Electroline EDA FT08100 8-port TV Signal Booster/Amplifier with Active Return Path Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this unit because I have two analog feeds and two QAM digital capture feeds (via an HDHR unit) that I use in conjunction with SageTV for recording television. I also have a cable modem so there's a couple splitters involved. I did purchase good passive splitters (Monster 2 and 3 ways), however the QAM signal quality levels and the modem performance were not ideal.
I got this model because of the cable modem support. Imagine my surprise when the first thing to pop out of the box is a note from the manufacturer that it's best to put your cable modem on it's own line off a splitter and not hook it up to this unit because some signal loss may occur. What the..?!?!? After ranting for a while and generally annoying my wife with my whining I hooked it up anyway and took some measurements. Fortunately their warnings are not necessary - they may want to think about rewording that little note a pinch.
Here's the hard numbers:
The QAM capture signal strength using a Monster 3 way split off the single line coming in my house (I have no up stream splitters - it's all centralized in closet) for the HD ABC feed had a strength of 88 and a signal quality of 92. Putting the one line as the feed into the 8 port amplifier and running the QAM ports off of it the strength jumped to 92 and the signal quality hovered around 94. Nice. Doesn't sound like a huge deal but for HD QAM captures it makes a difference.
I didn't notice any different before or after with the analog channels - I wasn't having a problem with those.
The cable modem was the item I worried about. Downstream from the splitters it was pretty bad - anything would be an improvement. With the outside cable plugged into the Motorola modem directly downstream signal to noise ratio was 38.6 dB (higher is better, anything over 30 and you're aces), the down stream power is .2 dBmV (fine) and the upstream power was 42 dB (anything less than 50 and you're fine). After running it through the 8 port amp the downstream noise ratio was 38.3, down stream power 1.7 and the upstream power stayed at 42. All dandy numbers. I checked the speeds at several sites before and after and they all averaged about 10 meg down and 1.5 meg up across the boards - virtually no difference. Just about exactly as good as a direct connection and much better than down stream from a passive splittler, even a good one.
So - short version I'm extremely happy with the purchase but I'd suggest to the fine folks at Electroline that they rethink their warning note in their box so as not to tick folks off too quickly for no reason.


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Electroline EDA-FT08300 8-Port TV Signal Booster/Amplifier with Active Return Path (Retail Package with 5-Year Warranty) Review

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(More customer reviews)NOTE: ELECTROLINE RECENTLY DISCONTINUED THE Electroline EDA FT08100 8-port TV Signal Booster/Amplifier with Active Return Path AND REPLACED IT WITH THE Electroline EDA-FT08300 8-Port TV Signal Booster/Amplifier with Active Return Path (Retail Package with 10-Year Warranty), AN UPDATED MODEL.
The Electroline EDA-FT08300 is the NEW workhorse of the Electroline product line. It provides bulletproof performance and reliability with GUARANTEED compatibility to all cable services.
How does it work? The EDA-FT08300 incorporates two high quality amplifiers inside one package. One amplifier boosts the forward path (for TV reception and modem downloads) while the other amplifier boosts the Return Path (used for interactive services and modem uploads). By having both high quality amps in one package it becomes the perfect solution to problems with cable modems and TV reception inside your home. It is the only product on the market that can handle the full power required to support cable modems, and it's design (inherited from the EDA-FT08100) has a proven track record of over FIVE years of favorable operation and reviews.
This is not so much of a review as some guidance to understanding whether or not this product is for you. CableTVamps has sold the EDA-FT08100 product since it was first introduced by Electroline back in 2005. We are Electroline's longest running retailer, so we have a lot of experience with the use of Active Return amplifiers.
First, if you are using a Satellite system - just walk on by. None of Electroline's products are for use with satellite TV, and you should not expect it to work when hooked up to your satellite system. The product will get damaged if connected to satellite, and will block the satellite signal.
Second, if you have an ANTENNA and are looking for an HD amplifier, this is not a good choice. The FT08300 should only be used for Cable TV. There are lower cost options for pure HD amplification like the Electroline EDA-2800 Eight Port Cable TV HDTV Signal Booster/Amplifier (Retail Package) or Electroline EDA-2400 Four Port Cable TV HDTV Signal Booster/Amplifier (Retail Package). In addition an Active Return amplifier should never be used with an antenna.
Third, Active Return is generally only needed when you get up past 4 connections. When you have fewer connections, the Return Path Insertion Loss (which is your cable modem's enemy) is generally not a problem. Cable converter boxes and TVs are not as sensitive to return path problems, so in general you can get by with a less expensive product unless you already have problems with your interactive services (pay per view, On Demand). When you have a cable modem and a bunch of other connections, The FT08300 provides a guaranteed way of resolving TV picture problems and keeping your cable modem happy.
We always suggest to our customers to do a little homework and see if they need The EDA-FT08300. The way to find out if you need EDA-FT08300 active return is to get your cable modem's signal levels. We can't share any links in our review, but if you Google CABLETVAMPS CABLE MODEM you can find our User Forum page with detailed instructions on finding out the health of your cable modem. If your cable modem signal levels are healthy without this amplifier installed, you will probably not notice any major improvement in internet speeds or reliability.
The FT08300 is safe to use with all of your cable services - you just take out your splitters, hook up everything to the amp, plug it in, and enjoy faster Internet and a better TV picture.
Lastly you need to keep things in perspective. If the picture or cable modem problems are caused by cabling issues inside your home, an amplifier might not help. In order to achieve the best results the amplifier must be installed as close as possible to where the cable comes into the house - before splitters and cabling have a chance to degrade it. We have generally found that amplifiers help in most situations - but if your purchase does not help resolve your problems we can help you - just email us.

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