Signal booster question

[mattressback]

hi, ive just had a new communal aerial system installed in the place where i live. ive attached a picture of what has been fitted. it has a dab radio out, 2 satalite outs and a tv out. unfortunately the new system requires a power supply to boost it and the fitter, as you can see plugged a booster into the "sat 2" output, this booster simply runs to the mains power.

he said i would be able to just buy a freesat box and plug it in and it will work on the new communal dish. however hes now taken up one of the "sat" outputs so that means i wont be able to get a freesat PVR as i understand you need 2 outputs for that (one to view while you record another)

the fitter said you can get a "through connector" for the booster which would allow me use both sat outputs, or get an adaptor that would allow the booster to plug into the dab output.

ive looked, but not been sure what i am looking for have drew a blank.

Can anyone link me where i can get either of these two options or suggest an alternative

thanks

[Rick]

Could do with seeing what's at the other end of it all m8. Most multiswitches are either powered at source, or require 1 reciever on the system to power it. So you should be able to use a twin tuner box on it, but would need more info to be able to advise properly.

[mattressback]

Originally Posted by Rick

Could do with seeing what's at the other end of it all m8. Most multiswitches are either powered at source, or require 1 reciever on the system to power it. So you should be able to use a twin tuner box on it, but would need more info to be able to advise properly.

sorry im totally new to this, which end do you mean? the dish end?

the reason i have the booster is quite bizarre, everyone in my building has been given one as before night, when my neighbout switched off their tv my tv went to "no signal" (im talking regular freeview signal here) its as if each neighbour is carrying the next neighbours signal. its a complete cowboy job by the looks and so no i cant remove it unless i wish to be subjected to my neighbours viewing habits lol

are you suggesting that a freesat box such as the humax foxsatpvr would actually act as a booster?

[Rick]

It's the multiswitch we need details of. That's the bit that combines the satellite, terrestrial and DAB signals and distributes them to each point.

TBH the Idea of everyone having to have a power supply plugged into one of their outlets is laughable in a communal install IMHO, but I know it goes on. Without more info about the multiswitch I would say that a twin tuner sat reciever should provide power to the switch.

Can't you get intouch with the building managment and get them to have a proper engineer take a look ?

[mattressback]

oh dont worry its laughable to me as well but its typical of this housing association, done on the cheap. i wont be able to get a picture of the multiswitch as i would have no idea what im looking for and probably wouldnt have access to it. It is slightly worrying for my setup that a pro such of yourself doesnt have a solution. do you think, if the freesat box didnt power it that getting a sat splitter such as this

2Way Satellite Splitter : Aerial Splitters : Maplin

might work? ie plug that into one of the sat outs and use one half of the splitter to the freesat box and the other half for the booster

[Rick]

That might be a solution, what you can't do is to split one output to feed both tuners.

Can you borrow a sky+ box off someone to try in your flat ? That would tell you if it would work.

The multiswitch will be in a loft or service riser somewhere in the building. It's not that I don't have a solution it's just I don't have the info needed to be able to provide one. An easy solution might be to move one of the power supplies and plug it into a spare output on the multiswitch.

[Robbo]

The easiest solution, if I understand the problem correctly, would be to power the amplifier from a separate supply, you would then have the two sat outputs that you need.


Having said that, of course, a booster shouldn't be necessary, the booster should be at the headend, with enough gain to give a decent enough output at all the outlets.


EDIT, Actually I can't see a booster, all I can see is what looks like a power supply fed into the sat2 output, presumably to power a receiver powered multiswitch.


Surely, if you merely connected a satellite receiver to that and had it switched on, it would do the same job as the power supply, and you'd get your sat signal.

[nvingo]

It's crazy for sure.
If every resident has a power supply like the one pictured, does that mean if they are all disconnected that the terrestrial/DAB-FM fails?
Accepting that the PSU simply pumps DC upto the distribution box, surely any satellite receiver's LNB connection will do the same.

Question is, why PSUs with F-connectors are available to the trade?

[mattressback]

Originally Posted by nvingo

It's crazy for sure.
If every resident has a power supply like the one pictured, does that mean if they are all disconnected that the terrestrial/DAB-FM fails?
Accepting that the PSU simply pumps DC upto the distribution box, surely any satellite receiver's LNB connection will do the same.

Question is, why PSUs with F-connectors are available to the trade?

yes my freeview failed before they gave me the psu, it seemed to fail when a neighbour switched off their tv