Amplifying Off Air Signal???
- Thread starter wobbie
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you may, however, the issue remains if your signal is garbage now it will not get much better with an amplifier. I am thinking you have one of the 10db amplifiers, I have one in my setup, it helps me to get NBC more reliably but kills my CBS signal completely.
Those amps are best suited for those splitting a CATV signal over a long run. They can help OTA but only if you get the signal already.
Those amps are best suited for those splitting a CATV signal over a long run. They can help OTA but only if you get the signal already.
If the OTA signal is high enough to give a good picture to a single TV with no preamp, then you will only need to use a line amp to boost the signal level.
Having that many drops you will need at least a 10db gain to keep the level up to the same point as a single drop. The old amp you have may be fine to use. It would be good to know how much gain it has and if it is adjustable. If it has too much gain it can overdrive the signal into the TV. With the amount of drops you want though, this may not be a problem.
If I understand this right, your amp has four outputs that you want to divide into nine drops. You could use two way splitters on three of the ports and a three way on the fourth port to get your nine drops.
Having that many drops you will need at least a 10db gain to keep the level up to the same point as a single drop. The old amp you have may be fine to use. It would be good to know how much gain it has and if it is adjustable. If it has too much gain it can overdrive the signal into the TV. With the amount of drops you want though, this may not be a problem.
If I understand this right, your amp has four outputs that you want to divide into nine drops. You could use two way splitters on three of the ports and a three way on the fourth port to get your nine drops.
You might also want to check the frequency that the cable amplifier is designed to handle. Most cable frequencies are below the UHF channels so the amplifier may not amplify the UHF channels you are receiving. 
The four port amp is a SV-A15-4PRS Gain 15 dB. 53-1000MHz. Reverse Path 5-42 MHz 6KV Surge protected. On the 4 ports it says 7.5dB
In also have a two port amp that is a Scientific Atlanta Surge-Gap Dro Amplifier. 5-40/51-1000MHz the two outputs are listed +11dB. Would I be better off using the latter one and running splitters? I do have an 8 way splitter that's available. The picture quality is rather good straight off the antennae to my only T.V. that I have it on. Thanks for the help.
In also have a two port amp that is a Scientific Atlanta Surge-Gap Dro Amplifier. 5-40/51-1000MHz the two outputs are listed +11dB. Would I be better off using the latter one and running splitters? I do have an 8 way splitter that's available. The picture quality is rather good straight off the antennae to my only T.V. that I have it on. Thanks for the help.
Since you have the SA amplifier and the 8-way splitter go ahead and try it. It will probably be enough gain to get a good signal. If it isn't enough gain to give a clear picture then insert the other amp before the SA amp and use one of the four outputs to drive the SA amp. Then you should be fine. Tieing the nineth drop to the second amp output port may overdrive the TV but if is does then just get a 8db attenuator.
