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"Seebest" Chinese CATV amplifier

post #1 of 20
1/2/12 at 8:34am
Thread Starter 
I needed a CATV amplifier for a long cable run so I bought a "Seebest" on eBay. Unfortunately it has strange connectors. They resemble quick connects, but are female and don't mate with male quick connects or anything else I have. Can anyone identify these and tell me what I need to connect them my cables that end in threaded male F connectors?
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post #2 of 20
1/2/12 at 8:48am
It is probably a IEC connector. Post a picture. http://www.o-digital.com/pic.asp?url...nector_961.jpg
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post #3 of 20
1/2/12 at 8:54am
Probably PAL connectors (a European standard for TV and Radio connections). You'll need to order them, or see if Radio Shack has them (often, but limited stock in some places).
There may be two different types on there...PAL connectors often have two different sexes, to keep you from getting in's and out's reversed. And, the ones for FM radios are backwards from the ones for TV sets and VCR's.
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post #4 of 20
1/2/12 at 10:18am
Thread Starter 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Quality...item27c0db6d23 Click on "enlarge" and you'll get an idea. Inside there's a "female" receptacle for the "male" wire. The receptacle is about 2mm i.d., probably too big to make positive contact with the male wire. The outer part is identical to that on a male quick connect, so the two can't mate anyhow.
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post #5 of 20
1/2/12 at 11:07am
Look at the pic in post 2. It shows the adapter you need.
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post #6 of 20
1/2/12 at 12:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pelmeni View Post

I needed a CATV amplifier for a long cable run so I bought a "Seebest" on eBay.

Too bad it doesn't have a return path, which means that it can't be used for anything that needs a return path, such as VOD or internet.

It's also a 220VAC model, which means that you'll need a converter so you can use it in your home.

Could have bought a drop amp with better specs from a U.S based company for probably less money than what you'll end up paying for that Seebest (based in China) unit (when all is said and done).
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post #7 of 20
1/2/12 at 2:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by egnlsn View Post

TIt's also a 220VAC model, which means that you'll need a converter so you can use it in your home.

Holly crap, do people see CHEAP and immediately ignore the rest?

By the time u get this puppy working, u would had spent for a well made, properly jacked unit.
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post #8 of 20
1/2/12 at 2:50pm
Nothing better than slamming a new member looking for some help ..
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post #9 of 20
1/2/12 at 3:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mgkdragn View Post

Nothing better than slamming a new member looking for some help ..

There was no intention of slamming a new member. Only to point out a few things about his recently acquired piece of equipment that he probably did not realize but does need to know.

Better to be told now and chalk up the loss of a few bucks to education rather than go through the time and expense of getting adapters and a converter (to change the 110 to 220) and then find out that it won't work for his needs and realize that he's wasted a lot more money.
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post #10 of 20
1/3/12 at 8:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by egnlsn View Post

There was no intention of slamming a new member. Only to point out a few things about his recently acquired piece of equipment that he probably did not realize but does need to know.

Better to be told now and chalk up the loss of a few bucks to education rather than go through the time and expense of getting adapters and a converter (to change the 110 to 220) and then find out that it won't work for his needs and realize that he's wasted a lot more money.

I was not refering to your post .. Post 7 ..
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post #11 of 20
1/3/12 at 8:28am
Surprised no one asked:
Why do you need an amp?
Why not call your cable provider to check connections and/or levels?
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post #12 of 20
1/7/12 at 10:58am
Thread Starter 
Egnlsn - We're using it on just one particularly long run that only has a generic STB (LG LST-4600a) so no need for a return path.

It has a plug for 110 volts and the power LED comes on. Could be that they just didn't get around to re-labeling the box. Most of the writing on it is in Chinese. Those other strange letters are probably so much Greek to them anyhow.

