signal booster?

[NetComrade]

Is there are a signal booster available for DirecTV, or might even any in general work?

My grandma watches her 'international' channels off a dish that's installed at neighbors and coax cable is around 100 feet long. The signal gets sometimes, especially after rain (cable is partially underground).

Thanks!

[boba]

Replace the cable it will have a more positive results.

[Newshawk]

I agree with boba. There is an inline amplifier for D* signals, but it's not recommended until you have at least 125 ft. of cable from dish to receiver. Even at 100 ft., you should have good signal. Replacing the cable would be a bit more expensive than adding the amp (it's recommended you place it at the middle of the cable run, so in addition to the amp you'd need two compression fittings and possibly shrink tubing to make the assembly watertight) but would benefit you in the long run.

[NetComrade]

I think I did a poor estimate yesterday, the other condo is at least 80 feet away, plus vertical distances and in house distances, so it has to be at least 150ft. I also forgot to add that there is a '3-way' (3 all together connections) split around the middle of the cable (but closer to the first condo, let's say at 65 feet), which allows another condo to have service.

Does it still not make sense adding a booster? If yes, where would the most appropriate location be (e.g. b4 the 3way splitter)

Thanks for sharing the knowledge.

[carl6]

Does your grandmother have her own DirecTV reciever, or is she watching whatever the person in the other unit is watching (just sharing the output of the reciever)?

A 3-way splitter will not work properly for splitting the signal from the dish, but will work for splitting the output of a receiver to multiple TV's. If that is the case, doing a 3-way split along with long cable runs probably does result in a very low signal. In that case, an amplifier before the 3-way splitter would probably help.

If it is really the line from the dish itself, and your grandmother has her own satellite receiver, then you have more problems because of the use of the splitter. You need to get rid of the splitter and have a proper installation done, probably using a multiswitch.

Carl

[NetComrade]

It's the latter (single cable going out of the dish is split into 2 and is attached to receivers). Where does one get a 'multiswitch'?

BTW, I believe there is already some kind of 'booster' installed (one that doesn't require any power), but I guess it doesn't seem to help.

Apologies for being not 100% clear on everything, grandma lives with parents, and I am just house-sitting here for a few days, and don't know all the details.

[sheridan1952]

This is good source for multiswitches. CLICK HERE (http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Order/Switches/DirecTV-switches.htm)