Anyone know about Aerial Boosters?

Gobsh

4 years ago we had a loft aerial and booster fitted in our new house.

There's no power in our loft so an 8 room splitter was fitted in the loft but the booster was installed behind my main TV amplifying the signal back up the aerial. 

This all worked fine for 4 years until I had the bright idea of moving the booster to a bedroom TV instead.

I couldn't get any signal at all in the bedroom which had been working perfectly?

Decided to move it back to the main TV downstairs and although it works, the signal on since channels is much poorer and some channels don't even work? 

I'm scratching my head wondering what's gone wrong. Booster only has one socket to the aerial and one to the tv so I can't even plug it in wrong?

Questions:

Is this type of booster (boosts back up the aerial) different to those that plug between the aerial and the 8 way splitter? Or is it wired the same way round?

Have I blown the booster?

Any ideas what I've done?

ciderboy2009

It sounds like the "splitter" you've got also contains an amplifier.  The bit that you've been moving to the bedroom and back is actually just the power supply for this (it sends the power up the aerial cable to the splitter/booster).

Check the splitter in the loft - they sometimes have a light to confirm that they're receiving power.  They also sometimes have a fuse that might have blown.

If the power isn't getting to the loft then you will probably need a new power supply (fairly cheap).

Rodders53

The 'booster' behind TV is a DC power supply for the amplified distribution box in the loft.

One connection port will be labelled aerial/antenna or IN and the other TV or OUT.  It must be connected the correct way round to supply DC to the distribution amplifier in the loft.

Often any output port can receive the DC power to the loft box... but some brands use a specific port.
e.g Labgear:  https://www.labgear.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/NEW-RED_LDL206RLP_208RLP_IM_V1_1_4PP.pdf must have the power supplied on port 1.  That may be the reason it does not work in any other room.
You could swap the cables in the loft to relocate the power unit but only if you can identify which one... via markings or a lot of patience / swapping of cables.

You'll ideally need to find the make, model and instructions for what you have installed to confirm the abpve.

NB DC power requires good connections. Some wall sockets contain DC decoupling capacitors which block DC... That may be an issue.  RF (UHF TV signals) will 'jump' small gaps in connectors that DC power cannot.

Belling Lee TV plugs need soldering ideally (a great skill, easy to melt the nylon insulator), a screw (rare) or some will "crimp" the pin to the centre conductor to ensure a good connection.  F-plugs use the centre core as a connectors and almost invariably are good for DC supply.

So do also check out those connections.  Remake any suspect plugs and sockets.

https://www.aerialsandtv.com/knowledge/how-to-attach-wire-up-plugs-aerials-and-wall-plates may be helpful?

EDIT:  With regards to the 'poorer reception' since moving.  If fettling the connections doesn't cure you'll need to be more specific.
Is it just the main TV having issues or all TV socket outlets?

chris_n

ciderboy2009 said:

It sounds like the "splitter" you've got also contains an amplifier.  The bit that you've been moving to the bedroom and back is actually just the power supply for this (it sends the power up the aerial cable to the splitter/booster).

Check the splitter in the loft - they sometimes have a light to confirm that they're receiving power.  They also sometimes have a fuse that might have blown.

If the power isn't getting to the loft then you will probably need a new power supply (fairly cheap).

They normally only have one signal outlet that they will accept power into so it may be possible (hopefully unlikely) that connecting the wrong outlet to power could cause damage.

Rodders53

chris_n said: They normally only have one signal outlet that they will accept power into so it may be possible (hopefully unlikely) that connecting the wrong outlet to power could cause damage.

Rowlocks. Many devices allow DC in on any output:
Proception PROAMP310X is an example of power in on any (of 10) outs... Blake also do 8-way masthead distribution amps that do the same thing (and it may be a masthead up in the loft for all we know).
Even Labgear's MHK8/48 masthead is like that!

The other outlets would be protected against that folly (they are simple inductive splitter outs after an amplifier in any case). 
The DC supply would see a short circuit and self-protect. 
No possible harm could be done.

chris_n

Rodders53 said:

chris_n said: They normally only have one signal outlet that they will accept power into so it may be possible (hopefully unlikely) that connecting the wrong outlet to power could cause damage.

Rowlocks. Many devices allow DC in on any output:
Proception PROAMP310X is an example of power in on any (of 10) outs... Blake also do 8-way masthead distribution amps that do the same thing (and it may be a masthead up in the loft for all we know).
Even Labgear's MHK8/48 masthead is like that!

The other outlets would be protected against that folly (they are simple inductive splitter outs after an amplifier in any case). 
The DC supply would see a short circuit and self-protect. 
No possible harm could be done.

Not Rowlocks at all, my masthead amplifier / splitter admittedly a few years old would only accept power on output 1. I would expect any decent amp to do the same hence the (hopefully unlikely) comment but having experienced Chinese electronics never say never.
Even your opening line says 'Many devices allow DC in on any output:' so wind your neck in and stop being rude, you are allowed to provide an alternative view or experience without being an !!!!!!***e.