In-Line Satellite Signal Amplifier?

Question

I just bought a new Sony LCD tv. The picture is GREAT while watching movies, but my pic is ok while watching sports. To much pixeling & not as sharp as I hoped it would be during the Lakers game tonight. Will a in-line signal amp improve the picture...make it sharper like my DVD (no its not hi-def/blue-ray) player? FYI I have DISH network & no I do not plan on upgrading to the high package. But I do plan on buying a HD Antenna. And my run of RG6 cable is less than 50 feet.

Answer 1

There are a lot of confusing things in this question, let me see...

First of all, I assume you are dealing with digital (either over the air or from satellite).  In that case, the resolution (sharpness) is what it is.  A signal amplifier won't change that a bit.  That's because digital is numbers.  Making it "louder" with an amplifier won't change the numbers.  Blue-ray looks the best because it doesn't have to go over the air or through a cable system so they can send more data (numbers).  Over the air TV has to fit into a channel, and cable/satellite, well they are making room for more channels . . .

Now the pixelating can have a number of causes.  Yes, a poor signal can cause that, in which case a better antenna or reaiming the existing antenna will help or eliminate the problem.  But you said the magic word - SPORTS.  Cable and satellite systems, because they are making room for more channels, cut back on the amount of data they send and how fast they send it.  So, fast moving things, like SPORTS, will not always be able to update the picture fast enough to keep up with the action.  This will appear as pixels out of place during fast moving scenes.  This is a problem with the picture before it gets to you, nothing you can do on the receive side will help this problem.

By the way, there is no such thing as a digital or HD antenna; that's just marketing hype.  Antennas care about what channels (frequencies) they are receiving, not about what's on the channel.  An antenna is just a dumb piece of metal.  

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

And you're going to get the LAKERS game from your LOCAL TV STATIONS....Right?

Well then....that signal amplifier on your HDTV antenna MIGHT give you really good signal lock.....of course an outdoor antenna is sooooooo much better and costs sooooo little more, that it's worth it !

Especially since you get the LAKERS on LOCAL TV CHANNELS.....right?

Or are you wrong about that point I'm trying to make to you....

Because if you are WRONG...then you CAN'T avoid paying for HD services.....or avoid that pixellation problem.....

Of course, they Black-out the LOCAL games, but not the AWAY games......Right?

Or do I have to make another point about the relative importance of paying for NBANET TV services (or whatever they deliver there)?

Personally, they're not THAT important to me...but it's certainly cheaper than season tickets too.....

Trying to GET AROUND the pixellation problem with an IN LINE signal amp....IS NOT THE FIX!

Because slapping on an amp won't magically improve a BAD LNB.....Or Bad ALIGNMENT.....OR a heavily compressed satellite signal....