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Need help with signal issue

Discussion in 'TiVo Help Center' started by drugrep, Oct 14, 2019.

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  1. Oct 14, 2019 #1 of 6
    drugrep

    drugrep Member

    85
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    Mar 16, 2002
    Woodridge, IL

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    Please help. All 3 Comcast boxes work with no issues, Tivo has poor signal in the room I want to use it in, averaging 73% and SNR of 29 on the working channels. Poor channels averaging 67% with SNR of 26. When I take TIVO downstairs it works great with over 90% signal strength.

    So here's the wiring setup.

    Cable comes into basement and goes into a 3-way splitter. I have the the 2 with the 7 db loss going to the basement TV and main floor TV. These TV's are fine and if I hook Tivo up down there, it works fine too.

    A 3rd cable that leads upstairs is on the 3.5 db loss port.

    Once it gets upstairs there is another 2 way splitter. One goes to bedroom with Comcast box and works fine. The other goes to the TIVO.

    So here's the deal, a lot of the research I've done before making this post talks about hooking up amp where the cable comes into the house. I don't see much talk about an amp to just 1 TV.

    I'd really like to just AMP the TV that I need, Signal strength is great on 2 downstairs TV's as it is.

    What do I want to buy to increase signal strength to just 1 TV?

    I want to buy a quality product. Adjustable if possible, don't want to have a problem of too much signal.

    Thanks in advance for your help.
     
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2019
  2. Oct 14, 2019 #2 of 6
    kpeters59

    kpeters59 Well-Known Member

    3,176
    652
    Jun 19, 2007
    Houston, Texas
    Do you have a Cable Modem?

    Can you log in to it and report its Signal Levels?

    http://192.168.100.1

    usually works. You'll likely need appropriate credentials for that device.

    If you run your cable directly to the TiVo, bypassing all the splitters, what signal level does the TiVo report then?

    I'd think you'd do pretty good with a Unity Gain Amp in place of the 3-way splitter.

    -KP
     
  3. Oct 14, 2019 #3 of 6
    drugrep

    drugrep Member

    85
    1
    Mar 16, 2002
    Woodridge, IL
    Cable modem has its own line. I was hoping to avoid doing splitter in the basement at the three-way. Will have to run a long power cord. I’d rather do it at the two way upstairs, or better yet just amp the TiVo after the split upstairs.
     
  4. Oct 14, 2019 #4 of 6
    kpeters59

    kpeters59 Well-Known Member

    3,176
    652
    Jun 19, 2007
    Houston, Texas
    The thing is, that DOCSIS Modems can be used as a Signal Strength Meter by logging in to it and finding the Connection page and seeing your signal levels.

    All you need is 'enough' at each outlet. There is a Too Much and Too Little point. It's somewhere around -10db up through around +10db. Everything between those levels should be just fine. Upstream Power Level (for Comcast) should be in the 40's.

    So, you can rewire things however you think might work, but then check your levels.

    Your TiVo's Signal Strength can also provide some info, too.

    -KP
     
  5. Oct 14, 2019 #5 of 6
    kpeters59

    kpeters59 Well-Known Member

    3,176
    652
    Jun 19, 2007
    Houston, Texas

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    Also, most Unity Gain Amps can be 'phantom powered' using the 12 coax injector that's usually supplied.

    -KP
     
  6. Oct 15, 2019 #6 of 6
    V7Goose

    V7Goose OTA ONLY and Loving It!

    1,716
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    May 28, 2005
    New Mexico...
    First of all, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your signal strength - a TiVo box will work perfectly at 67% and 26dB SNR; those numbers alone are quite good. But the fact that you have a difference like this at only one output jack does indicate other problems.

    You do not actually say what problems you are having with the TiVo picture, but maybe that is not important. Have you put the TiVo in the bedroom in place of the comcast box? If so, does it have the same problem, or does it work fine there? Based on your description of things, if the problem is only at ONE output jack upstairs, your problem must be in either the last splitter or the cable from that splitter to the wall jack. Most likely it is the cable or one of the connectors.

    First test is to swap the cables on the last splitter. If nothing changes, you know for a fact it is not the splitter, so then you can just focus on either replacing the coax to the bad wall jack or repairing the connectors.

    In your situation, I would absolutely NOT use an amplifier of any type. If you have a signal problem on the cable coming out of the wall, adding an amplifier at that point will just amplify the problem too. And like I said first, your signal there is already strong enough anyway.
     

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