Poor Video Quality Question

[garyc]

Most cable companies these days use either Scientific Atlanta or Electroline amps. Be sure your amp has at least a 1GHz bandwidth (many of the less expensive amps do not).

I've had excellent luck with a 4-port Electroline I bought through an e-bay vendor for under $50. If you're interested it's at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5719068004

You can't help but notice some improvement if you're currently splitting 5 ways without amplification. On the other hand, this may or may not be the only problem - the suggestion to hook up directly to the cable (with no splitters) is a good one to help isolate the problem.

Gary

[mightyt]

Originally posted by garyc
Most cable companies these days use either Scientific Atlanta or Electroline amps. Be sure your amp has at least a 1GHz bandwidth (many of the less expensive amps do not).

I've had excellent luck with a 4-port Electroline I bought through an e-bay vendor for under $50. If you're interested it's at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5719068004

You can't help but notice some improvement if you're currently splitting 5 ways without amplification. On the other hand, this may or may not be the only problem - the suggestion to hook up directly to the cable (with no splitters) is a good one to help isolate the problem.

Gary

Thanks Gary ... The Electroline looks great ... Do you know if it can be had at any common local electronics stores??

[mightyt]

Originally posted by Opus4
Before spending all the money, though, simply connect the cable directly to a single tuner (or just use the 2-way splitter for the 2 tuners) to see if reducing the # of splits takes you back to what the recordings used to look like. There is no guarantee this is the issue - too many splits was just one of the things to look into.

- Andy

Agreed ... I will try that first ... Though, the more we talk about it the more I am convincing myself it may be the problem ... or at least part of the problem.

Grayc's link had some before and after screen shots and it looks very much like what I am experiencing.

Some other late braking news is, my wife tells me that she notices a difference on straight TV. Let me explain ... One of these splits is direct to the TV. My Sage split goes to a second port on the TV. Thus, the TV remote has an A/V button to switch me from direct TV connection (rear) to the Sage connection (front). I think this also tells me that what you are saying may be true since the direct connection appears to have degraded as well. In essence, the problem can't be due to Sage or any TV Card issues since the direct connect does not passing through the HTPC. This leads me to think all splits have the same issue.

This is starting to point to the amp, I believe. Your thoughts?

T.

[stanger89]

FWIW, the specs on all three amps are similar.

Both amp/splitters have 54-1000MHz forward bandwidth (what you need), 5-50 (or 52)MHz return (if you're running a cable modem or cable box) and 7dB of gain. The only one with significantly different specs is the small (non-splitter) RS one with 50-2200MHz bandwidth and 10dB of gain.

Guess what I'm saying is that it's probably not worth the trouble ordering one if you can get an RS one local. Personally I'd go for the 4-way splitter/amp since it's got a gain adjustment so you can tweak it so it's just right.

[mightyt]

Originally posted by stanger89
FWIW, the specs on all three amps are similar.

Both amp/splitters have 54-1000MHz forward bandwidth (what you need), 5-50 (or 52)MHz return (if you're running a cable modem or cable box) and 7dB of gain. The only one with significantly different specs is the small (non-splitter) RS one with 50-2200MHz bandwidth and 10dB of gain.

Guess what I'm saying is that it's probably not worth the trouble ordering one if you can get an RS one local. Personally I'd go for the 4-way splitter/amp since it's got a gain adjustment so you can tweak it so it's just right.

If I am going to get an amp, I prefer to do it from a local store should it not make a difference then I can return it. If the Radio shack and the Electroline are o different then I would probably go RS since it's about 2 mi. from home.

Looks like I am getting an Amp101 lesson. Am grateful for the info.

T.

[mightyt]

Well thanks to "you all" I have been able to solve my video problem. It appears that it was just flat too many splits. I went out and bought the RS Amp Stanger suggested and gave it a try. Funny though, RS always wants to sell me gold cables!!

http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=15%2D2506

Anyway, the picture visibly improved on Sage and direct to the TV.

I still left the video settings on "Overlay" to squeeze out a little more quality.

I will try and tweak the gain when someone comes home and can tell me if things are better or worse since the amp is in the back of my spaghetti center!!

In closing, THANKS guys for the advice and education. This was well worth the $50.

Cheers!

[Opus4]

Originally posted by mightyt
Funny though, RS always wants to sell me gold cables!!

Umm.... I thought it was batteries that RS always tries to sell you??

In closing, THANKS guys for the advice and education. This was well worth the $50.

AWESOME!! We're going to be getting some money for this one? How do you plan to split it? Stanger gave more details on the amps, but I brought it up in the first place, so I'm not sure which one you value more.

Oh.

Wait.

You meant you gave the $50 to RS, didn't you?

Oh well. I was excited for a little while.

- Andy, slinking off...

[mightyt]

Originally posted by Opus4
Umm.... I thought it was batteries that RS always tries to sell you??

AWESOME!! We're going to be getting some money for this one? How do you plan to split it? Stanger gave more details on the amps, but I brought it up in the first place, so I'm not sure which one you value more.

Oh.

Wait.

You meant you gave the $50 to RS, didn't you?

Oh well. I was excited for a little while.

- Andy, slinking off...

Andy, I transferred the $50 over to your banks accounts ... ... but since I now know that splitting things degrades the results, you may not notice the deposit.

However!!! ... Would you like some batteries and gold cables?? Better yet I have a couple of 2 and 3 cable splitters I am no longer in need of ...

T.

[stanger89]

Originally posted by mightyt
Andy, I transferred the $50 over to your banks accounts ... ... but since I now know that splitting things degrades the results, you may not notice the deposit.

[stanger89]

Originally posted by Opus4
Umm.... I thought it was batteries that RS always tries to sell you??

I think you're confused, the try to sell you gold batteries

[Opus4]

But... quadruple-A batteries? I have no idea what I could possibly use those for!

Oh -- and I did check my bank account... I saw some sort of deposit, but as I watched it, it kept getting grainier and got more and more blurry as time went on. The deposits from yesterday worked just fine, but those were before the split. It is gone now & I don't know if I will be able to get it back. Oh well. Thanks for trying.

- Andy

[mightyt]

Originally posted by Opus4
But... quadruple-A batteries? I have no idea what I could possibly use those for!

Oh -- and I did check my bank account... I saw some sort of deposit, but as I watched it, it kept getting grainier and got more and more blurry as time went on. The deposits from yesterday worked just fine, but those were before the split. It is gone now & I don't know if I will be able to get it back. Oh well. Thanks for trying.

- Andy

Don't feel bad ... that sounds like my bank account! Nothing seems to stick!! Somehow I always end up with less than I started with ... Hmmm, maybe RS has an amp for my account ...

T.