Let me start by complimenting you on your very high quality post. Usually, a person's first post is a complete mess or a question ridiculously vague. Thank you for putting the time into describing what your situation is.
On November 6, 2009 at 17:52, smitbret said...
I recently moved and discovered that I could run both signals (HD Sat & OTA) into the house on one cable with the use of two pairs of diplexers. It's an older home with just one coax cable run straight to the wall outlet. The total run is probably about 100 feet from dish/antenna to the receiver.
I don't do Dish, but I might be able to help. I'm curious about two diplexers, because diplexers mix together different frequency ranges. If one of these is a mixer (splitter turned backwards) or you really do have three distinct frequency range, this makes sense. Otherwise I'm not sure.
At my old home, I used the amplifier that my OTA antenna came with and I could maintain signal strengths of 92+ on Fox, CBS and NBC. I could easily maintain mid-70's with the ABC signal.
Unfortunately, this doesn't help at all with your different receiving position, antenna, and cabling. Or did you bring the antenna with you? Even so, your reception conditions will be different.
It worked like a dream. I haven't hooked the amplifier back up because of the diplex situation.
But if you hook up the amplifier you have, and everything works beautifully, you're done with a budget of zero. I always go first for what I call "the zero budget option." Try it.
I would like to buy and install a very good amplifier for the OTA antenna so that I get more consistent reception of all of these, especially the VHF channel 8. There are no splitters in the line, just diplexers.
Why a very good one? Perhaps a $25 Radio Shack antenna amp, the little chrome or black jobbies, will totally solve your problem. And you can return it if it doesn't.
Can the entire OTA/Sat combined signal be amplified or do I amplify only the OTA?
It CAN be combined and amplified, although you'd have to get some exotic product to do it. You don't mention a single problem with Dish, so why amplify it?
Can I amplify the OTA signal just before entry into the receiver,
Yes, you can amplify the OTA signal just before the receiver. However, you will have better results if the amplifier is as close to the antenna as possible. This is why mast-mounted antennas were developed, but they are also for areas with really crummy signal. Try the amp you've already got. Try the cheap Radio Shack amp. Put these before the diplexers, on the OTA signal only.
thus sending it back through the diplexed system or do I need to do something externally?
Whoa. Huh? An amp takes a signal in, amplifies it, and sends it out the other end. You've asked about putting the amp right before the receiver, so the amplified signal would go to the receiver. What about this would send anything back through the diplexers?
By externally, do you mean outdoors? As I mentioned above.
While I'm messing with the OTA, is it possible to amplify the satellite signal, too? I have lost satellite reception a couple of times over the years, but not really a concern. Just figured, "..while I'm at it".
It's possible. I've amplified a satellite signal in the past and it was worse, because it was already strong enough, got distorted, and the digital tuner had a harder time getting it. First, you should know why you've lost signal.
I'm flexible on the remedy, ideally, I'd just like something that can be installed indoors near the receiver, but I could do something externally if it's worth my time. Thanks.
As I said, install what you've got, and if it works, you're done. If not, do the other stuff.