Signal Booster

Xstyle

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Is the Maxview Signal Booster the best one to get???

Will be used in a very poor Channel 5 area ..fuzzy!

and hope to get Freeview installed and want a crystal clear pic.

The freeview website says its is available in the area


(asking for a friend)


Thanks.
Xstyle
 
I use a couple of Maxview boosters on my aerial downlead. First one at point of entry is single outlet only (most gain) One nearest appliances using a Maxview with 5 outlets. Not all outlets same gain though. For best results use single outlet booster(s)
 
Maxview are not known as the best, but that shouldn't stop you, check the dB gain of the amplifier and the noise dB.

Wolsey do cheap/good amplifiers:

http://www.tvaerials.com/shop.aspx?categoryid=106

Remember amplifiers/boosters work best near the aerial, if you install an amplifier behind your TV you may not see any improvement.
 
Basically its for apartment in London. on 1st ground floor.

Theer is some1 in basement, and one person on top floor (1st), and my sis-in-law is in between on ground floor.

It maybe difficult to get so close to the aerial... so I was thinking of behind the TV, after it comes from the wall socket and then into the booster then into TV...

:lease:
 
The dB gain on the single outlet Maxview booster is about 12.5. Some of the local market sold boosters have a 14 dB gain. The market stall ones are approx £5 cheaper than Maxview. I have several different makes (Labgear is one) but mostly using Maxview for convenience. Try a cheap one with a high gain. Think I paid £8-99 for the last market one. The Maxview single outlet are around £13 in Wilkinsons branches. They also have them at B & Q.
 
It might state the gain, else you need to Google a bit to find the specs of the various models.
If it's a weak signal area, I would strongly recommend looking for the lowest Noise Figure (sometimes abbreviated to NF) that you can find.
Anything 2dB or below is good , 3 dB is so-so and > 4 dB is going to add too much noise in most weak signal situations.

Chris Muriel, Manchester.
 
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What about this Motorola Signal Booster (if they sell it in the UK), but I only need a one way.... not a multiple output...

http://broadband.motorola.com/consumers/products/signal_booster/

SPECS:
Forward Specifications (52-1000 MHz) - Nominal*
Gain: 15dB
Input Return Loss: 25dB
Output Return Loss: 25dB
Noise Figure: 2.5 dB maximum
RFI Shielding: 100 dB minimum

:confused:
 
Regarding the SLX, 4 dB is not a very good noise figure at all.
I know Labgear used to make 2 dB ones.

Chris Muriel, Manchester
 
The single outlet Maxviews I am using state on the
label Gain typically 12.5dB and noise typically 3.5dB so I guess that they aren't all that good either but they work for me and without them Freeview on some channels is non existant.

Maxview state on their website that the DSB1 amplifier, single outlet, is a medium gain with a low noise factor. They don't state what this is tho.

http://www.maxview.ltd.uk/

I purchased the Labgear one from Argos some time ago (it was old stock not being replaced so wouldn't be of much use now).
 
ROYOLD said:
The single outlet Maxviews I am using state on the
label Gain typically 12.5dB and noise typically 3.5dB so I guess that they aren't all that good either but they work for me and without them Freeview on some channels is non existant.

Maxview state on their website that the DSB1 amplifier, single outlet, is a medium gain with a low noise factor. They don't state what this is tho.

http://www.maxview.ltd.uk/

I phoned Maxview...
the DSB1 is:
Gain: 13db
Noise: 2.5db
RRPrice: £26.25
Retailers: Maxview, Wilkinsons, Srewfix

I think this COULD be the best one... unless some1 cares to differ??

£24.99 on maxview's site (plus delivery?)
http://www.maxviewonline.com
This medium gain booster with a low noise figure is designed specifically to boost weak digital terrestrial UHF TV signals and is ideally suited to improve the system C/N of your Freeview set-top box.

The unit comes complete with separate 12V regulated plug in style Power Supply and full fitting instructions.
Price: £24.99
 
That would seem to be your best one. They say that Wilkinsons stock that model but neither of our two stores do. (Rochdale/Ashton-under-Lyne) - they only stock the white plug in types which I am using. Dunno about Screwfix (never heard of them).

Maybe B & Q stock that model. Its been a while since I called in any of their branches but they did stock Maxview products.
 
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I have just checked the Labgear single set Booster I have in storage. Its model MSE113. Nowhere, either in the enclosed leaflet or on the box does it tell you the gain or NF. I think when I originally obtained this I tested it and decided it was no better than the Maxviews I was already using.
 
I'll buy the maxview then, DSB1 !!

£14.99 from eBay...
the guy says:
"I bought them in a electical liquidation sale,the items are brand new I do however rebox them for shipping purposes,the covers they came in just split the packaging."

would explain why thet are cheaper priced...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5821699403&category=61395
Exactly the same as the maxview pic...


What do you think?
 
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Let us know if satisfactory when received. i.e. does it work? I am wary of ebay bargains and have never purchased from that site.
 
ROYOLD said:
Let us know if satisfactory when received. i.e. does it work? I am wary of ebay bargains and have never purchased from that site.
If the user has good feedback then I will trust them. I've done almost 100 transactions on eBay, with only one problem in that time (a dvd from USA).

The Maxview DSB1 has arrived today... well packaged.
Will try it out soon (unsure when, as I have to get to SW London perhaps on a weekend in a couple of weeks)
 
Hi, has anyone tried the :-

Fringe 1 Super Set Back Amplifier UHF 22dB
Gain: 22dB
Noise figure: 3.9dB
Price: £23.99 + Delivery

I currently use the maxview booster (12.5 gain 3.5 noise) with mixed results. The worst channels only having a strength of about 45% at some times and would like to improve it if possible. I'm using a communal aerial which does the job well on most channels but if a 22db gain will improve signal strength and give me additional performance I'd be willing to invest in one. What effect does having a 3.9db NF over a 3.5NF have in real terms?

thanks
 
"What effect does having a 3.9db NF over a 3.5 NF have in real terms?" (spelling corrected)

Lower NF means a better chance of resolving the weaker signals due to achieving a higher signal to noise ratio (SNR) in the system.
Whether this would be true in practice is somewhat luck of the draw as I suspect these are typical (as opposed to maximim) figures and will vary from unit to unit. If it was a whole decibel better (lower) then it would be more likely to make a difference.
If you had guaranteed maximum NFs for both units along with the transmitter EIRP and your antenna gain + distance or path loss between you and the transmitter you could run link budget calculations to see the the real theoretical difference ; these are usually done with software or an Excel spreadshet these days - thank goodness.
A real communications or transmitter/broadcast engineer would work this out very quickly.

Chris Muriel, Manchester
 
Sorry to reply in this old post but I think this information might be out of date now. What is the best chioce from the market at the moment? My signal at the moment is ok to watch freeview but I feel like the signal is not high and I need to split the signal to flatmate room about 15 metre away. I might need the signal booster to maintain the strength of the signal to my mate room. Any please recommend.
:)
 

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