[Grentz]

So I am looking at three RF modulators currently. I am going to backfeed the signal into my system that has OTA as well so I am looking for one that will be fairly powerful which has brought me to:

CE Labs 1001ST (~$60)
-Stereo Audio
-Agile (can be set to any channel)

Channel Plus 5415 (~$75 (on eBay))
-Agile (can be set to any channel)
-Fairly popular it seems

Blonder Tongue HVM-1 (~$100, some cheaper on eBay)
-Professional Grade it seems
-Half Agile (can be set to most channels depending on model (UHF or VHF))


Any opinions on these?

 

[houskamp]

I run channel vision e1200's, they are programmable to ony channel too..

 

[Grentz]

I am open to other models too, just found those 3 when searching.

 

[spartanstew]

Can't comment on which of those is best Grentz, but I've been using the ChannelPlus 5445 for almost 4 years and love it. Has worked flawlessly. Have you considered a unit that can distribute more than one channel (the 5415 is just one right?). I have 2 HR21's and a DVD player hooked up to my 5445 and it's very convenient to be able to watch DVD's or access either HR21 from any room in the house. I think it's better to have more capability that you're not using then not have enough.

 

[Knon2000]

well, I am very partial to Blonder Tongue. If you are willing to spend the money, you will be pleased with the product.

 

[Grentz]

Can't comment on which of those is best Grentz, but I've been using the ChannelPlus 5445 for almost 4 years and love it. Has worked flawlessly. Have you considered a unit that can distribute more than one channel (the 5415 is just one right?). I have 2 HR21's and a DVD player hooked up to my 5445 and it's very convenient to be able to watch DVD's or access either HR21 from any room in the house. I think it's better to have more capability that you're not using then not have enough.

Ya, I considered it. Where it is going I only am going to have the receiver though, and just one. So I really have no use. I might consider getting a dual though for future expansion.

well, I am very partial to Blonder Tongue. If you are willing to spend the money, you will be pleased with the product.

I have heard nothing but good about Blonder Tongue, the thing that concerns me a bit is that they are all mono from what I have found (the ones in my price range).

I found one on eBay that looked heavily used, but still probably good, for ~$40 so that might be an option. In looking it seems like the output on the CE Labs is ~20, the Channel Plus is ~24 and the Blonder Tongue is ~30. But from what I have alos heard the CE Labs is plenty to feed into an OTA system.

 

[BattleZone]

Pro modulators like the Blonder Tongue are mono; a second modulator per channel is used for stereo audio.

The biggest difference with a pro modulator is that you have tighter filters, so you can put channels right next to each other. You also have finer control; you can set the audio and video gain and output power.

Consumer mods give you less control and bleed over the adjacent channels, so you have to stagger your channels (25, 27, 29, 31, etc.). For most home uses, this is not a problem, and doesn't justify the extra expense.

 

[Grentz]

Ya, the channel isolation is not a big deal. I would like the finer control, but dont really want mono or to have to pay out the nose for it.

 

[RACJ2]

Can't comment on which of those is best Grentz, but I've been using the ChannelPlus 5445 for almost 4 years and love it. Has worked flawlessly. Have you considered a unit that can distribute more than one channel (the 5415 is just one right?). I have 2 HR21's and a DVD player hooked up to my 5445 and it's very convenient to be able to watch DVD's or access either HR21 from any room in the house. I think it's better to have more capability that you're not using then not have enough.

What quality of video do you get with this? Do you get an HD quality picture through them? Also, are they connected by coax?

 

[BattleZone]

Standard-def only. ATSC mods *start* at around $1800, and you need more than just the mod.

Modulators are "fed" via composite video (yellow RCA) or S-Vid and analog (white & red RCA) audio, and output on coax. They are designed to put a given video signal onto an RF frequency that corrosponds to a TV channel.

