freeview aeriel booster

[Scrubbs]

I have a fairly recent aeriel on the roof with the cable going into the loft, from there I have chocolate blocked all the droppers to various places in the house.
The problem is, the various freeview decoders all have varying degrees of succes in picking up the channels, some can get all the channels some can't
Is it worth buying a booster if so which one??

[Chris]

'Chocolate blocked'?

[Kymmy]

Chris you'll find he means Choc blocked..
http://www.screwfix.com/sfd/i/cat/18/p1443618_l.jpg



What you need is a amplifier with multiple outputs, they normally fit on the mast (best place for them but will quite happily sit in a loft (though closer to the antenna the better)

Do a search for masthead amplifier on ebay and you'll find a load of 4 and 6 way devices including their PSU's

[Scrubbs]

Oh mistress of the airwaves thou hast done good once again:angel::nworthy:

but granteth us yet one (or more) boon or boons :D which out of this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/UXFR5-5-way-TV-digital-masthead-amplifier-psu-/270514689031?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item3efbee9407) this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Triax-Wolsey-6-way-Masthead-Amplifier-Kit-Variable-Gain-/310206812020?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item4839c44f74) and this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LABGEAR-MASTHEAD-AMPLIFIER-BOOSTER-4-WAY-VARIABLE-GAIN-/190346048876?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item2c5182356c)is most bestest

should I be looking at high Db or low Db?:shrug:

and.... more money = betterer?:)

and..... (I'm going for group discounts on boons here;)) will it work just as well boosting one signal then splitting it or go for one input and 6 boosted sig a nails?

[Kymmy]

If your normal antenna works fine with a single freeview box then you don't need any fancy hi-gain amplifier. All you link to are OK brands, just go for one that has enough capacity for how many connections you need (though an extra 1 or 2 won't do any harm)

as far as your last question I have no idea what you mean but one antenna is one signal path, what the masthead does is spit the signal into isolated paths and amplifies the signal up to or more than the strength of the original one. (whether it has gain first then splits or splits first then gains isn;t really an issue as long as the split in noise free)

[Scrubbs]

Thank you Ma'am

What I meant was, could I go from aeriel to amp to chocblock to droppers or remove the chocblock and make all the ends off so it goes straight in to the amp, just laziness on my part, I know.

ok, ok,.......... I'll make all the ends off.
I'm off to Newcastle, the Toon (enemy country:)) tommorrow I'll see what I can find there as well.

thanks again:)

[Matth]

If you have random take-offs, then your signal is going to end up high and low at various points due to reflection and standing waves.

[Scrubbs]

I'll get back when I've sussed it:)

[Kymmy]

All the ends should go from the amp which is is basically an amplified disctribution unit..

Remember that co-ax is unbalanced yet choc blocks are unshielded balanced (in their crudest form) so that's gonna mess with the signal as well as what Matth has already said.

So what you want is Antenna to amp then (for example 6 way) upto 6 coax leads coming off from amp directly to upto 6 TV's.. (one of the leads will go via a PSU unit that will power the amp via one of the antenna feeds)

[Scrubbs]

Ahhh......... I see...... I thought I was going to have to run power into the loft :)

thats saved me some time :angel::nworthy:

[Scrubbs]

Update...........
ordered this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Triax-Wolsey-6-way-Masthead-Amplifier-Kit-Variable-Gain-/310206812020?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item4839c44f74) on thursday ,arrived this morning, fitted and working great, got channels coming out of my ears now:)

thanks Kymmy and matth:angel: