# Moca and Cable Amplifier



## csell (Apr 16, 2007)

I currently have a Tivo HD and am getting ready to move up to the Tivo Roamio along with the Tivo Mini. I am looking into the networking options that I have. I know the Roamio has Moca built in and that's what is recommended; however, I have a cable amplifier that is used right before going into the Tivo. This was installed by the cable company and necessary as there are weak signal issues. So I cannot remove it. I have read that you cannot use Moca with a cable amplifier. Is this true???? 

If I cannot use Moca, would getting a very good powerline ethernet adapter a good and realistic option?


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

Are you sure that the amp is right before the TiVo? It could just be the power inserter that you are seeing that feeds power to the amp. Are there other coax outlets in your house besides the one that goes to the TiVo? I assume there is at least 1 since you are thinking of also getting a Mini. That would make me think it is just a power inserter and that the amp is farther up the before the coax is split to the other outlet. In that case, MoCA would probably still work fine.

Even if you are right and it is an amp right before the TiVo location, you might be able to just remove it anyway. The Roamios seem to deal with a weak signal pretty well since they have an internal amp built in to compensate for the signal loss due to tuner splits.


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## KimHedrick (Oct 12, 2014)

I just went through an ordeal trying to set up the MoCA network with my Roamio Plus and thought the TWC supplied amplifier was the reason the Mini couldn't connect to the MoCA network. I need the amplifier for the same reason you stated, weak signals because of a very long cable drop. Anyway, it turned out the problem wasn't the amp, it was the tuning adapter. You have to split the cable coming to the TiVo and attach one coax to the input of the TA and one to the TiVo along with the usb cable. Don't try using the TA passthrough. After I hooked the TA up this way I had no problem connecting Minis up all over my house.


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## csell (Apr 16, 2007)

We definately have a cable amplifier shortly before the Tivo. For whatever reason, our signal even before it hits the house is weak (we are at the end of the community?) and then by the time the cable get the whole way to the TV room, the signal is even weaker. The cable company added a amplifier right after it comes out of the wall and then it goes to the Tivo. Without it, most HD channels are not watchable. With the amplifier, the picture quality is great.


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

Edit: Others responded before I submitted my post, so if I'm repeating anything, disregard. 

It would be best if the amp were placed at the cable's point of entry. Every outlet would benefit and it would also side-step any moca problems. Having it right before the device was inefficient placement.

In any event, it MIGHT work if the amp is rated at least 1000MHz and bi-directional.

If it's not bi-directional, and you can't move it, you can try the diplexer approach to get the moca signal around the amp. A diplexer looks like a splitter except it separates low and high frequencies. You'll need 2 diplexers and 3 short coax cables.

- Install a diplexer on the coax.
- Use one short coax to connect the amp to the "low" (sub-1000 MHz) frequency leg.
- Connect the second short coax to the "high" (1000+ MHz) frequency leg.
- Connect the amp line (using 3rd coax) and high-frequency line to the second diplexer.

voila. It's a hodge-podge but _should_ work.


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## csell (Apr 16, 2007)

BigJimOutlaw said:


> In any event, it MIGHT work if the amp is rated at least 1000MHz and bi-directional.


Here is a photo I took of the amplifier. Based on what you said, any chance it would work:


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## az1097 (Apr 3, 2013)

KimHedrick said:


> You have to split the cable coming to the TiVo and attach one coax to the input of the TA and one to the TiVo along with the usb cable. Don't try using the TA passthrough. After I hooked the TA up this way I had no problem connecting Minis up all over my house.


Would you please explain the split more accurately.


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

csell said:


> Here is a photo I took of the amplifier. Based on what you said, any chance it would work:


I couldn't say. But maybe someone else can chime in or you can google the brand/model number and see if it says anything. If not, assume it's not bidirectional.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

The amp should be as close to the point the cable comes into the house from the street as possible so it gets the cleanest signal. If there's enough power you can take a two-way splitter and use one side for a modem or eMTA, the other for the amp, and the TVs downstream of that. There are also zero-loss splitters now that provide a passthrough for a modem/eMTA and a bunch of amplified ports for TVs.


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## KimHedrick (Oct 12, 2014)

az1097 said:


> Would you please explain the split more accurately.


If I understand you correctly, and your picture seems to confirm this, the amplifier is there in the room where your TiVo is located. Do you have other cable outlets in your house? If so I'm not sure why the amp is at his one location and not at the entry point of your house. Any way the setup I was talking about would go like this, connect a cable from the amp output to a two way splitter. Connect one output from the splitter to the rf input of the tuning adapter and the other output to the rf input on the TiVo. Connect the tuning adapter to the TiVo with the usb cable.

Just looked at this thread: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=501722
First post shows how to setup a MoCA network. The third diagram shows how to connect the tuning adapter.


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## A J Ricaud (Jun 25, 2002)

According to this it is bi-directional ("passive reverse"):
http://www.extreme-broadband.com/shop.html


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

MoCA most likely won't pass top to bottom through an amp. The amp should be BEFORE the MoCA network. MoCA should pass side to side (i.e. from one output to another output) through an amp, since the multi-port amps are usually basically an amp with one output that's split.


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