HELP! I have questions or a problem!!!

Frequently Asked Questions

Answer: No. The products manufactured by PCT and Motorola (Arris) are intended for use on cable TV systems, NOT satellite. Although you might look at an amplifier as boosting a signal - no matter what type - they are actually very different designs for cable TV and satellite. Satellite receivers work at different frequencies than Cable TV systems. If you install one of these on a satellite system, it will totally block the signal to the receiver. In addition, satellite systems carry measurable voltage on the receiver lines - which can damage the PCT and Motorola products.

Answer:  It doesn't matter what amplifier you have purchased, in general the best place to install the amplifier is as close to where the cable comes from the cable company as possible. Install it before any splitters, long cable runs, or other equipment if possible. This is especially true if you are installing a 1-port (PCT MA2M or Arris BDA-S1) amplifier. Installing the amplifier at a point BEFORE the signal is degraded is essential to optimal operation. For multi-port amplifiers, it is best to replace existing splitters with the amplifier. So if you have one or more splitters at a central place, count how many connections you need and buy an amplifier with enough ports to connect all of your existing cables. The goal is to remove ALL splitters if possible, to get all of the signal loss out of the system.

It is also possible to install amplifiers at other points in the house. HOWEVER, you should never install multiple amplifiers in the same home without some professional advice. generally multi-amplifier installations do not work well without a proper design.

Answer:  Yes and no. It all depends on what happens AFTER the amplifier. Also - more power is not always better. Increasing the power of the cable signal also creates the opportunity to create something called DISTORTION, which is not good for your picture or data connections (cable modem).

If you place a 1-port amplifier on a cable line before a couple splitters, it is probably no different than if you REPLACE the splitters with a 4 or 8-port amplifier. The goal is to reduce signal degrading connections. Splitters are notorious for causing problems. Not only that, they add extra connections into the cable line. You want to eliminate as many connection points as possible and keep the cable as "clean" as possible.