The amplifier I am using is an Astaro HL-105. As everything mentioned on 
it is in german, I suppose it is a german brand, so I think it would be 
difficult for you to find one of this type. In order to obtain this 
amplifier, I simply asked the guys from the cable company and they sold 
me this one. So maybe someone of your cable company could also recommend 
or sell you a suitable antenna amplifier.

Jonathan Smith wrote:
> Thanks again, could you recommend an amplifier or a manufacturer that
> makes one?  I did a quick search, all the different types of
> amplifiers are confusing.
>
> On 12/30/05, David Arendt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>   
>> No, I have cable tv and am feeding the signal from cable tv through an
>> antenna amplifier. However it is advisable to take an antenna amplifier
>> with variable gain, as to much amplification could make things worse. As
>> antenna amplifiers are generally not too expensive, I would suggest to
>> simply give it a try. The devices necessary to measure you signal are
>> surely much more expensive than an antenna amplifier.
>>
>> Jonathan Smith wrote:
>>     
>>> Thank You David, does this mean that you dont have a cable TV, but are
>>> using a standard antenna (maybe I am misinterpretting what you mean by
>>> antenna amplifier)?  I have cable TV, even when feeding the cable
>>> directly from the cable box to the card, the quality is the same.
>>> Does anyone know how I can measure the signal quality from the cable?
>>> What should the signal quality be for the hauppauge card?
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> On 12/30/05, David Arendt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>>
>>>       
>>>> I had a similar problem. I noticed that the antenna input from the
>>>> PVR-350 is not as sensitive as the one from most televisions. For me,
>>>> putting an antenna amplifier before the PVR-350 solved these problems.
>>>>
>>>> Jonathan Smith wrote:
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> I am reposting my question about the ability to improve quality of the
>>>>> video on certain channels.  As my original post indicates, there are a
>>>>> few channels where the quality of the output is grainy, a couple have
>>>>> horizontal lines on screen.  I have similar results using either my
>>>>> nvidia card for output or the 350 card.  I do record on some of these
>>>>> channels, it looks worse than a VCR recording.  The channels look fine
>>>>> when viewing from cable TV.  Most of them are lower number channels:
>>>>> 12,14,15,17.  Any suggestions?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>>
>>>>> Here is my config:
>>>>>
>>>>> OS - Fedora Core 4
>>>>> Kernel: 2.6.14-1.1653_FC4
>>>>> ivtv version 0.4.1
>>>>> xdriver: 0.10.6
>>>>> video resolution: 720x480
>>>>> windows manager: KDE
>>>>>
>>>>> CPU: AMD Athlon XP 3200+
>>>>> Memory: 512 MB
>>>>> Motherboard: Chaintech Summit 7NJL6
>>>>> Video Card:  nVidia Corporation NV18 GeForce 4 MX
>>>>> Sound Card: SoundBlaster Audigy OEM
>>>>> Video Capture Cards: 1 Hauppauge 350 card, 1 Hauppauge 500 card
>>>>> Video Out:  Hauppauge 350
>>>>>
>>>>> US Cable TV
>>>>>
>>>>> dmesg of ivtv modules:
>>>>>
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:50 mythtv kernel: ivtv:  ==================== START INIT
>>>>> IVTV ====================
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:50 mythtv kernel: ivtv:  version 0.4.1 (tagged release) 
>>>>> loading
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:50 mythtv kernel: ivtv:  Linux version: 2.6.14-1.1653_FC4
>>>>> 686 REGPARM 4KSTACKS gcc-4.0
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:50 mythtv kernel: ivtv:  In case of problems please
>>>>> include the debug info between
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:50 mythtv kernel: ivtv:  the START INIT IVTV and END INIT
>>>>> IVTV lines, along with
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:50 mythtv kernel: ivtv:  any module options, when mailing
>>>>> the ivtv-users mailinglist.
