My OTA antenna signal only makes it to 2 rooms in my house (the 2 with the shortest cable runs) but the orby signal gets to all rooms just fine. So i thought about putting a booster on the antenna side to help with the long cable runs (before the diplexer). However it doesnt make any difference booster on or off the OTA signal still only gets to the same 2 rooms. Any thoughts on how to get the OTA to the rest of the rooms? I included a crude drawing of how its set up.
Can't get OTA signal to every tv.
- Thread starter wdljr1984
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I bet you don't get every OTA channel even on the two rooms. I had the same problem with the splitter. What I did was use a DTV 3x4 mini max multi switch. It has the diplexer built in and 4 outputs.
I do get all the available channels, the little antenna works pretty good. Didnt have antenna or orby in the last 2 rooms before install so i cant comment on that
I bring the OTA antenna and OrbyTv into my house on separate cables. I use a 2x1 splitter to combine the Orby OTA and another antenna pointing in another direction. Finally I use a Zinwell 3 x 4 Multi-Switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MLGNN0/ to distribute Orby/OTA thru the house. Works great.
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Seems as if two of your ports of the splitter is not passing the antenna signal then. My splitter was only passing some.
I have a similar problem with OTA signal loss also..I have my diplexer hooked up right at a channel master pre-amp then using a short cable to a 3way splitter I picked up at Lowe's... Splitter has a terrible loss in one port...2 receivers get 57 channels and third one only gets 32..I switched the ports around on the splitter and the one port is bad..Go to your signal meter and check it on the TV with good signal then switch your cable and check each port with the meter..mine was same on 2 ports and third dropped half of the others..I have a Zinwell ordered now..
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Mine works fine with a Zinwell SAM-3402. Coax in from a modded DirecTV Slimline is about 130 feet and a separate VHF-HI and UHF antenna are combined /amplified and fed to the Zinwell as well to supply four tv's with Orby and OTA signal - no issues. 
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If all local channels come in fine on one or two TVs, but not on additional TVs, you likely need a multi-switch with a terrestrial distribution amplifier and not a signal amplifier (booster). You need to minimize multi-port distribution loss, not necessarily boost signals at the antenna.
Hey, just curious ....
When you speak of using these old DIRECTV multiswitches with Orby TV. Do you just run the 13v (nom.) of the switch to the LNBF (to power it and always select vertical polarization) and leave the 18v (nom.) output of the switch unused?
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When you speak of using these old DIRECTV multiswitches with Orby TV. Do you just run the 13v (nom.) of the switch to the LNBF (to power it and always select vertical polarization) and leave the 18v (nom.) output of the switch unused?
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Run the OTA as a separate distribution system, using an amplifier and a regular splitter.
2 cables to every Tv and use a diplexer behind each Tv to combine into the orby box.
The issue is you loose 3 DB at the diplexer at the antenna. Another 8 DB at the high freq splitter and another 3DB in the orby box with the built in diplexer.
That’s like 13 DB loss, plus another 3 DB per 100 feet of coax.
If you run a separate system for the antenna and use an AMP to cut through the loss of the splitter, your only loss is the diplexer behind the receiver.
I wish orby would just get rid of the diplexer Inside the receiver
2 cables to every Tv and use a diplexer behind each Tv to combine into the orby box.
The issue is you loose 3 DB at the diplexer at the antenna. Another 8 DB at the high freq splitter and another 3DB in the orby box with the built in diplexer.
That’s like 13 DB loss, plus another 3 DB per 100 feet of coax.
If you run a separate system for the antenna and use an AMP to cut through the loss of the splitter, your only loss is the diplexer behind the receiver.
I wish orby would just get rid of the diplexer Inside the receiver
While I agree with the 8 db insertion loss of the four-way splitter as it's really a "power divider." I don't see how the diplexers cause a 3 db loss. As they're actually band combiner/isolaters. And thus either combine the power of two input bands (minus some bulk material loss of the diplexer itself of course). Or separate the two input bands back into their original power strengths (again minus a small bulk loss of the diplexer).
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Please see my post #10 ...
Is that how you connect the multiswitch in an Orby install?
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The progress of OTA as a signal and its license or use as a RATED and Accomplished Channel for or broadcast in the US is what OTA means. Depending on the location and distance to HATT is how well local channels can get their signals to the most homes. If there are obstacles between the antenna and the hatt; this very much so weakens the signals received; then also to cables and connectors their number and length of cable. This is the designed system needed for their reception. This means the final product needed depends on factors under consumer household location dependencies as well as how many towers serve them channels. Then better antenna reception is received. The design has worked for over 50 years.
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