Antenna and amplifier questions...

Been searching for sometime on here and I'm still stuck with a couple questions....

Dropped cable going OTA for now

I picked up a Eagle Aspen Dtv2Buhf Directv 2-Bay Uhf Antenna (similar to DB2 (can't tell any difference 'cept price)) I wanted the one antenna to run both tv's in the house. Upstairs mounted inside in the window I do really good for reception, so what I want to do is connect antenna to the existing cable wiring in house, that goes downstairs to the splitter for the whole house.

I was able to source a 8 output amplifier (Antronix VRA900/ACP) which I believe qualifies for as an amplifier and not a preamplifier.

Currently I get all local channels in decent quality (upstairs) even though I'm some 30 miles south of the major towers in the area, Downstairs with a lesser antenna I have issues with signal quality, constantly adjust antenna to get certain channels, but it seems I can pretty much get them all, (not at the same time).

So I'm trying to figure out if,

1. If I should use the amp and where? Upstairs or downstairs splitting sources... 30'-40' line to downstairs splitter, and two 30' runs out of the splitter back to tv's. All decent quality cable and splitters.

2. How to hook the stupid amp up.... no instructions.... Has separate power source a splitter and the amp itself. I think it's something like power supply to splitter to amp, but then I'm not totally sure if it just goes in the input or the VOIP or Output 1 spot... Then I tie the antenna in the input spot?... I suspect I'll somehow figure this out someday, but I don't want to burn up the amp testing.... See pic

3. Will this work? Any additional comments? I'm a bit curious if the will help me or hurt me, I know too much signal is a problem too. I suppose it's easy enough to test once I figure out the amp.

(Panasonic G15 and Vizio 32inch 1080 Java case it matters...)


Edit: I believe this was the proper forum to post this question. If not mod feel free to move

Thanks that give me some more search ideas, I'm going to start moving things around see and how things work.

WHEW.... That was quite the process, I have reached my goal, all channels on both tv's no issues, one antenna. It took one heck of a trial period to get everything sorted. I'm not sure exactly why, but the Dtv2Buhf is too much antenna, there must be some amplification in the connectors I used, but nothing is powered, all I know is I had too much power to pickup channels. Seriously I'm a good 30 miles from the towers, pretty impressive.

Read plenty before posting, so I'm glad I was aware of the issue of having too powerful of a reception.

I ended up with my "lesser" RCA powered antenna, to the downstairs then split there back to the tv's, certainly not the results I had expected, and I'm a little bummed out about it too, the Dtv2Buhf would've been easier to conceal in the window.


As far as the Antronix VRA900/ACP goes, First off it says it's rated 52-1002 HZ so it certainly does work with the OTA frequencies (as observed), I believe it has potential to work higher up based on what I read, not sure what you'd use that for now. I believe the power goes in the Voip spot, and the antenna goes in the input spot, I ended up figuring that had to be the way it went. Hopefully that helps someone out some day.

And I got all the unmarked cable wires at the splitter marked now

All that said, I actually think it's the best looking quality wise pic we've had yet, the wife seems to agree.



And I promise to stop talking to myself now (unless you end up actually reading this thread and it somehow helps you bump it for me so I know all this talking to myself wasn't a total waste :lol: )

I hear what you're saying in practice it didn't work that way, at least not with 1 or two output of of the Antronix, I'm certain it did amplify the signal and my reception problems only got better when I started adding more connectors, thus dropping the db's and the issue was only solved by going to a lesser antenna. I had some wild configurations running trying anything to get this to work, frankly I was a bit shocked it all works perfect on the lesser antenna. Though I have noticed since I last posted that I need to raise and just the antenna again to keep 3 channels we watch a fair bit, in strong signal. The Panasonic seems to be better overall for channel pickup than the Vizio, I guess I wouldn't say it surprises me a whole lot, but interesting none the less.

BTW I got the amp for free when I had to use up some points from Charter's point program, before they went away when I canceled my service. Was the best choice for my points.

Thanks for the product link I may end up going that route yet if I change antenna locations yet again because I'm not overall thrilled with the current location though reception is great.