So, let's say you have a security camera. You can connect it to a modulator, set the modulator to an unused frequency/channel, use a "splitter" backwards as a combiner to add this signal to your OTA or cable line, and tune your TV to the appropriate channel, and there's your security camera signal. You could also feed a DVD player, sat receiver, video game, or pretty much any video source into the modulator, and watch it on any TV connected to the cable distribution.

Cable companies just use a higher-end version of this technology to take the TV signals that they pull off of satellite (mostly) and put them on specific cable channel numbers.

 

[MasterChef]

ChannelPlus SVM-22 does a nice job. Two channels. S-video input. MTS stereo. Of course, NTSC only, but it is a nice unit and supports IR controls too.

 

[eakes]

I have a ChannelPlus 5435 you can have if you want it. PM a ship-to address.

 

[MasterChef]

What quality of video do you get with this? Do you get an HD quality picture through them? Also, are they connected by coax?

It all depends on how good the installation is. If you pick the right channels, minimize interference, etc. you can have a crystal clear picture.

I have a ChannelPlus SVM-22 that I installed years ago to distribute one of my first DirecTV receivers to all of the sets in the house that didn't have a dedicated receiver. It has worked great the entire time. I tuned it and went to the trouble of buying customfilters to block out the two channels I am using so there is no interference from my antenna.

My old receiver had a UHF remote that worked from anywhere in the house. Now the one hooked up is controlled via IR that is passed through the coax.

If you want to hear your channels in stereo make sure the units you consider have MTS support. If they do, like the SVM-22, they encode the left and right channels and the MTS-capable TVs and even VCRs will decode the signal just fine.

 

[Grentz]

Thanks for all the input guys!

Its amazing how little info there is on these modulators out there.

I have a ChannelPlus 5435 you can have if you want it. PM a ship-to address.

Sent you a PM

 

[houskamp]

make sure you check for digital and analog stations when you pick the channel to set them on..

 

[Grentz]

make sure you check for digital and analog stations when you pick the channel to set them on..

Thanks for the tip, was already on my mind www.tvfool.com helped me figure that out, it is nice as it shows the real channel and virtual channel assignments.

For those interested I found a good frequency chart as well:
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/catv-ch.html

eakes was awesome and is hooking me up with a CP 5435, so I should be all set. It is not stereo audio, but I think I can live with that for the use I have in mind

 

[carl6]

I use both CE1001ST (great modulator) and Channel Plus 3025's (two channel with built in distribution amp). The 1001's seem to be a bit better overall in my experience, but all work to spec. I have no experience at all with the third brand mentioned.

Carl

 

[EGatBTlabs]

I have attached a spec sheet for the HAVM units.
You may contact me via email at [email protected]

So I am looking at three RF modulators currently. I am going to backfeed the signal into my system that has OTA as well so I am looking for one that will be fairly powerful which has brought me to:

CE Labs 1001ST (~$60)
-Stereo Audio
-Agile (can be set to any channel)

Channel Plus 5415 (~$75 (on eBay))
-Agile (can be set to any channel)
-Fairly popular it seems

Blonder Tongue HVM-1 (~$100, some cheaper on eBay)
-Professional Grade it seems
-Half Agile (can be set to most channels depending on model (UHF or VHF))

Any opinions on these?

 

[2dogz]

I have attached a spec sheet for the HAVM units.
You may contact me via email at [email protected]

Dude! Don't post your email address on a public forum like this. Spambots will scan through all posts and pull out any character string with an "@" in it, and send you viagra offers until the end of time.

Go back and edit it to something like "myemail at somewhere dot com" if you must post it for the world to see.

 

[Wisegoat]

I use ChannelPlus 5415's at all locations. I do this because I have boxes all over the house. The one in the living room is connected to the DVD-R/VCR so I get DVD and the HR20 off the same modulator. Everything goes to/from a ChannelPlus 8200. I currently have 4 in the house: 2 security cams, the living room DVR and the office DVR. They are mainly used to feed the security back for the occaisonal glance outside and to run the TV's in the garage and backyard. I use the RF remote (glitchy as it is) to control everything.