Signal Amplifier Question

[dfecarter]

I have a Directv 5 LNB Dish serving two recievers. Both have separate satellite lines of course. On my SD (second receiver) I have a line from the receiver's video out going about 75-100 ft. to a third tv, so I can watch the same channel in another room. In my LR is my HDDVR, again separate line. The signal strength is a bit weak by the time it reaches my third tv (only black & white occasionally but eventually goes to color). I'm assuming that an indication that the signal strength is weak by the time it gets to the third tv. So basically I'm running two tv's from one box (same channel). Is there an in-line sat. amp. someone could recommend and the location it should be placed? I'm assuming the longish cable line is the culprit. Thanks!

 

[Skibum]

You could try something like this:

RadioShack.com - Home Entertainment: Accessories: Antennas: Antenna accessories: In-Line Signal Amplifier

Not the cheapest, but it's somewhere to start.

 

[BoisePaul]

A cheap solution would be this: Philips VHF/CATV Signal Amplifier - 4-way - 450MHz - Signal Amplifier - US2-PH61116 - Buy.com if you can find one. Since you're only looking at a single channel, 450MHz is adequate bandwidth, and if a 10dB gain doesn't give you enough signal, you have bigger problems and need to start looking at the cable.

 

[boba]

BoisePaul try rereading the OP statemant. He has a video out to the second TV not a RF out. The amplifier you are suggestion would work for CH3/5 but not for AV.

 

[captjc]

Please clarify. Are you running RCA cable or coax?

 

[dfecarter]

Coaxial

Coaxial, brand new supplied by the Directv installer - well I ordered the Terk 20 DB gain in-line sat. amp., however not sure where to insert it within the configuration?
I.E. should I stick it outdoors before the division or indoors at the beginning of the separate line going to this receiver or where the video out line pours from the receiver to boost that 75-100' length, not sure it'll do much good that near the end of the system.The amplifier is marked LNB on one end and receiver on the other. Any thoughts...Thanks!!

 

[texasbrit]

Coaxial, brand new supplied by the Directv installer - well I ordered the Terk 20 DB gain in-line sat. amp., however not sure where to insert it within the configuration?
I.E. should I stick it outdoors before the division or indoors at the beginning of the separate line going to this receiver or where the video out line pours from the receiver to boost that 75-100' length, not sure it'll do much good that near the end of the system.The amplifier is marked LNB on one end and receiver on the other. Any thoughts...Thanks!!

This device will not help you. It is designed to amplify satellite signals between the dish and the receiver (and is very rarely needed).
Your problem is video distribution, from the receiver to the TVs. Although I am still a bit confused by your posts, it looks like you have a cable coming from the coax connection on the receiver to a third TV, and this is 75-100 ft long. If the picture is snowy or is in black/white, you need an OTA/cable signal amplifier. Either of the two amplifiers mentioned would work for this.

 

[egnlsn]

If you are using the R.F. out on your HDDVR (have to have the 3rd TV set on channel 3 or 4), Then one of the aforementioned amps or one of these Amplifiers would do. If you are using the A/V outs on the HDDVR (yellow/red/white), then a composite A/V amplifier would be needed.

 

[boba]

egnlsn when was the last time you looked at the back of a H20/21 or a HR20/21? They don't have RF outs so there is no ch3/4. Original Post he says he is using the video out from his SD second receiver. Later he corrects his post that it is the RF out.

 

[AntAltMike]

egnlsn when was the last time you looked at the back of a H20/21 or a HR20/21? They don't have RF outs so there is no ch3/4. Original Post he says he is using the video out from his SD second receiver.

The original poster did not say he has an H20/21 or HD20/21. The last time I looked at the back of an HD DVR it was an HR10-250, and the customer was sending standard definition channel 3 to another room.

Later he corrects his post that it is the RF out.

Actually, he was asked if he was running RCA cable or coax and he replied, "Coaxial, brand new supplied by the Directv installer". But for long runs, residential installers oftenput RCA adaptors on RG-6 coax for video (I have done that many times), and for that matter, RCA video cable is coaxial, so we really don't know what his situation is, but when a picture flickers to black and white, that can happen when one of the component (or is it composite?) connections fails, it could happen if an RF signal became weak, or it could even happen if he made a poor choice of selecting channel 3 or 4 and his desired signal was corrupted by on0channel ingress.

 

[egnlsn]

egnlsn when was the last time you looked at the back of a H20/21 or a HR20/21? They don't have RF outs so there is no ch3/4. Original Post he says he is using the video out from his SD second receiver. Later he corrects his post that it is the RF out.

My bad on the HDDVR inclusion. His 3rd TV set, according to the original post, is being fed from his SD receiver (as you pointed out).

So, again, R.F. or composite?

At ch. 3, RG 6 loses ~1.7dB/100'. SD receivers (D11s anyway, I just measured mine) put out ~6dBmV. A loss of 1.7dB shouldn't kill the picture (or even maim it). 4-4.5dBmV should be plenty for the TV set to reproduce a good picture. It's entirely possible that he just has a bad connection (perhaps even the receiver is set to ch. 4 and the TV is trying to lock onto it while being set to ch. 3).

 

[dfecarter]

Both the receiver and the tv is set to ch.3 and to clarify the coaxial line runs from the "to tv set" (I have rca jacks going from tv to SD box) and I'm wondering if there's a way to boost the signal strength coming out of the box into the 3rd tv...thanks alot guys! your info has been helpful!

 

[egnlsn]

Both the receiver and the tv is set to ch.3 and to clarify the coaxial line runs from the "to tv set" (I have rca jacks going from tv to SD box) and I'm wondering if there's a way to boost the signal strength coming out of the box into the 3rd tv...thanks alot guys! your info has been helpful!

Either of the ones that Skibum or BoisePaul would probably be be your best bet, although there should be enough signal coming out of the box to feed a TV set 100' away.

I would check all connections, checking the connectors to make sure that the center conductor isn't too short and that there is no braid touching the center conductor inside the connector. Also, if there are any tacks or staples along the line, make sure that none are piercing the cable and that they aren't too tight. Any of those things could cause reception problems at the 3rd set. A nick in the center conductor in just the right spot could do that, as well. Try changing the output of the receiver and the 3rd TV set from ch. 3 to ch. 4 and see if that makes any difference.

If all of the above mentioned possibilities are fine and changing the channel does nothing, then go with an amp.

 

[dfecarter]

Thanks again for your time!