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:50 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Autodetected WinTV PVR 350 card
>>>>> (cx23415 based)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:50 mythtv kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNK4] enabled at 
>>>>> IRQ 11
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:50 mythtv kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:01:07.0[A] ->
>>>>> Link [LNK4] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ 11
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:50 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Unreasonably low latency timer,
>>>>> setting to 64 (was 32)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:50 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: ivtv version
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: Hauppauge: model = 48132, rev
>>>>> = J323, serial# = 2754911
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: tuner = Philips FM1236 (idx =
>>>>> 23, type = 2)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: tuner fmt = NTSC(M) (eeprom =
>>>>> 0x08, v4l2 = 0x00001000)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: audio processor = MSP4448 (type 
>>>>> = 1b)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: decoder processor = SAA7115 
>>>>> (type = 13)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: i2c attach to card #0 ok
>>>>> [client=tveeprom, addr=50]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: tuner 0-0061: chip found @ 0xc2 (ivtv
>>>>> i2c driver #0)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: i2c attach to card #0 ok
>>>>> [client=(tuner unset), addr=61]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: saa7115 0-0021: ivtv driver
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: saa7115 0-0021: saa7115 found @ 0x42
>>>>> (ivtv i2c driver #0)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: i2c attach to card #0 ok
>>>>> [client=saa7115, addr=21]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: saa7127 0-0044: ivtv driver
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: saa7127 0-0044: saa7127 found @ 0x88
>>>>> (ivtv i2c driver #0)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: i2c attach to card #0 ok
>>>>> [client=saa7127, addr=44]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:51 mythtv kernel: msp3400 0-0040: ivtv driver
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:52 mythtv kernel: msp3400 0-0040: chip=MSP4448G-A2 +nicam
>>>>> +simple +simpler +radio mode=simpler
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:52 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: i2c attach to card #0 ok
>>>>> [client=MSP4448G-A2, addr=40]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:52 mythtv kernel: msp3400 0-0040: msp34xxg daemon started
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:52 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: loaded v4l-cx2341x-enc.fw
>>>>> firmware (262144 bytes)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:52 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: loaded v4l-cx2341x-dec.fw
>>>>> firmware (262144 bytes)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:52 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Encoder revision: 0x02040024
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:52 mythtv kernel: ivtv0 warning: Encoder Firmware can be
>>>>> buggy, use version 0x02040011 or 0x02050032.
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:52 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Decoder revision: 0x02020023
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:52 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Allocate DMA encoder MPEG
>>>>> stream: 128 x 32768 buffers (4096KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:52 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Allocate DMA encoder YUV stream:
>>>>> 194 x 10800 buffers (2048KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Allocate DMA encoder VBI stream:
>>>>> 120 x 17472 buffers (2048KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Allocate DMA encoder PCM audio
>>>>> stream: 455 x 4608 buffers (2048KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Create encoder radio stream
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Allocate DMA decoder MPEG
>>>>> stream: 16 x 65536 buffers (1024KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Allocate DMA decoder VBI stream:
>>>>> 512 x 2048 buffers (1024KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Create decoder VOUT stream
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Allocate DMA decoder YUV stream:
>>>>> 24 x 43200 buffers (1024KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: unable to open firmware
>>>>> v4l-cx2341x-init-mpeg.bin
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: did you put the firmware in the
>>>>> hotplug firmware directory?
