Recommend a Cable TV signal amplifier

We've had some choppy cable TV issues over the past couple of weeks. I thought it might be related to the high heat, but probably not.

Problem: No signal on channels 3, 4 and 8, which are the local network affiliates. All other channels are good. Same on multiple tvs and cable boxes.

I called tech support. They tried a reboot, but it didn't help. They asked it I had an amp or signal booster. I do but it's old. They said that it could be the issue and scheduled a service guy, which seems silly because I can swap this out myself.

Can anyone recommend a good choice for a replacement amp?

And just to get this out of the way now...

I have no interest in switching to Dish, Fire Stick, Apple TV, not having a TV in my house, etc...

Thank you.

That's an old amp.  If you're just missing a few channels it's most likely not signal level but signal quality.  You probably have what we call ingress which is air signals like air TV, radio, and others that get on the cable line causing interference.  If you have direct home runs the new amps have a splitter built into them.  I can get you one if you wish but it'll be a couple of weeks.

Edit - All that said that old amp is probably fine.  They tend to totally fail not just cause a few chans to drop out.

This is a version of what we use now. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/164912825294?hash=item26659203ce:g:YoEAAOSwkxhgx5u~

I don't see the power supply included but your power supply is rated at the same voltage although less mA at least as marked on the amp.  But PPC is all we use.

In reply to Stampie :

Thanks for the info.

Upon further investigation, I think I may have found the source of the problem. After the existing amp, the line goes to multiple outdoor splitters. Not ideal, but I understand why the electrician did it this way, 20 years ago. I'm hoping it's just old corroded connections. I bought some new splitters, so I'll swap them in when it stops raining, and I've ordered a new amp just in case.

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

The splitters there are normal cable company splitters.  They are a level above what an electrician would use.  Having all the lines to the exterior would have been normal back then.  Actually for 20 years ago that many lines was kinda cutting edge.  With rubbers on there I doubt you'll find any corrosion.  I count 11 lines hooked up.  Do you really have that many TVs/modem?  Average house is four especially in these days of streaming.  I would try and get everything that you use on one splitter.  If you need the 8 way (one in 8 out) just getting rid of the two way would gain you 3.5 db.  That could be enough.  Are you having problems on one tv or all?  Make sure everything is tight including from the wall plate to the cable boxes.  Pretty sure I know what cable company you have as I reconize all of the equipment.

PS - I have told many a fire house that they need to stick to their job and not mess with the cable.  For some reason fire fighters think they can fix whatever.  Usually I end up spending 15 minutes redoing crappy connectors and replacing gold plated splitters that they bought at Ace Hardware and fix it all.

Looking at the picture it's hard to follow the lines but from what I can tell that two way is feeding your modem then I assume the other two are cascaded.  If you get an amp like I pointed out above it'll keep everything equal so that the modem doesn't need to come off first.  The reason for that is the transmit levels of the modem vs an old school cable box that doesn't need to send signals back to the headend.  If that modem is on the two way I would leave it unless you know your actual levels.  PM me if you want to go down a deep rabbit hole yourself.  Honestly from what I see even the $100 service call would be worth it to clean up that stuff and bring you up to modern specs.  That'll usually include the new amp and making sure the drop to the house is good.  If it's as old as some of the other stuff I see I doubt it's still good.

We currently have five TVs and a modem hooked up. We could conceivably add one more tv at some point if one of the bedrooms gets put back into service.

When we built the house, I had them put cable hookups everywhere, because we weren't sure where all the furniture was going to go. I remember the guy asking how many of the lines I wanted hooked up and I said All of them. That's when he added the amp.

There are four hookups that I have never used and could easily live without (including one outside), but figuring out which line is which would be a bit of a PITA.

Cable company is Charter/Spectrum.

The drop to the house is underground, so I hope that's not the issue.

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

Underground usually isn't a problem.  We have contractors that bury them.  Normally we just lay a temp line down and turn over a work order for them to come out and bury it.  Not sure how they do it there.  Average age of an underground drop is 7-8 years.  If I were visiting you I'd at least put in a non agreement drop bury (drop checks good so no need for a temp but crew replaces it), remove that old amp and put in a PPC 8 way amp.  There's a dedicated VOIP/Modem port on that 8 way but I don't use it as your signal is better off the other ports.  It's just in case you have VOIP and lose power to the amp.  I'd only hook up the lines you're using and that one other one.  Figuring out the lines isn't that hard.  I tend to use my meter and just a TV going out.  I'll turn up the volume loud enough I can hear when it goes out from the outside.  It'd take me 20 minutes or so for 8 lines.

In reply to Stampie :

I just watched this two minute video and, as a firefighter with a couple of days off, I should be able to identify the four lines that I don't need, and at least eliminate that four port splitter.

I think my underground line runs through conduit.

In reply to Stampie :

Can that amp that you suggested live in the box outside if I feed the power supply through the wall from the inside?

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

Yes it can just fine.  They come with power inserters

That way you can put the power supply inside on an outlet you're using.  Your current old style amp couldn't do that.  Sorry I don't have access to my stuff right now or I'd send you an amp in the mail tomorrow.

Also ... if it's two way to eight way to four way and you had a smart cable tech back in the day you'll find the unused lines on the four way with the lowest amount of signal.

In reply to Stampie :

I'll take a closer look in the box tomorrow. 

Old amp gets power through this:

And thanks for the offer, but no need to send stuff. Tech guy is scheduled for Wednesday at 4:30, unless I can find a workable solution before then, as the dog is always a problem when someone is trying to work here. 

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

The PPC amp will have a transformer like that but rated higher mA.  What I'd do without a meter is hook the one tv up with no splitters.  If problem continues then it's most likely drop but slight chance of outlet.  If you have a Motorola type box try this.

Tune channel to problem channel.

Turn off box and hit ok within 5 seconds.

Diagnostics screen should come up.

Look for In band tuner (IIRC).

You want the SNR 32 or higher.  I actually like to see 35 or higher.  And it's a pet peeve of mine that it's not actually SNR but MER but I'll save that discussion for another day.

It's 4:51 am.
 

I can't sleep because I'm waiting for the sun to come up so I can go out to the cable box and figure out which four of the eleven lines that I want to disconnect. 

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

We just have one small pocket of SA nodes in an outlaying area so sorry not much experience with them.  Glad to see that you're excited to work on your cable.  If those four are on the last splitter then disconnecting them won't make a difference in signal levels to the rest of the house.

In reply to Stampie :

That wasn't immediately obvious to me, but makes sense now that I read it.

I doubt that those four would be grouped together, as it wouldn't fall into a logical pattern, but we will see.

In reply to Stampie :

Is it reasonable to assume that the outgoing red from the two port splitter feeds the modem?

Get one of these. They are like $20 at HD. 

Plug the little fitting at one end and the tester will tell you whether there is continuity at the other end. 

It was really useful  when I had to go from dish to regular cable at home.