[BenCJedi]

I bought this signal booster around 6 years ago and it has been a solid performer. It's maybe a more fair price alternative to Radio Shack's nearly equivalent offering and is definitely a solid construction build. For me it is the difference between picking up one decent channel (digital) and the rest mediocre to none (analog). With this baby.. I get 3 solid digital and half dozen analog stations no sweat!


I've been buying from this company for years and just wanted to share my purchase for someone else that might not want to spend as much, but give their signal a decent boost.

http://mcm.newark.com/NewarkWebComme....jsp?id=33-290

UHF/VHF/FM 25dB

Features: •Low noise •High overload capacity •Lightning protection at RF input •Heavy gauge metal case •On-off indicator light •Switchable FM trap Specifications: •Bandwidth (MHz): VHF 54~300; UHF 470~890 •Gain: VHF, 25dB; UHF, 23dB •Maximum input (dBmV): •VHF, 15; UHF, 17 •Maximum output (dBmV): VHF, 40; UHF, 40 •Noise figure (dB): VHF, low 5.4, high, 6.2; UHF, 14 •Power requirements: 117VAC •Dimensions: 65/8" (W) x 17/16" (H) x 33/32" (D)

 

[sregener]

Boy, those noise figures sure are hefty. I imagine for most people, they would knock out digital reception rather than help. 5.4 for low VHF? That's double a quality preamp's. 14db for UHF? That's abominable! And with most digitals on UHF, that noise is going to clobber the signal.

 

[BenCJedi]

Oops.. well I just know it drastically improved my reception on a UHF channel, but it sounds like even I can do much better. What do you recommend then? I had like 14% signal for my ABC station without this particular booster and now I have 68-87% with it. Is it the noise that makes the signal bounce like that for me? If I can do better, I would like to try...

 

[sregener]

A quality preamplifier like the Channel Master 7777 or Winegard AP-8780 would be a great place to start. These have about the same gain numbers, a lot less noise (

 

[ThumperBoy]

Yes avoid those noisy general-purpose amplifiers for digital reception, go with a low-noise preamp like the Channel Master or Winegard models instead!

 

[bruman]

my drop amp works great.

 

[s-cbr]

Hello,


What do I need for the following setup:


1. Plasma HDTV in one room.

2. Regular TVs in four or five other rooms, with one of these likely to get HDTV in the coming months.


All are fed by cable, not antenna.


Right now all I have is a splitter, with the HDTV coming off one prong, and all the rest coming off the other (via a second splitter). My goal is to boost the other signals but make sure the HD is clean.


On your recommendations, I looked on Channel Master's site. Do I need a pre-amplifier and a distributor. If so, where are these set up?

 

[Lerronious]

How, in your opinion, does the Channel Master 3041DSB compare to the 7777? I need to boost a ~50% signal into the >75% range for two TV's, one analog and one digital. I can't find the 7777 locally but the 3041DSB is at Lowes for ~$60.

 

[georgepds]

If you need and amp... you need it


On my satellite feed , which goes to four different LNBs through a switch, I need an amp. Mostly I need the amp because the switch is deigned so poorly


On the OTA antenna, the combination of RG6 cable and a simple rotor is enough (even with a splitter and a relativly long ~75' ) line.


For OTA I'd recommend simple practices before going to the amp


1) put the antenna oustide, the higher the better


2) put it on a rotor so you can optimize the signal


3) use good cable (RG6) and minimize the number of connectors, if at all possible use a single line from antenna to receiver


4) if that does not work, put the antenna hicgher, or by a bigger antenna

 

[thepicman]

Quote:

Originally posted by georgepds 3) use good cable (RG6) and minimize the number of connectors, if at all possible use a single line from antenna to receiver

You can't have a single line if you ground the coax as it enters the house. Grounding isn't just for Breakfast anymore.

 

[Dave Milne]

picman,


what about one of these:

http://www.radioshack.com/images/Pro.../15/15-909.jpg