[mythtv-users] Good signal strength? was: Re: Alternative to Silicondust HDHR3-6CC-2X3?

[Preston Crow]

On 09/06/12 16:36, Joseph Fry wrote:
>
>     Will I never have signal strength issues with FiOS?  I'm under the
>     impression that unless I do something crazy, I'll always have a
>     strong signal on the coax, as it's converted from optical in my garage.
>
>     Though now that I've dropped the cable box, there are no analog
>     channels to record, and the network comes straight from the ethernet
>     port on the ONT, the coax just goes to a three-way splitter for my
>     old HDHR and HDPrime, so the old days of splitting it for the TV,
>     VCR, PVR-250, HDHRx2, cable modem, and cable box are long gone.
>
>
> It is unlikely that you would see any signal strength issues with
> anything under 8 or even 16 devices, but like anything on COAX, every
> split will halve that signal strength (a three way splitter loses about
>   50% loss on one leg, and 75% loss on the other two).  The good thing
> is that your signal quality is probably pretty good (assuming the amp in
> the ONT is clean) because you don't have the long run from the
> cable head end to your house, which acts as a huge antenna even though
> they shield the hell out of it.

Thanks.  That makes sense.  When we had consistent problems with Comcast 
(occasional loss of dialtone for two years with multiple service calls), 
it ended up being a problem with the connectors out on the street.  The 
tech that figured it out had equipment that recorded the signal 
strength, which was good, and also some sort of error rate, which was 
horrible.

Most techs, if you're polite, will replace some connectors outside your 
house, and write it up as that being the problem, so that you won't have 
to pay for the service call.  At least that's what I found.