Reviews:
 ·voip.ms
 ·Verizon FiOS
·AT&T U-Verse
1 edit | QAM HD signal level too low I have been unable to reliably watch local HD channels such as 3.1 in my new house in Tampa via FIOS QAM. The channels are there, but the signal level is too low for most of them to stay locked in. The SD signals found on totally random channel numbers are solid.
I tried a chat with Verizon support which was an exercise in frustration. The first tech denied that FIOS provided signals over QAM. He sent me to sales who sent me back to a second support tech who told me Verizon will not take trouble reports for QAM signals and would not support QAM in any way.
My current thinking is to try a distribution amp for coax connections. It probably has to be 2-way for on demand to work on our "free" SD only box. Does anyone find an amp is needed or useful? |
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| Generally the signal out of the ONT is quite strong. Look for conditions that cause signal loss. (loose connections, defective splitter, unterminated taps on a splitter, inferior coax (RG59), long coax run, bad crimps on F connectors, etc.) |
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| reply to real_goose
You cold also try to put an STB on the connection that currently goes to your TV. If it locks in fine, not a level issue.
If not, then need to troubleshoot that connection (swap splitter ports, etc) |
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timrek
join:2005-10-26
Reston, VA | reply to real_goose
Also see if the installer put attenuators in the line. Mine had an 8DB and 3DB before the splitter. I removed the 8DB to get a stronger QAM signal o my bedroom. |
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Reviews:
·voip.ms
·Verizon FiOS
·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to CrobertGauth
Unfortunately, the only STB I have is the "free" SD only box so it can't test the HD channels. The SD signals are fine at the TV in question. I will try to schedule a time with my wife that I can take the TiVo with cable card and test.
There are no attenuators. This is a new build with RG6Q and good (at least in appearance) compression connections. The ONT is on my separate garage and then both coax and Cat5 runs are direct buries underground to the network interface on my house. This studio area above the garage is indeed the longest coax run back underground in conduit with alarm wiring and up to the second story.
When FIOS was installed, the installer chained 2 2-way splitters to connect the router and only 2 TVs even though the work order called for the install of 3 drops. (Any more installs cost extra.) So I am using the 8-way ON-Q VM1002-V1 splitter that was part of the base wiring. Many of the runs from the splitter are unterminated because most rooms do not have TVs. |
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kes601
join:2007-04-14
Virginia Beach, VA | I would suggest doing a trial and error figuring out which runs are going to nowhere and then just get a splitter w/fewer connections. That would help with signal levels. |
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Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| reply to real_goose
said by real_goose: So I am using the 8-way ON-Q VM1002-V1 splitter that was part of the base wiring. Many of the runs from the splitter are unterminated because most rooms do not have TVs.
An 8 way splitter gives you 12 to 14 DB loss at each port (less than 1/8 th of the initial power). Use only the amount of splits that you actually need. All of the unterminated coax feeds are introducing standing waves and loss. They can also introduce more loss at certain frequencies and not others. |
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PJL
join:2008-07-24
Long Beach, CA
kudos:2 Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| said by lijacobs:said by real_goose: So I am using the 8-way ON-Q VM1002-V1 splitter that was part of the base wiring. Many of the runs from the splitter are unterminated because most rooms do not have TVs.
An 8 way splitter gives you 12 to 14 DB loss at each port (less than 1/8 th of the initial power). Use only the amount of splits that you actually need. All of the unterminated coax feeds are introducing standing waves and loss. They can also introduce more loss at certain frequencies and not others. ------ hence, probably, why the OP is having problems seeing all QAMs equally well. Good description lijacobs! |
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Reviews:
·voip.ms
·Verizon FiOS
·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to lijacobs
said by lijacobs: An 8 way splitter gives you 12 to 14 DB loss at each port (less than 1/8 th of the initial power). Use only the amount of splits that you actually need. All of the unterminated coax feeds are introducing standing waves and loss. They can also introduce more loss at certain frequencies and not others.
The analysis makes a lot of sense. So how do I handle this practically? Can I just put terminators on jacks in rooms without TVs? Do I buy splitters that match the number of TVs in use and when a TV is added, buy a new splitter? If we ever get close to 8 TVs are we out of luck? Is an amplified splitter required at some point? |
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kes601
join:2007-04-14
Virginia Beach, VA | Buy a splitter to match the number of tvs you have, it will be the way you will lose the least amount of signal. Even if you terminate / cap the splitter on the unused taps it will still cause unnecessary signal loss.
