Does it matter if your diplexor passes DC to an non-amped ant?

[dankgus]

I have a huge WInegard Platinum series antenna (THANKS VOOM!). This antenna is actively amplified, it is just VERY directional. I do get my locals with 95%+ signal but I have to wonder if it makes any difference if you apply DC voltage from the STB to a non amplified antenna. I guess it just doesn't matter? Any tips appreciated.

How about if you use a diplexor down at your TV and run a piece of coax to your NTSC tuner, does the DC voltage bother the NTSC tuner or are the coupled with a capacitor to block the DC? Again, any tips or comments are welcome, I just don't want to be slowly damaging things over time from a clever setup that seems to work fine right now.

Thanks,
--Dan

 

[vinnyv07]

I replaced my Amplified Stealth Ant which VOOM gave to me with a non amplified antenna which worked much better. When I hooked it up to the diplexer up on the roof...it would knock out the VOOM sig....when I disconnect the OTA ant the VOOm sig comes back. Somebody at this forum told me that the DC pass diplexer is for an amplified ant and hooking up a non amplified OTA ant might be screwing with the VOOM sig getting by ...in the morning Im going to Radio Shack to pick up one that doesnt have a DC pass ...I'll let you lnow if it makes the difference.

 

[dankgus]

I suppose my installer could have been on top of this and installed a diplexor that blocks DC to my antenna.

And, after closer inspection, the diplexor in my TV cabinet that passes OTA to my NTSC tuner actually says right on it "passes DC to satellite only". So apparently the DC is blocked from my tuner. I guess I could have just looked before posting, oh well.

Just in case this helps anybody, my single piece of RG-6 comes into my TV cabinet, splits at a regular passive splitter. One side of the splitter goes to the Voom diplexor on the box itself, the other side of the splitter goes to a diplexor that feeds my TVs NTSC tuner. I have great signal strength even with the split and use of diplexors.

--Dan

 

[vinnyv07]

Well I went to radio shack and bought a diplexer that is made by RCa and its the only one that they carry. I hooked it up and ...there was the VOOM sig and the OTA sig. Starnge enough the diplexer from RCA also said DC pass....but only on one side. But I bought it and it works...Im kind of angry with VOOM since I called them three days ago with this problem. They said that they would have to call me back because their computers were down....they never called me back. I still dont know if they ever scheduled a service call for me!!! Bad service!!! Im overlooking it because I love VOOM. Its amayzing that a service that needs to keep its subs would ever treat their customers like crap.

 

[Ilya]

Strange enough the diplexer from RCA also said DC pass....but only on one side.

And that's exactly what you need: it should pass DC to the dish, but not to the OTA antenna, since the one you have is not amplified. Glad it worked for you!

 

[Ilya]

I have to wonder if it makes any difference if you apply DC voltage from the STB to a non amplified antenna. I guess it just doesn't matter? Any tips appreciated.

You should never pass DC voltage to a non-amplified antenna. It may short-circuit it!

How about if you use a diplexor down at your TV and run a piece of coax to your NTSC tuner, does the DC voltage bother the NTSC tuner or are the coupled with a capacitor to block the DC?

I don't know whether your TV set will tolerate the DC voltage or not, but I wouldn't do that if I were you. Here is what you can do: remove the diplexer attached to the back of the STB and use another diplexer to separate the satellite signal from the OTA (make sure to use a diplexer that passes voltage only on the satellite connection side). Once the OTA signal is separated, you can then split it between the STB and the TV set.

 

[vinnyv07]

And that's exactly what you need: it should pass DC to the dish, but not to the OTA antenna, since the one you have is not amplified. Glad it worked for you!

Me too!!!. I thought I was going to have to go up to the roof to switch cables every time I wanted to watch VOOM and OTA.What amazes me so is VOOM didn't know about this...and that they didn't call me back!!! I'm going to call them today and tell then I spent 25 bucks on a new diplexer...its worth it though....but I want to let them know that I'm not happy about their customer service right now.

 

[Ilya]

What amazes me so is VOOM didn't know about this...

As I understand from what you wrote in another thread, VOOM has actually supplied the correct type of diplexer for the type of antenna that they provided to you initially (Stealth), even though you decided not to use diplexers initially. Not sure who did the installation of the upgraded antenna for you, but that person probably wasn't aware of your dipexer, since you didn't have it installed at that time.

I doubt VOOM will reimburse you for the diplexer you purchased on your own, but you can always ask for programming credit, if you feel VOOM didn't treat you well enough.

Good luck!

 

[vinnyv07]

Just to follow up on this...VOOM has called me twice now to see if everything worked out for me. They actually had a service call scheduled for this week for me. I told them about the diplexer ...I didnt ask them for a credit....Voom has been good to me.