Actually I think it's just teething issues and miscommunication over specs. I opened it up and it looks reasonable inside. The connector issue is easy to straighten out, just a matter of using the right parts. If it works on 110v and there are no other issues, it may turn out to be a reasonable choice provided you don't need a return path.
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post #13 of 20
1/7/12 at 11:09am
Thread Starter 
Ratman - It's a particularly long/old cable run originally built into our unit that apparently isn't cable company's responsibility. Their technician couldn't get one of their cable boxes working on it, said signal was too weak.
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post #14 of 20
1/7/12 at 12:02pm
a) the LED would probably light no matter the "true" voltage rating of the unit. That doesn't indicate the unit is working properly.
b) did the cableco offer/try an amp? Either way, I'd personally pay a few more $$ and get a different amp that is 120V and has the regular F-type connectors.
c) just curious.... what is the distance of your "long" cable run? Are you sure that the your problem(s) is distance and not just the type/age of coax cable and/or connectors?

Example:
http://www.amazon.com/PCT-BI-DIRECTI.../dp/B000F28DP2
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post #15 of 20
1/8/12 at 7:25am
If a coax is so bad that it won't pass Cable TV, I'd be afraid that it has other defects. It probably has bad shielding, maybe even a hole rubbed/chewed in it some place. I'd make the Cable company replace it anyway. Remind him that it costs them money to keep sending a tech out....the term is "Truck Roll".
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post #16 of 20
1/10/12 at 6:35am
Thread Starter 
Happy ending - I'm getting a refund and don't even have to send back the amp with the weird connectors. I bought a different amp from All Electronics and I'm getting up to (digital) channel 83. Above that I start getting pixellation, but I'm getting plenty of programs for an upstairs backup TV. This is on an LG LST-4600a box.

I'm guessing this cable -- 30 or 40 years old -- was mainly for VHF, not so much for UHF so it has more HF rolloff than would be installed now. Wondering if I should try installing new cable. If I connect new cable with a female-female connector, what are my chances of pulling it all the way through, never having done this before?
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post #17 of 20
1/10/12 at 7:57am
Try tying a strong string to it and wrapping it with tape (so it won't catch on something), and try pulling on the cable a bit. The string will follow in to the wall if the cable isn't fastened down anywhere, then you can use the string to pull in a new cable.
(Electricians use that funky-looking blue and white string, with nylon or something woven in to it.)

What is in the wall is probably old RG-59/U. Just hope there are no old, old, old style splitters or taps in there someplace.
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post #18 of 20
2/23/12 at 6:44am
Thread Starter 
The Seebest's connectors are indeed PAL. Apparently that's what most of the world uses, but unknown here. They are push-ons, so our threaded F connectors seem superior.

I bought adapters on eBay for a buck each and then the amp worked fine. No issues with 110 VAC, so either they put in an appropriate transformer or it just doesn't matter. Nice little unit at an attractive price so I hope they fix the connector problem.
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post #19 of 20
2/23/12 at 12:24pm
I agree with the rest.
Sounds like RG59 cable, high loss through long distance, especially on the high end.

You could also have a 400MHz splitter somewhere as well if the run is that old. Everything above 400MHz will get clipped and not pass through correctly if at all.

If it meets your needs though, hey good to go! But you are paying for all those channels regardless. Might as well see if you can get them in!
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post #20 of 20
2/24/12 at 7:52am
Thread Starter 
AFAIK all splitters are in plain sight. These are rated to 800 Mhz or better. Without the amplifier, even analog channels 2-6 left something to be desired, so we had a problem with overall attenuation as well as high-frequency rolloff.

'm no expert, but we are dealing with 40 y.o. construction and it wouldn't surprise me if the original cable was mainly for VHF. This was for an antenna distribution system; then around 1990 they put in another cable system for cable per se, which doesn't seem to have issues at UHF frequencies.

For the modest amount of viewing we do upstairs, we are satisfied (for now) with the improvement we get from amplification. If we get around to a thorough recabling -- e.g. Cat-5 to all rooms instead of just WiFi -- replacing the old TV cable will be on our list too.
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