separate coax booster or extending from STB

[stefan]

My STB has one input for coax, and one output. That way you can connect your rooftop to the box, and then on to the TV set. Or, in my case, on to my nova-t. I'm guessing that the STB has some sort of signal booster, but I'm not sure. Do you guys know if that's usually the case?

Would I be better off using a splitter/booster setup in front of my STB and connect the STB and the nova-t from the external splitter/booster?

[elite]

You should boost the signal (if you need to) as close to the aerial as possible (think booster in loft space), then you can split whereever is convienient - if you boost close to the STB you will also be boosting any interferance...

HTH

[stefan]

You should boost the signal (if you need to) as close to the aerial as possible (think booster in loft space), then you can split whereever is convienient - if you boost close to the STB you will also be boosting any interferance...

HTH

Yeah... I think I have a booster just below the aerial... at least it looks like a little box that could be a booster. But the antenna is on the roof, in a place that is a bit awkward for me to get to. The previous owner said they had to use a booster in the house to get a decent picture (but that was for analogue; they have shut that down now).

[elite]

Yeah... I think I have a booster just below the aerial... at least it looks like a little box that could be a booster. But the antenna is on the roof, in a place that is a bit awkward for me to get to. The previous owner said they had to use a booster in the house to get a decent picture

Yep, sounds like a aerial mounted booster, if you need to boost the signal further just place the new booster as close as possible to the aerial (please don't break your neck falling off your roof though!), maybe place it where the feed enters your property...

Have you tried just splitting the signal to see if it is ok without further boosting? - you can pick up a splitter for a couple of ££.

(but that was for analogue; they have shut that down now).

I'm jeleous - I live in a valley which means we get our TV from a repeater that isn't due to be upgraded to digital until 2009 (yes 2009), so I'm stuck with 4 channels til then it seams...

[stefan]

Have you tried just splitting the signal to see if it is ok without further boosting? - you can pick up a splitter for a couple of ££.

Haven't tried that yet, but I do have a splitter somewhere in one of the boxes in the garage... will have to try to locate it. That's the cheapest thing to try first =)

[bgowland]

As with all things, YMMV and you may not have to be too concerned with getting a booster as close to the aerial as possible - it depends on a number of things. I have about 8-10m of coax running from my loft aerial to an 8-way powered splitter/amplifier. The coax is brand new and good quality low loss stuff. The connections are clean and made properley (I know, I made them myself ). I was able to split my feed 4 ways with passive ('Y' type) splitters before the signal got too weak to use. That was when I bought the powered splitter.

Cheers,
Brian

[stefan]

passive ('Y' type) splitters

Thank's... that's what I have somewhere in my boxes... I'll just have to find them