# 625 Picture Quality for Second TV Connection



## nickolmm (Dec 8, 2003)

I recently had a 625 installed. The picture quality on TV #1 is very good and is connected via a s-video cable. The picture quality of TV #2 is connected via coax cable is is quite grainy/snowy. TV#1 is a basement and probably less than 50 ft from the satellite. TV #2 is in the bedroom two stories up. 

However, rather than running a new cable from the 625 to TV#2, the installer used the existing cable TV network (no longer used). He was able to join the cable TVs wires in the basement with the cable TV wires in the bedroom by joining them together at the cable TV junction box on the outside of the house. Seems like there are a lot of places now where the are cables being joined together. 

Is it normal for the picture quality to be grainy/snowy? Is this proper installation and could this install be why the picture quality on TV#2 is grainy? Would a signal amplifier help? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## AllieVi (Apr 10, 2002)

The connection at the junction box probably doesn't go just to that bedroom TV. That cable is probably split to serve other rooms along the way, decreasing its strength in the bedroom.

I suggest you do a little test. Get a section of cable (preferably RG-6, but RG-59 will do) long enough to run from your receiver to the bedroom TV. Just temporarily run it through the house. You will then know what the receiver is capable of delivering at that point. I expect the picture will not be grainy/snowy and you'll be satisfied that the problem is in the cabling, not the satellite equipment.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Got a small tv you can drag to various locations ?

I'd start with the TV2 output to the close TV, then work closer to your actual TV2, minimizing any splitters. You may find that you need a small amplifier (be careful - too much is as bad as not enough) to get a good picture at TV2.


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## greatwhitenorth (Jul 18, 2005)

Exactly, in my experience, if the TV2 output is split more than twice without amplification, the picture is grainy. Instead of going through a splitter, try a direct barrel connection of the cables. Alternatively, check the connections themselves. I've found many pre-wired jobs to have improperly installed connectors...


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## LtMunst (Aug 24, 2005)

If there are no splitters that can be removed from your setup, a $30 amplifier from Radioshack will usually fix this.


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## jbrettz (Oct 13, 2004)

You might also try and change the modulation channel on the 2nd TV, I tried various channels, and found a difference in different channels. I know at first mine was a little grainy, but when I changed modulation channels, it cleared up considerably. Sounds like you might need to get a amplifier in your situation, but I would try and change your modulation channel.


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## greatwhitenorth (Jul 18, 2005)

Also, one more point to make, a grainy picture on TV2 does not meet Dish Network standards. That means, if none of these tips work, call Dish and complain (very politely and professionally, please  ). Bottom line here is that your installer did not finish your installation. At the end of an installation, evry tv we hook up should be crystal clear, no exceptions.


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## nickolmm (Dec 8, 2003)

Thanks for the comments. I did buy a signal amplifier. Where do I put it? The package says between the LNB and receiver. Is that right? or should it be between the receiver and TV#2.

Can someone verify this install. The installer combined the satellite #2 in and the TV#2 out from the receiver into a diplexer right behind the receiver. That single cable then goes to a cable wall jack which runs a cable behind the wall. Then that cable comes out of the wall in the drop ceiling and connects to the single side of another diplexor. This diplexor then has a satellite feed from the LNB and the cable which eventually runs the the cable TV junction box outside the house. At the junction box outside, the cable TV from the basement diplexor and the cable TV cable running to the bedroom are joined with some straight-thru connector.

This sounds overly comlex and is probably the reason for the grainy picture quality. The installer did not want to run a new cable to TV#2 in the bedroom, so that's why I have this mess.

Where would I even put a signal amplifier in this configuration?


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## LtMunst (Aug 24, 2005)

nickolmm said:


> Thanks for the comments. I did buy a signal amplifier. Where do I put it? The package says between the LNB and receiver. Is that right? or should it be between the receiver and TV#2.
> 
> Can someone verify this install. The installer combined the satellite #2 in and the TV#2 out from the receiver into a diplexer right behind the receiver. That single cable then goes to a cable wall jack which runs a cable behind the wall. Then that cable comes out of the wall in the drop ceiling and connects to the single side of another diplexor. This diplexor then has a satellite feed from the LNB and the cable which eventually runs the the cable TV junction box outside the house. At the junction box outside, the cable TV from the basement diplexor and the cable TV cable running to the bedroom are joined with some straight-thru connector.
> 
> ...


