Frustrating experience with home video distribution

[woostersoz]

I have the SD output from my Dish Network 622 being fed to my central distribution panel - this coax run is about 50 feet.
From this panel, I have a coax running to the master bedroom - this is about 125 feet.
I am using RG6 Quad coax but even if I use a CE Labs 6100 amplifier (tried at both the panel as well as just before the TV in the bedroom), I get a 'ghost' to the right of my image in the bedroom and the overall image is not too clear as well.
My questions :
(a) Is this run length (~175 feet) too much for one amplifier to handle ? Should I be trying 2 amplifiers in series ?
(b) My installer used twist on connectors on the coax cable - he says that these are fine provided you know how to put them on. Could this be causing an issue with the signal ? Should I ask him to put on compression connectors instead ?
thanks

[brant]

is this the only TV having a problem?

bypass the amplifier and see what happens. if you've still got a problem, change to compression fittings. and if you still have a problem after that, there could be damage to the cable itself.

also, can the amplifier gain be adjusted?

[spartanstew]

(a) Is this run length (~175 feet) too much for one amplifier to handle ? Should I be trying 2 amplifiers in series ?


I don't think so. I distribute my D* using a channel plus modulator. Cable run from the dish to the receiver is about 100 feet. Then from receiver to modulator is just 3 feet. Then cable run back to wiring closet another 100 feet. From wiring closet to other TV's in the house could be as much as another 100 feet.

So, It's a run of 100', then modulator, then another 200' to TV's. Picture is great on every TV and I don't even use an amplifier.

[puckwithahalo]

I have the SD output from my Dish Network 622 being fed to my central distribution panel - this coax run is about 50 feet.
From this panel, I have a coax running to the master bedroom - this is about 125 feet.
I am using RG6 Quad coax but even if I use a CE Labs 6100 amplifier (tried at both the panel as well as just before the TV in the bedroom), I get a 'ghost' to the right of my image in the bedroom and the overall image is not too clear as well.
My questions :
(a) Is this run length (~175 feet) too much for one amplifier to handle ? Should I be trying 2 amplifiers in series ?
(b) My installer used twist on connectors on the coax cable - he says that these are fine provided you know how to put them on. Could this be causing an issue with the signal ? Should I ask him to put on compression connectors instead ?
thanks


Just out of curiosity, what channel do you have tv2 set for, and what area are your local stations out of?

[BattleZone]

(b) My installer used twist on connectors on the coax cable - he says that these are fine provided you know how to put them on. Could this be causing an issue with the signal ? Should I ask him to put on compression connectors instead ?
thanks

Twist-on connectors have no place in RF distribution, period.

[woostersoz]

Thanks for all your replies. The TV2 is set to 'Air' channel 60 within the Dish Network modulator.

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area - not sure which channels are occupied by the local channels.

Interestingly, I ran an RG6 cable (with connectors installed by a pro in a shop) directly from both this Dish Network SD out and a VSX-94TXH Pioneer AV receiver (one at a time) into this TV and I have the same ghosting and image quality issues ! The Pioneer's output is fed into a CE Labs 1001ST modulator which then sends its output through a coax. The modulator is configured on UHF channel 64.

I have also tried the input from the Pioneer receiver into another TV that is close to it and I have the same ghosting.

I have also tried other combinations of channels (eg 21/23, 68/69 etc) but have the same results.

This leads me to believe that it is neither my existing cabling or connectors but something else that is causing these issues.

Also, FYI - the coax goes into the 'Air' antenna input on both TVs and the Setup has been configured for the TVs to use this antenna input.

Thoughts ?

[BattleZone]

Hmm... some nasty interference or something going on there... RF interference is never fun to track down.