To Diplex or not...

Dvlos

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Jun 5, 2004
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No matter how many times I've asked for it removed, I still have a diplexer tumor in my house. I've read on here several times that it improves things to have it removed alas no installer will do it, the last guy told me "They don't send me the powered adapter, I have no way of doing it, but I know how". So what about option #2 for me, buying a better diplexer perhaps? Can anyone here give me some recomendations?
 
Dvlos,

Are you experiencing any problems? What do you expect to gain by removing the diplexer? In most cases, a bad diplexer was causing loss of OTA signal but since VOOM replaced those bad diplexer, it has not been an issue.
 
You may get some gain, but unless your on the fringe you probably won't notice it as far as OTA signal quality is concerned
 
Does the DIplexor also act as an amp for the antenna?

I'm curious because the Wingard Sensar II I have doesn't appear to have a amp. I know it come in two varieties - one powered, and one that isn't. (GS2000a and GS1000, respectively).

It's bi-directional, which is good, i'm just not sure if it's powered or not.
 
OTA Antenna/Diplexer Question

I hope it's ok to add this question to this thread. I've had no OTA signal since my Voom install in May. After reading much of the information here I found that my problem was, my installer connected the OTA and SAT together on my roof, ran the cable to the back of my STB and then just connected it to my SAT input. He had put the OTA module in the back of the STB but he didn't put a diplexer on the thing so nothing was connected to the OTA connection.

I called Voom and they sent another install guy out today. He put a Motorola diplexer on the STB but I still get no OTA stations. The signal strength for the OTA antenna is zero. The SAT is 96. I checked on that antenna web site and I have two digital stations at the same location just 12 miles from my house. The PBS station at that location is the one I'd like to get.

I put a ladder up to my roof (two story - clear line-of-site) and checked the OTA antenna. It's a ChannelMaster 3010 STEALTH and the ChannelMaster site says it should pull in stations up to 45 miles away.

So my question is, what do you people think my problem is? My OTA problem, you don't know me well enough to comment on all my other problems. :)

-Dennis-
 
Right now my OTA signals range from 40-70 and I only have 2 OTA channels that hit that range. I am also missing FOX. Now I was wondering if replacing the diplexer would help me get a better signal quality, 40 is pretty weak I was shocked I was able to see image with PBS HD with that signal strength.

Here's another question, with the voltages running up and down the coax, could a bad diplexer mess up PQ?

Aside from occasionally seeing PQ problems from the Voom side, I get fluttering little dots that wink in and out, like snow but not that defined, I "feel" that this is not something on Voom's end but on my end. Even with changing all the coax in my house it lessened this problem considerably but it's still there a bit and if I could cure it 100% I want to.
 
DPJohn said:
I hope it's ok to add this question to this thread. I've had no OTA signal since my Voom install in May. After reading much of the information here I found that my problem was, my installer connected the OTA and SAT together on my roof, ran the cable to the back of my STB and then just connected it to my SAT input. He had put the OTA module in the back of the STB but he didn't put a diplexer on the thing so nothing was connected to the OTA connection.

I called Voom and they sent another install guy out today. He put a Motorola diplexer on the STB but I still get no OTA stations. The signal strength for the OTA antenna is zero. The SAT is 96. I checked on that antenna web site and I have two digital stations at the same location just 12 miles from my house. The PBS station at that location is the one I'd like to get.

I put a ladder up to my roof (two story - clear line-of-site) and checked the OTA antenna. It's a ChannelMaster 3010 STEALTH and the ChannelMaster site says it should pull in stations up to 45 miles away.

So my question is, what do you people think my problem is? My OTA problem, you don't know me well enough to comment on all my other problems. :)

-Dennis-

It's hard to say what is wrong. I have that same antenna and get all the Chicago locals (except for one) from about 40 miles out. I do not have the diplexer in the mix, but have the power injector module that plugs in-line for the CM STealth antenna. Are the diplexers they used the "power-pass" ones that pass power through to the antenna from the STB? Did they install the (optional) amplifier inside the antenna before placing it up on your roof?

One thing you can probably try is to hook the antenna like to a regular TV antenna input and see if you get any analog stations that are broadcasting from the same area that the digitals are. Not an exact test by any means, but a quick one to see if you are getting anything from the antenna down the cable.
 
I improved my OTA signal quality by removing the diplexer. When the installer came out to install my second receiver, he showed me that the original installer had not put the amplifier in the OTA antenna. That is why my signal improved and I received new channels when I removed it. He put in an antenna with an amplifier and he showed me that because of the diplexer and with a proper installation, you can actually have a net gain in signal strength.
 
FrankJo said:
Does the DIplexor also act as an amp for the antenna?
I'm curious because the Wingard Sensar II I have doesn't appear to have a amp. I know it come in two varieties - one powered, and one that isn't. (GS2000a and GS1000, respectively).
Normal diplexer doesn't act as an amp, but it is supposed to pass voltage from the STB to the antenna if you have an amplified one. Not all of them do.
 
Dvlos said:
with the voltages running up and down the coax, could a bad diplexer mess up PQ?
Yes it can. If the diplexer does not pass voltage to the antenna, the built-in pre-amp will not work.
I get fluttering little dots that wink in and out, like snow but not that defined...
Is this on HD channels, or only on select SD channels, like 403?
 
I didn't get local HD channels either with the Voom Steath. I disconnected it from the roof and took the darn thing apart and to my supprise some parts were missing inside of this attenna. I bought an indoor amplifed attenna and got all 8 local HD channels.
 
Ilya said:
Yes it can. If the diplexer does not pass voltage to the antenna, the built-in pre-amp will not work.
Is this on HD channels, or only on select SD channels, like 403?


HD channels only... I get sparklies on the SD channels, its not like OMG SNOW !! I can't see a thing... these are random dots that blink in and out sometimes and it's a bit distracting. Like if you had a bad cable connection where you'd get snow, lines, and distortion, but this is so, so, so minimal that it looks like random white "snow" dots coming in and out... It's just slightly distracting, I kind of expect Sat signal to be near perfection in terms of noise, snow, etc... it's not a cable signal amplified, and reamplified and split to everyone in the neighborhood.
 
Dvlos said:
HD channels only... these are random dots that blink in and out sometimes and it's a bit distracting.
Could this be a bad DVI cable? Do you see the same thing over component?
 
Hmm... I had two boxes and I kept the other DVI cable, I could hook up component for a bit... I'll try that today and see what happens (although initially I noticed that the DVI connection looked sharper especially around different colors, less bleed etc..) if it's that I have a 2nd DVI cable from the other box I could use.
 
I had Voom install a UHF/VHF yagi AND a 24 db amp just under the awing where the antenna mast meets the apex of the roof. Prior to I couldn't get half the Sacramento OTA stations and hold them (68 miles).

An amp placed as close to the antenna as possible will make all the difference in the world.
 

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