This is complicated. It sounds like you bought a SAT amplifier instead of a simple VHF/UHF amplifier. I would get the VHF/UHF Amp and put it between the Reciever's TV2 Out and the 1st diplexer.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Those diplexers also reduce your signal strength. 

Definately, put the TV signal amp on the output of TV2 before it goes into the first diplexer.

Ideally, you would have a straight cable going from TV2 output up to your remote room - no diplexers, no splitters. As well - direct cables from the dish LNB to your receiver.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

The TV2 output of a 625 has a very strong signal. It should go through diplexers and splitters without issue.

While all the above suggestions are good, the BEST ones are finding the unterminated splitters (if any), and changing the channel to a lower one - I've had to do THAT on several occassions when doing multipl splits.


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## pcasher (Feb 28, 2005)

Maybe you can hookup TV2 directly on the DVR and see the picture quality there, then keep moving it back to the next junction point checking quality until you see where the loss is.


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## ldj (Nov 3, 2005)

I used the audio/video connections for tv2, but my tv2 is only 30 ft away from the 625. Picture is perfect.


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## robert koerner (Aug 20, 2005)

I believe diplexers have a higher signal loss than simple junction boxes, one in, two out. Split the signal into 2 signals, each signal has half the strength, but only a 3db loss. Split it enough, the noise, snow, starts competing with the signal.

Snow is mostly the ambient noise, some of which is from The Big Bang!

The TV signal VHF amplifier can go right behind the sat receiver, where the signal has the least amount of snow. Indoor TV signal VHF amplifiers became common when VCRs became popular.

Checking the “F” cable connectors makes a lot of sense, especially the ones outdoors. If the outdoor connections weren’t water proofed, moisture has entered the cable, changing its impedance (resistance), which decreases the signal strength. Whenever possible, I replace the cable run.

RG59 is fine for TV signals. Channel 6 is some where near 50Mhz. Signals from the Sat block converter can range from 1Ghz to 2Ghz. The higher the frequency, the more loss in cable runs. Hence the need for different, lower loss cable.

Bob

NOTE: Dish only warrantees installations for 90 days, even if the install was done incorrectly.


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## TUKIN18S (Aug 16, 2005)

I had the same problem and it ended up being all of the splitters. Luckily I could get to all of them and put a direct barrel connection on and it took care of it. I had only a total of 3 splitters, but it made a difference.


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## Nightlife1970 (Aug 10, 2005)

I have never had a diplexor cause a problem with the TV2.

It is either to many spliters, a bad connection, or your tv needs to be on a different channel. I would suspect the first two reasons are the problem.

I have found on newer low price TV's that the channels can make a big difference on the PQ. These tv's would rather be on a low channel for the antenna setting, 21 is the best. Or they perfer to be on a cable setting. Have had several NEW tv's that looked like crap on the Air setting from the TV2 output. Switch to cable out and the PQ was great.


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## bnewt (Oct 2, 2003)

Isn't the tv2 output amplified 10db? I thought that I read that some place.


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## tegage (Sep 3, 2005)

I have a 625. My TV1 is in my living room and TV2 a floor below in my basement. I send the TV2 signal back out over the satellite source cable via a diplexor. The picture on TV2 is fine.


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## nater131 (Dec 9, 2005)

How many feet is TV2 from receiver? And, if you use a signal amplifier, add an attenuator at the back of TV2 to reduce the signal going into the TV (averts any problems).


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## LtMunst (Aug 24, 2005)

nater131 said:


> How many feet is TV2 from receiver? And, if you use a signal amplifier, add an attenuator at the back of TV2 to reduce the signal going into the TV (averts any problems).


Why would you use an amplifier and attenuator at the same time?


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## VelocitySatellite (Dec 19, 2005)

Ive installed systems with tv2 over 200 feet away with no amplifier, and picture is perfect.

Change the modulation (cable 73 is my favorite).

Also, sometimes it is just the TV (very rarely though).

One solution is running a cat5 cable for video, and get cat5-to-composite adapters.


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