4 PORT CABLE TV / HDTV / DIGITAL AMPLIFIER INTERNET MODEM SIGNAL BOOSTER INTERNET AMP
 |
 List Price: unavailable Sale Price: Too low to display. Availability: unspecified 
 |
Product Description
This is a brand new, four (4) port cable television drop amplifier, just like the ones that your local cable company uses to correct their system's shortcomings. This new model packs a powerful punch in a compact, easy-to-install package! By connecting these fantastic signal boosters to the drop cable coming in from the street, you can increase the signal strength entering your home by up a whopping +7 db per port! If you have multiple televisions or run a cable modem for your internet, this product is recommended. By having four ports come directly off of the amplifier, there is no need for additional splitters, which reduce signal strength. If you are tired of tv pictures that don't seem as clear as they should be, dropped internet connections, or just desire a reliable amplifier to give continuous, steady signal to your home or business, this is for you!
Details
- 4 ports with an increase of +7 db per port. New model replacement for PCT-MA1015-4PN.
- Improves cable modem performance in many cases.Compatible with all cable TV systems.
- Will reduce cable pixelation and graininess due to low signal levels. Coaxial cables not included.
- 6 kV surge protection for lightning strikes. Gold-plated, berylluim copper construction, and powder coated housing deters corrosion.
- 5-year warranty when purchased from an Authorized PCT Distributor/Dealer. Warranty not valid when purchased through other outlets.
October 16th, 2008 on 10:48 pm
Rating
Because of how my house is set up, there are two splitters before the cable gets to my modem. The signal dropped out before it got to my modem. This thing fixed the problem, and improved my TV reception. No problems with my IP phone or anything else. I have Comcast cable, and the guy I asked about my problem said one of these would not help. He was wrong.
November 11th, 2008 on 4:52 pm
Rating
Updated 11-1-09
One year later the unit is still working great. It is even in the attic cooking in at over 100′F in the summertime. The local TV stations have converted to digital and finally completed their broadcast antenna upgrade. I now have receive 65 digital broadcast stations mostly without any problems. Occassional pixelation or signal loss on the marginal stations, but I am not sure if it due to rain, fog, or wind. This is about 4 times more stations than I got before. I could not be happier. Who needs cable.
Original review
My digital signal was getting too weak using a splitter. Every splitter cuts the signal in half and my cable runs are 50-100′ each. I wanted to share 3 TVs on my attic antenna. Installing the PCT-MA2-4P in the attic next to the antenna, using a power inserter solved the problem. Just like each TV had is own 12′ long antenna. Many distribution amps require an AC outlet at the distribution amplifier and I didn’t want to install a duplex outlet in the attic. The PCT-MA2-4P with the power inserter allowed me to have the power supply at the TV set and distribute power over the coax cable. This solved my problem perfectly.
January 1st, 2009 on 12:36 am
Rating
I had a new house that included a GE Smart Center with an amplifier for both cable and satellite. After the purchase of a new HD TV it was obvious the cable signal to the new TV that was 75 feet away from the GE amp was terrible. The cable signal coming into the house at the GE amplifier was good. Replaced the GE amp with this PCT amplifier and the picture was just like having the TV hooked up where the cable entered the house. It was an incredible difference and the PCT amp is literally 1/15th the size of the GE amp it replaced. The unexpected bonus to this purchase is the internet connection. The cable modem is now hooked up to the one port on the PCT amp that boosts the signal in both directions. It has speeded up the internet connection considerably. This product far exceeded my expectations which warranted this write-up. Be advised it only works with cable not satellite systems.
January 26th, 2009 on 12:29 am
Rating
Get this very capable and reasonable priced device as an 1-to-4 splitter plus amplifier for DB4 antenna to catch over the air HDTV signals. Everything works perfectly.
