Help with ordering the best gear

[eric the spark]

Have run 4 coaxial cables up to loft running from living room,kitchen an 2 bedrooms. What's the best gear to purchase to get these up an running. Not sure what the signal strength is like in the area either. Any help would be much appreciated

 

[telectrix]

any decent quality distribution amp. will do the job.

 

[eric the spark]

http://www.*************/p/labgear-hdu641-s-home-distribution-unit-4-way/26301

Would this be anygood?

 

[telectrix]

dunno, couldn't open the page. B&Q do a 6 way that's fine . got one myself. 3 TVs on freeview off a less than perfect aerial, and the pictures are perfect.

 

[MarkieSparkie]

Hi Eric, There is a good selection of quality distribution amplifiers on the following site. Just don't purchase the Philex model(s), I know from bitter experience that they are poor performers.
Indoor Amplifiers / Boosters from TV Aerials Online Shop

 

[Octopus]

You need an amplifier/splitter (mast head) and this will need mains power. There's a few on the market but try looking for Labgear masthead amplifiers/splitters.

 

[grantr37]

labgear........drools.....

 

[mhar]

You shouldn't automatically assume that you need amplification especially if you are in a post digital switchover area. Signal levels are not usually an issue. Get an f type 4 way splitter http://www.*************/p/4-way-splitter-with-powerpass-all-ports/69265 and try this. If results are not brilliant all you need to do is get a one way amp and put inline before the splitter or, more correctly, use a masthead amp and take advantage of the dc through legs on the splitter. A four way splitter only has losses of around 7dB so, if you are getting enough signal to operate one tv (before the splitter is in line) you only need an amp with that type of gain if you need an amp at all.
You save money, your customer saves money, you are doing things correctly, you won't appear on Rogue Traders for supplying unecessary equipment!

 

[dragon-av]

For a start you need an aerial... the single amp splitter option is very old school a 4 way dist Amp from Global or Triax is my preferred solution.there is some loss in splitting the signal so you need a massive signal to use a passive splitter most area work well with a 6db distribution amp but it depends on the incoming signal if very strong or weak it may need more amplification or some attenuation at source.

The other question is what are you distributing? Just UHF or UHF + Ku band (sat) + DAB/FM?

 

[mhar]

If by old school you mean tried tested, proven, reliable and adaptable then I agree.
I have never taken one of these 'distribution' amplifiers apart (straight in the bin - no messing) but I assume they are an amplifier combined with a splitter internally so little different to what I suggested but with disadvantages. Your post implies that more signal / amplification is required when using a splitter which is not the case.
Scenario one. A site with 250 ish tv points. 21 12 way 'distribution' amps? No 1 launch amp (this is an actual job I did where I used two launch amps for practical purposes) plus taps and splitters.
Scenario two. Four way 6dB 'distribution' amp in situ. Customer wants two extra points. Split a leg reducing the signal level by 4dB on the split legs? Chuck the 4 way amp and replace with a 6 way one? Or replace a four way splitter for a six way one at a cost of a couple of pounds and only have an extra 2ish dB loss on the legs and, being passive, reuse the splitter).
Scenario three (as this is an electricians forum). Four way amp left connected by the electrician, aerial fitted but pixellation on tv's, carrier to noise ratio too low so we need to amplify correctly (ie as soon as we can, 1m from the aerial with a masthead amp) unfortunately there is a distribution amp in the way not allowing power pass. Guess what, chuck it in the bin, replace it with a splitter and take advantage of the power pass leg(s).
I am not saying that you cannot use one of these things, I question why people use them as all I see are disadvantages and no advantages. An electrician could carry 1 variable gain amp (£10), a two way, a three way, a four way, a 6 way and an 8 way splitter costing £15 ish for them all making a total cost of £25. Include a masthead and psu and you are still sub £40. This will see you through most situations. Carrying a two, three, four, six and an eight way 'distribution' amp (probably two of each as you would require different gain levels) would be well over £200 and just would not be as versatile, plus your van would be full of totally unnecessary items

 

[mhar]

Another thought re post #9. If you are distributing uhf, sat if (the frequencies that the LNB reduces Ku band transmissions to) and vhf, the correct way to do this is to work backwards from each point. You know (or look up!) the required levels at each point so you calculate the cable losses for each frequency band and add these to your splitter losses plus combiner and diplexer losses and make an allowance for degradation. You would also have measured the incoming signal levels so you can calculate the level of amplification/attenuation (if required) for each band and would amplify (or not) accordingly. Shoving everything into a 'distribution' amp and hoping .................Or do you pre-amplify the signals before the 'distribution' amp and therefore amplify the noise that the first amplifier has already introduced?
My intention is certainly not to damn people who have used these. If I didn't know any better and I saw one in a shop or a catalogue, it certainly looks as though it has been designed for the job, I would purchase it and yes, in a lot of situations they are absolutely fine. However they are limited and not at all adaptable and therefore not something that I would contemplate especially as the need for amplification is not as great as it used to be (post switchover areas) and the alternative is cheaper and more versatile

 

[Rosco22]

Where to buy a sat dish?

Posted in the wrong place!