Everything besides that statement is correct.
If you put in an amp, you will not change your signal to noise balance - as you will boost both signal and noise with the amp.
If someone trys to put in an amp to boost the signal if its low overall, they are not doing it properly anyway. There should be a certain level coming off the tap (which can be changed out with various levels at the box/pole). If its not there, then everyone around you will probably be experiencing the issue as well.
If you have a long run to your house, as you say, then they might need to boost the signal at your house, especially if you have a number of drops. If the signal is at the lower side at the tap - combined with a long run - and a number of drops in your house, an amp is very possible.
However, that will NOT correct the prbblem you reported of a bad S/N Ratio in a certain QAM frequency - and if not a bad piece of coax (unlikely to be so specific in nature as it would roll off at a certain frequency from there on out) it means that the run needs rebalancing.
If everything DOES check out good, good drop, good internal lines, signal at the ped/pole is within parameters, an amp WILL solve the problem. I have seen it more times than I can count.
In alot of areas where I live, the signal at the pole is +30. However, because the house is located on 4 acres of land, the signal loss from the pole to the house is high. Therefore, by adding an amp at the house will resolve the situation. Please dont say that statement is incorrect because it is correct.
As usual, the post is picked apart and the rest of the relevant information is left out because of a disagreement over one sentence.
The following sentences after that tells what the next step is.
If he finds that the signals at the pole or ped are low, they will then send another tech that will not even show up at your house.
Reading a post and only reading one sentence at a time, instead of the whole paragraph is not a good thing to do. It then goes on to say
If he finds that the signals at the pole or ped are low, they will then send another tech that will not even show up at your house.
Ok, so the tech came out and still amplified the line even though the tech KNEW that the signal at the pole was low. Why? Standard Procedure. It "helps" to temporarily relieve the situation. It's not the cure all, but helps. Low tap signals does not mean theres noise in the main line.
Now I can see you asking or going why is that standard procedure? Thats stupid/insane cause all your doing is amplifying noise.
If the drop was bad, or questionable, then yes, that would be the case. If the main line had noise registering, then yes, he would just be amplifying the noise.
In case of a bad drop (main line to the house), He would then replace the drop (or lay a temp if underground as most of those techs wont bury a line) and then he would STILL amplify the signal due to that it will help to relieve the situation if he founds signals at the tap are low.
Just because signals are low at the tap, does not mean that these signals are bad. In this situation it was a re-balance. This does not make bad signals and an amplifier will solve the situation until the line techs can come and re-balance the main lines.
My original post shows the standard procedure of what happens when you call up for a service call and a technician comes out to look at your problem. Which was confirmed by jtrain73.
jtrain73 --
>>> Side question: he split the incoming cable line before the amp, 1 line to my cable modem, 1 to the amp (and then on to my cable box and other lines). Why is this done? Can a cable modem not handle an amplified signal??? <<<
It is rumored, I have not seen it personally, that amplifying the broadband line can/will/maybe/might fry the modem internally. Too much signal coming into the modem will burn out the receiver part of the modem.
The common reason that is told to the customers, is that an amplifier only amplifies the Upstream, (signal to modem) which in turn decreases the downstream (modem to head-end).
Basically it makes it so the modem has to increase its internal power to be able to broadcast its responses. Which in turn can burn out the transmit from being overworked.