Open the package, you will have:
1) the palm size, solid device of splitter/amplifier itself, which has built-in Ground, 1 Power In, 1 Signal In and 4 Signal Outs (see picture)
2) the power adapter
3) install sheet/ hook up guide
If there are existing cables previously for cable programs in the house, things are easy and here is one scenario (mine) of how to set up:
1. Screw the device and screw a ground wire to Ground;
2. Over the air HDTV signal comes in from DB4 antenna cable, which is hooked to Signal In;
3a. Hook up family room cable to Out 1;
3b. Hook up kitchen cable to Out 2;
3c. Hook up master bedroom cable to Out 3;
3d. Out 4 is left with cap on (no hook-up);
4. Hook up bedroom 2 cable to Power In, and now outside work is done.
5. In bedroom 2, hook up Power adapter 2) to the cable;
6. Plug in Power adapter 2) to any power outlet, and we are done!
Note that bedroom 2 cable is used to feed power to splitter, so there is no TV hooked up to the cable. (If you want to use the same cable for both power feed and program watching, you need to have an Inserter as described in their install manual option 2.) Also note that if the cable is not long enough for power adapter to run to the power outlet, you have to use a female-to-female coupler and another long enough cable to complete the connection.
The end result? crystal clear digital channels are on HDTV, plus much better analog channels for CBS, NBC, FOX and ABC on analog TV in kitchen.
BTW, I expect better result once I cut short the 75-ft GE RG6 cable from DB4 antenna.
Happy connecting and enjoy the HD program!
February 26th, 2009 on 4:33 pm
Rating
My main interest in buying a splitter was more for maintaining my cable internet speed and less about television quality. So when we moved into a new temporary house I was concerned because both internet and cable came from the same jack. Our previous place of residence had a cable line which was dedicated to the internet. My wife called the cable company and was told to purchase a “splitter”. Since “splitters” can range in price from a few dollars upward, I attempted to research this further with less than definitive results. I finally decided to give the 4 Port Cable TV / HDTV / Digital Amplifier Internet Modem Signal Booster Internet Amp a try.
I initially did my broadband speed test connecting the cable modem directly to the cable jack and connecting the modem to my computer using Ethernet and recorded the results in kb/s for download and upload. I then removed the cable from the modem and connected it to the HDTV amplifier and then connected the HDTV amplifier to the cable modem. The speed test showed no reduction in speed. I then connected the cable modem to my Airport Express with the same results. I then turned on the television in the family room with no changes. For my last test I went to the farthest point in the house away from the Airport Express and the speed test maintained the same upload and download speeds. I feel confident in saying that a consumer can use this product at the same time other cable requiring products are in use with no loss in their internet signal strength as measure by the broadband speed test. This product showed no evidence of boosting the internet speed but maintained the internet speed while using the television and transmitting the internet signal over a wireless network. I hope this review will help others whose main goal is maintaining their current internet connection speed.
March 13th, 2009 on 11:22 am
Rating
I used this for OTA and yes, the performance of this is very respectable. I have 100′ coax from the antenna to the house, about 20′ more to the distribution panel where the final runs vary in length depending on location. The best solution for me would be a pre-amp at the antenna but since I got a very decent signal already I decided to try this for its simplicity. Using this amp, the S/N coming out of each of the 4 ports is considerably better than going straight to one receiver without the amp.
Here is a tip that I have not seen mentioned: if you do not use all the ports, i.e. not hooking up to a cable, or the cable does not connect to a TV/receiver, terminate the unused ones with a cap (a few bucks a dozen at Radio Shack). It can be done either at the amp or at the other end of the cable. In some cases, unterminated cable can give you a lot of grief.
March 31st, 2009 on 4:49 pm
Rating
I’m very happy with this device. Looking at the reviews, I think those who are unhappy with it do not understand what it does:
An amplifier like this is not a magic box that will convert an unusable signal (say from a digital TV antenna) into a usable signal; rather it solves a very specific problem.
Suppose you have an signal that is usable at the point of the antenna, but is NOT usable at the point where you want to use it. This might be because you have a long run of coax cable between the antenna and your TV/converter box/tuner/whatever; or it might be because you want to split the signal to feed it into multiple TV/tuner boxes/etc. If this is you situation, the device works very well.