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: failed to read mpeg decoder
>>>>> initialisation file v4l-cx2341x-init-mpeg.bin
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tuner 0-0061: type set to 2 (Philips
>>>>> NTSC (FI1236,FM1236 and compatibles))
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv0: Initialized WinTV PVR 350, card #0
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv:  ======================  NEXT
>>>>> CARD  ======================
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: Autodetected WinTV PVR 150 card
>>>>> (cx23416 based)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNK1] enabled at 
>>>>> IRQ 9
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: PCI: setting IRQ 9 as level-triggered
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:02:08.0[A] ->
>>>>> Link [LNK1] -> GSI 9 (level, low) -> IRQ 9
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: Unreasonably low latency timer,
>>>>> setting to 64 (was 32)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: Second (radio) tuner idx 101
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: ivtv version
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: Hauppauge: model = 23552, rev
>>>>> = D492, serial# = 7894323
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: tuner = Philips FQ1236A MK4
>>>>> (idx = 92, type = 57)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: tuner fmt = NTSC(M) (eeprom =
>>>>> 0x08, v4l2 = 0x00001000)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: audio processor = CX25843 (type 
>>>>> = 25)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: decoder processor = CX25843 
>>>>> (type = 1e)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: i2c attach to card #1 ok
>>>>> [client=tveeprom, addr=50]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tuner 1-0060: chip found @ 0xc0 (ivtv
>>>>> i2c driver #1)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tuner 1-0060: TEA5767 detected.
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: i2c attach to card #1 ok
>>>>> [client=(tuner unset), addr=60]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tuner 1-0060: type set to 62 (Philips
>>>>> TEA5767HN FM Radio)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tuner 1-0061: chip found @ 0xc2 (ivtv
>>>>> i2c driver #1)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: i2c attach to card #1 ok
>>>>> [client=(tuner unset), addr=61]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: tda9885/6/7: chip found @ 0x86
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: i2c attach to card #1 ok
>>>>> [client=tda9887, addr=43]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: This is the first unit of a PVR500
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: cx25840 1-0044: ivtv driver
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: cx25840 1-0044: cx25843-23 found @ 0x88
>>>>> (ivtv i2c driver #1)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: cx25840 1-0044: unable to open firmware
>>>>> v4l-cx25840.fw
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: i2c attach to card #1 ok
>>>>> [client=cx25840, addr=44]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: wm8775 1-001b: ivtv driver
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: wm8775 1-001b: chip found @ 0x36 (ivtv
>>>>> i2c driver #1)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: i2c attach to card #1 ok
>>>>> [client=wm8775, addr=1b]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: Detected a TEA5767 radio tuner.
>>>>> Enabling radio support.
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: loaded v4l-cx2341x-enc.fw
>>>>> firmware (262144 bytes)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: Encoder revision: 0x02040024
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1 warning: Encoder Firmware can be
>>>>> buggy, use version 0x02040011 or 0x02050032.
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: Allocate DMA encoder MPEG
>>>>> stream: 128 x 32768 buffers (4096KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: Allocate DMA encoder YUV stream:
>>>>> 194 x 10800 buffers (2048KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: Allocate DMA encoder VBI stream:
>>>>> 120 x 17472 buffers (2048KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:53 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: Allocate DMA encoder PCM audio
>>>>> stream: 455 x 4608 buffers (2048KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: Create encoder radio stream
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: tuner 1-0061: type set to 57 (Philips
>>>>> FQ1236A MK4)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv1: Initialized WinTV PVR 500 (unit
>>>>> #1), card #1
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv:  ======================  NEXT
>>>>> CARD  ======================
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: Autodetected WinTV PVR 150 card
>>>>> (cx23416 based)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNK2] enabled at 
>>>>> IRQ 5
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:02:09.0[A] ->
>>>>> Link [LNK2] -> GSI 5 (level, low) -> IRQ 5
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: Unreasonably low latency timer,
>>>>> setting to 64 (was 32)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: Second (radio) tuner idx 101
