[mythtv-users] Pre-amp for Hauppauge 1600

[Greg Oliver]

On Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 11:32 AM, Joseph Fry <joe at thefrys.com> wrote:
>> The best tool I have for aiming antennas is the HDHomeRun Config tool that
>> shows signal strength, signal quality, and symbol quality.
>
> Check out the HDHomeRun_Config_GUI package
> http://www.silicondust.com/downloads/linux
>
> I take my laptop up on my roof with me and use the gui tool to adjust my
> antenna.
>
> As far as amplification is concerned, it is highly dependent upon your
> particular setup.  Amps are really only suitable for overcoming loss due to
> splitters or long cable runs, not for reception issues.  I put my HDHR's as
> close to the antenna as I could, and used some good splitters to keep loss
> at a minimum... this prevented any need for amplification.
>
> If you must amplify, I recommend a good mast mount amplifier as close to the
> antenna as possible.  Make sure it is adjustable and only amplify as much as
> is necessary to overcome the DB loss from the cable and splitters.
> Alternately, if your splitters are less than 20 feet from the antenna, you
> could replace them with a good distribution amp instead of using a mast
> mount to get about the same performance.  I would never recommend more than
> one amplifier as each amp will hurt your SNR (Signal-to-Noise ratio) and
> eventually make for a strong, but very noisy and worthless signal.
>
> Research the amp you buy... they vary widely in quality and cost... pay
> particular attention to SNR vs Gain.  A high gain amp is worthless if it is
> very noisy.  Also, try and calculate how much amplification you really need
> as the higher the gain, the higher the noise (typically).  Figure 1 DB per
> 15ft of coax plus whatever loss you get from splitters (they are usually
> marked).  A loss of 4-5 DB is usually acceptable without amplification... if
> you can't get a signal after 4-5DB of loss... then it's likely a reception
> issue that cannot be fixed with amplification alone (antenna, aiming,
> multipath, etc.)
>
> Hope that helps.
>
> http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/basics.html

Someone on the list recommended the ChannelMaster brand of amps to one
of my threads, and I bought one.  It works great - I connected it
directly to the balun on my antenna, and it immediately allowed me 4
more splits with my signal strength going up on all of my runs in the
house.  It is strongly constructed and waterproof as well as powered
via coax, so the transformer can be placed inside if you want to put
the amp outside.

-Greg