If your problem is that your signal is too weak to be useful directly at the point it comes out the antenna, even before it goes through any long runs of coax or splitters, then no amplifier in the world is going to help you out. What you need is to acquire a better signal. Depending on your circumstances, this might be done by
- changing the angle/orientation of your antenna
- moving it around the room (so it’s nearer windows or away from metal or whatever)
- moving it higher (if necessary going outside the house and onto the roof)
- or getting a larger antenna with a larger collecting area.
March 31st, 2009 on 5:45 pm
Rating
My digital TV cable signal was weak because too many splitters in my house. Plus I added one more for my HTPC. This amplifier corrects the problem. Now my HDTV and HTPC both get crystal clear pictures. It is made of ceramic and well built, although the size is a little bigger than I thought.
Note that the 4 port version has each port +8db, 2 port version is +11.5 db and 1 port version is +15db. More ports give you more built-in splitters, but doesn’t give you more amplification.
April 3rd, 2009 on 9:52 am
Rating
I ordered this splitter/amplifier because I am a nerd and built my own DVR with 4 tuners which meant I needed to split my comcast cable connection a bunch of times. I was getting some serious analog signal degradation and my HD signal was at times too low for my tuners to pick up. After missing 24 and Heroes one monday night I hopped online and bought this beauty. I have been using it for nearly a month and have nothing but praise for it. Works as advertised, I am completely satisfied.
May 14th, 2009 on 12:35 pm
Rating
Although I have faily decent signal at my house I decided to buy this amplifier. Reason: While the signal was “decent” I had trouble once I hooked up all of the appliances. The Cable company was going to boost the signal but after several attempts I decided it would be worth the investment and not bother with the cable company.
Although I don’t have a signal meter, I figured out (from the cable guy) that the cable box had a built in digital meter which display signal strength on your TV! You just have to know to push the right buttons. I have a “Scientific Atlanta – Explorer 4240 HDC” cable box. On this box you will have to hold the “select” button down for 3-4 seconds, release it and then press the info button. You will get a display of your cable signal strength on TV. To exit just press the exit button. So here is what you will see amoung 52 other pages of information!
Tuner | 585 MHz | 2 dBmV | 3 to 4/Sec (avg)
FDC | 74 MHz | -10 dBmV | 114/Sec (avg)
RDC | 23.5 MHz | 51 dBmV | 0 uSec
The above data was when I did NOT connect the amplifier. After I connected the amplifier I got the data below:
Tuner | 585 MHz | 10 dBmV | 30/Sec (avg)
FDC | 74 MHz | -2 dBmV | 0/Sec (avg)
RDC | 23.5 MHz | 56 dBmV | 0 uSec
Between the two it has shown a clear improvement of 8 dBmV for Tuner and FDC (Forward Data Channel), and about 5 dBmV for RDC (Reverse Data Channel). The last column is the error rate (I think). This actually was 30 at first but then dropped to 0/sec, making all of them 0/sec. I am assuming that must be good.
The TV reception on the analog sets seems less grainy than before. The digital is of course the same as expected. However one of the most compelling reasons why this is going to help me, is with the use of my PVR and the TV Guide in the PVR. I have a Philips PVR, which get’s into a “bad mood” sometimes – stops recording and hangs. I recently have attributed this to a bad signal strength. Will have to wait and watch to see if this theory is true. However, now I am feeding it a pure source from the amplifier with no splits.
My cable internet seems to be fine, although I am not sure if the speed was improved.
So all in all, I have avoided many splitters with this and am assured of a great signal at all points and at all times. Now if I have issues, I can call the cable company and be assured that this is a major fault at their end, because my end cannot be better.
Last but not the least – the seller had included an additinal set of color printed instructions. That is truly appreciated. In fact their commitment to making sure I have the right instructions is what is making me write this lengthy review. Keep it up.
And one last thing. The 8-port amp, MAY not be a good buy in my opinion because the amplification is only 4db. So I would suggest you stick with the 4-port amp which has an amplification of 7db on paper and 8db on the product! One extra db for the customer.