her in the least; she just wants to see the show. Fortunately, it is I who watch the far more superior 625 and 322 RF in the extra room.

This may go back to how poor the RF outputs were on Dish's older boxes, including the 721; they were noisy. I have to say, however, that starting with the 301 on up, Dish RF outputs are now quite good. The dual tuner boxes seem to have the best quality RF outputs of all. And, the quality of the TV's RF demodulator will also, greatly affect the quality of the video on that 2nd TV. My 2 Sony's display a BEAUTIFUL picture via RF, while an old JVC and RCA stink when it demodulates the RF.
Best of luck to you.

Hmm. I used to use that same setup, s-video to the main TV, and an RF run to the bedroom TV. The RF output looked great, as good as can be expected. Plus, it was using existing cable tv wiring that went down 3 flights from the LR to the utility room, and back up again to the BR.

GaryPen said:

Hmm. I used to use that same setup, s-video to the main TV, and an RF run to the bedroom TV. The RF output looked great, as good as can be expected. Plus, it was using existing cable tv wiring that went down 3 flights from the LR to the utility room, and back up again to the BR.

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Interesting! I used to have Dish 3900 and 2800's via RF and using good quality cable just a few feet to the TV next to them, and the RF had noticeable noise. A third TV, a Sony that had also had a 2800 connected just a few feet away, did a much better job of cleaning up the lousy RF output, including some nice enhancement of infamous NTSC short-comings. Back then, I used S-video out for the VCR's inputs for superior video and stereo recordings as I time-shifted a lot.

Then I switched-out for Dish 301's--still connected just a few feet away, close to the TV's--and all my video noise problems disappeared. I've stated this before, but it seems most manufactures don't spend much money on RF mods or demods (ins and outs) nor for RF processing in boxes or TV's. Sony is the only exception that I have been able to observe. Sony seems to take care with RF demods and processing; the picture via a Sony RF really looks good.

I've also found that one person will say that a video signal looks great, while another person says it is lousy. Whatever works for the individual.