FiOS doesn't get along w/amplifiers (unless this has changed in recent years). |
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| As stated before it's best to use a splitter that will supply the amt of coax legs you need.If you do get an amp it must be a moca bypass, otherwise your moca signal will get squashed. |
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| reply to real_goose
Can you simply use just the 8-way splitter and eliminate the two 2-way splitters?
The FiOS ONT should be able to handle an 8-way splitter easily. If I understand correctly, currently you have a 2-way, presumably with one side feeding the 8-way and the other side feeding the other 2-way? Or is it a 2-way with one side feeding the router, then the other side going to another 2-way with one side going to the Free Set-top and the other side going to the 8-way?
In any event if you do not currently have 8 TVs, then getting rid of the 2 extra splitters and running everything direct from the 8-way should net you a +7db gain which may be sufficient to get your clear QAM going. I currently have this setup myself with just one 8-way splitter and all home runs and my clear QAM works fine. |
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Reviews:
·voip.ms
·Verizon FiOS
·AT&T U-Verse
| Sorry I was not clear. I removed both 2-way splitters and am only using the 8-way. The cable run is about 100 feet from the ONT to the splitter in the wiring closet and then more than 150 feet back to the TV in the room over that garage. All wiring is a home run back to the structured wiring enclosure in the MBR closet. |
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Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| said by real_goose:The cable run is about 100 feet from the ONT to the splitter in the wiring closet and then more than 150 feet back to the TV in the room over that garage. RG6 has 3 to 4 DB loss per 100 feet at 700 MHz. Your cable runs alone are introducing subtantial loss. As I said previously, eliminate all possible loss in your splitters by using only enough splits for your current purposes. |
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Gerryex
join:2006-05-19
Land O Lakes, FL | reply to real_goose
I too am in the Tampa area and believe the QAM signals are low. I have the 7232 DVR feeding my only real HDTV in the house and I have not had any problems that would be related to signal strength. I also have an HD QAM tuner in my PC that is connected to FiOS and it tunes in the local HD channels as expected. In the past I have had no problem viewing them on the tuner/PC. But lately I've been getting some freezing of the picture and sometimes the Win Media Center says that the signal is weak. If you wait a while, usually 15 or so seconds but no more than a minute, the picture comes back.
I used to have the connection on a 2 way spliter but no longer need it so I took it out which should have gained me about 3 DB or so in higher signal strength but it still is doing the freezing! This is not a critical connection so I'm not going to do anything about it but I wanted to post since the original poster said he was having problems in the Tampa area.
Gerry |
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| I had the same issue and had a tech come out to the house. He replaced several cable ends but that did not fix the issue. He ended up installing a signal amplifier (powered) in my attic and that took care of the signal degradation issues I was having.
No charge to me for the work or amplifier  |
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Reviews:
·voip.ms
·Verizon FiOS
·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to lijacobs
I installed a 4-port splitter today that connects 3 TVs and the router. The HD QAM signals at the TV over the garage are still too weak.
My next step is to move the TiVo and recreate the problem so I can report it to Verizon and probably see them to add an amplifier to the long run.
I wonder if they could split the coax at the ONT and run cable upstairs to the TV without the extra 200+ feet underground runs back and forth between the buildings to go to the NIB first.. |
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guppy_fishPremium
join:2003-12-09
Lakeland, FL
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| said by real_goose:I wonder if they could split the coax at the ONT and run cable upstairs to the TV without the extra 200+ feet underground runs back and forth between the buildings to go to the NIB first..
This is the real solution, your back and forth have a 250ft run is your issue
Verizon is not responsible for in home wiring, that's your issue. Also Verizon doesn't fish wiring in walls, whom ever did the original layout, its at fault.
Best find a local coax installer, put a splitter at the ONT and then run direct above to the room in question, problem correctly solved. |
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| Might would be better to do that if he was running qam only. But I would think he might have an issue w/ STB in getting guide updates and VOD if run to the router is now double length. |
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kes601
join:2007-04-14
Virginia Beach, VA | said by CrobertGauth:Might would be better to do that if he was running qam only. But I would think he might have an issue w/ STB in getting guide updates and VOD if run to the router is now double length.
Maybe I am misunderstanding, but how does that make his router double length? The run is still the same into the house, he's just losing 3.5db from the splitter, it's not cutting the signal by 50%. |
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