aerial signal booster query

[10monty]

i currently have a 4 way signal booster in my lounge next to my main tv which has the main aerial plugged into it (via sky+ and vcr) then this distributes to the tv in the lounge plus one in the kitchen and one upstairs. i have now got a tv for the 2nd bedroom upstairs plus a tv card for pc in the same bedroom. i have one spare port on the booster but to use this would mean another cable on the outside which i am not keen on, so what i plan is to use the cable that goes to bed 1 and plug this into another booster in the loft and run the upstairs tv's from this. would two booster boxes be a problem or does anyone have any better ideas.
thanks for listening
darren

 

[Steve]

aerial in the loft. Theres only so much signal you can squeeze out of one aerial. Alternatively, have an 8-way signal booster in the loft before everything else.

 

[plugwash]

best suggestion is to try it, whether you'll get away with it depends on the signal strength coming in and the quality of all the equipment used.

and as for loft arials the lower height and the roof structure give far far weaker signal than a properly fitted arial. Avoid them if at all possible.

 

[jimbox]

From what I understand you have the TV aerial coming into your downstairs lounge, into a booster, and then outputs to lounge TV, kitchen, and a cable going back outside when then re-enters the house in the bedroom?

I would suggest buying one or two simple Y-splitters (about £2-£3) to split the upstairs signal between the TVs and PC, and seeing what the quality is like from that before trying anything else. Boosters tend to amplify the signal more that you actually need, so the split signal could still be strong enough.

If you use make up your own cables using CT100 or WF100 (satellite/digital grade) coax cable and fully metal plugs for all cable runs, rather than any cheap Argos aerial extensions or cables made from "low loss" coax (which isn't low loss at all!) you will minimise loss over all these long runs you have around the house and the signal could well be sufficient. CT100/WF100 is also fully foil-screened, thus greatly reducing the effect of any electrical interference.

Boosters can't regain any signal lost over long cable runs, they can only boost what is left of the signal they do receive. If you take a picture, photocopy it really small, then photocopy the copy and blow it back up to full size the enlarged picture is the same size as the original but the quality of it won't be any better than the really small version. What a booster basically does is the enlargement part of that process.

For that reason, it's always preferable to put the booster as close to the source as possible, so you are amplifying the signal before any serious loss can occur. If you can, I would put the booster in the loft. If the cable currently doesn't enter through the loft but runs down the outside of the house find an opening in the eaves where you can push the cable through into the loft, cut off any excess and connect it to the loft booster. Then you can have your outputs in nice short runs directly to the upstairs rooms where you need it, and to downstairs go back outside (if necessary) down the wall (using nice new CT100/WF100!) to the lounge.



...or watch less TV

 

[Diyisfun]

I would suggest a 2nd amplifier, thats how I did mine, 'Y' splitter gave poor signal.

 

[10monty]

If you can, I would put the booster in the loft. If the cable currently doesn't enter through the loft but runs down the outside of the house find an opening in the eaves where you can push the cable through into the loft, cut off any excess and connect it to the loft booster. Then you can have your outputs in nice short runs directly to the upstairs rooms where you need it, and to downstairs go back outside (if necessary) down the wall (using nice new CT100/WF100!) to the lounge.

thanks for this advice but i want to be able to watch sky in all rooms aswell so this would be no use.

...or watch less TV

this is by far the easier option!!!!