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: ivtv version
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: Hauppauge: model = 23552, rev
>>>>> = D492, serial# = 7894323
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: tuner = Philips FQ1236A MK4
>>>>> (idx = 92, type = 57)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: tuner fmt = NTSC(M) (eeprom =
>>>>> 0x08, v4l2 = 0x00001000)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: audio processor = CX25843 (type 
>>>>> = 25)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: tveeprom: decoder processor = CX25843 
>>>>> (type = 1e)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: i2c attach to card #2 ok
>>>>> [client=tveeprom, addr=50]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: tuner 2-0061: chip found @ 0xc2 (ivtv
>>>>> i2c driver #2)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: i2c attach to card #2 ok
>>>>> [client=(tuner unset), addr=61]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: tda9885/6/7: chip found @ 0x86
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: i2c attach to card #2 ok
>>>>> [client=tda9887, addr=43]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: cx25840 2-0044: ivtv driver
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: cx25840 2-0044: cx25843-23 found @ 0x88
>>>>> (ivtv i2c driver #2)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: cx25840 2-0044: unable to open firmware
>>>>> v4l-cx25840.fw
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: i2c attach to card #2 ok
>>>>> [client=cx25840, addr=44]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: wm8775 2-001b: ivtv driver
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: wm8775 2-001b: chip found @ 0x36 (ivtv
>>>>> i2c driver #2)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: i2c attach to card #2 ok
>>>>> [client=wm8775, addr=1b]
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: This is the second unit of a PVR500
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: Correcting tveeprom data: no
>>>>> radio present on second unit
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: loaded v4l-cx2341x-enc.fw
>>>>> firmware (262144 bytes)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: Encoder revision: 0x02040024
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2 warning: Encoder Firmware can be
>>>>> buggy, use version 0x02040011 or 0x02050032.
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: Allocate DMA encoder MPEG
>>>>> stream: 128 x 32768 buffers (4096KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: Allocate DMA encoder YUV stream:
>>>>> 194 x 10800 buffers (2048KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: Allocate DMA encoder VBI stream:
>>>>> 120 x 17472 buffers (2048KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: Allocate DMA encoder PCM audio
>>>>> stream: 455 x 4608 buffers (2048KB total)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: tuner 2-0061: type set to 57 (Philips
>>>>> FQ1236A MK4)
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel: ivtv2: Initialized WinTV PVR 500 (unit
>>>>> #2), card #2
>>>>> Dec 29 20:59:54 mythtv kernel:
>>>>> ivtv:  ====================  END INIT IVTV  ====================
>>>>>
>>>>> lspci -v:
>>>>>
>>>>> 01:07.0 Multimedia video controller: Internext Compression Inc iTVC15
>>>>> MPEG-2 Encoder (rev 01)
>>>>>         Subsystem: Hauppauge computer works Inc. WinTV PVR-350
>>>>>         Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 11
>>>>>         Memory at e0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=64M]
>>>>>         Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2
>>>>>
>>>>> 02:08.0 Multimedia video controller: Internext Compression Inc iTVC16
>>>>> (CX23416) MPEG-2 Encoder (rev 01)
>>>>>         Subsystem: Hauppauge computer works Inc.: Unknown device e807
>>>>>         Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 9
>>>>>         Memory at d8000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=64M]
>>>>>         Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2
>>>>>
>>>>> 02:09.0 Multimedia video controller: Internext Compression Inc iTVC16
>>>>> (CX23416) MPEG-2 Encoder (rev 01)
>>>>>         Subsystem: Hauppauge computer works Inc.: Unknown device e817
>>>>>         Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 5
>>>>>         Memory at dc000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=64M]
>>>>>         Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> ivtv-users mailing list
>>>>> [email protected]
>>>>> http://ivtvdriver.org/mailman/listinfo/ivtv-users
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> ivtv-users mailing list
>>>> [email protected]
>>>> http://ivtvdriver.org/mailman/listinfo/ivtv-users
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> ivtv-users mailing list
>>> [email protected]
>>> http://ivtvdriver.org/mailman/listinfo/ivtv-users
>>>
>>>       
>> _______________________________________________
>> ivtv-users mailing list
>> [email protected]
>> http://ivtvdriver.org/mailman/listinfo/ivtv-users
>>
>>     
>
> _______________________________________________
> ivtv-users mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://ivtvdriver.org/mailman/listinfo/ivtv-users
>   

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